OT: Identify the plane

[Nick C]

Can anybody identify the plane from this cockpit?

[Nick C]

Sorry, I'd just like to add that I'm after info, rather than starting a competition :mixedsmi:

[harleyman]

Looks to me like a dc series...6-7???

[Tim-HH]

When I look at the throttle quadrant and the yoke I would say it's a modified DC-3 cockpit.
But one thing makes me wonder: Who needs so many switches in a DC-3 :d

Greetings
Tim

[BananaBob]

Wright Flyer? :ernae: :d

[IanP]

The throttle quad looked very DC-3ish to me as well, but a radar scope on a Dakota? I was wondering something along the lines of a Convair or one of the post-war types?

It's certainly a piston (possibly turboprop?) twin, from the levers. Unfortunately the gauges aren't clear enough to tell between power/torque and MP/rpm.

Ian P.

[harleyman]

Wright Flyer? :ernae: :d

You win...Thats it....:costumes::costumes:

[BananaBob]

You win...Thats it....:costumes::costumes:

Sweet!! :greenbo: :costumes:

[calypsos]

It's a modified (in the 1970's) DC-3 IMHO. I would have said a Dart powered version, but the Power quadrant looks pretty internal combustion to me. That headset is 1970's, as is the gent himself by the look of things.

[Nick C]

The gentleman is now firmly in his 80's and a former WWII Spitfire pilot. My father is creating a DVD of his life.

Edit: From my father who is following this thread.

He was born in 1919, joined the RAF circa 1937/8, flew Spits in the B.O.B.

He flew Dacotas, Twin Pioneers, DH Doves, Fokker F7s, Meteors and many
others. Was still flying in 2006.

[MCDesigns]

The gentleman is now firmly in his 80's and a former WWII Spitfire pilot. My father is creating a DVD of his life.

Edit: From my father who is following this thread.

Impressive Nick, much respect to your father! :ernae:

[harleyman]

The gentleman is now firmly in his 80's and a former WWII Spitfire pilot. My father is creating a DVD of his life.

Edit: From my father who is following this thread.

Would love to see that DVD on him........

[Nick C]

It's a private DVD for his family, I'm afraid.

Perhaps my Father, who isn't internet shy, will drop by and offer additional info?

[harleyman]

I understand...Thanks Nick.....Yea...If he wanted to share some of his history I will listen.....

[Topcattoo]

I understand...Thanks Nick.....Yea...If he wanted to share some of his history I will listen.....

First of all, thanks for the suggestions as to what the aircraft was. I favour DC3 - he flew many. The DVD, when finished and it may be some time before it is, will not be publicly available for copyright reasons. As Nick says, it is being prepared for the gentleman and his family and due to paucity of visual material I have and am scouring the web for material, a lot of which is copyrighted.

As Nick has posted, he was born in 1919 and is still hale and hearty and was still flying in 2006. At present he is on some minor medication which prevents the renewal of his licence. He obtained his licence privately while in the last year at school and applied to join the RAF. Whilst waiting to become old enough to join he worked as a typwriter salesman, and then trained briefly as a film editor at Sound City. He then joined the RAF and went through all the usual training procedures in biplanes. When the B.O.B. started he was in Spits and fought over Dunkirk where half his wing was destroyed by bad British tactics. A radical change to tactics allowed him to survive, bailing out over the UK once. He was chosen to become an instructor, and then was sent on training to become a Squadron Leader. Having completed that the RAF, typically, sent him to Accra in Africa to organise personnel transport and material supplies by air (much to the annoyance of BOAC) - Transport Command.

After the war he was sent to RAF Changi in charge of the VIP Transport Squadron. Whilst there he had a load of urgent medical supplies to land in Hong Kong. The weather made it too dangerous to land, but without sufficient fuel to return to Changi, he just made it through a storm to Indo China (Vietnam), where he had to land at night under attack from the Vietcong. The French refuelled his plane and he returned safely to Changi, only to turn round for Hong Kong again!

Whilst in Cairo he "crossed swords" with King Farouk who tried to pinch the young lady he was dining with. In USA he "crossed swords" with Senator Robert Tate who decried the American entry into the war and suggested that after the war that Britain would become an American State with King George as governor. Returning from Port Said to the UK by a Polish ship, he was taken on the payroll with his navigator by the captain who had put the ships navigator "in irons" for coming on board incapable with drink. Whilst in a urinal in India he met Jackie Coogan, and I quote: 'Shake the hand that holds the cock that stuffed Betty Grable'! He was personal pilot to General James Steele in Vienna, and befriended Michael Eustachios the Greek shipping magnate.

He was involved in the adaption of the Comet 1 for use with Transport Command. He says that the failure of the Comet 1 was due to the repeated weakening of its structure to reduce its weight so that the inadequate power of the original engines would allow it to perform as specified. Apparently DH were offered the use of a pressure testing tank for the Comet, but turned it down as it would have prolonged its coming into use.

He left the RAF and alternated between Charter flying in an Aztec and working for small airlines. Eventually he was offered a job flying supplies and staff up and down the Trans Arabian Pipeline (TAP). After 5 years of that he decided to return to the UK and worked from Halfpenny Green (McAlpine's) until he retired, and until recently he still acted as an instructor.

Thanks for your interest,

Tim Churchill

[EgoR64]

Thanks for Sharing a peice of aviation History and your Fathers Accomplishments !!

Salute to your Pops !!

Many Cheers !! :ernae::ernae::ernae:

[harleyman]

Thank you Sir for that..What a wonderful insite into what I'm sure as a young pilot were many wonderful adventures and stories...

What a great way to honor a man in his twilight years than to show his life in DVD form... I'm sure each and every time he watches it the contents will not only bring a smile to his face but pat him on the back for a well lived and useful life....

Congrats to the both of you....

[fliger747]

I knew several guys that flew a turbine powered (PT6) DC6. The electrical system was a nightmare, scabbing one generation onto another, with different original voltages.

Cheers: T.