Not from France, Carlo.
Not from France, Carlo.
Think of a pink long-legged bird...
Thanks Robert - that did it ! It's the Udet U.4 ?
Of course, Mike!
It is the Udet U 4 which was - together with a U 2 - on a sales tour in Argentina.
The colorful but in the end tragic personality was of course Ernst Udet.
Your turn, Mike
Here's a recycled one - I posted it long ago- so long it can't be found in a forum search - and possibly only Kevin was around at the time.
I don't imagine it will hold up the current batch of sleuths for long !
Abraham AS-2 Iris II F-ALHH?
All of 20 minutes........over to France -
(it appears to have 'Cocktail' written on the cowling - any ideas, Mike ?)
Thank you, Mike.
I don't know about the 'Cocktail' inscription on the cowling. The photo of the Iris II on aviafrance.com doesn't have this. My recollection is that, some years ago, I found a website concerning Edmond Abraham's aeroplanes, which went into some detail, but I'll be damned if I can find that now!
Now here's something that only its mother could describe as beautiful ..... !
Not getting anywhere with Mike's murky mystery, other than a feeling it may be French. Anybody else on the scent, or do we submit a plea for a clue ?
This one is, I believe, about as obscure as they come. Here's another photograph of it - of even poorer quality than the initial one - and with that you have, I believe, seen all the extant photographs of this aeroplane.
Mike is correct in feeling that it may be French. It is, it is post WW2 and of amateur construction - note the interesting cantilevered wing. I've only found two references to it and only one is illustrated.
There's a poignant tale attached to it, which I'll relate when it's identified.
A Pomme Homme Gallica special! I would have remembered this one had I stumbled upon it previously.
It has it's French charms with the tricycle gear, twin tail arrangement and obvious lack of spacious cabin...
Last clue - which may help some with a certain book. It emanates from Dunkerque and was powered by a 60 hp Train engine. Its designer/builder was a long term member of the Club Aeronautique de Dunkerque, who had participated in the Concours d'Aviation de Tourisme as far back as 1924. If this doesn't help, I'll reveal all tomorrow evening - as I'll be out all day trying to buy a large scale model Druine Turbulent.
Hi pomme homme
Your clue on the Train engine could indicate either the Voisin AV-1 (F-WFAS?) or the Leteneur homebuilt by Charles Leteneur.
I understand these had a 60hp Train 4T engine. Never found a picture, though
It's the latter, Walter - the Leteneur Monoplan of 1947. I'll tell its tale, if anyone is interested, later today.
yes, please tell it
_
gX
I don't know whether the following are two stories or the same story told two different ways. However as they are reported separately, I'll assume that they are two separate stories.
Whilst Dunkerque was under German occupation Charles Leteneur occupied his time clandestinely building a glider. Now one might say that this is not the wisest choice of pasttime for a French citizen living under German rule, but no doubt M. Leteneur had his reasons. It seems that he completed the glider but, not surprisingly, there was little opportunity for him to use it in Northern France in 1944. When the time came for the civilian population to be evacuated to Lille - presumably in consequence of the Siege of Dunkerque (September 1944 - May 1945) - he had to leave his glider behind him. His family and friends wanted him to destroy the glider before he left but M Leteneur would have none of it. So the glider remained, chez lui, hanging from the ceiling of his workshop beneath his house. The glider subsequently was discovered by a member of the German garrison, who thought he'd happened upon a 'den of spies' and so reported it to an officer. The officer accompanied the soldier to the house, the soldier believing that he'd be instructed to destroy it. But he wasn't. Apparently the officer had, in pre-war years, also been a glider builder and he instructed the soldier to leave M. Leteneur's glider untouched - with the injunction that he'd break the head of anyone who touched it. The soldier did so and the officer's injunction was heeded. Thus when, some months later, Dunkerque was liberated and M. Leteneur was allowed to return to his house, he found his glider in the workshop just as he'd left it.
Sadly, I've been able to find nothing which identifies the glider or its fate but, having regard to the enterprise to which M. Leteneur next turned his hand (or maybe that to which he was turning his hand contemporaneously?), I like to think that the glider which the German officer saved was not only built but also designed by M. Leteneur and that it saw some service with the Club Aéronautique de Dunkerque in the post-war years. So if anyone can shed any light on this ..... ?
Now to M. Leteneur's powered aeroplane. The text that accompanies the photographs which I posted claims that M. Leteneur started work on his Train powered monoplane - presumably in his home workshop - whilst Dunkerque was still subject to bombardment and that he completed it amongst the ruins of the bombed city. By August 1947 it was undergoing flight trials. I don't know whether these were successful or what became of the aeroplane. I've found no subsequent mention of it in the French aviation press or elsewhere. But I can't help but think that the tale of the reprieved glider may actually relate to this powered aeroplane - certainly if it was being constructed in M. Leteneur's home workshop. Like 'Chinese Whispers', the first story related may have started rather differently to how it finished - and the German officer may have been an amateur light aeroplane builder who couldn't bear to see such aeronautical endeavours being destroyed. If so, then it's him I have to thank for supplying me with the means to offer an obscure mystery aeroplane that provided our assembled experts with a decent challenge!
Anyhow, enough of this. Let's have the next one, please, Walter!
Indeed very interesting, Mike!
I love such stories!
Hi pomme homme
Thank you for the very interesting story on the Leteneur aircraft! Btw, did you find your scale Turbulent?
Next challenge is a small trimotor.
Yes, Walter, but it wasn't as large scale as I'd hoped - only quarter scale but well constructed and fairly priced, so I bought it.
The small tgrimotor had West Bend engines and was during her career was modified several times.
In final form she was single engined.
Any relation to the Hudson Trimotor circa 1962?
I found this photo yesterday but it did not look anything like your version.
http://all-aero.com/index.php/60-gli...dson-tri-motor
Your clue about the West Bend engines made me rethink it. That and the note about many modifications.
Hi Kevin
Sorry, no relationship with the Sandy Hudson designs.
The designer of the trimotor created at least one other original homebuilt.
Any connection to the Green Sky Zippy Sport?
There is quite a resemblance between those birds.
Hi fabulousfour
The trimotor appeared some 19 years before the Zippy Sport.
I think this may be one of the manifestations of the Ripogle Gold Bug.
The Jane's of that era ( 1968-9) contains more ugly aeroplanes than all the other issues combined......
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