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Ross Smith

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Viewing 15 posts - 76 through 90 (of 126 total)
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  • in reply to: Oshkosh shots #1811990
    Ross Smith
    Participant

    Geedee, how many fort’s were there? How much did it cost for a flight in one? Maybe I should get myself over there next year!

    in reply to: Up and running again #1815847
    Ross Smith
    Participant

    Me too. No ‘aviation stimulation’ if you will!

    Ross Smith
    Participant

    Flying Fortress. 🙂

    in reply to: Spitfire XVI TB900 #1827480
    Ross Smith
    Participant

    A quick Google has produced the following diagram of TB900’s markings and the following description:

    TB900, flown by Squadron Leader Raymond A.F. Lallemant of 349 (Belgium) Squadron at Fassburg, Germany during 1946. Finish is the RAF temperate scheme of dark green, ocean grey upper surfaces over medium sea grey lower surfaces with a sky spinner and yellow wing leading edges. The supplied markings comprise:

    · A Squadron Leader’s pennant

    · DG-E Squadron codes in sky

    · Nose art consisting of a ****’s head, the name ‘Winston Churchill’ in white, and a scoreboard consisting of white tank silhouettes and six Balkenkruez. The black of the Balkenkruez is supplied as a separate decal to thwart any register problems. Why tank silhouettes? These markings stem from the fact that Lallemant pioneered allied “tank-busting” tactics and scored them whilst flying Hawker Typhoons. The ‘kills’ were also earned whilst flying Typhoons.

    · TB900 serials in black. Note that the left-hand side serial is only partial whilst the right hand side is complete. This shortened serial was probably bought about when the sky fuselage band was overprinted. Apparently, these bands (as well as the spinner) were over painted when RAF aircraft were campaigning through Germany, as they tended to negate the camouflage and stand out against surrounding countryside. Having said that though I always wonder why the white of the upper wing roundels was never over-painted! Lifelike has supplied the right hand side one as a full serial as there is doubt as to the position of it and what portion of it was over painted. Further but far smaller and complete serials are supplied. These latter serials are applied to the leading edge of the vertical stabilizer.

    · National insignia in the form of type C1 roundels for the fuselage, type C for the wings, as well as 24″ 1942 -1947 fin flashes.

    in reply to: Spitfire XVI TB900 #1827493
    Ross Smith
    Participant

    Hi Daz

    I can’t help with your specific question, but here are a few pics of Kermit Weeks’ Spit taken in 1996 which may or may not be of use.

    in reply to: American B17s #1827497
    Ross Smith
    Participant

    Re the query in post #12, that’s a DF (Direction Finding) loop under the nose.

    Thanks. I just couldn’t remember what it was 😮

    in reply to: American B17s #1827734
    Ross Smith
    Participant

    Thanks for the offer John. If I come over it won’t be til next year.

    in reply to: American B17s #1828030
    Ross Smith
    Participant

    I meant I’m not knocking the efforts of the film makers.
    I agree about the last half hour being grossly exaggerated, and have always felt a better film about B17’s should be made. I have Twelve O’Clock high (which is a much better film), and the original Memphis Belle documentary.

    in reply to: American B17s #1828052
    Ross Smith
    Participant

    Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking the film. I do appreciate the fact that they went to the effort of modifying the planes instead of leaving them as they were and giving them a lick of paint! The small differences mean you can identify which plane is which as well. It was also the film that got me interested in B17’s, just like Battle of Britain got me into WW2 aviation.

    in reply to: American B17s #1828075
    Ross Smith
    Participant

    Wasn’t one of the 2 that come over from the USA a genuine F-model anyway…?

    Yes, N17W. I know the other forts were modified to resmble F’s but there were small details that give away the fact they were later models, like slightly larger waist gun windows, IFF loops ( is this the right name for the thing below the nose?) in the wrong place for an F model, Sally B’s being in it’s G model position and one of the French ones had it on top of the fuselage, and also a French one with a framed plexi glass nose. These are just of the top of my head. I just felt the ‘leading’ fort should have been played by the proper model of B17 as they had one available.

    in reply to: American B17s #1828122
    Ross Smith
    Participant

    What about David Tallichet’s B-17, Memphis Belle? Whatever happened to that one? (I think it was Tallichet, anyway. Could of course be wrong!)

    I think it might be based at the American Airpower Museum in Farmingdale, New York. There is a picture of it on their website.http://www.americanairpowermuseum.com/ (the website doesn’t seem to work too well, it seems to be down now, trust me it was working earlier!)Most websites have it listed as being in Chino, California however :confused:

    in reply to: Historic aviation groups/clubs etc #1828154
    Ross Smith
    Participant

    Sally B supporters club (just renewed my membership). 🙂

    in reply to: American B17s #1828357
    Ross Smith
    Participant

    Thanks Corsair166b and dj51d. The Midland show sounds good. Might look into that.

    Speaking of Memphis Belle, why wasn’t N17W used to portray the Belle as it is an F model so would have been more accurate? Was it because N3703G was the only one that had a working ball turret?

    in reply to: Duxford Autumn Air Show #1829551
    Ross Smith
    Participant

    Thanks for that. I’ll definitely consider going, but i’ll have to count the coins in my piggy bank! But as it’s such a long wait to next year’s Legends I’d like one last blast before the planes are put to bed for the winter.

    in reply to: The many guises of P7350 #1829687
    Ross Smith
    Participant

    Aldergrove 1995.

Viewing 15 posts - 76 through 90 (of 126 total)