70th anniversary of the famed Normandie Niemen

The French Air Force (Armée de l'air ) has just celebrated the 70th anniversary of the famed Normandie Niemen at Mont de Marsan as it reforms on the Rafale. Present at the ceremony was this Yak-3 along with Normandie veteran Georges Masurel, 91 years old, a former Yak mechanic who served in Russia from November 1942 to October 1943. While a Yak-3 and a Mirage F-1 were present, of the other aircraft flown by the Normandie Niemen there was no NC-900 (French version of the  FW-190) nor Mosquito, a type that the unit flew in Indo-china. 

Along with the Cigognes, the Normandie-Niemen must be one of the most "symbolic" of all Armée de l'air units today. As an aside the group has also recently acquired a balalaïka presented in 1960 by General Zakharov to Héléne Pouyade, daughter of former Normandie wartime CO Pierre Pouyade...

More pics of the aircraft at 

http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=46821

More on the Normandie Niemen on this blog
http://falkeeinsgreatplanes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/normande-niemen-groupe-de-chasse-3.html

Potez 63.11 rebuild

 ..it flies ..or almost !
A Potez 63.11 rebuild in the US made its first hop earlier this summer. Financed entirely by French pilot Jean-Marie Garric who lives in the US, this rebuild has been constructed from original factory plans. The aircraft is powered by modern and reliable 

P&W engines rather than period GN engines...
Jean-Marie has painted his machine in the colours of n°641 of GAO 515 (aerial observation group) which was adorned with a distinctive 'Grumpy' dwarf on its nose in a fine tribute to the men and aircraft of the groupes aériens d'observation.

from Avions magazine Facebook page courtesy Matthieu Comas and Michel Ledet

Fire breathing Dragon! De Havilland Rapide catches fire at Duxford September air show

" ....Fire broke out in the starboard engine of a 1930s aircraft at the September Duxford Air Show.

No one was injured during the incident, which happened while a de Havilland Dragon Rapide was on the tarmac on Saturday morning. Fire crews were able to get to the plane before the fire could spread.

Barry Starling, of Greenleas, Histon, said: “It was before the air show officially started and I happened to be in the crowd when all this black smoke billowed up into the air...."

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Royston/Vintage-planes-engine-catches-fire-at-air-show-10092012.htm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23484072@N03/7965416830/in/photostream/

Budd RB C-93 Conestoga -Rare Birds (1)

Here's a rare type that I failed to identify on the aviation quiz pages of the world affairs board - the Budd /RB C-93 Conestoga. The Conestoga was a transport built by the Budd railroad car company and constructed of spot welded stainless steel sheet metal as an insurance against shortage of light alloys. The first prototype flew on 31 October 1943. About 800 aircraft were ordered by the US Army and US Navy but there never was an aluminium shortage, so the need for the RB disappeared and only 17 aircraft were built. 

" ....During an Easter week-end motorhome trip back in the 1980's our families stayed overnight at the Douglas Muni AP. In the morning we went for a hike out to an old relic abandoned far out away from the runways. Neither my friend nor I, despite long careers in the airplane business had any idea what this airplane was. A few months later when in Wash DC I stopped in at the Air Museum to inquire about it. They ushered my back to the working area and introduced me to an old timer who listened to my story. He knew almost instantly (how many stainless steel two engine cargo airplanes were there after all?). He copied some old newspaper articles and gave them to me. I subsequently sent them to the Pima Air Museum. I don't recall ever hearing back from them but this may have been the link that saved the old relic which is now on display at the Pima Museum, presuming that it's the same S/N.."


More at http://www.aviastar.org/air/usa/budd_conestoga.php

Point Cook's Lucky Star - Lockheed PV-1 Ventura 13 Sqn RAAF (ex-RCAF )

The RAAF Museum's Heritage Flight Ventura VH-SFF based at Point Cook near Melbourne, Victoria is a Canadian Wolf in sheep's clothing, the machine having seen service in its original guise in the RCAF. Lockheed produced some 2,475 Venturas between 1941 and 1945 and this particular aircraft was built at the Burbank, California plant of the Vega Airplane Co., a Lockheed subsidiary during 1943 to US Navy contract as PV- 1 BuAer 33369. It was transferred to the RCAF under Lend-Lease and given the serial number 2221. Canada received 149 Venturas diverted from British contracts. In late 1943 2221 was posted to 115 (BR) Sqn at Patricia Bay, British Columbia but the squadron was disbanded in August of that same year and the Ventura was transferred to stored reserve..

via Tony O' Toole's Photobucket page







Below; a couple of rare 'internal' views'  - Rob Fox photography first published in Aeroplane Monthly January 1995

Jean Demozay 91 'Nigeria' Sqn Hawkinge - a 'modest and exemplary hero..'

Above; S/Ldr Jean Demozay (second from the left) leaning against the prop of one of 91 Squadron's Spit Vbs, September 1941. (photo credit via Peter Hall of Ashford. Peter's history of 91 'Nigeria' Sqn in the Osprey Aviation 'Elite' series is still the best English-language reference on Demozay)

Just read the neat bio of Jean Demozay over on the Hawker Hurricane Facebook page. However the first paragraph contained a number of errors which I thought I'd comment on...a French friend of mine, Many Souffan, just happens to be working on a bio of Demozay and has already published an in-depth review of his career in 'Avions' magazine  issue 176.

".. Nice story ....but the real facts are even more improbable! Demozay never joined the l'Armee de l'Air and  never trained as a pilot pre-war - apparently he just 'pretended' he had in order to try and get into the Air Force. He stated that his birth year was 1912 ..in actual fact it was 1915 (..and not 1916) And he was turned down - he finally joined up with the 19e Train des Equipages (French army) on 9 September 1939. He was then posted to the RAF's 'Advanced Air Strike Force' as an interpreter - his English was fluent as he had spent a number of his teen years at boarding school in Southsea near Portsmouth where a family friend was a teacher. His first flights were in the liaison Magister used by No. 1 Squadron and it was the British pilots that taught him to fly circuits in their off-duty hours. He was indeed one of the first French 'pilots' to reach the UK arriving on 17 June 1940 having piloted a Bristol Bombay across the Channel, but at the time he didn't even possess a (car) drivers licence! He then managed to wangle his way into operational training unit 5 OTU which as luck would have it was commanded by his 'old' Squadron CO 'Bull' Halahan, proving the old adage 'its not what you know...'. He started his first 'real' flight training course on 20 June 1940 - but really there is no way he should have been there. His CO in 'E flight' 5 OTU was another former 1 Squadron Hurricane ace, Pilot Officer 'Boy' Mould, the first RAF pilot to shoot down a Luftwaffe aircraft over France on 30 October 1939. Demozay finished his training in October 1940 and joined 1 Sqn at Wittering and flew several sorties before 31 October 1940 - the 'official' Battle of Britain cut-off date. As such he was one of just thirteen French pilots that officially participated in the Battle of Britain and his name is inscribed on the memorial wall at Capel-Le-Ferne, between Folkestone and Dover. As for his achievements in combat - well it is a matter of record that he commanded 91 'Nigeria' Squadron at Hawkinge and there is a street named after him in the village..officially he returned some 19 victories although many of his claims were made when flying alone out over the Channel and over France..."

This well known image of Jean 'Moses Morlaix' Demozay was taken on 16 November 1941 at Hawkinge. At this time Demozay had around 11 victories and four probables. One month previously he had been awarded the DFC, presented to him by Leigh Mallory Trafford. A few months later he received a bar and a DSO. The Spitfire behind him is the Mk V of his S/L J N Watts Farmer W3175/ DL.W. Under his wings you can see (from L to R) the ribbons of Ordre de la liberation (Green & black) the 7 palms of his Croix de Guerre and his new DFC

Halesworth Open day Sunday 26 August - 56th FG museum

Recently spent some time at my brother-in-law's place in Framlingham, Suffolk - a beautiful part of the country, full of history - and neat aviation museums. While I was there I went up to the Halesworth 56th FG museum and bumped into Nigel Julian, webmaster of the 56th FG web site and Buzz Took, below, who runs the 56th FG museum on what is left of the old airfield, nowadays owned by Bernard Matthews Ltd.

Not only did I get a personal tour of the museum and the chance to peruse the museum's extensive photo collection on Saturday prior to the Open Day courtesy of Buzz and Nigel, but on the Sunday met Krys Lanowski, son of 56th FG pilot Witold 'Lanny' Lanowski.

 Nigel Julian and Krys Lanowski in the 56th FG museum library at Halesworth, Sunday 26 August 2012

The story of Lanny's amazing wartime career is fully recounted in the seminal book by Danny Morris 'Aces and Wingmen'. Having flown Spitfires with the RAF the Polish pilot was brought to the 56th early in 1944 by Gabreski  - but was never 'officially' recruited as a USAF pilot. He subsequently flew with the 56th without pay throughout the war - rather than accept an instructor's position with the RAF. He achieved four victories in combat and only received his back pay years later after a long campaign. He sadly passed away some 17 years ago.

Model of Lanny's black 'M' built by Nigel Julian. Just visible, the lucky horseshoe 'welded' to the airframe under the windshield!

Late on the Sunday afternoon Maurice Hammond sent over his two P-51s from Hardwick for a flypast/demo - marvellous!

Above; screen clip depicting a 56th FG briefing - note the red line stretching from Halesworth, Suffolk out over the North Sea. "Ramrod to Emden" depicting the Razorbacks of the 56th FG departing on a mission from Halesworth is available to view at this link

http://archive.org/details/gov.archives.arc.2873

Patriotic Hawk - flying the flag! Hawk T1 in Jubilee scheme

Difficult to not notice the nice front cover image on the latest issue of Jets magazine - a stunning shot of Hawk T1. XX278 wearing a Union Jack in its entirety. Now I always usually browse 'Jets' on the news stands and put it back, but this month was the first that I've purchased the mag. Inside there are features on the Gnat and the Hawk and an interview with Ft. Lt. Phil Bird on flying the RAF's 2012 display ship in its striking 'flag' scheme. Covered entirely  with a huge union flag and carrying the RAF Benevolent Fund heart on its belly, XX 278 is from 208(R) Squadron at RAF Valley. Herewith a selection of images taken for this blog by Nico Charpentier at RIAT 2012..if anything they are even better than the pics published in Jets magazine this month. Click on the image to see the full view..

Red Arrows in Camera - Haynes Publishing 2012 - recommended aviation books

Lovely book just published (July 2012) by Haynes. Comprising 208 full colour pages, in slightly larger than A-4 format, this book has a surprising amount of text for a work entitled '..in camera'. Aviation photographer and journalist Keith Wilson was given privileged official access to the Red Arrows team, offering the unique opportunity to photograph all aspects of the world of the Reds - its pilots, ground crew and support staff, its Hawk aircraft, and the precision flying by the pilots themselves during displays. The book opens with a chapter devoted to the history of the 'Reds', while subsequent chapters are entitled 'The People', 'The Programme', 'The Engineering' etc etc. The book concludes with a look at famous Reds locations and formations. The book is officially endorsed and published in association with the Red Arrows with 50p from each sale going to the RAF Benevolent Fund.Formed in 1965, the RAF's world-famous aerobatic team, the Red Arrows, has flown more than 4,000 displays in 53 countries. A selection of page views follows or check out the great Red Arrows airshow pics on this blog courtesy Nico Charpentier. Another great selection of Red Arrows shots on this blog here. These are easily some of the best on the Net!

crash of 90th BG B-24 Little Eva, Queensland 1942

..on 'Dave' this afternoon a Ray Mears interview with Les Hiddins the well-known 'Bush Tucker Man'. The two are filmed visiting the wreck of 'Little Eva', a 90th BG B-24 bomber which crashed in a remote area of northern Queensland returning from a mission against a Japanese troop convoy on Papua New Guinea on 2 December 1942. "Little Eva" lost touch with the other aircraft on the mission and attempted to return to base at Iron Range alone. A severe thunderstorm then disabled the radio, resulting in the crew losing their bearings and the aircraft finally ran out of fuel. Lieutenant Norman Crosson, the pilot, gave orders to bail out. Most of the crew members parachuted to safety, however one was killed when his parachute snagged on the aircraft and another who did not jump was killed when the plane crashed at about 2:45am near the Burriejella waterhole. Although the crew had been instructed to rendezvous at the wreckage only two men including the pilot made it back to the crash-site and from there subsequently walked back to civilisation after 12 days in the bush. Of the other group of four men, only one survived. Staff Sargeant Grady Gaston was only found after an amazing one hundred and fifty day odyssey through the barren north Queensland landscape, one of the longest survival treks in history.

http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/ozcrashes/qld206.htm

Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey Fairford RIAT 2012

Over at his Airplane Geek’s blog David Vanderhoof’s  recent ‘Airplane of the Week’ was the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey.  There were two examples of the type at the RAF Fairford RIAT this year. Not a particularly impressive demo by all accounts. The transition phase seems to be far too laborious and it would be difficult to imagine this occurring anywhere near defensive ground fire. The venerable Chinook with its fast steep approach and touch-and-go was far more impressive. The death toll/accident rate suffered by the Osprey is a matter of record too. I’m told that the Japanese declined to have the type stationed on Japanese soil for this reason. Those are Rolls Royce engines by the way – so the aircraft obviously has something going for it -and a single engine can drive both props in case of an engine malfunction. Airshow photos by Nico Charpentier, click on the images for a larger view.