Recently, I found on Ebay a photo of a bird I never expected to see. It was a photograph, black and white, of the Westland PV-4, which was a private venture looking into a fighter prototype.

This and the Blackburn F.3, were ultimately found wanting, and were relegated to relative obscurity.

I wasn't sure if I'd be able to win the bidding, as every time previous I'd try bidding on what this particular seller had, someone else would have the winning bid.

This time, however, I won it.

And, as I've been contemplating this(the photo is the inspiration), I've started to wonder if either of these types had even been modelled, as each in their own way, are rather handsome.

the Blackburn F.3 has been.
wild looking machine!

At 60 bucks, it had better be.

But, yes it is, as is the PV-4:

http://alternathistory.org.ua/files/users/user1884/Westland_F7-30-04_0.JPG

And then there was the Bristol 123, which looked like it was going to be the heavyweight boxing champ of the world:

http://alternathistory.org.ua/files/resize/users/user1884/Bristol-Type-123-03-640x327.JPG

The end of the biplane era does seem to be an overlooked bit of aircraft history.
Curtiss YP-20 had a wonderful pugilistic look.

Yes, that era has, although there are, on occasion, some nostalgia eruptions from time to time.

Another part of that period of time in aviation were the large flying boat airliners.

I don't know about you, but to me, the very height of romance has nothing to do with a beautiful woman(although that kind of romance can, in and of itself be absolutely delightful, and command choirs of angels), but with a Pan Am Clipper slowly taxying away from the pier, then lining up with the wind, and, with a pop and a roar, begin accelerating on the water, the wake at first being large and foamy, yet gradually decreasing, as this magnificent lady of the skies gradually loses weight, and finally, she majestically rises up into the air, and wings off.

The same could be said about any of the BOAC queens, the few Germans(such as the overly famous Do X) or any of the French boats.

Nowadays, if you mention Pan Am Clippers to anyone, the reply is usually a glassy stare, which is a crying shame.

And just because I'm one of those cranky kind of guys, here is a bit on the 'boats:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y22F9O3A0EM

That is one fantastic looking machine