The Aviation Enthusiasts Thread!

[Relic]

very very nice

speaking of less well-known WW2 birds here's a classic:

they've recovered one from a jungle in the South Pacific (New Guinea) and are restoring it at an airfield not too far from me:

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[bmc]

It's a Morane Saulnier MS406.

 

[bmc]

That Black Widow gives me a stem.

 

[Michael Jewels]

I've always loved the French Mirage series along with it's derivatives. The thing that strikes me as odd about them though - I swear that it looks like the French took an F-104 fuselage and popped F-102/F-106 wings on it!! I really wonder if there was an influence there when the French were designing it...

And speaking of derivatives, let's not forget the South African Air Force's Cheetah.
Cheetah C - YouTube

The two seat version always reminded me of an elongated F-4 Phantom nose stuck on the front of a Mirage. You can see it at 0:20 and more clearly at 0:57 to 0:59 on the clock. Pause the video at 0:57 and take a good look.

Mike

 

[bmc]

I've seen the Dewotoine at a coupla shows (were you at Emmen last summer for the 100 years of Swiss aviation show? It was pretty good).

Here's G-DORN at my old stomping ground - Bournemouth, some time ago:
G-DORN C-552 Dornier (EKW) C-3605 Swiss Air Force | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
I've known that plane ever since I was walking, nice to know it's followed me!

Not sure if the machine is/was G-DORN. Weren't they Swiss built by a different company, like Farnair or something?

 

[Relic]

And speaking of derivatives, let's not forget the South African Air Force's Cheetah.
Cheetah C - YouTube

The two seat version always reminded me of an elongated F-4 Phantom nose stuck on the front of a Mirage. You can see it at 0:20 and more clearly at 0:57 to 0:59 on the clock. Pause the video at 0:57 and take a good look.

Mike

Love the Cheetah!

How about the Israeli Kfir:
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[EdHunter]

Not sure if the machine is/was G-DORN. Weren't they Swiss built by a different company, like Farnair or something?

Not Farnair, someone else I think. But there were a fair few from Dornier. Also, I doubt there are many left sitting around, it could well be the same one, especially if it was restored of late.

 

[Michael Jewels]

Love the Cheetah!

How about the Israeli Kfir:
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Yes, the Kfir was another good plane.

And now for all you tough aviation girls and guys, I dare you to click on this - that is if you have the stomach for it!

Scottish Fold munchkin - YouTube

Mike

 

[Relic]

That's just....AWWWW...wait, I....AWWWWWW....it's it's not....AWWWWWW
AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

 

[bmc]

I know there are a lot of military fans here, but if any of you know your private aircraft, take a stab at identifying this. This is also at that Swiss airfield that I mentioned above. It is one of 20 built.

 

[Bob Lee (QSC)]

very very nice

speaking of less well-known WW2 birds here's a classic:

they've recovered one from a jungle in the South Pacific (New Guinea) and are restoring it at an airfield not too far from me:

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That's very cool; I don't think I've ever seen one of those before. Thanks!

 

[nutdog]

Put my little puddle jumper in the shop last week. This was in the hangar. Loves me some Cub.

I was told this was the world's most expensive Taylorcraft. Apparently the company was bought and went into bankruptcy. This was the only one produced during that period.

Like most stories at the airport, it may or may not be true.

 

[Michael Jewels]

That's very cool; I don't think I've ever seen one of those before. Thanks!

Hey, Bob, how've you been?

Here's a site about the P-61 they're restoring.
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The P-61's movable dorsal turret was the American version of the German Schrage Musik upward-firing gun mount.
Schräge Musik - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

On a different note, I still haven't been able to find the article I read on the possible banning of older pilots from doing stunt flying at airshows, but I'm pretty sure it was connected with this crash of a P-63 King Cobra.
P-63 King Cobra Crash During Air show - YouTube

Mike

 

[Michael Jewels]

Some Boeing 787 talk.

Boeing 787's Quiet Technology is put to the Test. - YouTube

Noise difference between an old 707 and the new 787.
The Noise difference between a Boeing 707 and a Boeing 787 (Additional Video) - YouTube

Here's a 787 escorted by two Spitfires.
"Amazing Wing Flex" Boeing 787 Dreamliner Head-On Take-off at Farnborough Airshow. - YouTube

The 787 is a good cracker, GOOD CRACKER!

Mike

 

[Tegzsa]

Another blast from the past. The Fairey Gannet

 

[Relic]

Another blast from the past. The Fairey Gannet

That's one of those planes that are soooo ugly, you just have to love it!

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I do have to say though that there's something about the "gull wing" aesthetic that I've always liked.

 

[Tegzsa]

The gull-wings break in two places for carrier use. That big pod thing under the fuselage is a sub-detector.

 

[Relic]

The gull-wings break in two places for carrier use. That big pod thing under the fuselage is a sub-detector.

Nice.
I think most carrier-based planes have that feature built in, it's brilliant actually.

here's another contender to the carrier based "ugly but beautiful" club.
The TBM Avenger:
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I grew up right near the factory where these were made (among other places) in WW2. They used to push them across the street and test fly them at what is now the Trenton-Mercer Airport. That was before my time but it's been a big part of our local heritage and whatnot. Ironically, that same factory was build on the ground that Washington and his troops marched over on their way to fight the Germans (Hessians actually) at Trenton during the American Revolution. So it sort of served a historical "double duty"!
The factory continued on as a General Motors plant until closing about a decade or so ago. Now all that remains is a fenced-in super-polluted dirt lot that may eventually be cleaned up for a Walmart store to be erected...

 

[Gaius46]

very very nice

speaking of less well-known WW2 birds here's a classic:

they've recovered one from a jungle in the South Pacific (New Guinea) and are restoring it at an airfield not too far from me:

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Definitely a hot plane but I've always had a thing for this baby

 

[Relic]

You and me both Gaius!
That's one of my all-time favs. Anything Lockheed is ok by me