The Ongoing Mystery Aircraft Thread Part Deux.

[sandar]

I learnt to fly at a gliding club, scrounging flight when I could. My dad was a pilot in the RAF from 1943 to 1950 and a flying instructor at the club, so I learnt to fly on the cheap and in anything that I could get my bum into, Austers, Tiger Moths, Cubs, Beagles,etc. Made a right bog of my first go in a Tripacer, landed it too tail low and bounced the front wheel like a yo-yo

By soporific medication, I didn't mean the Christmas spirit type, more like morphine based painkillers. Had a bad injury a few years back which plays up from time to time, especially when cold.

[lefty]

I envy you your chance to do all that flying early on - being a pilot was only ever a distant dream to me.
Don't envy you the bad back, though. Hope it eases enough for you to enjoy the Festive season.

[Moses03]

Sorry you are feeling bad Sandar. As far as the ungainly tri-motor goes, Ralf could be on the right track.

[Ralf Roggeveen]

I knew it was real medicine that was getting you down Sandar! Not really obssessed with booze - I drink very little (especially these - few of which I win), do a lot of driving on potentially-dangerous country roads every week. Hope you're feeling much better in time for Christmas.

Anyway, Mo's aircraft is the Sikorsky S-35. Unfortunately that tri-motor version crashed on a transatlantic attempt in 1926.

[lefty]

Good one, Ralf - was making slow progress with the Sikorsky.
Re booze, I like to think I'm not obsessed with it, but I have always enjoyed it, in all its wondrous manifestations, and have been fortunate to be able to keep it in moderation, despite the reputation of my countrymen !

Little true story, with an aviation connection - back in the seventies, a girfriend gave me a birthday present of a flying lesson. After a happy hour floating around the hills of Fife, I returned to meet my Sunday lunch crew in the pub. 'How was it ?' 'Terrific' said I, 'If I gave up the booze I could afford a course of flying lessons.'

At which one of my dear, dear friends piped up, 'Mike, if you gave up the booze you could afford a bloody plane.' :friday:

[Ralf Roggeveen]

Ha! Well, I can't see very much point in GA flying in Britain, small country, good infrastructure. I KNOW it's not the same, but you can have a lot of the fun of 'flying' from the simulator, including finding out about historic types that it's unlikely (or impossible) to go in in reality. I've been busy setting up various late '50s/early '60s airlines in fs9, recreating a lost world that seems more fun than the one we've got at the moment. My sister, currently in New Zealand, a very good aviation country, has also lived in Alaska. I suggested to her that that was an ideal place to take up flying - much cheaper, huge distances, not a lot of roads, etc., etc. - but her main argument against was that friends there had had stupid accidents... including one guy who just vanished in his Cessna in the Arctic Circle, leaving a young widow. So there is a relativity to these things. Might yet do some gliding in the Peak District (if we ever get a decent summer again).

Anyway, here's something I came across while searching for the contemporary Sikorsky:

[lefty]

It's a shame, I know at least four guys who went the whole route, and it was a question of 'Wait till I get my licence, we'll go to Dublin/Silverstone/Paris/wherever'

They all got their licences. Did any of that ever happen ? Do any of them still fly ? I think you know the answers. It is sad, really, but a nice dream, only achievable for the very rich.

[lefty]

Is that a Stinson Detroiter ?

If it is, carry on with another - I'm out for a few hours.

[Ralf Roggeveen]

Yes. And the 'papers are full of very rich people having silly accidents in small aircraft and helicopters. Professional pilots in America call Beechcraft Bonanzas "Fork-tailed Doctor-killers"...:costumes:

So anyway, what's that snazzy 1920s plane?

[sandar]

Here is a point to GA flying in Britain.

I was gliding and found myself in a thermal, soon to be joined by a couple of other gliders. I was concentrating on gaining height but did notice I was over a large country house (not one of those stateley homes) and there seemed to be a lot of people in the garden.
Eventually I had to land, only to be greeted by one of the club officials who was accompanied by a policeman. Apparantly the police had received complaints that we were invading the privacy of a private party at the country house and were spying on the people on the ground. All I had noticed were a lot of cars parked and a large crowd of people in the garden. Except there were having a summer orgy.
As soon as word spread, the skies over a certain country house were filled with all manner of GA aircraft (and a police helicopter) some suffering from 'engine failure' and having to fly very low until their engines miraculously recovered.

[Ralf Roggeveen]

Ulp! You got it! again.

Are you still there to post a quick one, Mike?

[lefty]

Just, but I'm really off this time - another floater, natch...........

[Ralf Roggeveen]

I think it might be a Fairchild F-11 Husky.

There weren't any orgies around Abingdon, but I did fly in a Chippie through mist over the Uffington White Horse, trying to avoid the historic Meteor & Vampire which were up there, rather low, at the same time. That was good fun flying.

[lefty]

Just back from lunch (not an orgy - bit cold up here for that).

It is an F-11 Husky, but produced by the Husky Company of Vancouver and fitted with a Leonides engine.

Over to you, Ralf. I hesitate to offer liquid refreshment as you are all making me feel like a raging alkie.

[Ralf Roggeveen]

Here's the nice Detroiter without editing. Can you name the very famous pilot?

Also, another nice aeroplane from that period which I like flying around in Golden Wings...

...and the latest proper mystery, whizzing along. Had to edit out the registration. Wasn't going to, but it came up about fifth on a Google search! Bit too easy like that.