The Ongoing Mystery Aircraft Thread Part Deux.

[Baragouin]

Got it! it's the McCarthy Air Scout of 1925.

<center>McCarthy

</center>
Air Scout 1925 = 2pChwM; 45hp Anzani; span: 26'0" length: 19'10" load: 460# v: 120/x/40 range: 300; ff: 1/15/25 (p: C D Swinson).
Semi-cantilever wing. In Jan 1926, Swinson flew it from the factory to Grand Rapids, some 18 miles, and even gained 3,000' altitude, in spite of one cylinder that blew off shortly after take-off!

Excellent Moses !
It wasn't easy....Aerofiles mentions it but no pic....
Your turn now my friend!
Cheers
BG

[Moses03]

Thanks. Here is something less obtuse.

[cthornburg]

Lockheed XJO-3 Electra Jr.

Chris

[Moses03]

Right on Chris.

Take it away-

[cthornburg]

I have one I believe I know what it is but not 100% sure. Hopefully all you experts will help.

Chris

[lefty]

I reckoned there was Avro in this, but was bemused by those extraordinarily spindly float supports.

I have found a reference to the Canadian-Vickers-built Avro 552 with the same photo, but I'm not entirely convinced - too many differences. Primarily the apparent lack of stagger, which is normally quite noticeable on the Avros.....

[cthornburg]

i have it as an Avro but the exact type? The version I have it as is "close but no cigar"

Chris

[lefty]

There were lots of 504's converted and modded with different styles of floats and tail units, but. somehow, I don't think this is one of those either - here's the Wikipedia site

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_552

but I think the caption is wrong - my info is that the Canadian Vickers-built machines all had the wing tanks added. And those wing struts just don't look right.

[pomme homme]

My two penn'orth. The vessel in the background looks like a spritsail barge with its bowsprit raised. To me a vessel with that rig suggests that the photo was taken either on the Thames or one of the rivers or harbours along the south-east or east coast of England. Is it not unlikely that a Canadian built aeroplane would be photographed in such a location? Furthermore the aeroplane in the photograph posted by Chris looks nothing like the Canadian Vickers Avro 552s illustrated in Skaarup's 'Canadian Warbirds of the Biplane Era - Trainers, Transports & Utility Aircraft' (see https://books.google.fr/books?id=bxF...%20552&f=false at pp 6-7)

[lefty]

I agree entirely, PH.

[cthornburg]

I'll give it to Lefty. It was found as an aircraft of the Canadian Air Force. Closest I found was a Avro "Wright". My library is still in storage thousands of miles away after move.

Chris

[pomme homme]

This image seems to be all over the net purporting to be a Canadian Vickers built Avro 552. It just shows what happens when one image is incorrectly captioned - particularly if that is done on wikipedia - and then it is blindly copied onto other sites. Maybe someone should edit the wikipedia entry for the Avro 552 to indicate that whatever the photo is, it ain't a 552! But as to what it is, I don't know but I'd like to!

[lefty]

The plot thickens, PH. The image in question purports to be from Canadian Forces expired Crown Copyright, PH....ah, well.

In the meantime, we haven't had a wee flying saucer for a while......

[Baragouin]

The plot thickens, PH. The image in question purports to be from Canadian Forces expired Crown Copyright, PH....ah, well.

In the meantime, we haven't had a wee flying saucer for a while......

Hi Lefty!
This is a Farman F1020 (F-AMOG) of 1933...
Cheers
BG

[lefty]

That's the one, BG -

[Baragouin]

That's the one, BG -

Thanks Lefty sorry for the delay....
Frankly I don't know whether the following mystery was ever flown anyway here she's:

BG
PS I mean the big one in the background!

[Moses03]

The Bleriot Spad 45. Not sure if it flew either?

[pomme homme]

Apparently not. After ground testing for a year, it was given up as a bad job.

[Baragouin]

The Bleriot Spad 45. Not sure if it flew either?

Hello Moses and Pomme-homme!
A pity she never flew a splendid machine she would have been but surely in those days aerodynamics weren't adequate for the purpose!
Your turn Moses please
Cheers
BG

[cthornburg]

I've seen many shots of these indoor expositions. Has anyone made a virtual tour of them? Where and when etc.

Chris

[Moses03]

I have not come across a definitive site that maps out the Salon Expositions. Those photos are scattered to the wind across the net.


Here is a very curious biplane...

[lefty]

This, I think, is a creation of Messieurs Gastambide and Levavasseur, in around 1921. I know not its appellation.....

[Moses03]

Wow, thought I would have had you all guessing for at least a day or two on this one. It is the G-L Number 2 Variable Camber Biplane of 1921.

Well done Mike!

There is video of it here. Ignore the 1931 Russian bit as they have it wrong. You also catch a view of the more portly Number 1 biplane at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vwv5CdKh-8g

[lefty]

Good stuff, Kevin.. here's one that you won't find difficult, but it is an unusual view.........

[dan_pub]

Wow, thought I would have had you all guessing for at least a day or two on this one. It is the G-L Number 2 Variable Camber Biplane of 1921.

Good job all finding and identifying obscure gems.
A fine point on its name: in French it is not "avion à cambrure variable* but "Avion à surface portante variable" which translates as "variable lifting surface" rather than camber.

my pedantic deux sous worth...

PS: Said "surface portante variable" in its extended state: