The What is it? Game

[Airframes]

Ah, that's an easy one.

It's the Barber's pole, attached to the tail of the prototype Barber - Shop BS-1 carrier-borne light attack bomber, which attempted its first flight in February, 1951.
Unfortunately, due to this "aircraft" being a two storey, brown-stone building, with a gross weight of 22 tons, it failed to get airborne, and was wrecked.
As far as I know, the image posted is the only known surviving record of this project.
Damn, this particular bottle of cabernet Sauvignon is good ........

 

[Glider]

Ah, that's an easy one.

It's the Barber's pole, attached to the tail of the prototype Barber - Shop BS-1 carrier-borne light attack bomber, which attempted its first flight in February, 1951.
Unfortunately, due to this "aircraft" being a two storey, brown-stone building, with a gross weight of 22 tons, it failed to get airborne, and was wrecked.
As far as I know, the image posted is the only known surviving record of this project.
Damn, this particular bottle of cabernet Sauvignon is good ........

Best reply I have seen in a long time

 

[Capt. Vick]

Well he got the BS right

 

[GrauGeist]

In all seriousness, it looks like a tail-hook on an F-15.

 

[Geedee]

In all seriousness, it looks like a tail-hook on an F-15.

Good guess but sorry, not an F15.
A few clues...
Not what you would normally expect to see on this airframe (No...Not Terry ! ) It's single engined and sits low to the ground

 

[Capt. Vick]

F-104?

 

[SaparotRob]

Good guess but sorry, not an F15.
A few clues...
Not what you would normally expect to see on this airframe (No...Not Terry ! ) It's single engined and sits low to the ground

Jim Hall's Chaparral?

 

[Jagdflieger]

hmm...what single engine aircraft has twin wheels on the back? some strangely modified Harrier II Plus (AV-8B) for arrester hook trials?

Regards
Jagdflieger

 

[buffnut453]

I started thinking of the Folland Gnats used in the movie "Hot Shots!" but I can't find a single image showing an arrestor hook as part of the modification.

 

[GrauGeist]

Hmmm...

How about a T-45 Goshawk?

 

[vikingBerserker]

U-2

 

[Dash119]

Wheels look like they are on a dolly or cart, not part of the landing gear...

 

[Jagdflieger]

Wheels look like they are on a dolly or cart, not part of the landing gear...

yep - that was my thought too, independently of my harrier guess.
What I also find strange - is that due to the pivot bracket, the arrester-hook would actually swivel sideways and not downward?

Regards
Jagdflieger

 

[Dash119]

I think vikingBerserker got it right, U-2.

 

[Geedee]

U-2

And we have a winner...well done mate . This is the U2 on display at Moffett Federal Airfield and she was used in Operation Fish Hawk, the only aircraft carrier launched spy mission ever. Normally pretty hard to get to see but when you turn up in 5 Warbirds, you tend to be let in
And that's my better half having a looksee on the inside...I didn't get a complete pic of the airframe

 

[Jagdflieger]

And we have a winner...well done mate . This is the U2 on display at Moffett Federal Airfield and she was used in Operation Fish Hawk, the only aircraft carrier launched spy mission ever. Normally pretty hard to get to see but when you turn up in 5 Warbirds, you tend to be let in
And that's my better half having a looksee on the inside...I didn't get a complete pic of the airframe

darn it, this was the first aircraft I checked - but never assumed that the arrester-hook would be in the middle of the aircraft.

Regards
Jagdflieger

 

[Dash119]

A lot of things about the U-2 were out of the realm of normal...

 

[vikingBerserker]

I would like to think pure luck with her assistance

Next up:

 

[Geedee]

Looks like a civvy version of the Tupolev TB3 ?

 

[vikingBerserker]

Nope