Aircraft Archives - Page 9 of 48 - Destination's Journey

de Havilland Sea Vampire

With the development of jet aircraft, the Royal Navy was keen to evaluate their suitability for operation from aircraft carriers. As a result, the third de Havilland Vampire prototype LZ551/G was modified with 40% extra flaps, long travel oleos and an arrestor hook to become prototype Sea Vampire F.10. This aircraft became the first jet to make a deck landing and take-off from an aircraft carrier (from HMS Ocean) on the 3^rd December 1945. It was flown by Lt Cdr Eric “Winkle” Brown.

Despite the success of this trial, there were still many misgivings about the suitability of operating jet aircraft routinely from carriers, particularly concerning landing speed and operational range. As a possible solution an experimental flexible “rubber” deck was proposed, whereby jets would not require undercarriage. A reinforced fuselage and the removal of undercarriage allowed the aircraft to belly land on a rubber deck. This would extend range by allowing more fuel to be carried.

Six aircraft were converted from Vampire F.3s for the trial work as the Sea Vampire Mk 21. The prototypes were fitted with a strengthened fuselage for undercarriage-less trials on the rubberised deck. The trials were conducted at RAE Farnborough and then on HMS Warrior between 1949 and 1953. Despite the significant effort towards developing this idea it was found to be an unnecessary concept following the introduction of angled flight decks

The main Sea Vampire variant was the F.20, which although armed with four 20mm cannon was used mainly by training units for familiarization with jet aircraft. A total of 20 were built (including two prototypes).

The Sea Vampire T.22 of which 73 were built was similar to the land based T.11 but built for the Royal Navy. It was not navalised and was not fitted with an arrestor hook.

HMS Illustrious

HMS Ocean

HMS Perseus

HMS Theseus

HMS Vengeance

HMS Warrior

Miscellaneous Sea Vampire Photos

De Havilland Sea Vampire 2nd prototype LZ551/G — De Havilland Sea Vampire F.10 converted from the Vampire prototype LZ551/G

de Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 VV149 — De Havilland Sea Vampire F.10 converted from the Vampire prototype LZ551/G

North American B-25 Mitchell Nose Art Page 1

North American B-25 Mitchell The Big Swing

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North American B-25 Mitchell Nose Art

Early Briefing

Eatin’ Kitty

North American B 25H Mitchell s/n 43 4909 Eatin’ Kitty of the 12th Air Force 12th Bomb Group 82nd Bomb Squadron 44 Eatin’ Kitty Oct 1943

Mexican Spitfire

North American B-25D-20 Mitchell “Mexican Spitfire” Serial Number 41-30592 of the 5th Air Force, 345th BG, 500th BS. All 5 crewmen were lost when she was hit by AA fire during a mission to bomb Langoon Airfield, September 2, 1944.

Rose’s Beau

North American B-25 s/n 43-3296 Mitchell Rose’s Beau of the 48th Bomb Squadron, 41st Bomb Group 7th Air Force

Sherry

North American B-25 Mitchell Sherry

Incendiary Blonde

North American B-25D-30 s/n 43-3403 Incendiary Blonde of 447 BS, 321 BG, Italy 1944. Hit by flak on 20 October 1944 and crashed. Of the five crew, two were killed, two captured and one evaded and returned to USA.

The Big Swing

North American B-25J Mitchell s/n 43-4067 of the 321st Bomb Group 448th Bomb Squadron coded 76, The Big Swing was hit by flak which damaged a wing. It crashed in Switzerland 7th Feb 1945.

The Ink Squirts

North American B-25 Mitchell s/n 43-28149 “The Ink Squirts” from the 41st Bombardment Group. The “Ink Squirts” was a cartoon in the base newspaper of the Sea Bees of the 94th Battalion, on Tarawa, 1944

The Vigorous Virgin

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Junkers Ju 86 in German Service

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Junkers Ju 86 in German Service

Designed as both a bomber for the Luftwaffe and transport for Luft Hansa, the Junkers Ju 86 first flew on 4 November 1934. Four Ju 86D bombers were sent to Spain during the Civil War, where it was found that the diesel engines could not withstand rough treatment during combat. Although production switched to the E version with radial engines, it was inferior to the Heinkel He 111 and production was cut back.

By the start of the Second World War, the Ju 86 had been relegated to training units, apart from III./KG 1 “Hindenburg” which used them in Poland. During the attempt to supply surrounded German troops at Stalingrad in 1942, many Ju 86 were reallocated to transport units.

In 1940, the Luftwaffe had 40 early model Ju 86s converted to Ju 86P-1 high-altitude bombers and Ju 86P-2 photo-reconnaissance aircraft. During early 1941 the reconnaissance version flew sorties over Britain, but these stopped when Hitler invaded Russia (Operation Barbarossa). By mid-1942 the pressurized bomber version was available, and flew about a dozen nuisance raids over southern England. After the RAF mounted a special interception squadron using modified Spitfire Mk IXs, and one bomber attempting a raid on Portsmouth was intercepted on 12 September 1942, no further flights over England were attempted.

In August 1942, a modified Supermarine Spitfire Mark V shot one down over Egypt at an altitude of some 14,500 m (49,000 ft); when two more were lost, Ju 86Ps were withdrawn from service in 1943.

Prototypes

Junkers Ju 86A

The Junkers Ju 86A was the initial bomber version. It was replaced in production by the improved Ju 86D.

Junkers Ju 86A-1 33+D24 4th staffel of KG253 — Junkers Ju 86A-1

Junkers Ju 86B

Junkers Ju 86B consisted of seven pre-production transport aircraft.

Junkers Ju 86C

Six Junkers Ju 86C transport aircraft were built for Deutsche Luft Hansa, powered by two Junkers Jumo 205C diesel engines. These were taken over by the Luftwaffe during the war.

Junkers Ju 86C-1 being used by a Luftwaffe transport unit — Junkers Ju 86C-1 line drawing

Junkers Ju 86D

The Junkers Ju 86D replaced the A model in production, incorporating a modified tail cone to improve stability.

Junkers Ju 86E

The Ju 86E replaced the D in production by switching to the BMW 132 engine, production continued until 1938.

Junkers Ju 86G

The Junkers Ju 86G was a development of the Ju 86E fitted with a round glass nose.

Junkers Ju 86P

The Ju 86P-1 was a high-altitude bomber version, fitted with two Jumo 207 diesel engines and with turbochargers. The P-2 was fitted for high-altitude photo reconnaissance, but was still equipped for bombing.

Junkers Ju 86P-2 — Junkers Ju 86P-1 line drawing

Junkers Ju 86R

The Junkers Ju 86R was a high-altitude bomber/photo reconnaissance development of the P version. Initially it retained the Jumo 207 engines, but these were later replace by the Jumo 208. Only prototypes of this variant were built.