WWII War Birds - pics and video

Ganderite said:
The 109 is the only inline engine fighter with a blunt nose that makes it look like a radial engine. Seems like it could have been cleaned up a bit with a remote radiator.
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i assume you mean 190, the plane was originally a radial, with a unique prop hub system, the later D models with the v-12 kept the same intercooler rad set up. i bet it wasnt any less aerodynamic than the same system with a series of scoops, the nose of a subsonic object is not as important as the tail portion
 
When I toured the USS Midway I only had my crappy walmart camera, which broke halfway through the tour. I wish I had the DSLR with me that I have now, I could have done some awesome photography. Still, this was an awe inspiring tour. Even just standing on the deck gives you that "Wow, this thing is huge." kind of feeling, plus the knowledge of what this ship survived and how long it remained in service. It saw a lot of technology in its days, there were F-A 18 Hornets flying off this deck. All of these were taken on or inside the ship, just goes to show how massive these things are. We didn't even get to the bottom decks of the ship. Lots of aircraft not from WW2 I know, but still an engineering marvel. First one is not an airfield. Its the main deck.







 
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Handyman's special: Fixer upper, parts available.

UM8SRSm.jpg
 
"TURIN

Your mention of the Beaufighter tail prompted me to question my neighbour who flew both the straight tailplane Beau and those with dihedral on very dicey ops WW2.

The no dihedral model suffered stick fixed and stick free long period phugoids, of about 15 seconds, on the cruise which he found to very disconcerting. Dihedral of the tail corrected the problem.

Hmmm. Interesting!!"

From:
http://www.pprune.org/tech-log/135588-tailplane-dihederal.html
 
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Ganderite said:
When I lived in Gander in the 50's, it was the North American exit/entry for trans-Atlantic traffic. Most planes were Super Connies and DC7s, with a smattering of C46, C47, C54 and North Stars. They would to a full run up on each engine, with magneto checks, before take off. At the time I was able to identify most a/c by engine noise and by exhaust flame pattern.

The North Star was very distinctive, being super charged instead of turbocharged.

Every once in awhile Max Conrad would come through, ferrying a little Piper to Europe. Somewhere in my albums I have a picture of him parking his plane beside a Connie.
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Very cool! Would have been a great time to see lots of different aircraft. The c-46 on take off with the r2800 makes a very distinct sound with the large propeller on it. Almost like 10000 trombones playing at once!
 
F82 Twin Mustang:

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Only five left, according to Wikipedia:

F-82B Twin Mustang, AF s/n 44-65162, is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio.[13] It had been a "gate guard" for many years outside Lackland AFB in Texas, was acquired by the Commemorative Air Force in 1966 and was operated for many years by its Midland, Texas squadron. That F-82B stalled while landing at Valley Regional Airport in Harlingen, Texas in 1987. The aircraft was restorable but its unique props and landing gear were destroyed in the crash and replacement parts could not be obtained. In 2002, the CAF included it with a crashed P-38 in a trade for a flyable P-38 from a private organization, NPA Holdings. The USAF stepped in and demanded the F-82 be returned since it was only loaned to the CAF on the condition that the CAF return the aircraft to the U.S. Air Force if it was no longer wanted. In a published opinion, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in December 2009 that the F-82B must be returned to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force from NPA Holdings because the CAF violated the terms of the loan agreement with the U.S. Air Force.[14] This aircraft arrived at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in late 2009 and underwent an extensive restoration throughout 2010, modifying the aircraft to the appearance of an F-82G. In early 2011, the aircraft was placed on display in the museum's Korean War Gallery, modified and marked as the F-82G crewed by 1st Lt Charles Moran, pilot, and 1st Lt Fred Larkins, radar observer, 68th F(AW)S, when they shot down a North Korean La-7 on 27 June 1950, near Kimpo Air Base, South Korea. The aircraft is displayed without the F-82G's radar "long dong" pod, as none have been located.

F-82B Twin Mustang "Betty Jo", AF s/n 44-65168, is currently on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio in its Cold War gallery.[15] The aircraft is displayed in the markings of its historic Hawaii to New York flight in 1947, along with clothing and artifacts used in that record-breaking flight. "Betty Jo" was delivered to the Museum on 21 June 1957.

XP-82 Twin Mustang, AF s/n 44-83887 and FAA tail number N887XP,[16] is currently under restoration to flying status by the B-25 Group, headed by aircraft restorer Tom Reilly, at Douglas Municipal Airport in Douglas, Georgia. A single fuselage and parts of the second XP-82 were located for many years on the farm of Walter Soplata in Newbury, Ohio; these were sold in April 2008 to Reilly and shipped to his facility in Douglas. With additional airframe parts sourced from Alaska, Colorado, and Florida; a left-turning engine found in Mexico City; control components from California; and other items fabricated at the Douglas facility, Reilly believes the aircraft can be restored to flying condition. During the restoration process, a number of written notes and graffiti by the original construction workers were found on internal surfaces. These have been preserved and will be reapplied to the interior of the finished aircraft.[17][18]

F-82E Twin Mustang, AF s/n 46-0256, NACA s/n 133 and FAA tail number N142AM,[19] is currently under restoration to flying status by James Harker in Birchwood, Wisconsin. It was an intact airframe formerly located at the Walter Soplata farm.[20]

F-82E Twin Mustang, AF s/n 46-0262, is currently on display as a "gate guard" at Lackland AFB in Texas as part of the USAF History and Traditions Museum in San Antonio, Texas.[21]
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WW2 Fighters were like the muscle cars of airplanes.
I still think the corsair is one of the coolest looking WW2 Fighters.

but honestly they all have their own cool factors.
 
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