Air Pictorial 1956-12
-
Photos by request
SHOOTING STAR. The announcement in late September that the U.S.A.F. had placed its thirteenth successive contract for the T-33A-LO Shooting Star means that by mid-1958 nearly 5,500 T-33As will have been built.This fine Hal G.Martin air-to-air study shows one of the T-33A (ex-TF-80C) "T-bird's" forebears, a P-80A-1-LO of 1945. Power is 3,850-lb. s.t. J33-GE-9 or '11. Maximum speed 558 m.p.h. for a.u.w. of 14,000 lb.
FIRST SWEDISH-BUILT military aeroplane was this French-designed Nieuport VI single-seat "scout" which served in 1914. The Nieuport VI was photographed during an exhibition in Stockholm in the summer of 1951. Span 40 ft. 6 in.; length 27 ft. I in.; wing area 250 sq. ft. Weight, empty 880 lb. with 50-h.p. Gnome.
This well-preserved Junkers F.13 is stored outside the Technical Museum in Stockholm.
MANY S.E.5As appeared on the British civil register in the 1920s. The famous comedian Will Hay owned one - G-EBTO (Airdisco) which like G-EBTK had a four-blade airscrew. Normal power was a 200-h.p. Wolsey Viper. The smaller frontal area of the 90/120-h.p. Airdisco offset the lower power conversion at Brooklands, 1927
Readers are invited to forward information about this Bristol F.2b, mentioned by Major K. S. Brown in his letter above.
FREE FRENCH LeO 45 was used in the North African campaigns. Originally a I'Armee de I'Air front-line attack bomber, the Liore-et-Olivier LeO 45 has served for many years as a V.I.P. transport, and for research purposes. Note the 1944 "Invasion" black and white stripes on wing and fuselage.
Reference was made to this Fairchild F.24 (L7044) in Part I of "U.S. Aircraft in the British Services" in the July issue. This photograph, along with fresh information, was kindly supplied by Air Commodore T. E. B. Howe.
Mr. Apostolo's interesting letter and Air Pictorial's registrations expert's comments are published below. This photograph shows the extensive damage to G-ANAJ.
THUNDERBOLT AMPHIBIAN was the name given to the Seabee prototypes (4). Between 1945 and 1947 1,060 RC-3 Seabees were built. A hitherto unpublished photo of NX41816 show marked variations from later production model: e.g. non-strut braced and tapered wing; shallower Franklin 6A8 nacelle and taller fin/rudder, etc.
BIRD OF PASSAGE to India in 1928 was this five-seat, medium-range Marine Reconnaissance (Specification R. 14/24) Blackburn Iris Mk. II (N185). Powered by three 650-h.p. Rolls-Royce Condor Srs. III liquid-cooled Vee engines, the Iris Mk. II possessed a maximum speed of 118 m.p.h. for an a.u.w. of 27,000 lb. Endurance, from 8 3/4 hours (normal) to 10 hours (maximum).
CURTISS FALCON of the U.S. Army Air Service (later Air Corps) started the O-series of observation two-seaters in 1924. Together with the Douglas O-2 (A to J), the O-1 (A to G) replaced obsolete D.H.4Bs. Illustrated is an O-1E, thirty-seven of which were built in 1929.
H.P.43 bomber/transport
H.P.51 bomber/transport.
H.P.26 Hamilton