Aircraft and military vehicles walkarounds:

Alfabetical:

 

The 8 inch howitzer had a 16,800 m range and fired HE shells with a bursting area in meters of 30 x 80, or 470 m radius.  Fuzes included quick, delay, VT, timed, and concrete piercing.  An extremely accurate weapon. Some sources say that the 8 Inch howitzer came into service in Belgïum in 1960 with the twentieth artilery as a nuclear capable piece.

 

Achilles M10 17 pdr tank destroyer: U.S. Army intelligence reports in April 1942 led to a specification for a more powerful tank destroyer. The need was urgent so the design and development was rushed and the design was accepted in September 1942 and put into production. A M4A2 medium hull had a semi-open turret added. The top of the hull was shortened and the armor was reduced to save weight. The M3 gun could penetrate 100 mm at 1,000 yards. Velocity 2,600 ft/sec, range 16,100 yards.
Was first used in action in North Africa in 1942. The Soviets received 52.

 

Defense forces worldwide fly two variants of the AH-64 Apache multi-mission combat helicopters: the AH-64A Apache and the next-generation version, the AH-64D. Equipped with radar, the aircraft is known as the AH-64D Apache Longbow. Without radar, it is the AH-64D Apache. (In the United Kingdom , where all next-generation Apaches have radars, Apaches produced by AgustaWestland are being fielded by the British Army under the designation AH Mk1.)

The advanced model, the AH-64D Apache Longbow, is equipped with an improved sensor suite and weapon systems. The key improvement over the A-variant is the Longbow Fire Control Radar dome installed over the main rotor. The elevated position of the radome allows detection and (arcing) missile engagement of targets even when the helicopter itself is concealed by an obstacle (e.g. terrain, trees or buildings). Further, a radio modem integrated with the sensor suite allows a D-variant Apache to share targetting data with other AH-64Ds and AH-64As that do not have a line-of-sight to the target. In this manner a group of Apaches can engage multiple targets but only reveal the radome of one D-variant Apache.

Export contracts totaled 213 (116 AH-64A and 97 AH-64D) by July 1995 to international customers including Egypt, Greece, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The last of 821 (excluding prototypes) AH-64As were delivered to the US Army on 30 April 1996. Manufacture of the AH-64A variant terminated with the completion of 937th aircraft for Egypt, in November 1996.

As of early 1997 eight nations, including the United States, had selected the Apache for their defense needs. The Netherlands and the United Kingdom were the first two international customers to select the AH-64D for their armed services. In all, more than 1,000 Apaches have been ordered by customers worldwide.

 

The Bell P-39 Airacobra departed from orthodox fighter design in that its Allison inline engine was installed below and behind the pilot's seat, driving the propeller by means of an extension shaft coupled to a gearbox in the nose of the aircraft.

It was also one of the first production fighters in the world to feature a tricycle undercarriage. The XP-39 prototype first flew in 1939 and was followed by the usual evaluation batch of I3 YP-39s, although no U.S. orders were immediately forthcoming. The initial contracts, placed by the French Government, were taken over by the British Purchasing Commission in 1940, the first Airacobras reaching the R.A.F. in July 1941 and becoming operational three months later. After limited use on ground attack duties, however, the type was withdrawn and the undelivered aircraft were taken over by the U.S.A.A.F. for training duties.

The first version produced expressly for U.S. use was the P-39C, originally designated P-45 and generally similar to the R.A.F's Airacobra I and IA. Production of the P-39C amounted to 80 aircraft: 60 of these were subsequently converted to P-39D, followed by a further 863 of the D model with self-sealing fuel tanks. Apart from a trio of XP-39Es completed with laminar flow wings as test aircraft for the P-63 Kingcobra, Airacobra production continued with moderate-sized batches of the P-39F (229), P-39J (25, engine change), P-39K (210, uprated engine and extra ammunition), P-39L (250), and P-39M (240). There was no P-39H, and 1,800 aircraft originally to have been designated P-39G were eventually divided among the K, L, M and N models. By far the greatest production of the Airacobra was centered on the P-39N and Q, of which 2,095 and 4,905 respectively were built, bringing total production of the type to 9,558 machines by July 1944.

Some 5,000 Airacobras, mostly of the N and Q type, were supplied to Russia under Lend-Lease. Both the N and the Q were similarly powered; the latter was slightly faster and featured a .5O-inch gun armament in place of the .305 of earlier models.

History of the fighter collection P-39Q6: the known history of the P-39Q6 serialled USAAF 42-19993 is as follows:

Following its completion and subsequent acceptance by the USAAF, P-39Q6 42-19993 served with the tactical reconnaissance squadron, which formed part of the 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group.

The group was to use these aircraft until they were replaced with P-40's at which time the P-39's were left in the weeds and forgotten. Remains of some of these aircraft were found in the 1970's.

The pilot regularly associated with the aircraft was Lt. Peter McDermott, who flew the aircraft for the most part during 1942.

The aircraft was restored to civilization again in 1974 by d'E.C. Darby and N.M. Armstrong who discovered and then commenced recovery from Tadji, West Sepik in Papua New Guinea and the aircraft was taken into storage in Auckland, New Zealand where it was to stay until 1976.Mr N.M. Armstrong is reported to have installed the aircraft as a static display in the Australian Air Space Museum, in Melbourne, Victoria from 1982 to 1988.

The aircraft then appeared at the World Air Museum at Wangaratta in Victoria during 1989 and was acquired by the Fighter Collection in 1994. Fighter Rebuilders of Chino, California were commissioned to carry out a restoration programme designed to put the aircraft back in the air again.

 

The Bell P-63A Kingcobra was based on a modified Airacobra (XP-39E), two XP-63 prototypes and one XP-63A were build, the first of these flew on 7th december 1942. Intended to succeed the P-39 as a fighter and fighter bomber, the P-63 was never used as such by the U.S.A.A.F. Of the 3.303 production total,  the P-63A (1.725 built) and P-63C (1.227 built) versions were mostly supplied under Lend-lease to the Soviet and Free French air forces with whom they gave excellent service. U.S.A.A.F use was confined to the RP-63A (100 built), RP-63C (200 built) and RP-63G (32 built) which were employed as aerial gunnery targets. The Packard-powered XP-63B project was cancelled, and other versions included one P-63D (redesign and engine change), 13 P-63E (similar to the D with additional equipment modifications) and two P-63F (based on the E with modified fin and further change of powerplant).

 

Since the summer of 1996, only the Mirage 2000 N aircraft, equipped with the ASMP missile (ground-to-air medium range) have been dedicated to the nuclear deterrence role. Their secondary role is conventional air attack. Since entering service in 1984 as a single-seat air defence fighter, the Mirage 2000 has taken on the roles of nuclear attack platform and all weather ground attacker. The single seat multi role model sold well in the export market, being introduced into the Air Forces of Egypt, Greece, India, Peru, Qatar, the Republic of China and the United Arab Emirates.

Since the mid-sixties, the airborne component of France's nuclear deterrent force had been the Mirage IV. When a replacement was needed, the Mirage 2000B two-seater was taken as a basis to develop the Mirage 2000N (N=nucleaire). The Mirage 2000N was to be armed with the nuclear-tipped ASMP (Air-Sol Moyenne Portée) air-to-surface missile. The Mirage 2000N was fitted with a Thomson-CFS Antelope 5 radar allowing automatic terrain following flight. Since the early nineties, the 2000N fleet also does some conventional air-to-ground work.

More info can be found here: http://www.mirage-jet.com/ (English)

 

De Havilland Gipsy Six engines were used in several aircraft. Examples were the De Havilland Dragon Rapide, and the DH 88 Comet Racer (in a special version here).

 

DFS 230 transport glider: carrying a pilot and up to eight fully-armed troops, the DFS 230A was first reported in action in Belgïum in May 1940. Towed varously by He 111, Hs 126, Ju 52/3m, Ju 87 and Bf 110 aircraft, it had a maximum all-up weight of 4,600lb. including a disposeable load of 2,800 lb.

 

The German Fokker D.VII is for many the best fighter aircraft of the First World War.During the latter half of 1917, the Allies had regained air superiority over the Western Front with the S.E.5 and the Spad fighters. To counter this, the German government invited aircraft manufacturers to submit prototype single-seat fighter designs for evaluation at a competition to be held at Adlershof airfield in Berlin in January 1918. Fokker received a production order for 400 Fokker D.VIIs. They began to reach front line units in April 1918. When the Fokker D.VII appeared on the Western Front, Allied pilots at first underestimated the new fighter because it lacked the sleek, graceful lines of the German Albatros fighters. But they soon revised their view, despite the comparatively ungainly appearance of the D.VII. One reason for this was the soon-to-be-famous ability of the Fokker D.VII to seemingly "hang on its propeller," and fire into the unprotected underside of Allied two-seater reconnaissance aircraft. The Belgian Air Force got Fokker DVII fighters after the war. They were whitdrawn in the 1930's.

 

The Griffin HT1 is the UK military version of the civilian Bell 412 helicopter. It is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6T-3D turboshaft engines rate at 1800 shaft horse-power which drive an advanced design 4-bladed main rotor and a twin-bladed tail rotor. The large cabin of the Griffin is ideal for SAR training and is capable of carrying six people in comfort in addition to the two in the cockpit. It has a comprehensive suite of avionics and navigational aids, and a cruise speed of l20kt, with an endurance of approximately three hours and a maximum take-off weight of 11,900lbs (5410kg). The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3D Turbo Twin-Pac (two coupled PT6 engines) rated at 1910shp (1425kW) driving an advanced design four blade main rotor, gives the Griffin lots of power and excellent single-engine emergency capability when operating for long periods in the low hover over the sea, and extra power during the more demanding phases of the advanced mountain flying phase.

 

Universally known as the " Stringbag ", the Fairey Swordfish had nearly a decade of distinguished service with the Royal.Navy, finally outliving its intended replacement, the Albacore. T the prototype of the Swordfish (K 4190) made its initial flight on 17th April, 1934, powered by a 690 h.p. Pegasus III M.3 engine.

The first contract, for 86 Swordfish Mk. I, was placed in April 1935 and the type entered F.A.A. service in July 1936. At the outbreak of World War 2, thirteen front-Line squadrons were equipped with Swordfish, and during the war years a further twelve were formed. Later variants were the Mk. II (Pegasus III M.3 or 750 h.p. Pegasus 30), featuring a strengthened lower wing to take eight R.Ps., and the Mk. III, which introduced A.S.V. Mk. X radar in a ventral fairing; both of these appeared in 1943. Some conversions as Mk. IV for Canadian use had the crew positions totally enclosed. Total Sword­fish production was 2,391 machines; 1,700 by Blackbum and 691 by Fairey.

In its torpedo bombing role, the Swordfish took part in many memorable events of the war: the decimation of the Italian
Fleet at Taranto in November 1940, the crippling of the Bismarck, the "Channel Dash" of the German pocket battleships jn February 1942, and a long record of shipping destruction from bases in Malta. As the war progressed, the Swordfish went on to such duties as convoy escort and anti-submarine patrols. lts flying qualities, which were legion, are illustrated by the story, of one aircraft, so badly damaged by A.A.·fire as to be virtually a monoplane, which nevertheless flew back success­fully from the Western Desert to Great Britain for repair.

 

The Folland Gnat fighter with a difference. While fighter aircraft tend to become larger and more expensive as their users demand more of them, there have always been a few aircraft designers who believe that a simple, lightweight fighter might find a useful niche.

One of the more interesting of these lightweight fighters was the British Folland (later Hawker-Siddeley) "Gnat". Although it was never used as a fighter by the British Royal Air Force (RAF), it did achieve success with the RAF in its "Gnat T.1" trainer version, as well as wide recognition as the mount for the RAF Red Arrows aerobatic team. The Gnat trainer is the subject of this walkaround.

The Gnat also achieved export success, particularly with India, which manufactured the aircraft under license. In fact, the Indians found the Gnat so capable that they designed and built their own improved version, the "Ajeet". For those interested in the Gnat there is another walkaround to be found here:

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/gnat/pictures.html

 

The Hawk 75 walkaround contains new photographs, and all photographs are now in a larger format.

The Hawk 75 design originated in 1934 around the same time as the Messerschmitt Bf-109, Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire. Designed by Donovan R. Berlin, formerly of Northrop, it boasted an all-metal monocoque construction, retractable gear and an enclosed canopy, design features typical of all later WWII fighters. The design was completed in November, 1934 with the first flight taking place in May 1935. The Hawk was among several contenders to replace the P-26 Peashooter in USAAC service.

The French campaign of 1939/40 was the Hawk's most significant combat role. It was second only to the Morane-Saulnier MS406 in numbers and was considered the best fighter in the French inventory with the exception of the Dewoitine D520 which entered service in the closing days of the campaign.

The first delivered were 100 Hawk 75 A-1s with 950 hp R-1830-SC-G, similar to the prototype models for the USAAC. The Hawk 75 A-2, also numbering 100 machines, had R-1830-SC2-Gs offering 1,050 HP and mounted six 7.5 MM Browning machine guns, up from four in the A-1. The Hawk 75 A-3 mounted the PW R-1830-S1C3-G engine, similar to the -17 in the P-36C. Although 135 A-3s were ordered, only 60 reached France before the armistice. The A-4 mounted the 1200 HP R-1820 G205A Wright Cyclone engines, and would have been the most formidable Hawks to serve with the Armee De L' Aire, offering 323 MPH and an initial climb rate of 2820 FPM.

In all, 291 Hawk 75As reached France. Of these, about 101 were operational when the Blitzkrieg began in May 1940. The Hawk's primary opponent was the Messerschmitt Bf-109E, and Hawks scored the first fighter kills in Europe when two Bf-109s were brought down on 8 September 1939. The Hawk was not as well armed as the Bf-109 and much slower, but was more maneuverable at all speeds and could absorb more combat damage.

According to the website of the fighter collection all that's known about the history of the aircraft we have as a subject for our walkaround is that the a/c was shipped to the French Air Force in April 1939 and issued to GC 11/5 at Reims. Thereafter it was based at Toul during the battle of France and then made its way to Oran, Algeria before the Armistice. From 1940 to '42 the Squadron was engageg in sporadic fights with British aircraft such as Sunderlands, Hudsons, Fulmars, Wellingtons over Algeria, Tunisia and Morroco, plus USN Wildcats.

In 1946 until 1949 it was on the strength of the 4th Training Squadron at Cazaux in western France with 22 others. It was saved from scrapping by Michel Pont in the '50's and been in storage in France until the '80's until TFC moved it to Duxford.

 

Hawker Hurricane the first R.A.F monoplane fighter. During the Battle of Britain it equipped more than 60% of fighter command squadrons. Some 14533 were build according to some sources. All were powered by Rols-Royce Merlin engines. These photographs were taken in the Imperial War museum Duxford.

 

The Hawker Nimrod is a single seat biplane fighter which first flew in 1930. The Nimrod, was an adaptation of the Hawker Fury Fighter for operation from aircraft carriers. Its span is 3.5ft greater than that of the Fury. Later versions of the Nimrod had swept back wings, a larger tail and deck arrester gear. Another nice cockpit photograph can be found here: http://www.historicaircraftcollection.ltd.uk/images/nimrod_05.jpg

 

This is the latest in the long line of Harrier 'Jump Jets' originating from the 1960s. The second-generation GR5 and GR7 versions replaced the original Harrier GR3s in the late 1980s / early 1990s in the offensive support role. The GR7 is, in essence, a licence-built American-designed AV-8B Harrier II fitted with RAF-specific navigation and defensive systems as well as other changes including additional underwing pylons for Sidewinder missiles. The improved design of the GR7 allows the aircraft to carry twice the load of a GR3 over the same distance or the same load twice the distance. First flight of the Harrier GR7 was in 1989, and deliveries to RAF squadrons began in 1990. A total of 96 aircraft were ordered, including 62 interim GR5s which were later modified to GR7 standard.

 

HFB Hansa Jet Germany's first - and only - business jet.

One of the engineers working on the Hansa Jet was Hans Wocke who worked as projekt engineer on the Ju 287 four engined jetbomber during the second world war. The Junkers 287 also employed forward swept wings.

The reasons for the forward swept wing were a high subsonic critical Mach number, minimum drag, a practical mounting beyond the passenger cabin, and a center of pressure close to the C. G.

The unconventional jet was powered by two GE CJ turbojets and took off for first flight on April 21st, 1964. Two prototypes and 45 aircraft were produced. The Luftwaffe used the HFB 320 Hansa as Electronic Warfare trainers and in the VIP Flight of the Ministry's of Defense. The Luftwaffe's HFB 320 were sold to various customers in the early 90s.

 

The Junkers Ju 88 was conceived in 1935 in response to an official requirement for a high-speed medium bomber, and was to become the most versatile and widely produced German Bomber of World War 2. The prototype flew just before Christmas 1936. Series production commenced in 1938. One of the most produced bomber versions was the A-4 modified from earlier versions in the light of operational experience. More than 9000 bomber versions were build. Parallel with the development of the Junkers Ju 88 as a medium bomber , the type was also being adapted to a variety of other roles, particularly those of night fighter, close support and reconnaissance. Aproximately 6000 non bomber versions of the Ju 88 were build and the lenght and diversity of this aeroplane's career make an interesting comparison with the British de Havilland Mosquito. Early in 1943 the Junkers Ju 88 R-1 joined the Ju 88 C-6 in Nachtjagd service. This posessed a similar airframe to the C-6 but was powered by two BMW 801 MA radial engines. Fortuitously, the Junkers Ju 88 R-1 was destined to be the first sub-type of the night fighter to be tested by the R.A.F, an example of NJG 3 landing at Dyce Aberdeen, on May 9, 1943. Its this aeroplane that is featured here.

 

Kawasaki KI100 fighter: the result of a "marriage of convenience" during the final year of the Japanese war, emerged as one of the best fighter aircraft ever put up by the Army Airforce. To utilise some 270 Ki. 61 Tony airframes vainly awaiting th delivery of their Ha.140 inline engines, it was decided to install, as a matter of expediency, readily-available Ha.112-II radial. The first Ki. 61 so converted was flown on 1st February 1945. By the end of May, 256 such conversions had been made and the "new" aircraft being designated Ki. 100-Ia.

 

The Lockheed S-3 Vikings are carrier-based aircraft designed for the specific purpose of anti-submarine warfare. They replaced the Grumman S-2 Trackers during the 1970s. The first flight of a Viking occurred in 1972 and operations began in 1974. The last S-3A was delivered in 1978 and most have been upgraded to 'B' models which featured Harpoon air-to-surface missile capability. The subject of this walkaround was present at an airshow in Belgium in 1992. We were allowed in small groups near the aircraft. This is probably a thing off the past now.

The Lockheed U-2 (the mission symbol 'U', for Utility, is clearly a cover designation) was the forerunner of the SR-71 Blackbird, an 'espionage reconnaissance aircraft'. In 1954, the CIA ordered this aircraft from Lockheed and it was ready to fly in the following year. In 1958 the U2 began operating over communist countries, which, at that time, had not yet acquired their· powerful 'SAM umbrella'. However, on 1 May 1960, an all-black U-2, with NASA's insignias and civil registration, piloted by Francis Gary Power, CIA agent, was resolutely attacked by the Soviet air defence command, which sent out MiG 21a, Su-9s and SA-2 and SA-5 missiles against it. The three fighters were unable to climb to the operational ceiling of the U-2, but the warhead of an SA-5 exploded within lethal distance. The U-2 crashed and the pilot was captured, tried and sentenced to ten years in prison. He was later released in exchange for a Soviet spy, and died in 1977 when his helicopter exploded.
The sensational 'Power Case' put an end, at least for a long time, to the U-2 intelligence activity; but between 1957 and 1960, they carried out weather reconnaissance and high-altitude research missions with the 4080th Support Wing. The U-2s, which are represented by various models, are also in service with NASA, SAC and are employed for all types of research. Several U-2s were also furnished to the Nationalist China (Taiwan) Air Force.

 

The KI 46 Dinah was by far the most important reconnaissance type used by the japanese air forces and was also, aerodynamically, one of the most perfect machines produced by any of the combatants in World War 2. With a fully adequate powerplant its performance was so far ahead of the early Allied fighters that it was able to dispense with the single defensive gun originally carried. The Ki 46-II was the principal operational variant and such was the succes achieved with this aircraft that at one stage of the war a technical mission from Germany seriously considered the prospects of license production. The version covered by this walkaround is the KI 46-IIIA, it appeared in the early spring of 1943, 654 examples of wich were eventually produced.

 

The Me 163 was an ultra-short range home defence fighter in which everything was sacrificed to the ability to get up to, and attack marauding allied bombers in the shortest possible time. It was the only rocket-propelled fighter to go into series production. Weight was saved in every possible direction including the undercarriage, which was jettisoned immediately after take-off. The duration was short only about 4 1/2 minutes on full power, but the comet could climb to 30.000 feet in 2 1/2 minutes. The first flight was in 1941 but due to numerous problems it was only in 1944 that the first test unit was formed. Unfortunately many pilots died in accidents because when landing on the landing skid any residual fuel left in the tank could ignite and explode in a ball off fire. Only a small number off allied bombers were ever shot down by the comet. About 350 Komets had been build at the time of the capitulation. Plans had been made for a larger and higher powered Me 163C.

The aircraft shown here was undergoing restoration in Cosford museum. The photographs show a lot of details that you normally never would be able to see. This is probably one of the biggest collections of detail photographs available on the net on the Me 163. There are 142 detail photographs in my collection. For photographs of complete examples just use Google there are many photographs to be found on the net.

Due to the sheer number of photographs this walkaround has been divided in two parts.

 

Messerschmitt Me 410 fighter bomber and reconnaissance: the predecessor of the Messerschmitt Me 410 the Messerschmitt Me 210 was rated by the Luftwaffe to be one of their greatest failures. Even the redesigned Me 410 did not fulfill all their hopes. After extensive re-designin, and with twin DB 603s as the new powerplant the aircraft re-emerged in the latter part of 1942 as the Me 410 Hornisse. The Me 410 entered service early in 1943 and total production was 1913 aircraft.

 

A small number of Stanraer flying boats remained with two R.A.F squadrons in September 1939, and continued to give useful service for a few months until replaced by later types. Designed by R.J. Mitchel, the prototype appeared in 1935 and the Stanraer joined coastal Command the following year. Forthy were build by Canadian-Vickers for the R.C.A.F. between 1938 and 1941.

 

TSR 2 was conceived as the ultimate strike aircraft of its time but met its final fate at the hands of the politicians of the day. TSR 2 has achieved a sort of cult status and I could do it no justice in the small space I have for describing the aircraft I present as a walkaround. Therefore I present a couple of links to sites who have more space to tell the story of this beautiful aircraft:

http://www.vectorsite.net/avtsr2.html

http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/tsr2/

The TSR 2 walkaround covers most details but some details were not availlable to me, however "Enygma Graphics" has produced a fantastic CD containing more than 400 mostly high quality photographs. They have been so kind to place some of those photographs on their website:

Link for the CD: http://www.enygmag.com/aviation/photos/tsrcover.htm

Link for the photographs on their website: http://www.enygmag.com/aviation/tsrthumbs.htm

Note: the cd is Windows only but Mac users can use a slideshow program to see the photographs. Just look up the right folder where they put the photographs and start from there. Many of the details covered by the cd can be found in my own walkaround but they have some details not covered by my walkaround. There will undoubtedly more publications coming out on TSR 2 in the following months.