Air Pictorial 1956-07
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Air Pictorial's photo-review
LAST BUDD CONESTOGA. Pictured leaving Miami International Airport recently, bound for Bogota, Colombia, is the last airworthy example of the stainless steel Budd Model RB-1 ex-U.S.N. JRB-3 Conestoga. Formerly used for cargo duties by "Q" Airways (Aerovias "Q" S.A.) of Cuba. CU-C-497 has now become HK-344X - "X" indicates Restricted Category. New owners are AEREO-LLANO of Colombia. Power is two 1,200-h.p. P. & W. R-1830-92s (as C-47 Dakota). Compare with C-123B-FA Provider configuration above. In background are C-46 Commandos of Riddle Airlines and Meteor Air Transport.
TARGET-TOWING METEOR 7 SE-CAS, operated in Sweden by Svensk Flygjanst A.B.
SIAMESE FIREFLY FR.Mk.1/SF.12 (c/n. F.5645), of the Royal Thai Air Force.
FIRST EUROPEAN C-123B-FA landing in Europe was on 20th March at Prestwick, en route for France. Note the underwing extra-range fuel tanks. Now called the Fairchild Provider, 165 C-123B-FAs are being delivered to Combat Cargo squadrons of Tactical Air Command. Full U.S.A.F. serial is 54-608.
NON-TROUSERED MILES M.2F VH-ACC is an original 1934 Hawk Major, rebuilt from a wreck and now flown from Moorabbin. On current British Register - G-ADMW (M.2H; c/n. 177) and G-ADWT (M.2W; c/n . 215).
EXECUTIVE VENTURA N64001 is one of a small number of U.S.-based, civilianised Lockheed-Vega Model 37s. Current Aerojet General Corpn. (Azusa, Calif.) tests improve ex-U.S.N. PV-1 take-off performance by 50 per cent when two 1,000-Ib. S.t. 15K5-1000-AI bootle units are fitted under fuselage.
NEW LOOK SUPER SCAN. N57LM, is one of the first of the forty French S.C.A.N. licence-built Grumman G-44 Widgeon five/six-seat amphibians, imported by the U.S. for resale after re-engining. either with 270-h.p. Lycomings driving three-blade Hartzell airscrews, or as above, illustrated for the first time, with 220-h.p. Continental W-670 radials.
WACO MODEL UPF-7 of 1939 has new large U.S. registration letters. Jazz tail markings indicate former use of this ex-U.S.A.A.C. PT-14 as air shows' stunt biplane. Power is 225,h .p. Continental R-670-3.
SWISS-MODIFIED CUB HB-ODW is a Model J3C-65 Cub Special (c/n. 12542, ex-U.S.A.A.F. 44-80246), tandem seater, powered by a 65-h.p. Continental A-65. Novelty: reviseal rear-vision canopy, slimmer rear fuselage and curved-fillet fin.
BIRDCAGE 'PHIBIAN, N98888 (X) is a Piper J3C-75 Cub (75-h.p. Continental C-75) fitted with L. A. Gordonier's extraordinary, manually-operated nosewheel tricycle-cum-twin floats (Wollams) gear.
AUSTRIAN AUTOCAR OE-DBC is a J/5P, seating four. Photographed recently at Southend. Will be used for glider-towing - note bar above tailwheel. Tail has Austrian national markings of red, white, red. Engine is 145-h .p. D.H. Gipsy Major 10, Mk. 2.
FIRST VIETRI F.8 SUPER FALCO, I-TRIP, flew for first time on 25th April. Ten of these two-seaters are under construction.
COWLED CANARY crop-duster is one of more than two hundred Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3s now declared surplus. N45167 is operated by Air Spray Inc., of Hales Corner, Wis. Cowling suggests Jacobs or P. & W. Normal N3N power is 220-h.p. N.A.F.; Wright R-760-8.
PRE-WAR S.A.I. KZ-II SPORT SE-ANM is now owned by Malme Aero Club. Fuselage advertises well-known Swedish insurance company. Power is 105-h.p. Hirth H.M. 504A-II. Danish clubs now have several ex-R.D.A.F. post-war KZ-IITs.
MYSTERE DE NUIT, the M.D.453-01 Mystere III (superseded by the Mystere IVN) is now modified for seat-ejection tests. Cameras are mounted in wingtip bulges.
BROKEN-UP GALLEON is one description for this flying-boat, discovered in a hangar at Toussus-le-Noble. Most of the recognition experts have been defeated, best attempt being to describe it as a scale model (Aerocentre N.C.420) of the Nord 1400 Noroit. Any offers?