Picture of the day

[farshot]

One diesel powered aircraft what was a familiar sight around North Sea was Blohm & Voss BV 138.
Odd sounding,3 motor flying boat was seen and shot down on occasion by allied fighter pilots,I recall reading somewhere about allied fliers being picked up from dinghies by one of those.

Here is one of British first attempts at all metal aircraft-Beardmore Inflexible.Note the size with people standing next to it.

What is that ring around the BV138 on the hoist? Sub detection electronics?

 

[diopter]

Germany - Blohm and Voss Bv 40

The BV 40 was a glider fighter designed to attack Allied bomber formations. By eliminating the engine and positioning the pilot in a prone position, the cross-sectional area of the aircraft made it harder for bomber gunners to hit it. The Bv 40 had a very narrow and heavily-armored cockpit, and two 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannons in the wing roots. For a time, the idea of carrying a bomb on a cable behind the glider was entertained.

http://www.nevingtonwarmuseum.com/bv-40.html

 

[jwhc]

Germany - Blohm and Voss Bv 40

The BV 40 was a glider fighter designed to attack Allied bomber formations. By eliminating the engine and positioning the pilot in a prone position, the cross-sectional area of the aircraft made it harder for bomber gunners to hit it. The Bv 40 had a very narrow and heavily-armored cockpit, and two 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannons in the wing roots. For a time, the idea of carrying a bomb on a cable behind the glider was entertained.

http://www.nevingtonwarmuseum.com/bv-40.html

I never knew they had given the glider concept a go ? Very neat !!!

 

[donor]

What is that ring around the BV138 on the hoist? Sub detection electronics?

That's a ring containing electromagnetic coil.When activated coil generated electromagnetic field strong enough to set of magnetic sea mines.

I have seen pictures of Vickers Wellington,Ju 52 and BV 138 fitted with those but I'm sure more types of aircraft were fitted with those as well or some other device was used to the same effect.

 

[deckerhead]

"Metal aircraft-Beardmore Inflexible" Wow ?.....massive plane for the times.

 

[donor]

ups

 

[Brookwood]

What is that ring around the BV138 on the hoist? Sub detection electronics?

donor nailed it, but here's a video explaining it in better detail if you're interested.

 

[grelmar]

I wonder if they let him take his "Lucky Cap" home after the war, or made him turn it back in to stores...

 

[Ganderite]

Thanks. I never even heard of that glider before. Does not look clean enough to have a good closing speed on a bomber.

 

[Old Ranger]

Firing that pair of 30's must have had some affect on airspeed??

 

[diopter]

Bluntnose mandate by need for armoured windscreen for pilot, lack of room and by the pilot head angle.

Mk108 cannons only had a MV of 1770fps. more like grenade launchers, with large explosive warhead. Highly effective at close range on bombers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MK_108_cannon

 

[Bubba Yugga]

I guess you start off head on, then as you continue firing those 30's, fall into formation backwards!

 

[LA cowboy]

That's a ring containing electromagnetic coil.When activated coil generated electromagnetic field strong enough to set of magnetic sea mines.

I have seen pictures of Vickers Wellington,Ju 52 and BV 138 fitted with those but I'm sure more types of aircraft were fitted with those as well or some other device was used to the same effect.

Called Degosser? Degossing? cables?

 

[diopter]

Degaussing.

 

[fat tony]

Supposedly Dutch M95 carbine converted to .303 in 1953. Info -not sure where it came fron
m. I would be skeptical.

 

[shredder]

Since we are talking about experimental abominations! : - )

Looks completely fake though.

I've got a sneaking suspicion this "rifle" is an actual firearm captured by US forces from a VC cadre in the Vietnam War.

 

[diopter]

^^ Mannlicher Model 1890/30 Stutzen Rifle or Carbine with SKS 30rd mag, Welded? maybe a movie prop.

 

[fat tony]

^^ Mannlicher Model 1890/30 Stutzen Rifle or Carbine with SKS 30rd mag, Welded? maybe a movie prop.

That is why I removed it. No ft. sight - not a military rifle.

A batch of the Indonesian rifles were allegedly converted by Lithgow.The only reference Iheard about rhis was one or two scant refrences on the net.

 

[Eaglelord17]

Supposedly Dutch M95 carbine converted to .303 in 1953. Info -not sure where it came fron
m. I would be skeptical.

Relatively common (at least for Dutch M95s). Indonesia did these conversions in the 50s, as 6.5x53r has basically the same rim diameter as .303 British, but .303 British was much more common in Indonesia (they also had Lee Enfields at the time as well). Well documented conversion, nothing to be sceptical about.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

The sadly-unsung Lockheed Ventura:

One of those slightly plump girls with great bone structure. Like a plus-size model.

For those of you on Vancouver Island, you might be interested to know that 149 BR Squadron operated Venturas off the old Pat Bay airfield, now Victoria International. One of those birds is under rebuild at the Ventura Memorial Flight Society (http://www.rcafventura.ca/) here in Edmonton in the big hangar on Kingsway, right next to the sad corpse of our downtown airport.