Aviation history posts by a published aviation author, ex-airline dispatcher and aeroplane enthusiast!
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Thursday, 5 December 2013
more Italian types on Ebay, Hungarian Caproni Ca.135, SM. 66 - daily photo find #21
Caproni Ca.135 - medium bomber, one of the winner's of the 'R' Plan conceived by General Valle - Chief of Staff of the Regia Aeronautica- to modernise the Italian air force in the early-mid 1930s. If the Br. 20 was the 'Italian Mitchell' then the Caproni Ca. 135 with its low fuselage more resembled the B-26 Marauder. However , given the Regia Aeronautica preference for three-engined bombers (eg, the Cant 1007 and SM. 79) the Ca 135 never actually served with units of the Italian air force and became a machine destined for export service only. Of a total of 150 built, about 100 were supplied to the Hungarians (image below) and attached to the German Luftflotte IV seeing service on the Eastern Front.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Italienisches-Flugzeug-Savoia-Marchetti-SM-79-Decimomannu-Sardinien-1941-/231108151634
Above; Savoia Marchetti SM 66, three-engined twin-float seaplane with capacity for eighteen passengers, a larger development of the SM. 55, one of the most highly publicised aircraft of the late 1920s, renowned for its transatlantic crossings at a time when such an event was a hazardous undertaking. Operated a commercial service with Ala Littoria on the Rome-Cagliari-Tripoli route during 1932, cruising speed 152 mph and a range of 750 miles. Fiat A. 22R twelve cylinder vee engines driving four-bladed pusher props.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Italien-Italiener-Wasserflugzeug-Aereoplano-Idrovolante-HAMMER-Foto-/321262742596
Saturday, 30 November 2013
Fiat-BR-20-Cicogna - Ebay photo find #19
The BR. 20 “Cicogna” (“Stork”) was designed by Celestino Rosatelli (BR = Bomber Rosatelli) to a 1934 specification for a twin-engine medium bomber for the RA. Although barely in service with the Regia Aeronautica in 1937, the Fiat BR. 20 was pressed into combat service with Spanish Nationalist forces in the summer of 1937 which is where it saw the majority of its combat service. Deployed to counter the growth of the Republican Air Force, the type also saw action when Mussolini invaded southern France.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/1x-Foto-Fiat-BR-20-Cicogna-Staffelwappen-Tarnung-Flugzeug-sehr-selten-/400616219181?pt=Militaria&hash=item5d4696622d
Fokker Eindecker victory Tournai Belgium 1916 - Ebay photo find #18
Seller's caption reads "1.WK deut. Flugzeug in Tournai auf Feldflugplatz Belgien Wallonien Hennegau 1916" - German WWI aircraft on a Belgian airfield, Tournai 1916. Fokker Eindecker responsible for the downing of an RAF type. Note the German fighter in the background in the last image. Click on the images to view large.
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=231104543345&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1120
Thursday, 28 November 2013
SNCAC 150 rare French prototype captured by the Germans - Ebay photo find #17 -Rare Birds (3)
Another unusual French type on ebay.de - obviously a prototype I imagined. I suspected the CAO 700...but that's got a big round nose and four engines....as 'Gastounet' on ww2aircraft.net pointed out it is the " SNCAC 150, prototype of a high altitude bomber, destroyed when France was invaded.. "
The SNCAC or "Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Centre " was established in the mid-1930s during the French aircraft indutry rationalisations in the merger between Farman Aviation Works and Hanriot. The new company inherited Farman's experience in high-altitude research, and this research continued. In 1937, it proposed a pressurised transatlantic mailplane derivative of the Farman F.223.3 bomber, this being developed into the unpressurised NC.223.4 transport, of which three were built for Air FranceSNCAC continued work on high-altitude aircraft, proposing two pressurised bombers in 1938. The first, the NC.140, was a four-engined bomber using the wings of the Farman F.223.3 but was quickly abandoned in favour of the smaller, twin-engined NC.150. The NC.150 was a mid-winged monoplane with a retractable tailwheel undercarriage which was designed to make maximum use of non-strategic materials such as wood. The wings were of mixed construction, with a metal centre-section, and wood outer wings that had metal spars, wooden ribs and plywood skinning. Similarly, the fuselage had wooden forward and aft fuselage section connecting to the metal centre section, while the twin tail was of wooden construction with plywood skinning. It was to be powered by two Hispano-Suiza 12Y V12 engines, with power being maintained at high altitudes by using a single three-stage supercharger driven by a separate Hispano-Suiza 12X engine mounted in the fuselage.SNCAC began work on two prototypes as a private venture in 1938. These two prototypes were not to be fitted with cabin pressurisation, although this was planned for a third prototype. The French Air Ministry placed an order for the two prototypes on 24 April 1939, with the second aircraft to carry full armament. The first prototype, designated NC.150.01, made its maiden flight from Toussus-le-Noble on 11 May 1939.Meanwhile, the French Air Ministry had become worried about possible delays to the Lioré et Olivier LeO 45 and Amiot 354 twin-engined bombers which were planned to re-equip the medium bomber squadrons of the Armée de l'Air caused by shortages of light alloys, and after successful testing in early 1940, ordered a change of plans. Pressurisation was to be abandoned, and the unusual central supercharger with its dedicated engine (known as the "bi-tri" concept) was to be replaced by individually supercharged engines. Two production versions were planned, the NC.152, powered by Hispano-Suiza engines, and the NC.153, with imported American radial engines.Development was stopped, however, by France's surrender to Germany in June 1940, both the second and third prototypes being abandoned before completion.
Tuesday, 26 November 2013
abgeschossener Engländer! - shot down Spitfire & Battle Ebay photo find #16
" English fighter on the Channel coast near Wimereux .." (Pas de Calais)
http://www.ebay.de/itm/J686-Frankreich-Beute-Flugzeug-Spitfire-England-crash-am-Kanal-bei-Wimereux-/370948794740
courtesy Oliver Rogge's Ebay sales
http://www.ebay.de/itm/FOTO-FLUGZEUG-Franzosischer-BOMBER-JAGER-mit-L5234-und-PM-B-/370947993283
Wednesday, 20 November 2013
Sukhoi T-50 walkaround -Soviet fifth generation stealth in new colour scheme
Arrival of the fifth flying prototype T-50 serial '055' in Gromov Flight Research Institute (November 20, 2013) wearing new non-splinter camo scheme. Stills from video footage posted on youtube, double click to view here...
Sunday, 17 November 2013
Beute French types Dewoitine D.520 & Caudron C 445- Daily Ebay photo find #15
http://www.ebay.de/sch/k100702/m.html?item=141117797584&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l4064
The Caudron C.440 series or Caudron Goeland was a 1930’s twin engine monoplane used as a small passenger aircraft and by the military for liason and communications.
Lovely desert scheme on this Goeland in Luftwaffe service
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200989581159&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1120
Caudron C 445 A-1 "CD+KC" liaison aircraft with III./JG 51 Russia, autumn 1941
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380765958003&ssPageName=ADME:B:ONA:GB:3160
and, below, a captured Amiot (354?)
Saturday, 16 November 2013
Soviet DC -3 in Berlin 1940 - Ebay Daily photo find #14
" Arrival of the first Russian aircraft - a Douglas DC-3 - in Berlin after a test flight (Probeflug) Moscow to Berlin during January 1940.." Aeroflot DC-3 seen on arrival in Berlin after a Moscow-Berlin route proving flight in early 1940
http://www.ebay.de/itm/FOTO-FLUGZEUG-1-Russischer-Flieger-Douglas-D-C-3-in-Deutschland-8-1-40-/190966963435
Thursday, 14 November 2013
French types captured during the Westfeldzug (campaign in the West) at Rochefort - Luftwaffe Hs 126 pilot's album - Daily Ebay photo find # 13
great photo album from a Luftwaffe Hs 126 pilot here covering the campaigns in Poland and the West including France. The album sold for 2,770 Euros (55 bids).
Top Foto Album Flieger 2.WK Polen, Belgien, Russland usw. viele Flugzeuge !! | eBay
If you missed it or if the pictures are no longer available to view , here is a small selection of the French types that appear in the album, photos taken in Rochefort on the French Atlantic coast (south of Nantes), currently home to the French Naval Aviation Museum. Some of them I've had problems identifying - SNCASE Romano 82 anyone? - and had to enlist some help over at the ww2aircraft.net forum..
The SNCASE Romano 82 (below) was a twin-seat pre-war biplane trainer, privately designed and developed before the French aviation industry was nationalised in 1936. Some 150 examples were delivered to the French Air Force and Navy.
Second picture down may well be a Schreck F.B.A. ( Franco-British-Aviation) Type 293 seaplane according to at least one French correspondent , while the third image shows a Levasseur PL. 10
Currently on special offer (-45%) at the Avions website; " La Débacle - May-June 1940". A 96-page A-4 softback devoted to wrecks and relics of the French campaign by Denes Bernad, comprising some 150 original photos taken by German soldiers during the Westfeldzug - the campaign in France during May and June 1940, including many previously unpublished. Includes detailed English-language captions by this blog author.
..another view of the Schreck FBA Type 293
Macchi C.200 Eastern Front colour - Daily Ebay photo find #12
among a selection of colour slides from the Eastern Front these two nice images of a Macchi C.200, almost certainly one of the 51 Macchi's from the Gruppo Autonomo Caccia Terrestre comprising the Italian Expeditionary Corps. The first C.200s arrived at Tudora near Odessa during August 1941..click to view full screen. At the time of posting these images were still on offer here
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