Cheer JP

It's name the turret time. Taken from R. Clarke's "British Aircraft Armament", this was only fitted to one specific aircraft type...



All the best

Rowan

NOOOOOOO!

As a boy of the countryside I drove a Massey Ferguson 35 before any other powered vehicle. I had to stand on the clutch and pull up on the steering wheel to get it down. (7 years old and 31 kg)

Harry is one of my engineering heroes, and I didn't even know he was an aviation pioneer Shame on me!

Isn't that the standard method tony?
Still get the goosebumps whenever I see a 35

Is it a Nash FN-64 from a Lanc?

Hi Graeme

You are too darned good! Bullseye in one! Over to you.

All the best

Rowan

Well, there's not many British ventral turrets! I'll get a question back to you shortly.

Graeme.

Here we go:

What is this and what's it on?

I'm sure this is wrong but I can't get the idea out of my head. Is it the camera port on a Short Sturgeon?

Hi Sean,

You've got the "what", it is indeed an oblique camera port. But what's the aircraft?

Here's a bit more of it ... probably enough to give it away...

Late-model Mustang, perhaps - a Mk.IV?

You've got it, Sean!

It is a CAC CA-18 Mk 21 licence-built P-51D. Mk 21 is the photo-recce version.

Away you go.

Graeme.

Oh bum. Must stop doing that. Here goes, then: what was unusual about the Bristol Hydra?

Crikey! What was not unusual?
Apparently it was a radial engine with:
• Even number of cylinders ineach bank,
• Overhead cam arrangement,
• Cylinders were aranged directly behind one another, instead ofoffset for cooling. This was apparently so they could share camshafts.

It doesn't appear to have done much so I guess it wasn't very succesful.

I had to Google this one, none of my books even mentions it! I was looking for some kind of flying boat.

Oh double bum - far too easy. Back to you, then!

Thanks, Sean. I certainly learned something today!

Here's a pic of the interior of an aircraft. What is it?

Beaufighter?

We have a winner! That's got to be a record!

Off you go, JayPee. Well done, Mate.

Bloody cramped in there. Who'd be a radio operator? Another irish airman Sam Mcaughtry writes his war memoirs in McAughtry's war. If you can get hold of this book give it a read Sam spins a great yarn.

Ok who is this dodgy looking character and what are his acheivements.
I'll give you a clue he's Irish

Hi JP

You shouldn't have given the clue - it's James Fitzmaurice, co-pilot/navigator of the Junkers W33 "Bremen" which made the first transatlantic flight from East to West.

All the best

Rowan

No need for the clue you could have told he was irish by his teeth
Over to you Merlin.

Hi again

Nice one JP!

Let's see if anyone can identify this beastie:



All the best

Rowan

Is it some kind of dive-bomber from Fokker? The spats look a bit Fokkerish. But the engine cowl looks like a Bristol Hercules. And the prop looks like it's from a Swordfish. And the wings look like a Helldiver!

Got it ... It's a Brikker Hellfish!

Hi Graeme

It's not Dutch, but the engine is a Bristol (not a Hercules).

All the best

Rowan

Hi again

No ideas yet? Think Baltic...

All the best

Rowan

Hmmmm. After thinking and looking around a bit I haven't found anything exactly like this, but I get a feeling it's something from the brief but innovative finnish avation designers och WWII. Can it be a recon Myrsky, perhaps?