The Bristol Blenheim was a light bomber, developed for the Royal Air Force from the Bristol Type 142 civil airliner in the mid 1930s. The Blenheim Mk.I entered service with the RAF in 1937 and was used extensively during the first two years of the Second World War.
The Mk.I was replaced by the Mk.IV, with an extended nose, more powerful engines and increased defensive armament. The initial Mk.IV had an extended forward fuselage to provide more room for the bomb aimer. This extension hindered the pilot’s forward vision and was modified with a stepped, curved forward section. This was again modified with a scooped out section, giving the aircraft an asymmetrical nose, but improving the pilot’s vision.
Bristol Type 142Bristol 142 K7557Bristol Blenheim Mk.I prototypeBristol Blenheim Mk.IV Prototype still with curved windscreenBristol Blenheim Mk.IV Prototype still with full noseBristol Blenheim Mk.IV Prototype still with full nose
British Troops in Indonesia found a Kawanishi H6KK-2L at Sourabaya, Java, where it had been in the possession of Indonesian Nationalists. Members of RAF 3210 Servicing Commando undertook maintenance of the flying boat. Photographs show the H6K2 with overpainted Japanese markings, green surrender crosses and Indonesian markings along with a Dutch flag pained on the fuselage.
The same aircraft was later moved to Seletar in Singapore, where it received RAF markings and was tested by the British Air Technical Intelligence Unit.
Kawanishi H6K2-L with RAF members checking engines at Sourabaya Java markings added by Indonesian nationalists band of blue added by DutchKawanishi H6K2-L with RAF 3210 Servicing Commando checking engines at Sourabaya Java 1945 markings added by Indonesian nationalists band of blue added by DutchKawanishi H6K2-L Mavis
The Bachem Ba 349 Natter was a World War II German point-defence rocket-powered interceptor, which was to be used in a very similar way to a manned surface-to-air missile. The design team at Bachem-Werke GmbH for the Bachem Ba 349 Natter was led by Dipl Ing Erich Bachem, formerly technical director at Fieseler-Werke. The Ba 349 was designed as an inexpensive, semi-expendable, rocket-powered interceptor to deal with the waves of allied bombers bombing Germany late in World War II. The Ba 349 was built using glued and nailed wooden parts with an armor-plated bulkhead and bulletproof glass windshield at the front of the cockpit. The aircraft was launched vertically and most of the flight to the Allied bombers was to be controlled by an autopilot. The primary role of the relatively untrained pilot was to aim the aircraft at its target bomber and fire its armament of rockets. The pilot and the fuselage containing the rocket motor would then land using separate parachutes while the nose section was disposable. The Ba 349 was tested in early 1945. However, it never saw operational use due to Allied advances.
Initial test flights were undertaken by an unpowered glider prototype. Once these proved the stability of the aircraft, powered flights from a launch tower were undertaken. The first successful launch took place on 22 December 1944, followed by seven more. The last of these with the M22 prototype contained a dummy pilot. After being launched and reaching altitude, the aircraft separated, the dummy landed with its own parachute and the rocket motor descended with its own salvage parachute. Unfortunately there was still some propellant in the rocket engine and it exploded on impact.
The first and only manned vertical take-off flight of the Bachem Ba-349 Natter then took place on 1 March 1945 and ended in the death of the test pilot, Lothar Sieber. Investigations indicated that under the G forces caused by the launch, the control column was involuntarily pulled back, causing the Natter to become inverted at 15 degrees. At this point the canopy fell off causing the pilot’s head to strike the solid wooden rear upper cockpit bulkhead, and either knocking Sieber unconscious or breaking his neck.
A total of 36 test and operational aircraft constructed at the Bachem-Werk, with production A-1 models ready for deployment. The planned operational site at Hasenholz, south of the Stuttgart to Munich autobahn was abandoned with the approach of the US 10th Armored Division. Subsequently four Ba 349 Natters were captured by US forces at Sankt Leonhard im Pitztal, Austria.
Bachem Ba 349 being loaded onto the launch tower for a test flightLoading a Natter onto the launch tower for a test flightBachem Ba 349 on the launch tower for a test flightBachem Ba 349 on the launch tower for a test flightBachem Ba 349 on the launch tower for a test flightNatter M16 on the launch tower for a test flight 22 December 1944A Natter on the launch tower for a test flightA Natter on the launch tower for a test flightBachem Ba 349 on the launch tower for a test flightGround Crew Filling Propellant Tank with C-Stoff
Launching of the Bachem Ba-349
Unmanned Bachem Ba 349 Natter M17 being launchedUnmanned Bachem Ba 349 Natter being launchedUnmanned Bachem Ba 349 Natter being launchedUnmanned Bachem Ba 349 Natter being launched
Bachem Ba-349 M23 Launch With a Pilot
Lothar Sieber speaking with Erich Bachem before boarding M23Bachem Ba 349 Natter M23 on the launch towerBachem Ba 349 Natter M23 on the launch towerBachem Ba 349 Natter M23 on the launch towerLothar Sieber climbing into Bachem Ba 349 Natter M23Bachem Ba 349 Natter M23 on the launch tower
Captured Bachem Ba-349s
Captured Bachem Ba 349 Natter at Sankt Leonhard im PitztalCaptured Bachem Ba 349 Natter at Sankt Leonhard im PitztalCaptured Bachem Ba 349 Natter at Sankt Leonhard im PitztalCaptured Bachem Ba 349 Natter
