[400 4spd.]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Fan safety was not a concern back then...

But fan stupidity was rampant. I can't understand why people would stand 12 deep along the edge of a cow path to see that stuff. It's no different than standing next to a target at the gun range because you don't think anyone will miss.

[njsteve]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Those are actually the licensed Spanish version of the Messerschmitt Bf-109, the upright, Spanish manufactured 'Hispano-Suisa' engine being the primary difference. These are the type seen in most every WWII movie you see as the original German built planes are extremely rare in flying condition. Spain produced their version even after the war and I'll bet you that the 'warehouse' pic above is from some Hollywood backlot or at least of a group of planes used in some film like 'The Battle of Britain' which was released some time in the 1960s.

They are the actual planes used in the Battle of Britian movie. Dozens of them including Spitfires, too. It was in the news a couple weeks ago about the former stuntpilot who flew most of the planes in the combat scenes for the movie. He took them all in as his payment for the project. He knew that waiting on his pay from the "profits" of a film was very risky so he told the producers that he would take the planes instead. He is a millionaire Texas oil man and is retired. He is selling the entire fleet as one lot - no haggling, no bargaining. Sadly, he was going to give them to his stuntpilot son but the son recently died in a car accident and now he has no one to give them to, other his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

(From the link it appears that the lot was sold to a buyer who is now offering two of the planes for sale on that broker's site http://www.platinumfighters.com/#!ha-1112-m1l/c12zi )

[Greg Reid]

Wow. Incredible story. I just guessed because I could not think of another reason so many of those Spanish 109s would be in one spot. That was a great movie by the way and worth watching if for no more reason than the beautiful color flying scenes of Spits, Hurris, He-111s and these 109s. I re-watched it a couple of years ago and it must have been restored. The visuals are great.

[U47]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Wow. Incredible story. I just guessed because I could not think of another reason so many of those Spanish 109s would be in one spot. That was a great movie by the way and worth watching if for no more reason than the beautiful color flying scenes of Spits, Hurris He-111s and these 109s. I re-watched it a couple of years ago and it must have been restored. The visuals are great.

Just a FYI on the Spanish planes. The last ones produced were in 1957. Another great production was the series " PIECE of Cake". Was shown in the states on PBS in 1988. Series starts in France, then moved to the Battle of Britain after the Germans pushed the English and French into the channel. Great story of Hornet squadron which was made up of English, French Americans, Canadians, Poles. Worth seeing.
PIECE OF CAKE Hornet Squadron in Action.wmv - YouTube




Video for piece of cake pbs▶ 5:34

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R7pDoBSrKg

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Wow. Incredible story. I just guessed because I could not think of another reason so many of those Spanish 109s would be in one spot. That was a great movie by the way and worth watching if for no more reason than the beautiful color flying scenes of Spits, Hurris, He-111s and these 109s. I re-watched it a couple of years ago and it must have been restored. The visuals are great.

http://play.moviehdv.com/play.php?movie=0064072

"In 1940, the Royal Air Force fights a desperate battle against the might of the Luftwaffe for control of the skies over Britain, thus preventing the Na(z)i invasion of Britain."

[Alvin]

http://youtu.be/ZqPdSpezHhg

[Alvin]

[Alvin]

[Alvin]

[Greg Reid]

Your baiting me now Alvin...I almost never get tired of WWII aircraft discussions but I'm gonna quit for now...

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by U47

Just a FYI on the Spanish planes. The last ones produced were in 1957. Another great production was the series " PIECE of Cake". Was shown in the states on PBS in 1988. Series starts in France, then moved to the Battle of Britain after the Germans pushed the English and French into the channel. Great story of Hornet squadron which was made up of English, French Americans, Canadians, Poles. Worth seeing.
PIECE OF CAKE Hornet Squadron in Action.wmv - YouTube




Video for piece of cake pbs▶ 5:34

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R7pDoBSrKg

U47, don't know how I missed that one...never heard of it. Looks very interesting. I don't think there are many machines of any kind that are any more beautiful than a Spitfire in flight. A masterful example of aesthetics meeting functionality.

[Keith Seymore]

I woudn't want to turn around and see this:

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

I woudn't want to turn around and see this:

Back around 1976 I went to skydiving school at Rhinebeck New York's Aerodrome and they had (2) two restored and air worthy Fokker Tri-planes on-site...I recall mostly the black painted one's features...and still amazed to think of the flimsy canvas construction....that worked in extreme war duty

[Alvin]

Great treasure trove on World War 2 German Jets (1939-1945)

"Through ingenuity and desperation, the Germans were developing a slew of ground-breaking rocket- and jet-powered aircraft during World War 2."
http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircr...erman-jets.asp

[MikeNoun]

My favorite from WWI, the Fokker Dr.1 triplane.



Many people don't realize how small this aircraft was. It had a tiny wingspan, and 4 horizontal wings (the fourth was between the wheels), and was by far the most maneuverable aircraft of the war. It instilled so much confidence in German pilots that many of the German aces ended up flying solo missions, and frequently engaging 2 or more French or British planes at once. The Dr.1's only weakness was diving capability due to the excess drag of the wings. Of course, top speed was also lower than regular biplanes, but German pilots used the Dr.1's incredible climbing ability to escape dangerous situations. In WWI combat, altitude was everything, and the Dr.1 could easily outclimb anything in the sky, dive on their prey, then climb back up again before their opponent could catch them.

The Fokker Dr.1 was also a b*tch to fly. The LeRhone 80 rotary engine was a torque monster, and the pilot had to constantly steer to the left. Many pilots were killed on takeoff, as the torque of the engine caused the plane to auger into the ground if the pilot wasn't experienced.

If you haven't seen the LeRhone 80 rotary engine before, these are fascinating to watch. The engine spun with the propeller.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jHRuEkvO8E

And here's what it looked like being fired up in a Fokker Dr.1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWok8HVXfn4

Mike

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

My favorite from WWI, the Fokker Dr.1 triplane.



Many people don't realize how small this aircraft was. It had a tiny wingspan, and 4 horizontal wings (the fourth was between the wheels), and was by far the most maneuverable aircraft of the war. It instilled so much confidence in German pilots that many of the German aces ended up flying solo missions, and frequently engaging 2 or more French or British planes at once. The Dr.1's only weakness was diving capability due to the excess drag of the wings. Of course, top speed was also lower than regular biplanes, but German pilots used the Dr.1's incredible climbing ability to escape dangerous situations. In WWI combat, altitude was everything, and the Dr.1 could easily outclimb anything in the sky, dive on their prey, then climb back up again before their opponent could catch them.

The Fokker Dr.1 was also a b*tch to fly. The LeRhone 80 rotary engine was a torque monster, and the pilot had to constantly steer to the left. Many pilots were killed on takeoff, as the torque of the engine caused the plane to auger into the ground if the pilot wasn't experienced.

If you haven't seen the LeRhone 80 rotary engine before, these are fascinating to watch. The engine spun with the propeller.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jHRuEkvO8E

And here's what it looked like being fired up in a Fokker Dr.1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWok8HVXfn4

Mike

Thxs for the links Mike! That rotary engine spin is wacky cool.

[MikeNoun]

Alvin, here's one for ya! I had to research this to figure out what year this was based on the drivers listed on the qualifying chart. When I narrowed it down to a specific year, I was a little embarrassed that I didn't recognize who the driver was holding the card.

[camerjeff]

Originally Posted by Alvin

Thxs for the links Mike! That rotary engine spin is wacky cool.

And just remember only very late n the war were German Pilots issues paracutes, no other services issued them, then you were flying a wooden framed (mostly some steel tube structures also) Fabric covered with flammable Dope, no Brakes, no self sealing fuel tanks, no fire extigishers, the rotory engines were 2 strokes that spat caster oil out the exhaust ports, No exhaust manifolds, no real throttle control on the rotory's they just ran all out all the time, some models had a "blip switch" that shorted out some of the ignition wires to "reduce engine power" for landing. Using it sends raw fuel out the exhaust were it sometimes erupted in a large fire ball, directly in front of the doped fabric and fuel tanks.

I can not imagine flying one when no one was shooting at me!!!!! They also had very little difference between the A/C's top speed and the stalling speed when they were fully loaded.

My hat is off to anyone who flewthem!

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Alvin, here's one for ya! I had to research this to figure out what year this was based on the drivers listed on the qualifying chart. When I narrowed it down to a specific year, I was a little embarrassed that I didn't recognize who the driver was holding the card.

Interesting! Reminded me of this pic and reminds me of Wheel Horse brand lawn & garden tractors that uncle was a dealer when I was a kid

[Alvin]

"Smokey Yunick's Sidewinder at Indianapolis in 1964."