Picture of the day

[purple]

P-51 Mustang, Cadillac of the sky.

 

[Ganderite]

The Mustang was a high performance long range plane that was also much cheaper than the Thunderbolt. I think about a third the cost.

 

[dalebrown5546]

delete delete delete

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

I believe Lancs flew at night, primarily w/o fighter support. That's part of the reason they suffered as they did.

P51's escorted American raids. And yes, a beautiful thing, as so many of the aircraft of the time were. Sure there were some dogs, but so many of the planes of the war were absolute stunners.

And just for giggles, here's a Brazilian Air Force P47 with a little bit of wear and tear...

 

[Magellann]

The warbird that started it all for me: The North American P-51D Mustang! What a beautiful piece of art. My favorite is "Big Beautiful Doll".

...and yes, she still gives me a rockin' hard-on!

I had one of them as a control line plane when I was a kid.

 

[Pblatzz]

 

[Pblatzz]

 

[silverfoxdj]

Had several of these in kit form when I was a kid

 

[plinker 777]

Lancaster flew over head just today! As it past over in the clear blue sky somewhere around 2000ft I heard the melody of the 4 Merlin's and thought; Man, that is the sound of freedom.

 

[NAA]

The warbird that started it all for me: The North American P-51D Mustang! What a beautiful piece of art. My favorite is "Big Beautiful Doll".

...and yes, she still gives me a rockin' hard-on!

Yeah, love the Mustangs, too.

Here's a pic my Dad painted of a pair of P-51's:

It's "Glamourous Glennis" - Chuck Yeager's P-51 and the second is his wingman, Bud Anderson's "Old Crow".


-----------
NAA.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

June 6th, 2013 - Nanton, AB

http://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/photos_temp/poster_2013bikesbombers.pdf

One doesn't often get to hear Merlins rumble. This would be worth a drive.

 

[purple]

There are still Mustangs around to see. The 2012 Princeton, BC airshow had a good flying display by a Mustang from the Ottawa area. Surprisingly, the 2006 airshow at Virden, MB also featured a good display by a US based P-51. The Nanton Museum is apparently planning a full 4 engine run-up on their Lanc this fall.

 

[sail32]

The picture above the Brazilian P-47 in post 2944 is actually a;

Northrop N-3PB, 22 "GS-F", of No. 330 (Norwegian) Squadron based at Akureyri, Iceland, photographed in flight over the North Atlantic Ocean, October 1941

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

The one below the Northrop is a Brazilian P47.

Here's the sole remaining N-3PB, in a museum in Norway:

Pretty thing, and according to Wikipedia, a substantial Canadian connection.

 

[H4831]

Probably not too many on here realize that after the war, a great many of their military aircraft were sold, to anyone who had a few hundred dollars!
Many were up for sale at a southern Alberta base, I don't remember if it was Nanton, or not.
All they took out of the aircraft was the armament.
A twin engine Avro Anson trainer would be about $250., while a four engine bomber was, as I recall, up to maybe $600, at the most. Ads would appear in news papers, advertising them.
Some nearby farmers managed to get the odd one home, but mostly it was treated as more of a joke. Like, "Hey, wanna' buy a bomber?.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

I've read that guys bought 'em for the wiring, the fuel in the tanks, and the sheet metal and fasteners. For a long time after the war, many farms had Anson and Bolingbroke hulks laying around.

The Ventura Memorial Flight (http://www.rcafventura.ca/) cleaned out the farm of a gentleman in Merrit, BC in the early '00's. He had many bits and pieces of a couple of Vents sprinkled around, including a beautiful turret ring propping up a homemade satellite dish.

 

[silverfoxdj]

Smaller ones for crop dusting I suppose?

 

[sail32]

My error.

 

[dalebrown5546]

delete delete delete

 

[RememberTheSomme]

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

Friendly fire with 109's and 190's making runs at you was of course an for gone conclusion especially at day over Germany with the Luftwaffe at its strongest in 1943 and '44. The USAAF B-17 8thAF Bomb groups flying over Germany had formations set up to give as complete a coverage as possible around the formations.

IIRC clearly, the somber narrator from John Ford's "Memphis Belle" speaks with the combat camera swinging all around looking at the surrounding bombers during this epic 25th mission for the Memphis Belle,... stated that.....

"the formation is the bombers best defense against enemy fighters.

The planes are deployed to uncover ever gun.

Stepped up,...and down.


Echeloned to the right, ...and left.

Arranged to overcome the dangers of gunners firing into friendly ships.

Arranged so concentrated cones of fire from the Caliber .50 machine-guns cover the sky...for a thousand yards in every direction."

One of the waist gunners in the "Belle" was said to have two confirmed Me-109's with his single .50Browning, probably by concentrating more intently on his lead and on killing the enemy fighter than being 100% concerned on where the rounds are going beyond the 350 mph or even 550mph target when passing down your side going bow to stern.

This was "The new Front",..... the Air Front!