Picture of the day
- Thread starter jwhc
- Start date
Another memory ....
Once we came across four Bundeswehr soldaten whose DKW kubelwagon had become mired in the mud of the Sennelager training area. This was a three cylinder two cycle puddle jumper much like the earlier VW in the pic. Some were even amphibs.
Our smugness was wiped off our faces as they got out and picked up the four corners of the bumpers and put it to one side on firmer ground. Our Jeep was up to the axles, and it was touch and go as to whether or not we were going to get moving ourselves.
We met them later at the Truppen Kantine and bought them a beer ....
Once we came across four Bundeswehr soldaten whose DKW kubelwagon had become mired in the mud of the Sennelager training area. This was a three cylinder two cycle puddle jumper much like the earlier VW in the pic. Some were even amphibs.
Our smugness was wiped off our faces as they got out and picked up the four corners of the bumpers and put it to one side on firmer ground. Our Jeep was up to the axles, and it was touch and go as to whether or not we were going to get moving ourselves.
We met them later at the Truppen Kantine and bought them a beer ....
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Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
This is pretty:
Looking at the flap angle, looks like they are taking off.
Nice to know there are thousands of places to make a safe landing. Those guys taking off from carriers had to navigate over water (very difficult) and then find their way back to a place to land that had moved from where it was when they left. Scary stuff.
Nice to know there are thousands of places to make a safe landing. Those guys taking off from carriers had to navigate over water (very difficult) and then find their way back to a place to land that had moved from where it was when they left. Scary stuff.
The aircraft pictured is the Vought OS2U "Kingfisher", a two seater observation/scout float plane first entering serviced in 1940, production ending in 1942. One hundred were also delivered to the RN Fleet Air Arm where they were used as shore based trainers and catapult spotters from warships They served until 1947. The US used them as dive bombers against the Japanese in the Aleutians.
It was powered by a P&W 450 HP R-985-AN-2 radial engine, giving it a maximum speed of 164 mph and a range of 800 miles. There is a recorded incident of one winning an engagement with a Japanese 'Zero' whose pilot took the rear facing defensive armament not quite seriously enough. One rescued the three man crew of a downed bomber within eyesight of Japanese shore gunners, taxiing five miles to a waiting vessel.
It was powered by a P&W 450 HP R-985-AN-2 radial engine, giving it a maximum speed of 164 mph and a range of 800 miles. There is a recorded incident of one winning an engagement with a Japanese 'Zero' whose pilot took the rear facing defensive armament not quite seriously enough. One rescued the three man crew of a downed bomber within eyesight of Japanese shore gunners, taxiing five miles to a waiting vessel.
Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
Another beauty shot of a navy airplane...
...but not the navy this particular airplane is usually associated with.
...but not the navy this particular airplane is usually associated with.
Another beauty shot of a navy airplane...
...but not the navy this particular airplane is usually associated with.
Curtiss-Wright SB2C Helldiver, AKA "the Beast" due to it's unforgiving flight characteristics. It was also produced in Canada for the US Navy during WW2. 835 were made by Canadian Car and Foundry at Ft. William, ON and a further 300 were made at Fairchild Canada in Longueuil, PQ.
- Location
- Leduc County, Alberta
Cocked&Locked
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- S. Ontario
yes, it could be and was done....and when your the only one shooting a 50, it's hard to blame enemy fire <red face>
It was also common for bombers flying in formation to accidentally shoot one another
It was also common for bombers flying in formation to accidentally shoot one another
Cocked&Locked
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- S. Ontario
except trying to land on water if there is any sea running at all was an inviation for a severe crash...most seaplanes need a sheltered spot of flat(ish) water to put down safely.At one point in the Eastern Air command (american) over half of the Catalina flying boats putting down for rescue at see crashed. scary stuff. that generation had brass!
Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
Here's what the Canso replaced:
The amazing Supermarine Stranraer! Hard to believe this collection of drag-inducing features and the Spitfire came out of the same shop...
Here's the very last one, safely indoors at RAF Hendon. An ex-RCAF machine.
The amazing Supermarine Stranraer! Hard to believe this collection of drag-inducing features and the Spitfire came out of the same shop...
Here's the very last one, safely indoors at RAF Hendon. An ex-RCAF machine.
- Location
- West Quebec
The skin on that plane looks like paper..
Here's what the Canso replaced:
The amazing Supermarine Stranraer! Hard to believe this collection of drag-inducing features and the Spitfire came out of the same shop...
Here's the very last one, safely indoors at RAF Hendon. An ex-RCAF machine.
Wow, talk about having a ring-side seat. The forward gunner on those planes needed to really enjoy the feeling of the wind in his hair, didn't he?
Here's what the Canso replaced:
The amazing Supermarine Stranraer! Hard to believe this collection of drag-inducing features and the Spitfire came out of the same shop...
Here's the very last one, safely indoors at RAF Hendon. An ex-RCAF machine.
Now Dan, don't sell the old Stranny short!
They were used extensively off our west coast in war time.
After the war the newly established Queen Charlotte Airlines used the Stranraer for coastal passenger service, rating it as a 17 place. (Seventeen passenger.)
When Pacific Western Airlines took over Queen Charlotte Airlines, they used it for freight and it became the prime aircraft for flying barrels of gas to cashes at remote lakes, for use by their vast fleet of float planes in wilderness areas.
That big, awkward looking flying boat, not amphibious, had tremendous ability for getting into and out of small lakes. Amazingly, it could pretty well operate out of any body of water that a Beaver could, on floats.
The last one in service for PWA spent an entire summer flying drums of gas to remote caches.
- Location
- West Quebec
Very cool pics it took guts to fly some of those old planes
