Messages

16

Combat Warplanes / Re: 90th Anniversary of the Finnish Air Force

« on: March 08, 2008, 06:35:13 PM »

 

Speaking about swastikas on airplanes, didn't the interwar Latvian airforce use a red swastika on its airplanes?  I don't know the history or source of it, but recall the red swastika in a white circle.

17

Combat Warplanes / Re: Diesel engines in bombers

« on: March 08, 2008, 06:24:20 PM »

 

Wingman and Number 1:

Thanks for the replies.  I read german somewhat and the Junkers page was interesting.  Professor Junkers was an interesting an prolific man.  I loved his JU 87 and JU 88.  I think the 87 was the best Sturtzkampfflugzeug of the war.  I say that with the understanding that NO divebomber could be successful without fighter protection.  The 88 was one of the most versatile airplanes ever built.  I saw one in Romanian livery at Wright pattison Museum.  Awesome.

18

Combat Warplanes / Re: BMW Motor history

« on: March 08, 2008, 06:17:18 PM »

 
Rapp preceded BMW engines and they were not well regarded.  As good as they were the BMW's did not outperform sthe engines designed by Porsche for the Austrians. The 225Hp Daimler which was mounted in teh 253 series Oeffag Albatross is an example.  Had the war continued the kuk lft would have had their version of the DVII Fokker with that engine and it would have out performed the Bimmer.

I owned four BMW bikes.  They were super.  My favorite though was a Moto Guzzi 850.  I reelly love Italian machinery.  You have to futz with them but they are fun.

BMW autos are very nice, but they have a problem where i live.  We are very hilly and often have bad winters.  BMW's are useless in the snow.  As the say in the old country, "BMW geht nicht in Schnee."

19

Combat Warplanes / Re: Very first dive bomber

« on: March 08, 2008, 06:05:56 PM »

 
I used to teach American History and am familiar with American mercenaries fighting in Mexico.  I always thought the bombing attacks were carried out in Curtiss airplanes which were biplalnes.  That monoplane pictured doesn't appear, to me, to have been sturdy enough to take the strain of dive bombing.

GREAT POST-tHANK YOU VERY MUCH.

20

Forums Works / Re: New member from Pittsburgh

« on: March 01, 2008, 03:02:30 AM »

 
Wingman:

I am half Irish and half Swiss.  A very confusing combination.  I can remember how well my parents did not get along with each other.  And, I don't get along with anybody.  My wife says I am useless.  What's apoor guy to do?

21

Let Let Let Announcment / Re: MiG-1 and 3 book

« on: March 01, 2008, 02:25:56 AM »

 
Soviet aviation in WWII has never been appreciated in the USA.  I am curiious about aero engines built in the USSR between 1941 and 1945.  They must have been pretty good if they were faster than Messerschmitt and Focke Wulf fighters.

22

Combat Warplanes / Diesel engines in bombers

« on: February 26, 2008, 03:36:42 PM »

 
In the inter war years, Junkers had diesel engines in some of their Ju 86 bombers.  Did any of thse see combat?  How successful was this combination?  I sanyone attempting to use diesels now?

23

Let Let Let Announcment / Re: MiG-1 and 3 book

« on: February 26, 2008, 03:21:11 PM »

 

I have always thought that the MiG 1 & MiG3 were two of the best looking airplanes of WWII.  The design appears to be super clean.

24

Forums Works / Re: New member from Pittsburgh

« on: February 26, 2008, 03:13:21 PM »

 
Wingman;

No sir, I am not German.  My grandparents were from Switzerland (Aargau).  I speak German somewhat (Swiss) and can read it pretty well.
I live in Pittsburh, PA where there are many people with German backgrounds.  I enjoy singing in the Teutonia Manner und Damen Chor and the Mannerchor Helvetia.  I also play in a German Band (tuba).  Years ago, when I was teaching, I taught a beginning class In German.  Trying to teach Americans a foreign language is a daunting task.

25

Combat Warplanes / Re: Staaken R.XIVa

« on: February 18, 2008, 04:59:56 PM »

 

The Germans built several Reisenflugzeugen.  SSW and Dornier come to mind and other manufacturers had projects underway.
AEG,Aviatik, Junkers, Schuette-Lanz, Roland, Poll, Junkers, Linke Hoffman, Krupp-Germania, Union, Zschach and the Aldershof projects were involved.  All were inspired by teh Ilya Mourametz.

26

Combat Warplanes / Re: Doolittle Tokyo Raiders

« on: February 18, 2008, 04:42:44 PM »

 

The Dolittle raid was a grest morale booster in the US.  I was only nine years old, but can still remember the excitement and enthusiasm it caused.  Up to that time the Japanese had been kicking our butts.  Things began to change after the raid.

27

Combat Warplanes / Re: First of the heavies

« on: February 04, 2008, 09:07:09 PM »

 
I nderstand the AEG G4 and the Fredrichshafen G III were superior to the Gothas.

28

Combat Warplanes / Re: Me Bf 109G-2 in Aviat.Mus Belgrade

« on: February 04, 2008, 08:43:32 PM »

 
Any idea on how the museum obtained the Gustav, or anything about its service history.  The Gustav was fuel injected, therefore no carburetor.

29

Combat Warplanes / Re: First of the heavies

« on: February 04, 2008, 08:38:19 PM »

 
I don't have a picture, but wouldn't the Gotha, AEG, and similar planes be the first heavies to be used in any significant numbers?

30

Warplane Art / Re: Italian Paratroopers

« on: December 29, 2007, 03:49:16 PM »

 

Somewhere I read that the Italian Airforce of 1935 was the strongest in the world.  Which planes wold they have committed to Spain 1936-39?  I would expect that the Cr 32 would have been in play.  This was a very nimble fighter.  I believe the SM 79 was also used.