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Here we go with Part Three of the Fantasy of Flight photos…

Next on our photo-tour is the Consolidate PBY Catalina patrol bomber. This is an amphibian with a long, hard-working career. It was already in service at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack and served throughout the war and well beyond. Slow, but tough and reliable, this one is a classic. This example is obviously flyable and has “the look”, a little faded and dirty, but clearly serviceable.

The flight engineer sat on the center-line on a kind of bicycle seat above and aft of the flight deck. His panel was up in the fore-end of the wing pylon and he sat with his head and shoulders well up into that structure. There is a small window on each side of the pylon (though not really visible in either of these shots) giving him a view of both engine nacelles.



No self-respecting Warbird collection can immodestly claim to be the Worlds Greatest Aircraft Collection (the official name of FA08, the FoF airport) without having a Spitfire. This one, according to one of the guides who answered the question without hesitation, is a Mk XVI. Like most other AC here, this one is flyable and is flown from time to time.




The Fiesler Fi-156 Storch was the designated AC to be flown on the day of our visit. FoF rolls out one AC per day and gives a flying demonstration. This WWII era light observation and utility AC is a marvel. The workmanship is impeccable, giving every impression that it was so in the original design as well as in the subsequent restoration.

The leading edge slats appear to be on fixed pylons; they are not adjustable in any way. It has several distinguishing features, including landing gear struts that seem to have been designed by a bridge-builder and overhanging side windows that give a view nearly straight down. I had a good look at the engine and it is a V-6. You will note a rearward firing machine gun mounted in the rear window.









Next up is another Fiesler design, the Fi-103, the infamous V1. This, the first of Hitler’s vengeance weapons, is sometimes referred to as the “Buzz-Bomb” or the “Doodlebug”. It couldn’t be more different from the Storch. Roughly constructed, but fast and deadly, this un-piloted flying bomb raised havoc in southern England during the war and was only defeated when the launching sites were over-run by the advancing Allied armies.

Powered by an Argus pulse-jet engine it achieved speeds of nearly 400 mph and is credited as the first operational cruise missile.


The inlet vanes of the Argus pulse-jet.


The next AC is a Lockheed Vega, painted as the “Winnie Mae”, the famous round-the-world aircraft of aviation pioneer Wiley Post. This is not the original Winnie Mae, but is an authentic Vega and could probably fool anyone but Wiley himself. This guy invented the ATWC before we were born. He did it twice, once with a navigator and once solo. The “itinerary” of both flights is painted on the fuselage.

Post and passenger Will Rogers, a famous Depression-era humorist, died in a crash following an engine failure on take-off from Point Barrow, Alaska in 1935.

Our ATWC took a lot longer…

…and we stopped more. These lists are the routes of both his circumnavigations.

An interesting counter-weight arrangement that adjusted blade-pitch according to RPM and airflow.


The Grumman J2-F Duck, a pre-war amphibian that served throughout the war, primarily for observation, utility and rescue duties.


The famous Russian AN-2 biplane. This thing is huge. I couldn’t get any closer, nor could I get a better angle, already having “busted” the limits of where visitors were allowed and getting the evil-eye from one of the tour guides.


The Fokker D-VIII, one of the few monoplanes of WWI. It is immaculate and is one of the front tier aircraft, parked just inside the hangar doors. I believe those are the ones that are designated for the daily FoF demo flights.


The Martin B-26. I should have had this in Part 1 with the other bombers, but only had this one photo of it. Not quite so spiffy as some of the others, it still appears to be in very good condition and flyable.


Curtiss P-40 Warhawk or Tomahawk. I took this photo to show what appears to be a modified canopy.


The famous Fokker DR.1, the Red Baron’s last ride.


Grumman F4F Wildcat, the standard US Navy fighter at the beginning of the war and the predecessor of the F6F Hellcat.


Curtiss JN-4 Jenny, sans fabric. There was one of these under restoration in their wood shop, too. Lots of tiny little pieces, painstakingly assembled.


If your eyes haven’t glazed over yet, the fourth and final segment will follow in a day or so. That one will be entirely devoted to the Short Sunderland. I have almost 30 photos of it, inside and out, but alas, not of the flight deck. It’s as big as they say. Stay tuned…

Dai, are you listening? You’re going to like this – a lot!

John

Wow John,
It just gets better, I love the Catalina and the Grumman J2-F Duck!
That Spitfire looks immaculate as does a lot of the aircraft, what a fantastic collection.

Cheers

Great shots!

Kieran