For all the aviation enthusiasts here, a nice photo I found just now while perusing the MOD webpages.
It was taken last year I believe, during the Queen's Official Birthday Flypast.
Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane (the latter showing the value of its camouflage paint scheme) of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Were you in the crowd?
http://www.defenceimagery.mod.uk/fotoweb/cmdrequest/rest/Download.fwx/45147876.jpg?D=EFCC51FEE65DA414D18085DA188CAB45524FFC4F7A63A403C47E17A8BEF1E554B796D6EA4FD91784A04B36049843E1FB56B129047A099FD2448D5AA2FD3EBB84D49852E5EF22F9F1EB7617607542125E29C5CFBF37AAE9EA91D335327F97BDAE33394C6D914D971725B163F54F224DFE65DFE22A5F65B6D1328840103D2F128F615EE150C8AA32E00FC8DA1E13BEA266&ForceSaveDialog=yes&pp=%3CORIGINAL_FILE%3E (http://www.defenceimagery.mod.uk/fotoweb/cmdrequest/rest/Download.fwx/45147876.jpg?D=EFCC51FEE65DA414D18085DA188CAB45524FFC4F7A63A403C47E17A8BEF1E554B796D6EA4FD91784A04B36049843E1FB56B129047A099FD2448D5AA2FD3EBB84D49852E5EF22F9F1EB7617607542125E29C5CFBF37AAE9EA91D335327F97BDAE33394C6D914D971725B163F54F224DFE65DFE22A5F65B6D1328840103D2F128F615EE150C8AA32E00FC8DA1E13BEA266&ForceSaveDialog=yes&pp=%3CORIGINAL_FILE%3E)
I've posted it as a link as it's a high res picture.
That is a cracking photo, thanks for the link.
I wonder if the Spit is easier to see as it's camo appears to have some blue in it?
This is timely for me as I visited "The Jet Age" museum in Gloster on saturday. I highly recommend it, it's not the biggest museum but it's free entry and the exhibits are fascinating. Wonderful volenteers and lots of stuff you can sit in, including a Vulcan cockpit which me, the Mrs and in-laws duely did. There is a big red button in there, I "Nuked" the nearby airfield :goggleeyes:
Anyway, I discovered that Gloster made thousands of Hurricans during the war, and the exhibit claimed 75% of Battle of Britain kills were in Hurricans.
Now every single account I have read about the battle contradicts the next, so I have no way of knowing the true score, but it doesn't take away the contribution of the plane and it's crews from the outcome.
Skyline2uk
Quote from: Skyline2uk on March 12, 2018, 12:52:39 PM
the exhibit claimed 75% of Battle of Britain kills were in Hurricanes.
Now every single account I have read about the battle contradicts the next, so I have no way of knowing the true score, but it doesn't take away the contribution of the plane and it's crews from the outcome.
Skyline2uk
I'm not sure it was as high as that, but I think it is true that the Hurricane outscored the Spitfire, for example, during the Battle of Britain by virtue of the fact that the Hurricane was tasked with attacking the bombers, rather than fighters, due to it being an excellent gun platform (most versions of the time carrying 8 .303s) and being largely inferior to 109s in a close in fight.
That is perhaps over simplifying matters, but it basically holds true I think.
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/62/6067-120318133050.jpeg) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=62855)
A hurricane Bi plane now you weren't expecting that were you.
An experimental aircaft, great lift and short take off abilities, poor drag and slow in the air..
I think it's one of those things that will never be 100% clear. Even accounts from two pilots in the same encounter with the same enermy are wildly different. There is a reason for the phrase "the fog of war".
Sadly as time goes by we have precious few (of "the few") survivors to give first hand accounts, but yes I have read that at least the initial orders where for the Spits to go after fighter escorts whilst the Hurricans attacked bombers.
Personally I can't see how anybody who dived into a mely of aircraft managed to hit anything at all (let alone the right type) with the "three second burst" of machine gun fire, but I am not a fighter pilot!
Skyline2uk
Quote from: The Q on March 12, 2018, 01:32:02 PM
(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/62/6067-120318133050.jpeg) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=62855)
A hurricane Bi plane now you weren't expecting that were you.
An experimental aircaft, great lift and short take off abilities, poor drag and slow in the air..
There was a photo of that in the museum, along with "Float Spitfires". All sorts were tried!
Skyline2uk
Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane (the latter showing the value of its camouflage paint scheme) of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
reminds me of;
"I didn't see you at camouflage practice today private!"
"Thank you sir"
Quote from: daffy on March 12, 2018, 12:11:40 PMthe Queen's Official Birthday Flypast
Did she really, she was doing well then !
borrowed from a Ken Dodd story,
he was in-line waiting to be presented to HerMaj, the trumpets sounded, Duke of E. said "That will be the Queen now"
and Ken replied "Oh! She's doing well "
Float Spitfires are especially interesting as the Spitfire evolved from the Supermarine S5/ S6 Schneider Trophy winners. (as I am sure all boys know :) )
Quote from: MalcolmAL on March 12, 2018, 01:56:55 PM
Quote from: daffy on March 12, 2018, 12:11:40 PMthe Queen's Official Birthday Flypast
Did she really, she was doing well then !
borrowed from a Ken Dodd story,
he was in-line waiting to be presented to HerMaj, the trumpets sounded, Duke of E. said "That will be the Queen now"
and Ken replied "Oh! She's doing well "
Float Spitfires are especially interesting as the Spitfire evolved from the Supermarine S5/ S6 Schneider Trophy winners. (as I am sure all boys know :) )
I suspect that is what the photo was actually showing sir, as the bulk of the exhibit was given over to entries in the Schneider Trophy.
Still, whether or not it actually counts as a "Spitfire" you can clearly seen the family lines. It's a bit like saying the Maclaren MP5 wasn't actually an F1, when in reality it was a development prototype so close to production I think they counted it in the production numbers.
Top knowledge anyway, this boy couldn't name the S5/S6 :thumbsup:
Skyline2uk
Quote from: Skyline2uk on March 12, 2018, 02:06:38 PM
Quote from: MalcolmAL on March 12, 2018, 01:56:55 PM
Quote from: daffy on March 12, 2018, 12:11:40 PM
Float Spitfires are especially interesting as the Spitfire evolved from the Supermarine S5/ S6 Schneider Trophy winners. (as I am sure all boys know :) )
I suspect that is what the photo was actually showing sir, as the bulk of the exhibit was given over to entries in the Schneider Trophy.
Still, whether or not it actually counts as a “Spitfire” you can clearly seen the family lines. It’s a bit like saying the Maclaren MP5 wasn’t actually an F1, when in reality it was a development prototype so close to production I think they counted it in the production numbers.
Top knowledge anyway, this boy couldn’t name the S5/S6 :thumbsup:
Skyline2uk
Ah yes, I mean no , I mean, that it was fitting that float spits were indeed built/experimented with during WW2 as well, so it could have been a display of many/any of them.
This boy suddenly feels well old :) I am of the age when boys using dope meant tissue covered balsa models of aircraft.
And the dope made flying my rubber band powered Spitfire out of my bedroom window on fire, spectacular ! Though that was not amongst the words my father used :( He was looking out the kitchen window at the time wondering what my chum was doing in the back garden without me, when from above , , ,
:laughabovepost:
Top stuff!
Skyline2uk
I didnt remember the years though - 1927 etc., had to look that up (I'm not that old :) )
and I didnt realise that the float version(s) were more than just experiments until I found this just now :-
http://www.tailsthroughtime.com/2011/01/spitfire-floatplane-that-reginald.html (http://www.tailsthroughtime.com/2011/01/spitfire-floatplane-that-reginald.html)