Who Likes Aircraft ?

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[snakeyes]

 

[Photon440]

 

[Photon440]

 

[Photon440]

 

[Dave6T4]

View attachment 1401095View attachment 1401096

Looks like one of those blow-up toys you see in front yards at Christmas time !

 

[Basket case]

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[Photon440]

One of only three custom built Starfighters, model NF-104A.

Used for astronauts to experience simulated space flight, these aircraft had a rocket engine aiding the jet to exceed 120,000 feet in altitude. At this height, there isn't enough air for the aircraft control surfaces to be effective, so yaw/pitch thrusters had to be used, just like in space. If you've read Chuck Yeager's bio, or seen 'The Right Stuff', it was one of these that Yeager lost control of and bailed out of.

 

[dart4forte]

Anyone know why the USAAF stopped painting their aircraft?

 

[Basket case]

several reasons. When long range escort Mustangs were avalible in numbers to escort the bombers, enemy fighters were as much of a danger as was the anti-aircraft, fuel shortages limited the Luftwaffe's flying, saving of weight from the paint, less time in production.

 

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[dart4forte]

several reasons. When long range escort Mustangs were avalible in numbers to escort the bombers, enemy fighters were as much of a danger as was the anti-aircraft, fuel shortages limited the Luftwaffe's flying, saving of weight from the paint, less time in production.

And the suns glare when the fighters attacked out of the sun. The estimate on paint is that the saved about 500 pounds in weight. Making them a little more streamline.

 

[Photon440]

I have no doubt that they had a little less drag without the paint, but the weight penalty was likely not that much; at about 10-12 pounds per gallon (before drying) it wouldn't have made that much difference except for a large bomber. But the main purpose of the camouflage was to make the airplanes less visible on the ground, and by the end of the war there was practically no enemy attack coming over allied airfields. Technical Order 07-1-1 for aircraft appearance was amended in Dec. 26 1943 to remove all camouflage instructions. A further letter of Feb. 13 1944 made the point of "stop painting all aircraft". The previous Technical Order was further changed on April 25, 1944 to give instructions for removing existing camouflage from older aircraft.

 

[65Bel]

Douglas A-4 Skyhawk hanging out in the catwalk, literally. You can imagine what this pilots thoughts were when this picture was taken . . .