WWII War Birds - pics and video

[Donny Fenn1]

What mark Spitfire? Where was the facility?

MarkXVI with the clipped wing? and Castle Bromwich if the post label is correct?

 

[Kampfhamster]

Hawker Hunter and Venom air to ground training during the 60's

Not really WWII, but not that much later.

The shooting range is only about 5km from where I live. Later on the range was used by the artillery. Nowadays people us it as a recreational area for horse back riding, walking the dog, sports events and so on.

 

[Sharps '63]

The Hawker Hunter reminds me of a shark. I wonder how many avalanches they trigger flying low over the mountains.

 

[lawn gnome]

Something a little different.

Production delays, cost over runs and company incompetence made the US Navy take over the plant in the middle of the war!
I don't think it ever finished carrier qualifications.
A competitor to the SB2C Helldiver, even kind of similar except the mid wing and longer canopy.

It had a horrible reputation, probably from the production delays and over runs.
It was usd extensively to train with and was thought reliable as a trainer.
So, I kind of have my doubts over any bad flying reputation, if you say a trainer dive bomber is reliable, then it could not have been that horrible an aircraft.
It coul't have been much worse than a Barracuda!

 

[carbonrod]

Another oddball - the CAC Boomerang:

very odd muffler.

 

[wbaad]

very odd muffler.

Supposed to be a flame arrester. Many Brit aircraft and some American had them

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Something a little different.

Production delays, cost over runs and company incompetence made the US Navy take over the plant in the middle of the war!
I don't think it ever finished carrier qualifications.
A competitor to the SB2C Helldiver, even kind of similar except the mid wing and longer canopy.

It had a horrible reputation, probably from the production delays and over runs.
It was usd extensively to train with and was thought reliable as a trainer.
So, I kind of have my doubts over any bad flying reputation, if you say a trainer dive bomber is reliable, then it could not have been that horrible an aircraft.
It coul't have been much worse than a Barracuda!

Very cool - thanks for this. Not a bad looking piece of kit. The Helldiver was certainly uglier...

 

[gareez]

very odd muffler.

The Bristol Hercules engine was a radial sleeve valve engine with built in boost. The porcupine muffler was used to achieve proper back pressure.
They were also used on the Beaufort, Beaufighter, and a number of other planes. It worked well as the Beaufighter was called Whispering Death.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Not pretty, but indeniably effective. Beaufighter:

Halifax:

Harvard:

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

And just 'cause it's neat, here's a VERY early RAF Corsair:

I've never seen one in that livery before...

 

[XRCD011]

Interesting Hurricane in the background of the Harvard.
More info on "bi-plane hurricanes" here. http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageN...icleView/articleId/448/Biplane-Hurricane.aspx

 

[Sharps '63]

And just 'cause it's neat, here's a VERY early RAF Corsair:

I've never seen one in that livery before...

If it was in fact an RAF Corsair, why the tail hook .... ?

 

[JR Hartman]

UK had Carriers Ark Royal is the only one that comes to mind, but I know there were others.

 

[Ganderite]

The Brits flew them off carriers. Americans did not. It was not an easy plane to land on a carrier.

 

[Donny Fenn1]

That camo looks like the pattern around the time of the attacks on the Tirpitz in Norway.
The Royal Navy figured out the trick to landing them on carriers was to come in on a curving flight path so the deck was visible. They then passed that knowledge on to the US.

 

[Sharps '63]

The Brits also clipped the wings of their Corsairs to accommodate their smaller aircraft carriers. This had the effect of making it a better handling aircraft generally and the Americans followed suit.

So unless the RAF had an aircraft carrier or two that we are unaware of, it isn't likely an RAF aircraft pictured, n'est-ce pas?

 

[scott585]

The Brits also clipped the wings of their Corsairs to accommodate their smaller aircraft carriers. This had the effect of making it a better handling aircraft generally and the Americans followed suit.

So unless the RAF had an aircraft carrier or two that we are unaware of, it isn't likely an RAF aircraft pictured, n'est-ce pas?

i cant tell if that wing is clipped from the angle of the photo

they were purchased unclipped, and some were used as trainers as such, others were used with full wings and left on the deck until they had time to do the conversion

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

I'd admit I was incorrect - Fleet Air Arm, not RAF - but as others have mentioned, Ark Royal was one of a few carriers the RN operated.

More pix, similar:

And one preserved at the FAA Museum:

 

[lawn gnome]

I don't know if the clipped Corsairs were actually a myth or not.
Implacable and Indefatigable were fleet carriers that had a second hangar deck but the hangar decks were even shorter than normal.
Mind they operated Hellcats instead of Corsairs.

The USN was still bent against operating Corsairs from carriers.
It was the USMC that insisted on bringing them on to the carriers.

 

[Sharps '63]

Google it.

Lots of factual information (not just Wikipedia stuff) to include photos showing the clipped wings and actual carrier landings of Corsairs on RN carriers.