Sharing some interesting pics from TAM musem...

[Aramis]

Hi, guys... I'd like to share with you some interesting pictures taken during my visit to TAM museum by the end of 2007. TAM museum is located in the city of São Carlos, SP (about 400km from my place). It's a property of TAM Airlines (today's largest Brazilian airline). It's said that this is the larget air museum belonging to an airline company. It's a very nice place to visit. They have tenths of very well restored aircraft from divers historical periods. This attached pic shows a wonderful BF 109G-2 that was shot over Norway. The pilot got to land it on a frozen Norwegian lake, but the aircraft sank soon after that. It remained in the bottom of the lake until early 80's when a German company rescued it and partially restored it. Then, it was sent to Brazil and was finally restored at TAM museum, receiving the painting scheme of the German ace Han Johachim Marseille. Be blessed, guys!

 

[beaupower32]

Nice pictures, but she seems a bit "shiny"

 

[DBII]

Thanks for posting. Any more photos?

DBII

 

[Aramis]

Yeah... some more here. This is a Gloster Meteor built in 1952. It originally belonged to Santos Dummont Foundation and was sent to TAM Museum for restoration. The Meteor was the first jet to be operated by FAB (Brazilian Air Force). It brings the colors and the nose art of the 1st FG.

 

[DBII]

Nice shots. What is the bird on the Sqdrn markings?

DBII

 

[Aramis]

It's the symbol of the FAB's 1st Fighter Group. It "brings an old and popular expression which says --- "Senta a Púa" (something like "hit'em hard!").

 

[Aramis]

This Spitfire Mk-X has an interesting story. It was built in 1943 and served in North Africa under British flag. Then, it was transferred to USAAF until the end of the war. After WWII, it was sold to the South African AF and remained in service until 1954. It was, then, incredibly left as a "playground" at a Children's Hospital in SA. A collector bought it in 1967 and started its long process of restoration. In 1986, after been carefully restored by different professionals it was transferred to a museum in California where it performed various air shows. In 1993, this beauty received a new painting representing the colors of the famous Brit ace James Edgar "Johnnie" Johnson. Rolls-Royce bought it in 2000 and sent it to be preserved by TAM Museum. It's a piece of art, guys!

 

[Crimea_River]

Looks like a nice collection. Thanks for sharing. That's Johnnie Johnson's plane depicted in my sig.

 

[Lucky13]

Nice pics mate!

 

[Thorlifter]

Beautiful examples of the 109 and the Spit. They look like they just came off the production line....

 

[imalko]

Very nice pictures mate. Thanks for sharing.
We also have Bf 109G-2 and Spitfire Mk Vc in our Aeronautical museum here in Serbia. Beautiful machines!

 

[Aramis]

Thanks for the words, guys. Here's something probably new for some of you. This is a perfect replica of Santos Dummont's 14 Bis. Santos Dummont was a Brazilian inventor who moved to Paris in early 1900's. Brazilian and French historians insist that this airplane was the first havier-than-air machine to have taken-off by its own means. It's a very very long dispute with Americans...

 

[Aramis]

Here you see the most important airplane in the history of FAB. The P-47D was the first fighter to equip our Air Force. 67 units of this incredible and powerful machine were deployed to Tarquinia and Pisa, Italy in mid 1944 (FAB was part of the American 22nd Air Command) . After the end of the war another 69 P-47 were bought by Brazilian Air Force. The total Thunderbolts used by FAB were 117 and they remain in service until 1957. From Nov.1944 until May 1945, our P-47 had flown 445 missions and 2,550 individual missions. Only19of them were lost. This P-47 of TAM Museum is painted in the colors of Ltn. Fernando Rocha (75 missions). Pretty impressive machine, bros.

 

[Crimea_River]

That's not the 14 Bis that flew is it? I saw something on Discovery Channel, I think, where someone managed to build and fly a full size resplica.

 

[Aramis]

Hello, Andy. No, this is just a full-size replica. But, they have there a worth-flying replica of Demoiselle, Santos Dummont's best machine. I will post the picture later today.

 

[Aramis]

That's what I'm talking about. Built in 1907, Demoiselle was Santos Dumont's best airplane. It's considered the first ultralight airplane (it weights just 56 kg!). By creating Demoiselle, Santos Dumont planned to make aviation popular by that time. Around 40 units of it were built in different places. This replica was built in Brazil and has a 2 oposite cillinder, 30HP, Volkswagen engine. Beautiful model.

 

[Crimea_River]

Very Nice!

 

[Airframes]

Some great pics Aramis. Some of the restored aircraft are a little shiny to be truly authentic, but beautiful none the less - and what a clean and spotless museum! I remember seeing a replica of the Demoisselle in the movie 'Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines' many years ago - very small indeed!

 

[rayburnsjr]

Great pictures!

 

[Aramis]

That's right, Terry... Demoiselle is so much small and compact that a fat guy sure wouldn't be able to fly it. What's interesting about Santos Dumont is the fact that he --- like the Wrights -- was not an academic pioneer but a practical researcher.