Photo of the week
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This weekends extra.
And a couple of photos taken on the Eastern front of a Messerschmitt Bf-110, possibly from Zerstörergeschwader (ZG1)
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This midweeks photo.
A nice shot of a Messerschmitt Bf-109 G2 with 20mm gun pods, from Jagdgeschwader 27 (I/JG27),
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This weekends photo.
And some nice close ups of TAIC 6, a Nakajima B5N2.
This B5N2 Type 97 Carrier Attack Bomber was built in December 1943. Equipped with H-6 ASV radar,the 'Kate' had been attached to the General (Combined) Escort Force or Rengo Goei Butai (GEB), serving there with the 931st Kaigun Kokutai. After the capture of Saipan in June 1944 this B5N2 Kate, with the tail-code KEB306,was found abandoned at Aslito airfield. Shipped from the Garapan anchorage off Saipan, Mariana Islands to the USA 8Jul44 on USS Copahee (CVE-12), arriving NAS San Diego, California, 28Jul44. Technical Air Intelligence Center (TAIC), NAS Anacostia, MD. Assigned TAIC 6. First flight after overhaul 16Nov44. Initially used to evaluate the effectiveness of the radar equipment against US naval vessels off the Delaware coast, with the equipment being operated by the Naval Radio Laboratory. Tactical Test Division, NAS Patuxent River, MD 13Dec44.Technical Air Intelligence Center (TAIC), NAS Anacostia, MD 27Apr45. In Oct45 the Kate and a Zeke were attached to a group known as 'The Navy's Flying Might' at NAS Wildwood, Rio Grande, New Jersey, set up as a travelling display to take part in nationwide Victory Loan promotions across the USA. Believed to have been on static display at the World's Fair of Aviation, Offutt Field, Fort Crook, Omaha, NB July 1946. -
This weekends extra.
Focke-Wulf FW 190A fighter, code KM+EY, Werknummer Nr2676, of the 3rd group of the fast combat squadron III Gruppe Schnellkampfgeschwader 10 (III-SKG10), on the El-Aouina airfield of Tunis.
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This midweeks photos.
Some shots of a B-17F-5-BO, 41-24430 taken at RNZAF Station Whenuapai 1942.
During September 1942 ferried across the Pacific to New Zealand. Apparently, this B-17 was never assigned to a specific Bombardment Group.Fate uncertain? -
This weekends photos.
And a couple of nice shots of a Siemens-Schuckert werke D I of Jasta 7.
The Siemens-Schuckert D.I was a German single-seat biplane fighter developed during World War I, largely as a copy of the French Nieuport 17. While primarily used for training due to its late arrival and rapid obsolescence, it did serve in several frontline units, including Jagdstaffel 7 (Jasta 7).
It was fast and handled well but was rapidly outclassed, with production stopping after about 95 units were built. -
This weekends extra.
The second Republic XP-84, serial number 45-59476,note the XB-39 in the background.
Republic XF-84A Thunderjet second prototype 45-59476, 4144th BU, USAF: The No. 2 XP-84, serial number 45-59476, made its first flight on August 25 1946 and remained at Muroc AFB for additional flight test by the Contractor and Power Plant Laboratory of Wright Field
On September 8 1946, the second XP-84 set a US national airspeed record of 607.2 mph (527.6 kn; 977.2 km/h), but failed to match the world speed record of 612.2 mph (532.0 kn; 985.2 km/h) set the day before by a British Gloster Meteor. The effort to break the speed record delayed the test program with the second prototype
Crashed April 23 1948 while landing at Muroc Field, CA. Reported as "landing accident due to mechanical failure". Pilot Marshall M Williams. Aircraft came down on approach 2 miles east of the airfield
To Smithsonian, National Air and Space Museum, Paul Garber Facility, Silver Hill, MD (forward fuselage), "The National Air & Space Museum holds the nose section of the record setting second XP-84 (#45-59476). The original cockpit canopy was destroyed during testing and has since been replaced. The cockpit section was transferred to the NASM by what is now the USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio.
