Photo of the week
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This weekends photo .
And a nice air to air of a Spanish Hispano Aviación HA-1112 M1L Buchón .
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This weekends extra.
Avro Lancaster B.Mk.I CF-CMS (ex R5727) modified as transatlantic mail and freight carrier, at Manchester, UK in June 1943.
This Lancaster Mk. I was from the first production batch, and features the small fuselage windows of the Manchester fuselage, and was originally equipped with the Frazier-Nash 2 x .303 ventral turret. It was flown to Canada on August 24, 1942 to be used as a pattern aircraft for the Canadian built Lancaster X, but in March 1943 it received major modifications, including the removal of turrets and a completely remodeled nose. Operated by Trans Canada Airways on transatlantic flights, carrying RCAF mail, priority packages, and freight, it flew its first service for the Canadian government on July 22, 1943 from Dorval to Prestwick in 12 hrs, 26 minutes. It retained its original camouflage and RAF fin flash, but had the large registration letters underlined in red, white, and blue to denote civil status.
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This midweeks photo.
A nice air to air of Douglas A-26B-15-DL, 41-39198 as she appeared when assigned to the 386th Bomb Group during WWII.
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This weekends extra.
The “Meteorites” were an aerobatic display team in the Royal Australian Air Force. The team was formed in August 1956 flying with three Gloster Meteor F. 8 aircraft from No. 78 (Fighter) Wing based at Williamtown, N.S.W.
After 23 displays in February 1957 the team was disbanded,when F-86's replaced the Meteors,
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This midweeks photo.
And a delightful shot of a Swedish Tiger Moth, known as the SK 11 in Swedish service._p_flygf_lt_p_F_5_Ljungbyhed._I_bakgrunden_syns_hangarer._Sidovy..jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds)
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This weekends photo.
A wonderful photo of a French Sopwith 1½ Strutter.
The largest user of the Sopwith was actually the French Aéronautique Militaire. By May 1916 it was obvious that the pusher Farman and Breguet bombers and reconnaissance aircraft were obsolete and with the failure of their tractor aircraft replacements, particularly the Nieuport 14, the Sopwith was ordered in large numbers from French manufacturers in three versions, the SOP. 1A.2 (two-seat reconnaissance), SOP. 1B.2 (two-seat bomber) and SOP. 1B.1 (single-seat bomber). While in French service, they equipped a large portion of the French bomber and artillery-observation squadrons and carried out many bombing attacks against industrial and military targets, including the German front lines. It was not as successful against fighters, suffering substantial casualties and downing fewer enemy aircraft than either the aircraft used before it or after. With the belated introduction of the Breguet 14 A.2 and B.2, the last of the Sopwiths were withdrawn from operational service in early 1918 although they would continue in service with training units until after the end of the war. -
This weekends extra.
A few P-39Qs were modified into two seaters with dual controls for use as advanced trainers under the designation RP-39Q (redesignated TP-39Q after 1944). All armament was removed. The second cockpit was sort of "grafted" in front of the original cockpit, and the pilot in this extra cockpit sat under a hinged canopy. The extra cockpit was fitted with only rudimentary controls. The original cockpit retained the same controls and instruments as the standard P-39Q. The instructor sat in front in the extra cockpit, the student in the original cockpit, and the two communicated via an intercom telephone. The tail fillet was enlarged and an additional shallow ventral fin was fitted under the rear fuselage. These modifications produced one of the most grotesque aircraft ever seen. . The first example, converted from P-39Q-5 42-20024, was rolled out for the first time on September 16, 1943. It was designated TP-39Q-5. 12 two-seater fighter trainers were converted from P-39Q-20s, and were designated RP-39Q-22. The ventral strake was somewhat different in shape from that of the ventral fin of the original TP-39Q-5. Serials were 44-3879, 3885/3887, 3889, 3895, 3897, 3905, 3906, 3908, 3917, and 3918.
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