WWII War Birds - pics and video

[JR Hartman]

good stuff!

 

[diopter]

Blohm Voss 222 & 238

 

[diopter]

Blohm Voss 155

 

[diopter]

Arado 234

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Those guys at B&V weren't afraid to try new things. Bright bunch.

The H-P Hampden was a slick looking thing, if outdated by the start of the war:

That long skinny empennage is almost Dornier-like, if I dare to say it.

Here's one being fished out in Sweden during the war.

Looks like they had un-drowned copies as well:

Not many survivors, looks like two and a half-ish, including one at Langley, BC:

More a mock-up than an airplane anymore, but she was pretty rotted out when she was found.

This one's at Cosford in the UK via Russia:

(May need assembly...)

 

[Silfield]

Here's a good article regarding the ongoing restoration of the Cosford H-P Hampton. I am going to try and get down there this year for a gander.
http://www.warbirdsnews.com/warbird-restorations/handley-page-hampden-restoration.html

 

[diopter]

http://imgur.com/gallery/N0LIg

#2 - Alexander Pokryshkin

Nationality: Russian (VVS)

Known for Flying: MiG-3, Yak-1, P-39, P-63

Confirmed Victories: 59

Pokryshkin was a very lucky pilot, surviving not only Operation Barbarossa, but the entire war, having once landed his plane when the entire windscreen was obscured by blood from a shoulder wound. On another occasion, a bomb landed right next to him and failed to explode, having failed to arm due to being dropped too low.

Pokryshkin was known for aggressively identifying and attacking enemy flight leaders, knowing the demoralizing effect this would have.

He was not bound for immediate post-war success like most of his comrades, possibly due to his preference for US aircraft. However, after Stalin's death he was promoted to Air Marshal. Later he became President of the DOSAFF, an organization for training young pilots. He died in Moscow in 1985.

 

[purple]

The Bell P-39 Airacobra was such a slick looking fighter, but it's appearance belied its performance. It lacked a suitable turbo charger which made it meat on the table for the Me 109s and Zeros at any altitude above 12,000 ft. It was a sturdy airplane with a lot of punch which delivered its best when used at low altitudes by the Russians.

 

[johnsmith3791]

My son's scout troop had a sleepover at Warplane Heritage. We slept under the wing of a DC3.

It inspired me to find "Reach for the sky", a movie made about the life of Douglas Bader, who, among his many accomplishments, commanded a squadron of Canadian Hurricane pilots.

Thanks for all the photos in this thread.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

If you liked the movie, you'll love the book. Paul Brickhill wrote it, IIRC.

Bader was a serious badass. Thanks to him, I don't fear losing a leg. I know it'd change my life, and I'd miss the thing, but I don't believe I'd be crushed by it. And replacements have come a long, long way since his nasty tin ones.

 

[wbaad]

My guess would be one of the good-year blimp hangars since they built them under license.
Awesome shot

 

[johnsmith3791]

If you liked the movie, you'll love the book. Paul Brickhill wrote it, IIRC.

Bader was a serious badass. Thanks to him, I don't fear losing a leg. I know it'd change my life, and I'd miss the thing, but I don't believe I'd be crushed by it. And replacements have come a long, long way since his nasty tin ones.

Yup read that book... Must have been 40 years ago.

I didn't think our library system had a copy- turns out they do so I've put a hold on it. Thanks for providing the inspiration.

As an aside I remember raeing a LOT of Paul Brickhill books- he's probably out of favour in the day and age .

 

[gareez]

you may also want to read "The first and the Last" by Adolf Galland for a German perspective of the war.

 

[JR Hartman]

Another good read

 

[bjmurata]

Another good read

I'll second that, an excellent book.Still one of my all time favourites.

 

[Cheezz]

Surprised I missed this big thread. I have been a aviation photo/video for most of my life and have a very large cache of rare media. Ill post some up for you to enjoy.
Cheers Dave C

Was a volunteer for the Russell Aviation Group for their operations and was witness to some very rare aircraft, Spitfire MKIX, Hurricane and of coure a ultra rare original BF109E4 with it DB 601 ( this is not a merlin powered Hispano Buchon) one of only 2 flying today.

Also have been a volunteer for Vintage Wings of Canada in their early days.

And also had the great honour of knowing and spending time with the worlds leader in total hours in a Spitfire Chevalier Jerry Billing RCAF/RAF 6500 plus hours in Spitfire MKI MKII MKV MKXI MKXVI. Best known for his 23.5 year display pilot for Cliff Robertson's Spitfire MK923 5JZ, Jerry retired from displaying MK923 in 1996 at age 78.

https://youtu.be/36encSUGHMM

A tribute to Jerry by myself at his passing, good history of a Great Canadian.

https://youtu.be/R-kf-R8aitY


Cheers

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

P-47, Royal Iranian Air Force:

 

[diopter]

Fw Ta 154 Moskito

Focke Wulfs Ta 154 war vom Pech verfolgt und wurde aus dem Beschaffungsprogramm gestrichen. Foto: KL-Dokumentation

Focke Wulf Ta 154 was unlucky and was deleted from the procurement program. Photo: KL documentation

 

[Halfton]

Fw Ta 154 Moskito

Focke Wulfs Ta 154 war vom Pech verfolgt und wurde aus dem Beschaffungsprogramm gestrichen. Foto: KL-Dokumentation

If my memory serves me right this aircraft was built under orders of Goring because he was so upset at the British Mosquito's capabilities he order Folke Wulf to build a German plywood twin engine to replicate it's performance.

Jim

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Friggin' Kurt Tank, man. What an eye the guy had. Like a Teutonic Howard Hughes, but minus the OCD and the hot girlfriends.

Always loved the look of the 152. Lovechild of a FW190 and one of those art-deco greyhounds: