by captjeff | Nov 19, 2019 | Plane Tales
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Two men who risked everything to save their aircraft and, because of their bravery, were awarded their countries highest honour. These are stories which truly invoke the often misused sobriquet, hero.
Jimmy Ward of No 75 (New Zealand) Squadron.
The hatch that Jimmy climbed out of and the holes he made to crawl over to the blazing engine.
Henry Erwin, recipient of the Medal of Honor.
“Red” Erwin in 1995.
The B-29 Superfortress.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Arghya1999, the Royal Air Force, US Air Force, Senior Airman Christopher J. Matthews and the US Gov.
by captjeff | Nov 9, 2019 | Plane Tales
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It was the year 1919 and Billy Hughes, the Prime Minister of Australia, was travelling to attend the Paris Peace Conference. He cabled his Government, “Several Australian aviators are desirous of attempting flight London to Australia they are all first-class men and very keen, your thoughts?” The undertaking was momental since the longest distance ever achieved by an aircraft to that point was only a third of the required 11,000 miles, let alone attempting the journey in less than 30 days! Regardless, the Great Air Race was on!
After an an epic 206 days, finally, Battling Ray landed in Australia.
The Vickers Vimy dubbed Gawd Elp All Of Us reaches Australian soil.
A monument to the Great Race erected in Darwin.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Benparer, State Library of South Australia, State Library of Queensland and Bidgee.
by captjeff | Nov 3, 2019 | Plane Tales
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The Mig-21, NATO codename Fishbed, was to become the most produced supersonic fighter in aviation history. In the 1950s, its secrets were being tightly safeguarded and Western military forces were very keen to find out more. Here is a spy story, more dramatic and blood thirsty than most fictional ones but one that put the new fighter right into the hands of the Israeli Air Force.
Mig 007 in the Hatzerim museum.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Oren Rozen, US Gov DIA,
by captjeff | Oct 27, 2019 | Plane Tales
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A narrow body of water separates England from the rest of Europe… between Dover and Calais it’s only 21 miles wide. Crossing it has become a bit of a right of passage for many forms of transport and aviators, with or without moustaches, have been no exception. These are the stories of some of those early attempts!
Jean-Pierre Blanchard rows across the channel in a balloon!
Louis Blériot sporting a fine aviator’s moustache!
Blériot completes the first crossing of the Channel by a heavier than air machine.
Harriet Quimby’s very fetching flying gear.
A captured Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drache.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Jmack361,
by captjeff | Oct 19, 2019 | Plane Tales
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The Upkeep mine was at last working and 617 Squadron had worked up to a level of skill that was unmatched amongst the Bomber Command units. The waters of the Ruhr dams had reached their peak and the moon was waxing gibbous towards being full. At last, all the preparation and training was going to be put to the test and the Dambusters raid was on!
At last… Upkeep had proved itself capable of being successfully dropped.
A painting depicting the attack.
Air Vice Martial Cochrane, Wing Commander Guy Gibson, King George VI and Group Captain Whitworth discussing the ‘Dambusters Raid’ in May 1943
The day after the raid showing the damage done to the Mohne dam. Belatedly, barrage balloons have appeared over the dam.
A visit by King George VI to 617 Squadron after the raid.
The Möhne dam as it looks today. A photograph taken by APG listener Emiel Achterberg from a C172 although he is also a keen balloonist.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to 617 Sqn, the Imperial War Museum, Flying Officer Jerry Fray RAF, an RAF official photographer and APG listener Emiel Achterberg.
by captjeff | Oct 14, 2019 | Plane Tales
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This is part three of a quadrilogy of stories about the Dambuster’s raid on the great dams of the Ruhr valley by No 617 Squadron. Wallis faced an uphill struggle to convince the Air Ministry that his idea of bouncing a huge mine across the surface of the reservoirs, over torpedo nets and right up to the dam walls was feasible. When finally given the go ahead he only had a few months to complete testing and then build a successful weapon. In the meantime, a new Lancaster squadron had to be formed and trained. This is a remarkable story of genius and tenacity in equal parts.
A 1:50 Scale model of the Mohne Dam, blown up to demonstrate where the Upkeep mine should be placed.
Barnes Wallis watches a successful trial of Upkeep at Reculver.
A trail weapon recovered from Hearne Bay.
A surviving Upkeep mine.
Upkeep in position under Gibson’s Lancaster with the spinning mechanism visible.
Images under Creative Commons licence, with thanks to the Imperial War Museum, Martin Richards, the RAF, the Crown and the UK Government.
