RE: Breitling Fighters

Hmmmmm..strange indeed!The paint job certainly looks like TFC’s P47. Is it really possible to hurl a Thunderbolt around in formation with the other types?
It also begs the question of what is going to happen with OFMC’s Yak-3,which I heard was supposed to be ready before too long.

RE: Picture of the day 03/12/01

Just to add a bit of detail,MK356 is now flying in a post-war RNAF (Royal Netherlands AirForce) overall silver scheme with clipped wings and a black spinner.Makes quite a change from the usual camouflaged Spits on the scene at the moment.

RE: Unlimited air racing

To quench philo’s fury,I think it would never be possible to have unlimited warbird racing here.The FAA are a little more ‘broadminded’ when it comes to classifying aeroplanes,hence the ‘Experimental’ category for racers and homebuilts and the like.Here in the UK we have no such category,so any specially modified aeroplanes would immediately be grounded!
We have to remember that air racing of any class is a risky business, particularly when you are talking about tweaking a Merlin to breaking point.
The basic fact is that I think we just don’t have the right operational environment for the sport,aside from any personal views we might have or the amounts of cash involved.

RE: Picture of the day 02/12/01

I’m having a bad day in terms of accuracy!Prince Bernhard firstly flew another D17S which had been previously attached to the American embassy.This aircraft is now appropriately with the Duke of Brabant Airforce and painted in it’s US Embassy blue and yellow livery.
The aircraft pictured above is painted to represent his later machine,marked PB1,but is NOT the original aircraft.
This means that the Duke of Brabant’s machine is one of the Prince’s original aircraft but is not painted in his personal livery,whilst N18V is painted as his personal ‘PB1’,but is in fact an imposter!It all gets very confusing I can assure you,but i think I’ve got the facts just about right.

RE: Picture of the day 01/12/01

Absolutely correct on the mark number Philo,my apologies.The NF.11 was shorter than the later NF.12 because of the latter’s APS21 radar set which necessitated a lengthening of the forward fuselage by something like 15″.This in turn gave rise to the NF.12’s most distinguishing feature,the leading edge extension to the tail fin,which in all honesty I should have noticed.
That’ll teach me to put up a post without doing the proper research first!
PS Another excellent pic!

RE: any fighters or bombers?

I’d agree that Band of Brothers is an excellent series,but I also agree with Nielly’s point about the lack of Typhoons,and lack of aeroplanes in general.
This is something I also noticed with Saving Private Ryan.The skies were absolutely empty,and there was a serious lack of tactical air support.I’m sure the column of German armour that appears in the closing sequences of Ryan would never have got through in real life. They’d call up air support and have them blasted out of existence on thier approach into town,rather than battling hand to hand with them in a built up area.The Mustangs would have appeared a little earlier than they did!
Despite this,I still think that both Ryan and BofB are impressive pieces of film making.

RE: Picture of the day 01/12/01

Another nice pic philo 🙂
For those not in the know,this is Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.12
G-LOSM,the NF.12 being a standard production model,so this aircraft is not a one off.Having said that,it is the only Night Fighter Meteor in flyable condition anywhere in the world at present.