That is hectic - is that a toss-bomb on the left?
The Military Pictures Thread
- mat the expat
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For some reasons the beaufighter was my fave ww2 aircraft. Strong, tough , adaptable , and heavily armed , albeit not that quick - it’s me as a plane basically.
Actually pretty fast considering it was a mishmash of older Beaufort and Blenheim parts , only with more guns and bigger engine. Stayed in front line use for a long time with basically same oily bits
Clostermann flew tempests and other planes earlier in the war. and is one of the highest scoring french pilots in WWII.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Clostermann
His books are quite good however I am not sure they are translated
The craziest stories of the Free french are the Normandie Niemen Squadron who flew on the eastern front. Niemen part of the name was given by Stalin...
There are a few books on the story and it's an epic read
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_S ... die-Niemen
laurent wrote: Sat Nov 09, 2024 5:32 pmClostermann flew tempests and other planes earlier in the war. and is one of the highest scoring french pilots in WWII.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Clostermann
His books are quite good however I am not sure they are translated
The craziest stories of the Free french are the Normandie Niemen Squadron who flew on the eastern front. Niemen part of the name was given by Stalin...
There are a few books on the story and it's an epic read
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_S ... die-Niemen

I wonder why he was rejectedOn the outbreak of war in 1939 the French authorities refused his application for service
Tail gunner Lawrence Benner, RCAF (1943) (edit: ... supposedly ... )

... turns out it's not, but is regularly shared online as such. It's really a display at a museum. :)
Anyway, Benner's story: https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-ne ... sted-at-17
... turns out it's not, but is regularly shared online as such. It's really a display at a museum. :)
Anyway, Benner's story: https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-ne ... sted-at-17
My father in laws dad was a rear gunner on lancasters near the end of the way , there was a story apparently of a mate from same part of Edinburgh he lost as the aircraft took a flak hit right at the back and blew the turret and most of one fin away :(
Rest of plane and crew made it back unharmed.
After being on a submarine , I think being a rear turret gunner would have been my worst nightmare of things I would have done in the war: freezing cold, lonely , and have to be vigilant all the time. Those scharge muzik cannon things claimed lots of kills when those on board had zero idea they were being targeted.
Rest of plane and crew made it back unharmed.
After being on a submarine , I think being a rear turret gunner would have been my worst nightmare of things I would have done in the war: freezing cold, lonely , and have to be vigilant all the time. Those scharge muzik cannon things claimed lots of kills when those on board had zero idea they were being targeted.
We used to have these on TV during ad breaks promoting interesting moments in Canadian history. As it says, the trapped tailgunner actually survived the crash, which is incredible!Yeeb wrote: Thu Dec 19, 2024 11:30 am My father in laws dad was a rear gunner on lancasters near the end of the way , there was a story apparently of a mate from same part of Edinburgh he lost as the aircraft took a flak hit right at the back and blew the turret and most of one fin away :(
Rest of plane and crew made it back unharmed.
After being on a submarine , I think being a rear turret gunner would have been my worst nightmare of things I would have done in the war: freezing cold, lonely , and have to be vigilant all the time. Those scharge muzik cannon things claimed lots of kills when those on board had zero idea they were being targeted.
Like something out of a movie…
Brophy remained trapped in the bomber when it crashed in a farm field. As the bomber disintegrated, and began breaking apart, Brophy survived the crash and the subsequent detonation of the bomb load. Still lodged in his turret, the crash broke it open and pitched him out, striking a tree and temporarily knocking him out.
Four of the crew members: Brophy, navigator Robert Bodie, radio operator James Kelly and pilot de Breyne were hidden by the French and, except for Brophy, returned to England shortly after the crash. Brophy joined French Resistance fighters and continued the fight on the ground behind enemy lines. He returned to London in September 1944, where he learned of Mynarski's death.
- Torquemada 1420
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Weird that is has the Italian cross on the cowl. It's as much a Tempest as anything else with the vented radiator cowl aft.
Early version used the Napier and was much prettier. The Griffon made it into a monster.
How do you make an Italian cross ?Torquemada 1420 wrote: Sat Dec 21, 2024 7:54 amWeird that is has the Italian cross on the cowl. It's as much a Tempest as anything else with the vented radiator cowl aft.
Early version used the Napier and was much prettier. The Griffon made it into a monster.
Pineapple on a da pizza !
it's the Cross of LorraineTorquemada 1420 wrote: Sat Dec 21, 2024 7:54 amWeird that is has the Italian cross on the cowl. It's as much a Tempest as anything else with the vented radiator cowl aft.
Early version used the Napier and was much prettier. The Griffon made it into a monster.

IMO not an ugly airplane, even with the massive cowling for the chin radiators

you mean the Centaurus, only one prototype was built using the griffon. the raf museum in hendon has a mk2 with the centaurus, it is a bit of a ill proportioned beast, standing mext to a p47d, another beast. for me the centaurus powered fury has the best lines of the family
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Ah. Yes.Calculon wrote: Sat Dec 21, 2024 9:02 am
IMO not an ugly airplane, even with the massive cowling for the chin radiators
you mean the Centaurus, only one prototype was built using the griffon. the raf museum in hendon has a mk2 with the centaurus, it is a bit of a ill proportioned beast, standing mext to a p47d, another beast. for me the centaurus powered fury has the best lines of the family
P47 with it's super/turbo charger system: mental and extraordinary at the same time.
- mat the expat
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Unreal looking crash of an F35 - it doesn't look real
I know you are a plane buff, there were some weird prototypes of the era that had all sorts of odd engine and turbo systems - one Russian 4 engine bomber pe8 , had a fifth engine in the fuselage purely to power the supercharger, and a follow up to the Curtis tomahawk had a p47 style fat nose body turbo arrangement.Torquemada 1420 wrote: Sat Dec 21, 2024 10:20 amAh. Yes.Calculon wrote: Sat Dec 21, 2024 9:02 am
IMO not an ugly airplane, even with the massive cowling for the chin radiators
you mean the Centaurus, only one prototype was built using the griffon. the raf museum in hendon has a mk2 with the centaurus, it is a bit of a ill proportioned beast, standing mext to a p47d, another beast. for me the centaurus powered fury has the best lines of the family
P47 with it's super/turbo charger system: mental and extraordinary at the same time.
- Torquemada 1420
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Bizarre because you'd have to figure the power gain from the extra engine was less than the cost elsewhere: you can't get more energy out than in so simpler to have larger engines?Yeeb wrote: Thu Jan 30, 2025 9:17 am I know you are a plane buff, there were some weird prototypes of the era that had all sorts of odd engine and turbo systems - one Russian 4 engine bomber pe8 , had a fifth engine in the fuselage purely to power the supercharger, and a follow up to the Curtis tomahawk had a p47 style fat nose body turbo arrangement.
All those P40 series were underpowered sh*te. The Ladas of the USAF!
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Unreal. What kind of stall managed that?!!!!
A trident built for Africa hot and high airfields had a little extra engine in the tail, 3% weight penalty for a 8% takeoff thrust boostTorquemada 1420 wrote: Thu Jan 30, 2025 2:57 pmBizarre because you'd have to figure the power gain from the extra engine was less than the cost elsewhere: you can't get more energy out than in so simpler to have larger engines?Yeeb wrote: Thu Jan 30, 2025 9:17 am I know you are a plane buff, there were some weird prototypes of the era that had all sorts of odd engine and turbo systems - one Russian 4 engine bomber pe8 , had a fifth engine in the fuselage purely to power the supercharger, and a follow up to the Curtis tomahawk had a p47 style fat nose body turbo arrangement.
All those P40 series were underpowered sh*te. The Ladas of the USAF!
The p40 follow on was using one of the much larger and later r2800 engines that the thunderbolt has , was trying to lob a modern big engine using a ten year old airframe - unsurprisingly it didn’t progress , but made it look ‘fat and nosey ‘
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Flew in those but mainly VC-10s when out there. Don't know what the specs were for those 4 engined ones (weren't many of those IIRC) but it still seemed to me that a better 3rd engine would have worked better.Yeeb wrote: Thu Jan 30, 2025 3:42 pm A trident built for Africa hot and high airfields had a little extra engine in the tail, 3% weight penalty for a 8% takeoff thrust boost
The p40 follow on was using one of the much larger and later r2800 engines that the thunderbolt has , was trying to lob a modern big engine using a ten year old airframe - unsurprisingly it didn’t progress , but made it look ‘fat and nosey ‘
- mat the expat
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From what I've read, they are programmed to Zoom climb after a similar accident a few years ago. Engine went full throttle
There is another video wher you can see the pilot is much lower than the plane, despite ejecting.
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Hah, now there's an auto response you wouldn't want going off by accident!mat the expat wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 6:26 am From what I've read, they are programmed to Zoom climb after a similar accident a few years ago. Engine went full throttle
There is another video wher you can see the pilot is much lower than the plane, despite ejecting.
How big would a parachute system have to be for a f35 like those cirrus light jets ?Torquemada 1420 wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 8:32 amHah, now there's an auto response you wouldn't want going off by accident!mat the expat wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 6:26 am From what I've read, they are programmed to Zoom climb after a similar accident a few years ago. Engine went full throttle
There is another video wher you can see the pilot is much lower than the plane, despite ejecting.
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I don't know if it could ever work no matter the chute size. Deploying the ties/lines would be hard to achieve in any way that could keep the plane from spinning or entangling itself?Yeeb wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 11:09 amHow big would a parachute system have to be for a f35 like those cirrus light jets ?Torquemada 1420 wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 8:32 amHah, now there's an auto response you wouldn't want going off by accident!mat the expat wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 6:26 am From what I've read, they are programmed to Zoom climb after a similar accident a few years ago. Engine went full throttle
There is another video wher you can see the pilot is much lower than the plane, despite ejecting.
- mat the expat
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It would need several safety switches I reckon!Torquemada 1420 wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 8:32 amHah, now there's an auto response you wouldn't want going off by accident!mat the expat wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 6:26 am From what I've read, they are programmed to Zoom climb after a similar accident a few years ago. Engine went full throttle
There is another video wher you can see the pilot is much lower than the plane, despite ejecting.

https://markurban.substack.com/p/as-we- ... versary-of
Not a picture but well worth reading this letter home from a Sjt in the 5RTR sent in '43. KIA on this day 80 years ago.
Not a picture but well worth reading this letter home from a Sjt in the 5RTR sent in '43. KIA on this day 80 years ago.