WW2 Weekend 2011

[CCIP]

Bump!

Nothing overly fancy, but I'll start off with a few I got this weekend at the Hamilton Airshow that was squarely focused on warbirds this year!

In honour of the anniversary of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, they had a whole 8 flying Harvards (the Canadian designation for AT-6 Texan) flying this year...


Fairey Firefly. Doesn't it look just like an oversized Spitfire?


deHavilland Chipmunk. One of the many Commonwealth Training planes present...



Beech 18 and DC-3


Lovely flying PBY








C-47










And on the other side of it, probably the star of this particular show, the only flying Lancaster on this side of the world!

[CCIP]

Lancaster...


Touring the (really cramped! ) interior, starting with the BN's dome - and the formation of Harvards warming up on the other side of the lot.


Cockpit


From the navigator's cupola - looking forward

Left

Right


Center turret


I should have more pics of this one later...

Meanwhile nearby, a pair of flying B-17s are camped out as well (Memphis Belle and Chuckie)










Peeking inside

[CCIP]

B-25 (Hot Gen) nearby






A look inside:




The business end:



Squadron insignia:



Right next to them, this incidental visitor looks totally in the wrong time period



Meanwhile across the ramp










Harvards taxiing out for their warmup:





Loudest planes at the show, surprisingly!
I also have trouble dissociating them with Zeroes from Tora! Tora! Tora! (where modified AT-6s were used at stand-ins for them). They put on a great aerobatic show later in the day.

[Sailor Steve]

Oooooh, lovely! Thanks, George.

[CCIP]

Gearing up the wildcat for flight







A lovely Spitfire!





Helldiver





Dive flaps

[CCIP]

This Skyraider's not WWII, but sure looks like she could be! One of my favourite planes ever, too





A very cool desert Hurri















Corsair









The Pony

[CCIP]

Warhawk







Oh, and here come the flying Harvards!







Lysander



And this is not WWII, but ain't it just extremely cool to see these in flying shape (even if replicas)?











And this last one is apparently not a replica but an original 1-1/2 Strutter (albeit heavily restored)!



Nothing quite as cool as seeing this in the air... (sorry for the blurry quality!)







Almost an unreal sight!

[CCIP]

Good catch Steve! Didn't know she was actually flying before WWII ended, I actually thought that happened later.

So yes, I spent the weekend groping planes of all ages

From this...



To this...



To this!



Very happy needless to say

More pics including flying ones coming later, need to retrieve them from another camera!

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by CCIP

This Skyraider's not WWII, but sure looks like she could be!

That's because actually she is. First test flight was March 18, 1945 and first deliveries began in December 1946. While the plane didn't see service until after the war, she was designed and tested in that timeframe, which makes her very much part of the era.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by CCIP

Very nice looking, sort of unusual to see any surviving period aircraft with a FAA Pacific roundel.

The RN might need this one back soon...

[Herr-Berbunch]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Very nice looking, sort of unusual to see any surviving period aircraft with a FAA Pacific roundel.

The RN might need this one back soon...

Nah, it's okay, we've nowhere to put it.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Originally Posted by CCIP

And with the original 1941 Mk. 1 Garmin, too!!! If only that'd been available all those years ago

Fantastic thread. When I used to go to airshows, anything with props used to bore me - I just wanted jets, and jets with afterburners at that (Buccanneers, Harriers and Vulcans excepted!). Now I'm mellowing in my middle-age, I see the beauty in all aircraft, old and new, civil and military.

Thanks guys.

[HunterICX]

Great shots CCIP

thanks for sharing

HunterICX