I think this is a Breguet Br.14A2
Type: Bomber (B2) and Reconnaissance (A2)
Country: France
Entered Service: Summer of 1917
Number Built: About 5,500 during World War I
Powerplant: Renault 12 Fox, water cooled 12 cylinder, 300 hp
Wing Span: 47 ft 1.25 in (14.36 m)
Length: 29 ft (8.87 m)
Height: 10 ft 10 in (3.3 m)
Loaded Weight: 3,892 lb (1,765 kg)
Maximum Speed: 110 mph (177 km/h) at 6,560 ft (2,000 m)
Service Ceiling: 19,030 ft (5,800 m)
Endurance: 2 ¾ hours
Crew: 2
Armament:
Guns: 2-3 machine guns
Bombs: 661 lb (300 kg) of bombs
Definitely Central Powers aircraft, though both the Lewis overwing armament and headgear of the crew suggests either captured or a Balkans connection. Given the box fuselage, sloping top nose panels, Benz-type engine exhaust and side-mounted radiators, I'll go with an early LVG C.II, in either France, Serbia or Romania.
Edit (1337) LVG C.II General characteristics (from Wiki):
Crew: 2
Capacity: 2
Length: 8.10 m (26 ft 7 in)
Wingspan: 12.85 m (42 ft 2 in)
Height: 2.93 m (9 ft 7.25 in)
Wing area: 37.60 m2 (404.74 ft2)
Empty weight: 845 kg (1,863 lb)
Gross weight: 1,405 kg (3,097 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Mercedes D.III, 119 kW (160 hp)
Performance
Maximum speed: 130 km/h (81 mph)
Endurance: 4 hours
Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,125 ft)
Armament
1 × flexible 7.92 mm (.312 in) Parabellum MG14 machine gun
1 × fixed, forward-firing 7.92 mm (.312 in) LMG 08/15 machine gun (later production aircraft)
up to 60 kg (130 lb) of light bombs
Edit (1348): ok, PID achieved. LVG C.II of FA.262 (von Keller/Nagel) at Moreuil, 3 Oct 1915; apparently landed at a French airfield by mistake!
Last edited by Baldrick62; 08-17-2013 at 06:04. Reason: PID
10 pts to Baldrick! Exactly correct.
Other views of the same craft -
..and the unfortunate previous owners, Rittmester Willi von Keller (pilot) and Unteroffizier Hans Nagel (observer)
This was worth 10 pts because of so many misleading clues - the cabane struts and engine exhaust from that angle, and the overwing lewis and French uniforms, all of which strongly hint that it's a Br14. But the fuselage is too square for one thing...
Over to you, Baldrick. I'm sure you'll find something hard like this, but not impossible. Also - Congrats!
Not sure of the rules; WWI only, 'pre-1946' or anything goes?
Potez 631 French heavy day/night fighter.
Not quite - I think it's a Potez 637A3, the recon version of the 63 series. Main external difference was the ventral "bathtub" blister .
Wingspan 16.00 m
Length 11.07 m
Height 3.61 m
Empty weight 2450 kg
Normal take-off 4225 kg
2 PD Gnome-Rhone 14M-6 660hp
Maximum speed 435 km/h
Cruising speed 321 km/h
Range 1150 km
Rate of climb 640 m/min
Service ceiling 8000 m
Crew 3
Armament: 7.5mm fixed nose and tail MGs, 1 7.5mm swivel MG at rear.
-- http://www.historyofwar.org/articles...potez_637.htmlThe Potez 637 began to enter service in May 1939, and was used to equip two reconnaissance Escadres - the 33rd and 52nd. At the start of the Second World War fifty three aircraft were in front line service, all with these two units. After the outbreak of war the Bloch 131, Potez 637 and a number of older Mureaux types were used on deep reconnaissance missions over Germany, but losses were so high that after September only the Potez was allowed to cross the border.
By May 1940 none of the reconnaissance groups only used the Potez 637. GR I/33, II/33, II/36 and I/52 were using the biggest mix of aircraft, with Potez 637s, Potez 63.11s and the more modern Bloch 174, while GR II/52 and I/36 operated both Potez types. The Potez 637 was in the process of being withdrawn from frontline service at the start of the German offensive.
The Potez 637 units suffered heavy losses during the short campaign in the west. G.R. II/52 lost all of its aircraft in sixteen days while G.R. II/33 lost all seven of its Potez 637s. As with the Potez 63.11, the main enemy was flak, both the very heavy German anti-aircraft fire, and Allied guns firing on what they believed were Bf 110s. German fighters were less effective, and the Potez 637 was often able to outmanoeuvre the Bf 109.
At the end of the Battle of France only twelve Potez 637s remained intact in France. Six remained by 1 November, and none one year later. The reconnaissance units of the Vichy Air Force used either the Potez 63.11 or the Martin 167F.
Potez 637s were attached in ones and twos to other units - On June 5th 1940, GR II/55 had one on hand.
I think that it is actually the Potez 637 strategic reconnaissance aircraft because it has the under fuselage gondola. It is from the same family as the Potez 631.
http://www.airwar.ru/enc/spyww2/p637.html
Sorry for the delay; Zoe is on the money with 10 pts for the 1st correct ID of the Potez 637 A3, recognisable by the ventral recce gondola.
At least all recognised it as a French aircraft, unlike in real life (this referring to 631 night-fighters pressed into day service during the Battle of France):
AéroJournal n° 3 (about night fighters Potez 631, often identified as Bf110)
13 May 1940: two Potez 631 ECMJ 1/16 damaged by Hurricanes near Betheniville. No loss.
18 May 1940: Potez 631 ECN 2/13 hit by He 111, Bf 110, French AA and Morane 406 near Creil, returned to base.
18 May 1940: two Potez 631 of AC2 shot down by Blenheim 248 Sqn RAF off Nieuport. 3 KIA, 1 WIA
20 May 1940: Potez 631 ECN 2/13 damaged by D520.
21 May 1940: D520 GC II/3 shot down by return fire of Potez 631 ECN 4/13 (during 4th attack) over Oise. Pilot KIA
23 May 1940: Potez 631 ECN 3/13 shot down by Bloch 152 GC I/1. 1 KIA, 1 WIA
2 Jun 1940: Potez 631 ECN 1/13 hit by French AA over Lassigny. 1 WIA
2 Jun 1940: two Potez 631 ECN 4/13 hit by French AA over Villers-Coterets. 1 force-landed and lost. 3 WIA.
3 Jun 1940: Potez 631 ECN 1/13 attacked by French AA, 7 Bf 109s and 1 Bloch 152 during German raid on Paris. Pilot reported the Bf 109s were the less dangerous.
3 Jun 1940: two Potez 631 ECN 4/13 fired on by French AA (of their own airfield) during German raid on Paris.
22 Jun 1940: CAMS 55.10 of 4S1 shot down by Morane GC III/5 near Cape Zerbib, Tunisia. Pilot wounded
Last edited by Baldrick62; 08-18-2013 at 06:23.
I think it's only worth 5 pts - you gave a complete front-on profile, rather than a partial one. Nothing too misleading.
This one's also a 5 pointer. It would be less, but there's a few characteristics that could lead some astray.
To get the full 5 points, you have to say which aircraft it was loosely based on, and the designer(s).
Looks like a conventional landing gear (as opposed to ski) single-seat version of the Savaljev Quadraplane, with a Morane- rather than a Nieuport-style empennage.
'In 1916 V.F.Saveljev and Vladislav Zalevskij built this experimental 2-seat reconnaisence aircraft. It used fuselage from the “Morane-G” and single strut Quadruplane wing box tilted forward. The Quadruplane was powered by an 80hp engine when it was flown on April 15, 1916. According to the testpilot Ungmejster, “The aircraft is very responsive and may compete with the 165hp Albatros, But it needs a 100hp Monosaupape engine.” Later this engine was fitted with minor modifications, and aircraft performed numerous flights.'
http://www.wwiaviation.com/quadruplanes.html
Edit (1837) - found a reference to a Morane F being the donor, but as there were apparently only 2 of those built (for Romania), a G seems more likely.
Last edited by Baldrick62; 08-18-2013 at 10:38.
In 1916 V.F.Saveljev (then senior mechanic of the 2nd airpark located at Smolensk) in cooperation with his colleague Vladislav Zalevskij built this experimental 2-seat reconnaissater. It used fuselage from the 'Morane-G' and 1-srtut quadriplane wing box. Wings box was tilted forward by 150.
Quadriplane, powered by 80hp engine, was flown on April 15, 1916. According to test-pilot Ungmejster, "aircraft is very responsive and may compete with 165hp 'Albatros'. It needs 100hp Monosaupape."
Later this engine was fitted with minor modifications, and aircraft performed numerous flights.
V.F.Saveljev returned to this layout later in 1923, when the quadriplane was nothing but outdated oddity.
Technical data
Function Reconnaissater
Year 1916
Crew 2
Engines 1*80hp Gnome
later 1*80hp Clerget 1*100hp Monosaupape
Length 6.0m 6.0m
Wingspan 8.5m 9.3m
Wing area 24.0m2 26.2m2
Empty weight 360kg 400kg
Loaded weight 660kg 700kg
Wing load 27.5kg/m2 26.7kg/m2
Power load 8.2kg/hp 7.0kg/hp
Maximum Speed 116km/h 132km/h
Ceiling more than 2000m -
Endurance 3.0h 3.0h
4 pts to Baldric, 1 to Skafloc for providing performance data.
Scores:
Baldric 14
Zeddie 5
Skafloc 1
And over to Baldric for the next entry.
Dornier Do Y.
The Do P and Do Y were displayed in the early '30s as freighter prototypes; they were in fact evolutionary steps towards creating the Luftwaffe's first operational bomber, the Dornier Do 11a. Two examples were produced for the Royal Yugoslav Air Force in 1931, followed by two more machines six years later. All four served with the 81st regiment at Mostar-Ortijes until replaced by the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 in 1939. The aircraft were then relegated to transport and liaison roles until all four were captured by German forces at Kraljevo in 1941. One of them was subsequently handed over to the Croatian Air Force.
General characteristics
Crew: 4
Length: 18.20 m (59 ft 9 in)
Wingspan: 28.00 m (91 ft 10 in)
Height: 6.79+ m (22 ft 3 in)
Wing area: 111.0 m2 (1,194 ft2)
Empty weight: 6,360 kg (13,990 lb)
Gross weight: 8,500 kg (18,700 lb)
Powerplant: 3 × Bristol Jupiter radial engines, 373 kW (500 hp) each
Performance
Maximum speed: 250 km/h (160 mph)
Range: 1,500 km (940 miles)
Service ceiling: 6,000 m (19,700 ft)
Rate of climb: 2.7 m/s (520 ft/min)
Armament
2 × trainable machine guns in open position in nose
2 × trainable machine guns in open dorsal position
12 × 100 kg (220 lb) bombs
I guess you could say that, operationally, they were used by the Royal Yugoslavian and Croatian air forces.
Last edited by FrankJamison; 08-18-2013 at 18:02.
In 1932, Two Junkers K.30(G-24), two Air Fokker F.39(F.IX) and two Dornier Ys were purchased for comparative testing. They were organized as the 261th Air Group, better known as the "three-engine group. As was stated, two more Dornier Ys were bought in 1937 for no apparent reason.
Fokker F.39
Junkers K-30
Dornier Y
That's just for interest's sake. All points to FrankJamison I think? His turn next.
It's a Hispano HS-34 from Spain. only 5 delivered to the Aeronįutica Naval before the Civil War broke out.
Wiki has these stats:
General characteristics
Crew: 2
Length: 7.34 m (24 ft 1 in)
Wingspan: 9.1 m (29 ft 10 in)
Wing area: 25.50 m2 (274.5 sq ft)
Empty weight: 522 kg (1,151 lb)
Gross weight: 773 kg (1,704 lb)
Fuel capacity: 100 L (22 Imp gal, 26.4 UKS gal)
Powerplant: 1 × Walter Junior 4-cylinder inverted inline piston engine, water cooled, 78 kW (105 hp)
Propellers: 2-bladed
Performance
Maximum speed: 170 km/h (106 mph; 92 kn)
Stall speed: 65 km/h (40 mph; 35 kn)
Time to altitude: 7 min to 1,000 m (3,280 ft)
Red band are Republican identifiers.
Karl
I'll post the next entry tomorrow evening; have to look for something challenging
Karl
I believe it is a Gotha IX being operated by the Belgian Air Force.
Points to David.
Karl
That is an incredible picture Zoe. Just goes to show what can happen on impact.
Rob.
More of a very hard landing - undercart bent, aircraft somersaulted, breaking its back just aft of cabane struts when it landed. Tail remained facing in original direction, and not inverted, and front of aircraft ended up amidst remains of smashed fuselage, facing the remains of the tail. Possibly survivable for pilot.
Grumman XF5F Skyrocket (from Wiki)
Specifications
Crew: 1
Length: 28 ft 9 in (8.76 m)
Wingspan: 42 ft (12.80 m)
Height: 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m)
Wing area: 303.5 ft² (28.2 m²)
Empty weight: 8,107 lb (3,600 kg)
Loaded weight: 10,138 lb (4,600 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 10,900 lb (5450 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Wright XR-1820-40/42 Cyclone nine cylinder radial air-cooled engine, 1,200 hp (895 kW) each
Performance
Maximum speed: 383 mph at sea level (616 km/h)
Range: 1,200 mi (1,800 km)
Service ceiling: 33,000 ft (11,000 m)
Rate of climb: 4,000 ft/min (1,220 m/min)
Armament
4 × 0.5 in (12.7 mm) machine guns
4 × 165 lb (75 kg) bombs
Flown by DC Comics' 'Blackhawk' squadron.
Last edited by Baldrick62; 08-26-2013 at 04:56. Reason: merged 2 posts
You are correct, Baldrick. Well done! The photograph I posted shows the prototype after I had its nose lengthened but it did not deceive you. The Blackhawks first appeared in 'Military Comics' issie no. 1 on 30th May 1941 (although it was labelled as the August issue) but they did not start flying the modified Grumman Skyrockets until issue no.2. 'Military Comics' was later taken over by D.C. Comics.
How many points do you think Baldrick deserves, Zoe, 7 maybe?
I'd say 6, but 7 it is.
Scores:
Baldrick : 21
Naharat 7
Zeddie 5
FrankJamieson 5
Skafloc 5
Baldrick to serve.
Two days on: no takers?
Unidentifiable eindecker. unknown nationality or user.
Fokker Eindecker M5 Design
Fokker's design for the M. 5 was very closly based on that of the French Morane-Saulnier Type H shoulder-wing monoplane — though instead of the wooden wire-braced box girder structure of the Type H, Fokker used a welded steel tube frame.
The powerplant was an 80 hp (60 kW) Gnōme 7-cylinder rotary engine (built under licence by Oberursel as the U. 0). As in the Morane original, the tail and elevators were fully-movable, having no fixed section. There were two versions of the M. 5: the long-span M. 5L and the short-span M. 5K ("K" for kurz meaning "short" in German). The M. 5 was light, strong and manoeuvrable, capable of aerobatics (although like all aircraft relying on the early style of Morane balanced elevators it had very sensitive fore-and-aft control) — Fokker himself performed in the M. 5 at Johannisthal in May and June 1914, winning a number of awards.
German army adoption
The German army adopted the militarised long-span M. 5L, manufactured by Halberstadt, designated the A. II. A two-seat version, known as the M. 8 also entered service as the A. I which was built by Fokker. These aircraft were used on the Western and Eastern Fronts in the early stages of the war. In early 1915, ten M. 5Ks were ordered, designated the A. III, but before delivery five were modified, being equipped with a single machine gun, becoming the five Fokker M. 5K/MG production prototypes of the Fokker E.I.
Like the Fokker E.I which it evolved into, the M5 had a V-shaped two-legged bracing post rather than the 'pyramid' of this aircraft. The wing bracing and flying surfaces are different from an M-S H.
The powerplant is a Gnome (60hp) but from there it appears a bit of a mish-mash. The engine cowling is reminiscent of a Morane or possibly even a Nieuport, but lacks the distinctive 'M-S' logo; the 'W' undercarriage could be a Fokker design while the open rear fuselage is like on a Bleriot, but the wing and tail shapes aren't from any of those design houses (particularly the cut-outs in the trailing edge of the mainplane). By the setting of the picture it looks like either North Sea or Baltic coast. Knowing the operator, it has to be the former. Used operationally by one belligerent into 1915, and a couple supplied to another European power as trainers (see image below) that remained neutral during the war (and lacks either a North Sea or Baltic coastline).
Last edited by Baldrick62; 08-27-2013 at 15:16. Reason: sp
A 10-pointer I think. The undercart said "Fokker", the wings "Morane".
it's not the Couade military monoplane either... tricky....
European Powers that were neutral in WWI, and that lacked either a North Sea or Baltic coastline....By the setting of the picture it looks like either North Sea or Baltic coast. Knowing the operator, it has to be the former. Used operationally by one belligerent into 1915, and a couple supplied to another European power as trainers (see image below) that remained neutral during the war (and lacks either a North Sea or Baltic coastline).
Spain, Switzerland.... with Luxembourg, Lichtenstein and Albania arguable.
Last edited by Zoe Brain; 08-27-2013 at 01:32.
... but is actually, according to Davilla & Soltan http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sho...orld-War-(FMP), a Vendome 1914 Militaire (designer Raoul Vendome): in service with the French Aviation Militaire in Aug 15 but withdrawn from use by Feb 16. The Spanish Aviacion Militar obtained 6 of them, which were still in use in 1917 due to the inability to source more modern equipment.
I have no idea what that does for the scoring, but while the adjudicators sort that out, how about;
Sorry this is slightly earlier than requested, Zoe; gotta dash!
Last edited by Baldrick62; 08-27-2013 at 15:18.
One of 11 P-26C's in chinese service.
Update : Model 281, the export version. 17th chungtui, 3rd tatui . Looks to be in dark olive rather than original grey. Without the serial, I can't give the pilot's name.
Funds to buy the export version of the Peashooter were partly raised by Chinese Americans. Contribution boxes were placed on the counters of Chinese restaurants.
Length: 23 ft 7 in (7.18 m)The first Boeing P-26 to experience major combat operation was the Chinese Model 281. On 15 August 1937, eight P-26/281s from the Chinese Air Force 3rd Pursuit Group, 17th Squadron, based at Chuyung airfield, engaged eight out of 20 Mitsubishi G3M Nell medium bombers from the Kisarazu Air Group sent to attack Nanking. The Chinese Boeing fighters helped shoot down two of the four Japanese bombers destroyed that day without suffering any losses.
Wingspan: 28 ft (8.50 m)
Height: 10 ft 0 in (3.04 m)
Empty weight: 2,196 lb (996 kg)
Loaded weight: 3,360 lb (1,524 kg)
Performance (approx - figures for P-26A)
Maximum speed: 234 mph (203 knots, 377 km/h) at 6,000 ft (1,800 m)
Combat radius: 360 mi (310 nmi, 580 km)
Ferry range: 635 mi (550 nmi, 1,020 km)
Service ceiling: 27,400 ft (8,350 m)
Rate of climb: 719 ft/min (3.65 m/s)
Armament
Guns: 1 x .30 and 1 x .50 caliber machine gun
Bombs: 2 × 100 lb (45 kg) GP bombs or 5 x 31 lb (14 kg) anti-personnel bombs
UPDATE - the few surviving Boeing 281s were replaced by Gladiators in Jan 1938, after a short but illustrious career.
Last edited by Zoe Brain; 08-28-2013 at 00:25.
Breda Ba.27 (of which the Chinese had eleven)
Metalllico?
And we have a winner!
(From Wiki)
Ba.27 Metallico
Second improved version, twelve built.
Operators
China - Chinese Nationalist Air Force received eleven aircraft.
Specifications (Metallico)
General characteristics
Crew: One pilot
Length: 7.67 m (25 ft 2 in)
Wingspan: 10.80 m (35 ft 5 in)
Height: 3.40 m (11 ft 2 in)
Wing area: 18.9 m2 (203 ft2)
Empty weight: 1,320 kg (2,910 lb)
Gross weight: 1,850 kg (4,078 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Alfa Romeo licence-built Bristol Mercury IVA radial engine, 403 kW (540 hp)
Performance
Maximum speed: 380 km/h (236 mph)
Range: 750 km (466 miles)
Service ceiling: 9,000 m (29,530 ft)
Rate of climb: 11.1 m/s (2,180 ft/min)
Armament
2 × fixed, forward-firing 12.7 mm (.5 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns
Last edited by Baldrick62; 08-28-2013 at 11:46.
Bookmarks