Aviation Myths

The Whirlwind was a ‘a failure’ because of ‘unreliable engines’. Two myths, really.

The NAMC YS-11 is basically a Japanese built HS.748

Three from LHR in the early nineties

The IL-76T means it has a Turret.

The IL-76TD is Turret Deleted

The LET 410 used the front end of the F-27 Friendship…I know, they are nothing alike, but to some and others who believe anything.

‘The B-24 was the box that the B-17 came in’

The HS Trident was notorious for it’s reluctance to leave the ground on take off….

Which reminds me of another aviation myth which is that raising one hand in the air and yelling “up, up and away” has never been successful in improving an aircraft’s climbing ability.

Early jet aircraft were noisy.

Reality…it was the engines not the aircraft, we hear how noisy the One-eleven, and Trident were for example, but, it was their RR Speys. No one ever seemed to complaining about RR disturbing their peace. The aircraft took all the blame.

They only used what was availiable at the time.

The HS Trident was notorious for it’s reluctance to leave the ground on take off….

Reality…no Trident ever overran a runway for this reason and in fact it’s take off performance was fairly normal for the time.

I watched a documentary the other day. It stated that due to heavy losses the Luftwaffe withdrew the Ju87 because of its under carriage fairings and bad aero dynamics causing slow manoeuvrability against Spitfires and Hurricanes.

No!!! Badly worded by me to create a double negative.

The Ju 87 Stuka was NOT withdrawn due to high losses!

The myth; that the Stuka was withdrawn due to heavy losses on 18 August 1940.

So, why were they withdrawn from the battle? Or were they never withdrawn?

All RAF pilots in WWII spoke like David Niven..

….and wore their oxygen masks dangling from a single strap

The Fairey FD2 set a proper official world air speed record.

As did Howard Hughes in the H-1

Was it a myth that the Fw 190 was unknown to the allies when first encountered, to the extent that some pilots described them as captured Hawk 75s?
Seems a bit hard to believe that a new plane could be developed (and that of the 190 wasn’t quick and easy) put into production and into combat without it being known about. I can believe that at squadron level it wasn’t known about, but higher up?

Sgt Geoff West of 616 Squadron, in a letter to me, told of the squadron’s first encounter with the Fw190 on 27 September when he was shot down: “This will be easy” said the CO “They are using captured Curtis Hawks!”

So that being a myth…..the Ju87 force was withdrawn due to high losses?

No!!! Badly worded by me to create a double negative.

The Ju 87 Stuka was NOT withdrawn due to high losses!

The myth; that the Stuka was withdrawn due to heavy losses on 18 August 1940.

“The introduction of the Me 262 was delayed by Hitler’s insistence on its use as a bomber.” – It was of course technical difficulties with the
engines that caused the delay.

This is one of the best !!

I would think a taildragger powered by a pair of blowlamps would have created a few miseries too.

Wearing blue tights and red underpants allows you to avoid airport security.

You could always give it a try. Let us know how you go…

That the P-51 Mustang was designed by an American fellow who had previously worked at Messerschmidt designing the replacement for the 109.

Correction, I think he did work for Messerschmidt, but not Messerschmitt as everyone wrongly assumes 🙂

Was it a myth that the Fw 190 was unknown to the allies when first encountered, to the extent that some pilots described them as captured Hawk 75s?

Yes and no. RAF pilots wrote that the aircraft they had seen was a Curtiss in combat reports on encountering the Fw 190 for the first time, but the British were aware of its existence before it was first met by the RAF in combat in September 1941.

A myth; The Germans mistook the Defiants for Hurricanes over Dunkirk on one day’s combat and never made that mistake again.

Wearing blue tights and red underpants allows you to avoid airport security.

I’ve heard this myth repeated more than a few times:

“More ammunition was fired during the making of the ‘Battle of Britain’ film than was actually fired during the real Battle-of-Britain!”

Yes I read that in Sharkeys book…I would imagine he would have been really surprised if the Vulcan crew were dumb enough to reply and break radio silence… no effing chance LOL

Vulcan after bombing the Falklands, “good morning”.

Apparently (according to him anyway) the CO of 801 NAS, ‘Sharkey’ Ward, flying ‘fighter escort’ for the Vulcan in a Sea Harrier FRS1 wished the Vulcan crew ‘good morning’ over their radio channel…..but got no reply.