Photo of the week
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This weekends photo.
A nice colour shot of the Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat prototype
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This weekends extra.
And a nice closeup of a DB 601E from a Hungarian Messerschmitt Bf.109F-4. Eastern front. Circa end of 1942 – the beginning of 1943
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This midweeks photos.
And some stunning air to air shots of Vulcan B2 XH535, over Edwards Air Force base,this aircraft was lost on 11-MAY-1964.
"Pilot decided to do STALL test at 10000ft, came down like a leaf. Therefore could not get air to engines, so no forward speed. Released brake chute to get nose down togain air speed, then climb back withengines back on power.Sadly, they were over the only high ground (1000ft) in the area.The 6th officer had only gone up to gain flying hours and tried to escape through roof after pilots had ejected. Sadly he died later in hospital.
The reason for the crash given to my mother by the Group Captain who came to the house to give her the news was as follows:- The aircraft took off from RAF Boscombe Down to conduct a series of tests which they completed successfully, however, the Pilot was due to make further tests the following day and decided to include one (or some) of these tests on the 11th May instead.
One of these tests was to perform a low-fly low-speed test over the Downs approx 10 miles NW of the base. During this test the engines stalled and they were not high enough to enable a restart ...as a result the Vulcan "belly flopped" and all but the 2 pilots survived (they ejected at low altitude) and the RAF co-pilot broke his back."
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This weekends photo and a nice colour shot of a Hungarian "Hawk I".
In December 1939 seventy Reggiane Re.2000 fighters, purchased from Italy, were delivered to the Magyar Királyi Állami Vas-, Acél- és Gépgyárak, ("Royal Hungarian State Iron, Steel and Machine Works"), where they were modified into MÁVAG Héja I ("Hawk I") fighters. The original Piaggio P.XI engines were replaced by the Hungarian-built Manfred Weiss WM K-14 driving Hamilton Standard three-bladed, constant-speed propellers. The WM K-14 was a licensed copy of the French Gnome-Rhône 14K engine that necessitated a 1-foot 3-inch lengthening of the fighters' forward fuselage, to restore the center of gravity to a safe position. The Piaggio engine was itself also a copy of the Gnome-Rhône 14K, it was more reliable than the Italian engines.
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This weekends extra.
A nice crisp shot of a captured Fw 190A-8 "Blue 6" of JG 26.
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This weekends photos.
Four ground crew wearing gas masks and gas capes servicing a Hurricane night fighter, probably No. 3 Squadron taken at RAF Station Hunsdon.
Squadron Leader AE 'Ted' Berry sitting in the cockpit of Hurricane night fighter BN185, of No. 3 Squadron probably taken at taken at RAF Station Hunsdon
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This weekends extra.
Lt. Col. Baseler's,Republic P-47D-10-RE. AC 42-75008. 'Big Stud.' 326Th FG Lesina Italy April 1944.
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This midweeks photo.
Armorers Of The 318Th Fighter Group Loading And Cleaning Wing Guns On The Republic P-47N Thunderbolt 'Mary Jane'. Ie Shima, Ryukyu Retto, 11 July 1945.
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This weekends photos.
In 1943, when French North Africa joined the allied nations, the 3FB and the 4FB squadrons were created and equipped with SBDs (a total of thirty-two examples). Those units were operational in September 1944. They were moved to Cognac, they carried on missions over South-West of France at the end of the WWII against last German bastions. On April 30th 1945 the surviving planes of the 4F were embarked aboard CVE Dixmude in order to fight over Indochina. In November 1948, the ship was replaced by the CV Arromanches armed with the 3F with its SBDs. Last Dauntlesses were retired from French service in July 1949.
