For those of you who like to watch WarBirds in flight especially 109's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INMBpFnX6kg&search=me109

Enjoy, I did.

Hi Chuck

What a superb link! Mal won't like it, but the sound that DB605 makes is glorious!

All the best

Rowan

That was great not to mention my # in hockey was 7. hockeycoach

Great find Chuck.

There's nothing quite like the sound of one of the old high powered piston engined fighters on full chat...pure music by the famous composers Crank and Conrod.

Thanks for sharing....a real treat for these old ears.

Cheers
Peter
:-)

Hi Peter!

Not nitpicking here but at the beginning of the movie, the guy said the engine is only used to about 2/3 of it's capacity. This is mainly because the weight of the plane is only 2700 kg as it has no military equipment such as armament. He also said that the handling of the plane by take-off and landing is easier than with a fully loaded one. Maybe that's why he managed to land shortly after flying a curve. I don't think that's the way the Luftwaffe pilots did it during WW2...

Jean-Luc

Stiil, How nice it must be to have & fly one.......
Lucky #$%*&

Thats a GREAT link!
Does anyone have any information on the identity of this 109?
Nige

Hi Nigel!

This plane is, of course, what we would call a "warbird", a WW2 aircraft restored to flight conditions. This means not all the parts are original (I think it's better for the safety of the pilote! :-) ).
The red "7" (D-FWME) was originaly a HA-1112 "Buchon", the Spanish post-war version of the Bf 109. It's this Merlin engined version that was used for the movie "Battle of Britain" with Michael Caine. The wreck of this aircraft, fitted with a plastic nose by a movie producer, was stashed away for years at "La Ferté-Alais" in France, a well know "warbird" base. The MAC (Me Air Company) society of three German professional pilots owned the wreck and restored it to flight conditions.
The plane flew again in August 2004. 40% of it are original Spanish parts, 45% are original German parts from various sources and 15% are new parts. The engine is a Daimler Benz 605 A-1 replica that was build over a timeframe of 30 years (!!!) by "Sigi" Knoll. It is used to a maximum of 1475 hp during take off. The overall characteristics would make a G-6 out of this plane but the restorators wanted to have a "clean" airframe for aesthetic reasons so it has the appearence of a G-4. The decoration is fictional and depicts a plane from a virtual 6th Staffel of a 2nd Group. So remember this: "never trust a warbird for modelling!"



Unfortunately, this plane crashed on July 2005, only one year after restoration was complete! Doh!
The engine didn't suffered to much but 20 000 Euros will be necessary to repair the right wing. 20 000 more euros will be necessary to do new engine covers and 30 000 euros will be needed for a new propeller... without spinner!
And we do complain about the cost of aftermarket parts for our kits! :-)

Jean-Luc

Infos and picture courtesy of "Le Fana de l'Aviation" magazine...

Hi Jean-Luc

From what I've read and heard, that is pretty much true with all restored warbirds. Engines are seldom run at anything like full power in order to maximize their running-life.

I imagine the only place you're likely to hear warbirds really going "flat out" is at Reno where, of course, accuracy is often sacrificed for the sake of speed. Neverthless, it's one of my dreams to visit one day!

All the best

Rowan

Oh, every now and again they get a couple of them up to "Full Song" at My "favorite place". But, going to "Combat Emergency" is out of the question. :-)

The reason I keep telling Merlin, I wish I had sound recording capability -- the other day during "engine runups" they had a Allison powered Mustang up to 90% on tiedowns, it was ear shatteringly wonderful. The Rolls Royce Spit was only run up to about 70%.







Just a day out playing.

Thanks Jean Luc.
Very informative.
Anyone got 70,000 Euros spare?
Chuck,,I want to play too! :-) Great pics.Theres nothing like the roar of a Merlin,,(Rolls Royce not Rowan),,except perhaps the roar of 4 Merlins when they taxi the Lancaster at East Kirkby
Nige

Nigel - I like the sounds of Merlins too, and Lancs are great, but as a Yank I have to say these sounds pretty SWEET

Chuck.
Now your just rubbing salt in the wounds,,but as a Brit I must remind you that the best American fighter of WW2,the P51 Mustang,was nothing until they stuck a Merlin in it :-)
Nige

Nigel - I cheat, you see I live only 20 miles from the best "Flying Museum" in the world Planes of Fame at Chino, California. I see these things all the time. :-)

If you would like you can check out their Website:

http://planesoffame.org/index.php

Lots of "Eye Candy" in the photo section.

and yes I like the Merlin Mustang too. :-)

Hi Chuck!

Do you have a room for hire (cheap of course) in your house?

Jean-Luc

Jean-Luc - But then I couldn't rub salt in the wounds :-)

Like this:

She Flys - the only one!!!!

Yes I'm very lucky to live so close, I've been visiting PoF for over 20 years now.

Hi Nige

That's not strictly true - the Allison powered P-51A could outperform the later models below 15,000 ft.

All the best

Rowan

Hi again Chuck!

Will you please stop rubbing salt in our wounds! :-)

About the P-26, I think three replicas are currently being build (in flight condition), so this one won't be alone anymore in the future!

Jean-Luc

Rowan,



Ssshhhhh,,dont tell everyone,,, :-)

Chuck,,thats a great collection they have over there.Your a lucky man having so many airworthy warbirds on your doorstep.Do they ever fly over your house as well?
Nige

Jean-Luc - No, and that's not a replica it's a Real one. :-) The other existing original airframe is a Wright-Patterson and it doesn't FLY.

Speaking of P-51A's

Just restored. :-)

I was meaning these ones:



At Seymour, Indiana, the Golden Age Aeroplane Works is building two replicas with P&W R-1340 engines. And in Bolton, Massachusetts, Nate Mayo is also buiding a replica (see picture). So there will be more in the future...
I suppose the "No" was for the salt... :-)

Jean-Luc

Jean-Luc - Yes, the "No" was for the Salt :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

My wanderings have taken me to the first Fighter Pilot Symposium at Champlin Fighter Museum in 1990 (where they ran up a P-51 and the Jumos in their FW-190 Dora) and aloft in B-17 Sentimental Journey, an SNJ and 600 hours flying DC-3s.

Nothing like those sounds.