Damaged Warplane Thread

[the lancaster kicks ass]

depends where it hit, all aircraft have a weak spot, the P-47 is no different i believe her oil pump is very vunerable? something to do with the oil system anyway...........

 

[HealzDevo]

Yes, but I am meaning in a straight armour hit on an aircraft that it would have done more damage being a higher velocity cannon than the usual 20mm. Anyone got any figures on this?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

depends where it hit, all aircraft have a weak spot, the P-47 is no different i believe her oil pump is very vunerable? something to do with the oil system anyway...........

The P-47 (Like many other Radials) had a "dry sump oil system." The oil sump was in a tank mounted on the firewall and within the system there was an oil cooler. Hoses brought oil from the tank into the engine accessory section and back to the oil sump via the oil cooler. A portion of the cooler was placed in the airstream so ram air going into a heat exchanger would cool the oil, the same principal as your car radiator, If anything could be the Achilles heel of a radial engine this would be it.

Here's a Wright Cyclone, I couldn't find a goo picture of an R-2800 set up.

Aviation History

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

thanks

 

[HealzDevo]

I must remember to try to find a picture I have showing destroyed Japanese fighters and bombers at a Japanese Airbase. Also I think I have one of the same thing at a US Airbase...

 

[bigZ]

Somewhere over Germany.

 

[HealzDevo]

Wow, it looks like the nose of that B-17 Flying Fortress has just been blown to smithereens...

 

[Matt308]

You know I've seen that pic a thousand times. What is the story? Flak88 hit? Seems odd in that it appears the 17 flew for a period of time with the damage since there is no obvious smoke, debris trailing the airplane nor what appears to be significant deviation of attitude.

 

[HealzDevo]

The flight controls wouldn't be there would it? I thought the flight controls were in the front bit, therefore it would be a bit hard to fly wouldn't it?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I read that after that picture was taken the aircraft fell out out of the sky...

 

[R-2800]

yes i've seen the pic 100's of times, I know for sure that it crashed, but not sure how it happened, but it was most likely flak

 

[bigZ]

Yep I have seen it a 100 times but it still a startling picture and seems to sum up how dangerous these missions where. Full repect to guys who flew in them.

This is all the info I have on this iconic image.

'A B-17 Flying Fortress begins its death plunge over Germany right after taking a direct hit that sheared off its cockpit. Official U.S. Army Air Force Photo by Jerry Cole (8th Air Force, 390th Bombardment Group). From the Webmaster's collection.'

 

[HealzDevo]

Anyone know whether any of the crew survived? It doesn't look like it from that shot...

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Captions I read on the photo said no one survived.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

 

[R-2800]

that is a cool pic where did you find it?

 

[Matt308]

I've seen that one in numerous books.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

not a clue, i've had it since before i was interested in aviation because i found it rather ammusing........

 

[HealzDevo]

Well he certainly was flying low... Bet the mechanics weren't pleased about that one...

 

[Steve Birdsall]

Yep I have seen it a 100 times but it still a startling picture and seems to sum up how dangerous these missions where. Full repect to guys who flew in them.

This is all the info I have on this iconic image.

'A B-17 Flying Fortress begins its death plunge over Germany right after taking a direct hit that sheared off its cockpit. Official U.S. Army Air Force Photo by Jerry Cole (8th Air Force, 390th Bombardment Group). From the Webmaster's collection.'

It's a bit late, but I felt compelled to correct this. Ewald Swanson, the pilot of the B-17 in the "iconic" photo, was a contributor to Claims To Fame - The B-17 Flying Fortress, a book I wrote with Roger Freeman.

The basic facts are these: The photo was taken on 14 July 1944 and the B-17 is 42-32109, Mizpah, from the 483rd Bomb Group.

The pilots were Lt Ewald Swanson and Lt Paul Berndt, the bombardier was Lt Kenneth Dudley and navigator Lt Joseph Henderson. Mizpah was on the bomb run when a flak shell exploded right under her nose, instantly killing Henderson and Dudley. The rest of the crew were able to bail out and survived the war as prisoners.

Observers in other aircraft had been stunned by the sight of Mizpah hanging in the air with the entire nose shot off. Sgt Robert Toombs, a waist gunner on Lt Bob Orton's B-17, had time to take three photos of the doomed aircraft (including the famous one) before it fell away.

The full story is told in the book I mentioned.