WW II plane buffs?

TjW said:
As far as names for warbirds goes, my favorite so far is a T-6: Miss Information
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Naah, I still say that Commander Blackburn (CO of VF-17) had the best one: he called his F4U Corsair Big Hog. :D

There was a Navy PB4Y Liberator nicknamed Thunder Mug. I recall there was a B-17 called Miss Behave.
 
Jack by the hedge said:
<mops coffee from keyboard> Less beautiful? Eye of the beholder an' all that, but the Mosquito is achingly beautiful.
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I like the looks of the Beaufighter, it's all about business, but it's like comparing a truck to a sports car.
 
Huttosaurus said:
Like the mighty Walrus?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Walrus

I think that's my favourite type in the class.
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Ohh the "Ugly Duckling". Yes i love that too and it saved a LOT of downed pilots during WW2. Often they loaded up so much that they couldn't take off and then they had to taxi long stretches untill either they met an allied ship(who could take the downed airmen) or they reached harbour. Sounds fantastic but it DID happen. :)
 
Ove said:
Ohh the "Ugly Duckling". Yes i love that too and it saved a LOT of downed pilots during WW2. Often they loaded up so much that they couldn't take off and then they had to taxi long stretches untill either they met an allied ship(who could take the downed airmen) or they reached harbour. Sounds fantastic but it DID happen. :)
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It happened in the Pacific at least once, with a Vought OS2U Kingfisher. The pilot and radioman rescued seven downed airmen, and, with their passengers sitting on the wings, taxied to the submarine USS Tang, which took all the aviators aboard and then sank the no-longer-flyable aircraft with her deck guns. See here.
 
Walrus was launched by Catapult from Carrier and Cruiser decks as well.
 
Captain_Swoop said:
Walrus was launched by Catapult from Carrier and Cruiser decks as well.
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Yes, that was actually it's primary role. Artilery spotting and "Admirals Barge" but it was pressed into an air-sea rescue role too simply because it was available, at the right time.
 
Well, that was a lovely treat - a Lancaster and Spitfire flying around for the Farnborough Airshow. It's fantastic to actually see them in the air.
 
Mr Clingford said:
Well, that was a lovely treat - a Lancaster and Spitfire flying around for the Farnborough Airshow. It's fantastic to actually see them in the air.
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Unfortunately at the Yeovilton air day a couple of weeks ago the Lanc and Hurricaine called off for some reason - the Spit was bloomin marvellous though! (As were the vintage jets tho not striclty WWII! tho the Comet nearly made it IIRC)

Also saw the Kittyhawk and the fantastic Sea Fury in flight

Bliss :D

Yuri
 
I was in Scarborough over the weekend and a couple of times saw a twin radial piston engined plane flying slow and low over the town and out to sea. I'd guess it was one of Air Atlantique's DC-3/C-47s but I understood that their licence was withdrawn a couple of years ago.

I tried to take a picture but I only had my phone so I just got an indistinct dot in the distance.
 
I built Airfix and similar kits from the age of about 6 through 13.

Recently started a model of HMS Hood but it remain unfinished in the garage.

As an Englishman, I'm going to have to go for the Spitfire as my favourite WWII warbird. I also have an affection for the Bf109 Emil, which is right ugly but somehow so ugly its pleasing.

Never like the Fw190 and though the Mustang is elegant it lacks the art deco grace of the Spitfire.

I also quite like the look of the Hs129, for the same reason as the Bf109. Uggers but in a good way.
 
BaaBaa said:
I like the looks of the Beaufighter, it's all about business, but it's like comparing a truck to a sports car.
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Yeah, this is what I mean about the 109 and Hs129 too. They just have that look that says "Hello. I'm here to ruin your life" about them.
 
Forgot to mention a month or so ago that one of the last flying B-29’s, “Fifi”, was circling my area before heading to an airshow in Hamilton, Ontario. I tried to get a pic, but my phone doesn’t do zoom very well.

It was a nice treat to see such a graceful plane make its way through the skies.

Also, the weekend of July 14th was the annual Geneseo Airshow in NY was going on while I was camping at the state park nearby. Got to see a number of planes…P-51C & D, a P-47, a few WWI era bi-planes, among others. Made for a relaxing Saturday. :)
 
Just to make y'all jealous, I've just finished day 3 at AirVenture (arrived Sunday). Lotsa warbirds, with FiFi being the big WWII airplane...
 
Yuri Nalyssus said:
"FiFi" ? :confused:

Flying Fortress???

Yuri
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B-29 Superfortress.


B29.jpg
 
Sabretooth said:
Forgot to mention a month or so ago that one of the last flying B-29’s, “Fifi”, was circling my area before heading to an airshow in Hamilton, Ontario. I tried to get a pic, but my phone doesn’t do zoom very well.

It was a nice treat to see such a graceful plane make its way through the skies.

Also, the weekend of July 14th was the annual Geneseo Airshow in NY was going on while I was camping at the state park nearby. Got to see a number of planes…P-51C & D, a P-47, a few WWI era bi-planes, among others. Made for a relaxing Saturday. :)
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Fifi is the only flying B-29 in the world at the moment. I've seen rumors of another possibly undergoing restoration, but don't know the status.

I saw her about 12 years ago on the ground, but didn't get to see her fly. :(
 
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