Tag Archives: vintage

Unusual German WWII Planes

The Steve Udvar-Hazy Center has aircraft from across the world and eras but does have some very unusual Second World War aircraft. The US acquired a variety of types at the end of the war from the German programmes which were taken home to evaluate. Some of these ended up in the hands of the Smithsonian when they were no longer needed. Two interesting examples are now on display at Dulles. These include a jet powered bomber and a puss-pull fighter.

The Arado AR234 Blitz is a conventional looking plane if you set aside the engine pods under the wings. To a modern eye, it looks very tame, but I imagine it was something special at the time. Next to it is the Dornier DO335 Pfeil – a push-pull configuration piston engined fighter. This was not a unique design idea for Germany. The US had a similar concept – an example of which I saw in Kalamazoo. So much innovative aerospace concepts were developed in the heat of war and these two are very rare examples of what was underway at that time.

Why Does the Black Widow Fascinate Me?

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In my early teens, I got into model making. One of the things I used to look forward to was when Airfix released their catalogue for the year. This included the new releases and, one year, they released a kit of the Northrop P-61 Black Widow. I had never heard of this type at the time. WWII aircraft weren’t really my thing then. However, for some reason, this plane really caught my attention. Not enough to buy the kit though – too many modern jets for me to focus on!

For some reason, this fascination with the P-61 has stuck with me. There aren’t many of them in preservation so, when I see one in a museum, I am drawn to it. There is one supposedly being restored to flight but that is a multi-year effort which will take a while yet. The NASM has on at the Udvar-Hazy annex. I was keen to get shots of it. However, they do seem to have done a decent job of tucking it in between other airframes that makes getting a clean shot tricky. I did the best I could with angles between other planes or getting elevated.

Sally B

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The lighting was far from ideal at Cosford when B-17 Sally B did its display, but the display itself was a good one. After a couple of decades in the US, I have seen a variety of B-17s at air shows. Sally B will still be the first one I saw, though. She has been part of the UK display scene for as long as I have known about it and was one of the five that were used for the filming of Memphis Belle. Good to see her again and glad to know that they have continued to keep her active.

Holding Down the Swordfish

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During the Cosford air show, the Royal Navy Swordfish was part of the display. While it might not be the fastest aircraft from that era, it still has a pretty meaty engine up front. Once started, time is needed to get the oil up to temperature and to run up the engine to check its performance before it goes flying. The ground crew needed to keep the plane anchored while this was done and the way they did this was to hang on to the tailplane. Watching them getting battered by the prop wash while the engine was cycled was rather amusing.

Tiger Moth is Perfect for a Sunny Day

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I recently shared some images of a Spitfire two-seater that was providing rides at Compton Abbas when we visited. It wasn’t the only plane providing rides (although it was definitely the most expensive). There was also a de Havilland Tiger Moth taking people up. I might not have quite the nostalgia that some have for old de Havilland types (let’s leave the Dragon Rapide out of the conversation at this point), but I have developed more of an interest in older types as I have similarly become an older type myself.

I did wonder whether the gusty conditions might make it a bit difficult for a tail dragger but they seemed to be coping just fine. It did look in fine condition and had a more sedate pace that didn’t test my panning skills quite as much as the Spit. I have had a flight in a Tiger Moth once in my life and that came courtesy of my friend Eric. I know how much I enjoyed that and I imagine that the passengers at Compton Abbas had a great time too.

Who is Holding Who Up?

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The Royal Navy contribution to the RAF Cosford air show was a great combination. They brought a Leonardo Wildcat in partnership with a Fairey Swordfish. This is right up there with the odd combination that I have seen at air shows over the years. A rotary airframe and a fixed wing has happened before but often the fixed wing is really struggling to go slowly enough for the helicopter. In this case, the helicopter has the speed advantage on the Swordfish. It is not a speed demon.

They did a pairs takeoff which was really interesting and then commenced their display with a flypast in tribute to the lost crew from the Merlin crash that had occurred not long before the show. They then carried out a sequence of passes before splitting for individual performances. The Stringbag is a beast of an aircraft, even if it isn’t fast. I got some other shots of it that will probably show up at some point.

Quick Diversion for the Steam Gala

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The Watercress Line makes pretty regular appearances on this blog at the moment. Since it is close to home, if I am not doing something else, there is something on and the weather isn’t crummy, I might sneak across to get a few photos. One weekend morning, the Steam Gala was on. We had some plans later in the morning, but I figured the light would be best early and so headed across to Bishops Stoke to get some shots.

They had a variety of steam locos taking part (with the occasional diesel providing some support). Some were larger late generation locos, there were some tank engines and there was one that, to my untrained eye, looked like it was a lot older given the open area of the cab and the high chimney (is that the right term?). I used the same set up that I had tried previously with a longer lens handheld and a wide-angle lens set on the ground controlled by a Pocket Wizard. I also had the Insta360 mounted high on a fence to get some video.

The set up worked better this time. I had gone with a wider lens for the ground camera and also held the Pocket Wizard in a better way to allow a smoother transition from one shot to the other without any frantic fumbling! Overall, pretty happy with the way things worked out. I suspect I might head back for some of their other events this year if I am free (and the weather plays ball).

Some of the Weirder Great War Aircraft

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There is a gallery at the RAF Museum at Hendon that is focused on the Great War. This was the early days of aviation, and the development was so rapid that an aircraft might have an operational life of less than a year before something newer and better would replace it. Because so little was known at this point, experimentation with all sorts of ideas took place. Consequently, the types in this gallery have some wildly varying configurations. Pushers and tractors are on show. The sizing of some surfaces is huge compared to what would be expected now. They are really interesting to look at and see what ideas look relevant now and what has been abandoned. Here are some of the various types on display.

Sunday Brings Out the Old Cars

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A sunny Sunday in late April found me out in the countryside on a photo hunt. As I was walking back to the car, I saw a vintage green Jaguar pass by, and I didn’t have the camera to hand. I was a touch disappointed, but it wasn’t the end of the world. A short while later, I saw a red MG heading towards me and this time I was prepared to get a shot. Stopping off in New Alresford about ten minutes later, the Jag came by again and I did get a shot. I guess, if you own a convertible old car, you get it out as soon as the sun appears. I shall be watching for plenty more.

The Sun Was Going Away Rapidly!

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Last summer, the evening show at Old Warden included a flight by the de Havilland Comet. It was both in a formation and making some solo passes. The light had been absolutely excellent, but I was getting concerned that the light might be gone before it flew. The bright red paint has the potential to look excellent in very low angle sun, and I wanted to see that if possible.

It started out in a four-ship formation, and I was hoping that they would then do solo performances. Instead, the Comet ended up doing a series of formation passes with the Lysander. This was an interesting combination, but I was hoping to isolate it a bit. With a bit of luck and planning, I was able to get some individual shots that I liked. Sadly, the light was definitely on the way out by this time and, instead of having some gorgeous warmth on a red airframe, things were a little muted. Even so, not a bad thing to wrap up the air show.