Warbirds (Historical, Veteran & Vintage Military Aircraft)

[At lakes]

Martin-Baker MB 5: A 'Most Magnificent' Might Have Been | Defense Media Network

Almost the greatest fighter of World War II: The Martin-Baker MB5

Martin Baker best known for the development of the ejection seat is perhaps not so well known for aircraft development and manufacture. During the war it built only 4 aircraft but the last the Martin Baker MB5 is often described as the best fighter that never was. The company was formed by Val Baker and Jimmy Martin early in the war Baker came up with the design for the MB3. A promising design with six 20mm machine guns in the wings and could manage 415mph in 1942, two weeks after its first flight Val Baker had to make a forced landing in a paddock and wrapped it around a tree stump and the aircraft was destroyed with Baker losing his life.

After the accident Jimmy Martin decided to reorganize his company and concentrate on pilot safety with the development of the ejector seat. The MB3 was built as a potential replacement for the Spitfire and the Hurricane under Air Ministry Specification F18/39. After the accident a partially built MB4 was cancelled and a new aircraft developed which was called the MB5. The development of the aircraft took so long the war was over before it could be brought into service. Captain Eric Brown described the MB5 as a simply magnificent aircraft and should be put into service. Others referred to the aircraft as a Mustang on Steroids.

But, good as the MB5 was it was blown away from the rapid development of the jet powered aircraft. The sole MB5 ended its days as a training aid and later taken out and burnt. Perhaps its just as well they didn't concentrate on aircraft development as after the MB3 accident which took Val Bakers life, the elector seat eventually became a reality and it has saved hundreds of lives.

 

[At lakes]

The Navy's F11F was so fast it could shoot itself down – and did - We Are The Mighty

Ever Hear the Tale of the F-11 Tiger? It's the Fighter Plane That Shot Itself Down

In the olden daze when I first joined the Air Force there was a story floating about after several pints of DB about an American fighter that was so fast it shot itself down. The standard reply was bullocks have another one.

Well it appears to be true. It was a US Navy F11F Tiger, it was being flown by a test pilot at the time. He was out over the ocean and entered a shallow dive and tested the 4 x 20mm cannons firing a couple of short bursts. He then went into a steeper dive and engaged the after burner and emptied what was left of his ammunition into the ocean. When he pulled up at 7000 feet he felt four bangs hit the aircraft and he initially thought it could be a bird strike. Returning to base he started to lose power, eventually coming down in a wooded area short of the runway.

The pilot survived and after a short stay in hospital with broken bones he returned to flying duties. The investigation revealed his engine was struck by a round from the first short bursts he fired from his cannons. One round hit his cockpit and another struck the engine. By engaging the afterburner when he entered the steeper dive he had flown under the first bursts and come up in the middle of them. This is the first recorded case of an aircraft shooting itself down and I am not aware of any others, although a Dutch F16 managed to put a round in its air-frame somehow not sure how he did it, but he landed safely.

Can you imagine his bar bill when he returned to the Officers Mess.

 

[At lakes]

Lancaster NX611 ‘Just Jane’ Engine Run

Restoration to airworthy condition is almost complete. Recent engine run on all four engines and taxi down the runway shows how close they.
Once complete then that will make it three airworthy Lancaster's, two in UK and one in Canada.
There is a you tube clip at the end of the article.

 

[At lakes]

I came across an interesting article about theTSR2. Its rise and eventual fall. Most on this thread will know some maybe all of the checkered history of the aircraft, what I didnt know was that the RAAF had a team in UK at the time and were actively looking at the aircraft as a possible replacement for the Canberra. They had 4 aircraft lined up to check out they were the TSR2, Mirage
IV, the North American A3C Vigilante and the TFX which later became the F111. At the time part of the requirement was it should be in production and the only aircraft that was in production was the A3C. After some very aggressive marketing by General Dynamics the RAAF selected the TFX on the promise that it would be cheaper and delivered before the TSR2. The RAAF indicated that they found it hard to select an aircraft that the RAF had not ordered. So in an belated attempt to secure an export order the RAF ordered 30 of them, but it was too little too late and the TFX/F111 won the day. The locals in the UK indirectly blamed the RAAF for not ordering the aircraft and if they had then it would not have been cancelled.

The article in the link is long and wordy in parts but the chapter commencing about page 44 is the RAAF section and is interesting .

StackPath

 

[At lakes]

Junkers Ju 87 Unveiled at Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum Hangar Opening

With the passing of Paul Allen the co-founder of the Micro-soft empire a number aircraft have been put up for sale from his Flying Heritage combat armor museum. These include a number of American jets such as the F84 and a couple of Panthers, a Zero and a B17. One which was revealed at a recent open day there was a partially restored Ju87 Stuka. There are only two known examples complete, one the the UK and the other in the US. Expectation is this will be the first flying example within two years.

 

[ngatimozart]

Junkers Ju 87 Unveiled at Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum Hangar Opening

With the passing of Paul Allen the co-founder of the Micro-soft empire a number aircraft have been put up for sale from his Flying Heritage combat armor museum. These include a number of American jets such as the F84 and a couple of Panthers, a Zero and a B17. One which was revealed at a recent open day there was a partially restored Ju87 Stuka. There are only two known examples complete, one the the UK and the other in the US. Expectation is this will be the first flying example within two years.

Yes, I have been following that. It will be great to see one flying. I would like to see a Me 110, Ju 88 and a Do 17 restored and flying again to.

Speaking of Zeros, there's a 1943 Mitsubishi A6M5 Model 52 Reisen "Zero" or "Zeke" project up for sale. US$950,000. Some assembly required.
1943 Mitsubishi A6M5 Model 52 Reisen (Zero or Zeke). It's an original aircraft and the engine can be rebuilt. One would have to have very deep pockets for this restoration.

 

[At lakes]

Yes, I have been following that. It will be great to see one flying. I would like to see a Me 110, Ju 88 and a Do 17 restored and flying again to.
Speaking of Zeros, there's a 1943 Mitsubishi A6M5 Model 52 Reisen "Zero" or "Zeke" project up for sale. US$950,000. Some assembly required.
1943 Mitsubishi A6M5 Model 52 Reisen (Zero or Zeke). It's an original aircraft and the engine can be rebuilt. One would have to have very deep pockets for this restoration.

There is a Do17 under restoration, the poms pulled one out of the north sea after 70 years and they are in the process rebuilding it. Too what stage I don't know it may be just to display standard. The Zero is the one that came from Paul Allen Museum having been placed in the hands of Platinum Aircraft Sales. I personally would love to see one of the F11F Panthers restored to airworthy.

 

[ngatimozart]

There is a Do17 under restoration, the poms pulled one out of the north sea after 70 years and they are in the process rebuilding it. Too what stage I don't know it may be just to display standard. The Zero is the one that came from Paul Allen Museum having been placed in the hands of Platinum Aircraft Sales. I personally would love to see one of the F11F Panthers restored to airworthy.

Pretty sure that the Paul Allen Zero is a different one because IIRC the FHC Zero was a fully restored flying one. This one is different.

 

[At lakes]

Pretty sure that the Paul Allen Zero is a different one because IIRC the FHC Zero was a fully restored flying one. This one is different.

Check out the link it gives the full story and confirms the one that Platinum Aircraft Sales have is Paul Allen's old aircraft.

Paul Allen's Project Aircraft Put Up For Sale
link

 

[ngatimozart]

Check out the link it gives the full story and confirms the one that Platinum Aircraft Sales have is Paul Allen's old aircraft.

Paul Allen's Project Aircraft Put Up For Sale
link

I stand corrected. I was sure that his was the flying one. No probs. Thanks for that. I will go and put myself in the naughty corner now.

 

[At lakes]

The Untold Story of the B-21 Bomber (No, Not the New Stealth Bomber)

The Original B21 made an appearance in 1934 or there about. It was a go not very far and do not very much and do it very slowly type of machine, but the cost of this machine like its modern day name sake was expensive in 1934 @ 125000 per aircraft. It was competing with the Boeing B17 and really it was no competition. It was not long before it was relegated to training cargo operations.

With all the comments of the B21 and the RAAF in posts I briefly thought about putting this one on the RAAF thread but someone may accuse me of being a smart arse

 

[At lakes]

https://hars.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Runaway-Auster.pdf

Came across the story of the runaway Auster over Sydney Harbour in 1955. The aircraft took off without the pilot. The aircraft circled around the harbour for three hours. The Air Force tried to bring it down with a couple of Meteors but the Auster would not fly straight and level for the air force to get a decent shot at it. So the Navy to the rescue and a couple of Sea Fury's dispatched it with the trusty 20mm cannons and the way would Auster was dispatched. It sounds like a script from an old silent move.

 

[ngatimozart]

https://hars.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Runaway-Auster.pdf

Came across the story of the runaway Auster over Sydney Harbour in 1955. The aircraft took off without the pilot. The aircraft circled around the harbour for three hours. The Air Force tried to bring it down with a couple of Meteors but the Auster would not fly straight and level for the air force to get a decent shot at it. So the Navy to the rescue and a couple of Sea Fury's dispatched it with the trusty 20mm cannons and the way would Auster was dispatched. It sounds like a script from an old silent move.

Remember reading that story a few years ago, not the HARS version. The Meteors had 20mm cannon as well. There's a couple of Auster owners and lovers on a well known NZ aviation forum who believe that the Auster is the ultimate aircraft and in that case was showing those new fangled jets up.

 

[ASSAIL]

Great shot of our Kiwi Mods doing their work watching a Catalina somewhere in the South Island

 

[ngatimozart]

Great shot of our Kiwi Mods doing their work watching a Catalina somewhere in the South Island

Who was the mongrel who dobbed us fishing out of season. Luckily they didn't see the shotguns for shooting ducks out of season.

 

[ngatimozart]

Found this on YouTube just now. Impressive flying by the Spitfire pilot. This was filmed at Wanaka in 2004.

Saw and heard the Camel at Warbirds Over Wanaka in 2008 which BTW was the last dump and burn by the F-111s in NZ. The torque on the Camel is quite evident when it starts up. They are quite small when you see them in real life and you can smell the burnt castor oil.

 

[ASSAIL]

For those who admire the elegance of the Lockheed Super Constellation.
The last flying example from Albion Park on the NSW a south coast near Wollongong.

 

[John Fedup]

For those who admire the elegance of the Lockheed Super Constellation.
The last flying example from Albion Park on the NSW a south coast near Wollongong.

My first airplane flight but I was too young to really remember it.

 

[At lakes]

Columbine II Restoration, February 2021 Update

Home FAFO - First Air Force One

First Air Force One is President Eisenhower`s Lockheed Constellation VC-121a named Columbine II that is currently undergoing restoration.

www.firstairforceone.com

Whilst the HARS Connie is now the only one still flying it potentially it could be soon joined by one other. Columbine II the first Air Force 1. Found in the Arizona desert under threat of the re-cyclers gas axe, it was made airworthy again and flown to Dynamic Aviation facility in Virginia for a complete rebuild.

There was until recently one in Switzerland under the Breitling flag but after the Breitling was sold to a British equity firm there was some talk of the aircraft being broken up and sold. What the status of that aircraft is now I am not aware.



On a slightly different note anyone want to buy an airworthy CF104 Starfighter, deep pocket filled with lots of money a must.

Flyable CF-104 Starfighter for Sale

 

[ngatimozart]

2018 Warbirds Over Wanaka highlights. Am off to the show next Easter, the rona (COVID-19) allowing. It cancelled last years show. Was at the 2008 show when the Pig (F-111) flew its last display in NZ and its last dump and burn

During the 2018 show one of the Yak 3M had an accident landing, hitting a cherry picker left on the grass runway. Can't remember the outcome of the investigation, but I think that the ground team were the ones who got the arse kicking. Thankfully the pilot walked away and it wasn't Full Noise that went on to the Reno Races. Full Noise is the other Yak in the two ship flight and sports the number 35 on the fuselage.