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 3rd 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.
First jet to land a carrier, de Havilland Sea Vampire on HMS Oceande Havilland Vampire landing on HMS Ocean.De Havilland Sea Vampire and Captain BrownDe Havilland Sea Vampire Mk.10 takes off from HMS Ocean, 3 December 1945Winkle Brown and the DH.100 Sea Vampire fly past HMS Ocean.
de Havilland Sea Vampire landing on flexible flight deck on HMS Warriorde Havilland Sea Vampire landing on flexible flight deck on HMS Warriorde Havilland Sea Vampire after landing on flexible flight deck on HMS Warriorde Havilland Sea Vampire being maneuvered on the flexible flight deck on HMS Warrior
Miscellaneous Sea Vampire Photos
De Havilland Sea Vampire F.10 converted from the Vampire prototype LZ551/Gde Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 VV149de Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 VV149De Havilland Sea VampireDe Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 2 TG278 Oct 1945 at HestonDe Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 2 TG278 Oct 1945 at HestonDe Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 2 TG278 Oct 1945 at HestonDe Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 2 Oct 1945Admiral of the Fleet Lord Cunningham inspecting a de Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 at Heston 2 Oct 1945 shown to him by Captain G H Willoughby, RNDe Havilland Sea Vampire F.20De Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 TG314De Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 TG314De Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 VF315De Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 VF315De Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 VV139 Oct 1948De Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 TG278 Oct 1945 at HestonDe Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 VV136 at Boscombe Down 1948De Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 VV136 at Boscombe Down 1948De Havilland Sea Vampire F.21 VG701 used in flexible deck landing trialsDe Havilland Sea Vampire F 20De Havilland Sea Vampire in flight over New York 1948De Havilland Sea VampireDe Havilland Sea Vampire T.22 XA130
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
North American B-25 D Mitchell Eatin’ Kitty in North Africa (probably), 1942
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.
Mexican Spitfire North American B-25D-20 Mitchell s/n 41-30592 of the 5th Air Force, 345th BG, 500th BS
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
Rose’s Beau North American B-25 Mitchell of the 48th BS, 41st BG with an impressive mission tally
Sherry
North American B-25 Mitchell 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.
North American B-25 D Mitchell Incendiary Blonde
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.
North American B-25 Mitchell The Big Swing
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
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.
Junkers Ju 86V-1Junkers Ju 86V-1Junkers Ju 86V-3Junkers Ju 86V-4 D-AREV BrockenJunkers Ju 86V-4 D-AREV BrockenJunkers Ju 86V-4 D-AREV BrockenJunkers Ju 86V-4 D-AREV Brocken with Hitler’s personal Ju 52 D-2600 and a Polish De-2 SP-ASKJunkers Ju 86V-4 D-AREV DresdenJunkers Ju 86V-4 D-AREV DresdenJunkers Ju 86V-4 D-AREVJunkers Ju 86V-4 D-AREVJunkers Ju 86V-4 D-AREVJunkers Ju 86V-5 Prototype of Junkers Ju 86A-1 series
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-1Junkers Ju 86A-1 33+D24 4th staffel of KG253Junkers Ju 86A-1Junkers Ju 86A-1Junkers Ju 86A-1Junkers Ju 86A-1Junkers Ju 86A-1 21+A40Junkers Ju 86A bombers in flight 1937Junkers Ju 86 closest is a D, other two are AsJunkers Ju 86A-1 forward gun positionJumo 205 C-4 of a Junkers Ju 86A-1
Junkers Ju 86B
Junkers Ju 86B consisted of seven pre-production transport aircraft.
Junkers Ju 86B-0 D-AKOP Kizmet part of the Oasis Flight in EgyptJunkers Ju 86B-0 D-AKOP Kizmet part of the Oasis Flight in EgyptJunkers Ju 86B-0 D-AKOP Kizmet part of the Oasis Flight in EgyptJunkers Ju 86B-0 D-AKOP Kizmet part of the Oasis Flight in Egypt
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 line drawingJunkers Ju 86C-1 being used by a Luftwaffe transport unitJunkers Ju 86C-1 being used by the Luftwaffe as a transport WL-AJUULuftwaffe Junkers Ju 86C
Junkers Ju 86D
The Junkers Ju 86D replaced the A model in production, incorporating a modified tail cone to improve stability.
Junkers Ju 86D-1Junkers Ju 86D-1Junkers Ju 86 closest is a D, other two are AsJunkers Ju 86D-1Junkers Ju 86D-1Junkers Ju 86D-1Junkers Ju 86D-1 cockpit and bombardier’s positionBomber sight on Junkers Ju 86D-1
Junkers Ju 86E
The Ju 86E replaced the D in production by switching to the BMW 132 engine, production continued until 1938.
Junkers Ju 86E-1Junkers Ju 86E-2 S7+C136Junkers Ju 86E-2Junkers Ju 86E-0Junkers Ju 86EJunkers Ju 86E Luftnachtrichtenschule Junkers Ju 86E from one of the training schools being used to supply StalingradJunkers Ju 86 E serving in the aviation school FFS(C) 6, summer 1940Junkers 86E-1Junkers 86E Being used for night fighter trainingJunkers 86E-1/E-2 NG + WY of the blind flight training school BFS 34 , stationed in Schwerin-Görries in 1944Junkers Ju 86E-1Junkers 86E-1Junkers Ju 86E-1Junkers 86E-2 landing at BrandisJunkers Ju 86E-0 D-ALOHJunkers Ju 86E-0 (D-ALOH)Junkers Ju 86E-1 cockpitVentral mount with MG 15 machine gun on Junkers Ju 86E-1Junkers Ju 86 E-1/E-2Junkers Ju 86E-2 of FFS (C) 1940Junkers 86E-2 crash landed during instrument flying trainingJunkers Ju 86E-1 of FFS (B)Junkers Ju 86E crash landing at Prague-Prusin airbaseJunkers Ju 86E-1 TS+NC of Luftflotten Nachtrichtenschule 1 Finsterwalde Jan 1941Junkers Ju86E-1 DA+AU of FFS Crashed Junkers Ju 86E-1 DB+RH spring 1942Junkers Ju 86E-2 line drawing
Junkers Ju 86G
The Junkers Ju 86G was a development of the Ju 86E fitted with a round glass nose.
Junkers Ju 86G-1 line drawingJunkers Ju 86G-1Junkers Ju 86G-1 S13+C76Junkers Ju 86G-1Junkers Ju 86G-1Junkers Ju 86G-1Junkers Ju 86G-1Junkers Ju 86G-1Junkers Ju 86G-1Junkers Ju 86G-1Junkers Ju 86G-1 of the LNS SchuleJunkers Ju 86G, Flugzeugführerschule (FFS) C 16, Burg b. Magdeburg, Sommer 1940Junkers Ju 86G-1 RB+NEJunkers Ju 86G noseJunkers Ju 86G-1 cockpitJunkers Ju 86G-1 written off after a collision during landing
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-1 line drawingJunkers Ju 86P-2Junkers Ju 86P-2Junkers Ju 86P-2Junkers Ju 86P-1Junkers Ju 86P-1Junkers Ju 86P-1Junkers Ju 86P-1Junkers Ju 86P-1Junkers Ju 86P-1Junkers Ju 86P-1Junkers Ju 86P-1Junkers Ju 86P-1Junkers Ju 86P-1Junkers Ju 86P-2The pilot climbing into the Junkers Ju 86P-1 pressurized cabinThe pilot entering the Junkers Ju 86P-1 pressurized cabinJunkers Ju 86P undercarriage bomb bay doors and crew hatchTests with the Jumo 207 A-1 engine on the Junkers Ju 86P-1Pressurized cockpit being fitted onto a Junkers Ju 86G fuselageJunkers Ju 86P cockpit
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.
Junkers Ju 86R-1 line drawingJunkers Ju 86R-1Junkers Ju 86R-1Junkers Ju 86R-1Junkers Ju 86R-1Junkers Ju 86R-2 T5+PMJunkers Ju 86R-1Junkers Ju 86R-1Junkers Ju 86R-1Junkers Ju 86R-1Junkers Ju 86R-1Junkers Ju 86R-1Junkers Ju 86R-1Junkers Ju 86R-1Junkers Ju 86R-1
Junkers Ju 86Z
The Junkers Ju 86Z was the designation for civil export models. Several were impressed into Luftwaffe service.
Junkers Ju 86Z-7 operated by a Luftwaffe transport unit
