Roost Air Lounge => Aviation related topics => Topic started by: MO on February 22, 2006, 03:43:01 AM
Title: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: MO on February 22, 2006, 03:43:01 AM
I leave these with you... Let me know what you think, OK?
(I think that it's quite impressive...)
Cheers!
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Have Blue on February 22, 2006, 04:15:23 AM
That. is. amazing.
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Frank N. O. on February 22, 2006, 04:49:13 AM
You have got to be kidding me! :o :o :o How is that even possible without the plane plowing nose-first into the water??
And who are they?
Frank
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: MO on February 22, 2006, 05:05:09 AM
Glad you liked them...
These Texans (Or "Harvards" as the British calls them) belong to the "Flying Lions Formation Aerobatic Team" from South Africa. Here's the link to their website:
http://www.flyinglions.co.za
Enjoy!
(Ah... And don't try that at home. These guys are professionals... And obviously insane!!!)
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Blitz on February 22, 2006, 05:38:31 AM
:o Ooh.. kick arse pics. Those are great. :)
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: fireflyr on February 22, 2006, 06:35:10 AM
They say (I can't remember who THEY are) it's not hard but you have to lock the brakes---I, even knowing the technique, lack the cahonies to give it a whirl
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Stef on February 22, 2006, 09:35:15 AM
Oh, and I bet you gotta pick a day without wind and a lake without ripples and waves! ;D Very cool pictures!!!
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: chuckar101 on February 22, 2006, 06:16:36 PM
Thats very impressive. I've seen a guy here do that in a light sport aircraft. Still very impressive.
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Plthijnx on February 23, 2006, 01:33:27 PM
that's verrry cool! those guys are nutz!!
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: FlyingBlind on February 23, 2006, 04:56:52 PM
That is just bloody amazing....no really...those look like japanese Zeros though...very much like them...or Corsairs (all WW2 Fighter-bombers)
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Gulfstream Driver on February 23, 2006, 05:08:02 PM
The Texan was the advanced single engine trainer in WWII (hence AT-6). The Corsair had a gull wing and was much, much bigger. The Zero was skinnier.
A lot of WW2 flying movies use Texans to represent Zeroes since there aren't a lot of Zeroes left.
They have a Zero in CMA where I used to fly. The guy told me they are a pain in the @$$ because the Japanese didn't build them to last and to be maintained. They were "throw-away" planes. Besides being used as Kamikaze they just flew them until they broke and then threw them away. The fuel tank for example is originally strapped in with a leather belt and then the wing is bulit around it, no inspection holes, and so on... The one in CMA is modified therefore. Plus! Not everybody can fly them because the Japanese a rather short!!
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: chuckar101 on February 26, 2006, 02:48:31 AM
Yeah last I heard ther were only about three or four flyable zeroes left in the world. The leather starp was so they could stuff as much explosive material that could fit right. Don't need all that extra stuff in the way.
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Gulfstream Driver on February 27, 2006, 01:30:18 AM
The Fargo Air Museum pulled their old birds out for the Fargo AirSho last summer. They had 3 Mustangs, a Corsair, a Hellcat and a Zero all chasing each other around.
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Mike on March 01, 2006, 02:15:08 AM
The Fargo Air Museum pulled their old birds out for the Fargo AirSho last summer. They had 3 Mustangs, a Corsair, a Hellcat and a Zero all chasing each other around.
Woah! That must have been pretty cool to watch! I LOVE Corsairs!
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Gulfstream Driver on March 01, 2006, 04:33:29 AM
I wasn't able to hear the announcer from our booth, but watching all the old birds was pretty cool. The first day, Skydive Fargo let a diver out of "Duggy" (DC-3 painted yellow with a big smile. Called the Smile in the Sky), and the Red Barons flew their Stearmen around him while he was under canopy. That was pretty awesome. They also had the F-16 Demonstration team along with 2 F-15's from the WA ANG and our own Happy Hooligans (F-16's). Plus the Blue Angles, the Peitsch (sp?) brothers and others. All in all, it was pretty cool.
Happens every other year. Next one will be July of '07 if anyone wants to come. Plenty of ramp space. ;)
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: FlyingBlind on March 08, 2006, 12:26:08 PM
Corsairs....drool...i like the figure of the bodeyhhh :P
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Gulfstream Driver on March 09, 2006, 12:43:59 AM
We also have the only flying TurboCorsair in the world. (I think) It's pretty awesome.
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: fireflyr on March 10, 2006, 05:47:29 PM
We also have the only flying TurboCorsair in the world. (I think) It's pretty awesome.
I'd love to see a picture of that---you got any specs on it?
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Gulfstream Driver on March 10, 2006, 08:30:36 PM
I guess it's a Super Corsair. No specs, but the museum has a good picture of it.
http://www.fargoairmuseum.org/indexIn.htm
Almost all of the airplanes they have are in flying condition. I believe they have a chopped up B-29 that's grounded for good, but everything else works.
They're working on getting a WWII wing built. I think they just got funding for it a couple of months ago. It'll be pretty exciting when it gets built.
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: fireflyr on March 10, 2006, 10:54:21 PM
Wow that's a cool collection of planes, and that DC-3 looks fantastic ;D 8) The Super Corsair is that the model with twin counter-rotating props?
Frank
"Duggy" used to be painted in ND ANG red and white. He's also got another DC-3 that's blue and white and pretty much hangs out in the museum all the time. Duggy gets out and stretches it's legs quite often.
I don't believe the Super Corsair has counter-rotating props. I think they just slapped a really big engine in it. ;D
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Sleek-Jet on March 12, 2006, 12:07:35 AM
I'll see what I can do. I know a guy that knows a guy that knows Bob Odegaard. ;)
If you can, find out where it was before he got it. I researched it and found out he bought it from a gentleman in Kansas in 1995. When I was working at Jefco in Denver during the fall of '93, there was a red and white Super Corsair in what appeared to be the middle of restoration, sitting in our big hangar. The airport moved a bunch of T-hangars and it was being stored in one of those. While the hangers were being moved, the Corsair was ours to keep track of.
I wrote the N number down every night as part of my paper work. It would be nice to know if anyone did something with it. If not, there is a Super Corsair sitting in a T-hanger in Broomfield Colorado. ;D
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Mike on March 12, 2006, 10:52:12 PM
I guess it's a Super Corsair. No specs, but the museum has a good picture of it.
Ok, that's more like it! Wow! Fantastic collection at Fargo, whodathunk!!! :)
So, uhm...what exactly is a "Super Corsair"? Are we talking turbine engine instead ot the 18 cylinders? Or flown by "Super Pilots"? or what?
- - - - - - - - - - -
plus to Fireflyer: You were born and raised in Saskatchewan???? :o That's where our Canadian Dealership is! Do you know the Yorkton Airport? www.yorktonaircraft.com (http://www.yorktonaircraft.com) small world.....
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: fireflyr on March 13, 2006, 12:45:46 AM
- - - - - - - - - - -
plus to Fireflyer: You were born and raised in Saskatchewan???? :o That's where our Canadian Dealership is! Do you know the Yorkton Airport? www.yorktonaircraft.com (http://www.yorktonaircraft.com) small world.....
Quote
Nope-ain't been to Yorkton---lived in Swift Current and Moose Jaw----been US over 45 years, I'm a full bloody Yank now. ;)
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: MO on March 13, 2006, 01:03:26 AM
The term "Super Corsair" refers to the Goodyear F2G-1 fighter, of which only fourteen examples were produced at the Goodyear plant in Akron before WWII ended in August 1945 and none of these saw combat. There were four prototypes and 10 production planes.
Basically, the plane was a further development of the famous F4U "Corsair" fighter that we all know. The aft fuselage was modified and a new "bubble" canopy was fitted, just like those on the P-51Ds and the P-47Ds, for increasing the pilot's visibility. Additionally, Goodyear installed a huge Pratt & Whitney R-4360 "Wasp Major" engine of 28 cylinders, capable of producing 3,500 hp.
Here's a photo of Odegaard's plane, which is one of the few survivors to date... Note the aft fuselage modifications and the shape of the canopy.
Cheers!
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Mike on March 13, 2006, 01:23:05 AM
Ahhh... I see! I learned something today. Thanks MO! Now I can go home and have a beer with a clear concience.... :D
What an awesome plane. I'd like to see that one day in real life. Did you guys know "Chuck" likes Corsairs as well? Stay tuned... there might be a few Corsair strips in the future.... ;)
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Frank N. O. on March 13, 2006, 05:33:37 AM
Cool looking thing! I guess it was another big US fighter that had twin-props but I know for a fact a rare late model Spitfire had that.
Frank
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Mike on March 13, 2006, 05:44:16 AM
Cool looking thing! I guess it was another big US fighter that had twin-props but I know for a fact a rare late model Spitfire had that.
Frank
Twin Props? What are you talking about? I am not following....
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Frank N. O. on March 13, 2006, 05:51:11 AM
I just wanted to save some typing space sorry, co-axial counter-rotating propellers where the normal models had one single propeller. I seem to recall there was a big US WW2 fighter that had this in a special rare version so I thought it was the Super Corsair, but know for a fact that a Spitifire model did have two co-axial counter-rotating propellers. It should give more thrust and less torque (if any), which would be a good thing but the transmission is probably heavy and requires some extra power to drive.
Edit: http://www.airshowfan.com/chino.htm Here are some cool photos, two of them showing a blue modified Spitfire with two co-axial propellers. And a Tigercat, the Gnat, and a Starship in a small dark photo at the bottom of the page as well as a big Corsair photo etc.
Frank
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Mike on March 13, 2006, 06:23:15 AM
The Corsair doesn't have one of those props on though, does it?! Maybe MO can clear this up...
I saw you have a picture of the "Storch" in there. I used to work on one of those many many years ago when I was a young mechanic helper. What an awesome plane! It was one of the last Storchs left that had the original wooden spar. All other ones have a modified aluminum structure in the wing. You should have seen the POH, it had a swastika on it and said "Do not take on flights agains enemies". Pretty cool. The most amazing thing was, IT STILL HAD IT'S ORIGINAL BATTERIES !! Apparently the germans made some pretty good batteries (NiFe I believe). They were in a wooden box and at the time almost 50 years old. Try that with a modern aircraft battery!!
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Frank N. O. on March 13, 2006, 06:48:11 AM
Nono that was cleared up a few posts higher up. All Corsairs have a single prop, I must've been thinking of another US plane, but I did find info that some F.21 Spitfires had the counter-rotating props, as well as the Seafires.
Frank
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: MO on March 13, 2006, 07:14:04 AM
Uh... Sorry! No counter rotating props on the Super Corsair... Just one really big fan placed at the very nose of the beast.
Here's another photo of Odegaard's mount, showing clearly of what I'm talking about...
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Mike on March 13, 2006, 07:17:09 AM
What an awesome huge prop!! Impressive!
I have to say though that red is not the best color for a Corsair. I'd take the dark blue of Papa Boyingtons planes and the blue with the even lighter blue on the belly of the "Jolly Rogers" anytime....
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: fireflyr on March 13, 2006, 03:17:07 PM
I am not aware of any operational WWII era US fighters with that double prop configeration but Howard Hughes did have a prototype like that, which he crashed.
Mike, you worked on a Storch? WOW, I have always loved that airplane but have only seen pictures of them, they had to be one of the best, if not the best, STOL airplanes ever built!! And the batteries!!!, My gosh, that's amazing that they could last that long!
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: MO on March 13, 2006, 03:21:12 PM
I guess you're right about the Fieseler Stork (Or Storch in English). It was one of the coolest machines in Germany's inventory and very versatile too. I've read somewhere that the production of these planes was moved at some point to France and Poland in order to make room for the Bf-109's production at the main plants.
Also, there's a French version powered by a Salmson radial engine. It was named the Criquet. Very funny looking though...
Cheers!
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: fireflyr on March 13, 2006, 03:30:38 PM
I believe a Storch was used to rescue Mussolini from some very tall mountain hideaway, wasn't it?
And your mention of a French version named Criquet reminds me of the worlds smallest twin (also French) named CRI-CRI, anyone ever see one of those. They were really small but amazing to see.
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: MO on March 13, 2006, 04:04:48 PM
Yep, they used a Storch to rescue Mussolini from the Gran Sasso Massif. Here's a interesting article about this:
http://www.airbum.com/pireps/PirepStorch.html
The title? "Before There Were Helicopters, There Was the Storch"
As for the CRI-CRI that you mention, I haven't seen one yet... Can you post a couple of photos?
Saludos!
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Gulfstream Driver on March 13, 2006, 04:18:54 PM
Say, MO, where were the pictures of the Corsair taken?
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Mike on March 13, 2006, 04:41:41 PM
I'll see if I can find a couple of Storch fotos.
As for the batteries: Makes sense now not to build those anymore. I our convenience-throw-everything-away society you could sell an airplane owner 25 batteries (one every two years) instead of just one NiFe battery....
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: MO on March 13, 2006, 04:46:19 PM
Mmmm... I don't know where they were taken. I have blatantly ripped them off from this website:
http://www.daisey-designs.com/nx13688/
Could it be the Reno Air Races? :-[
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Frank N. O. on March 13, 2006, 05:04:12 PM
Nifty little thing the Storch, but what's a NiFi battery, what does it stand for?
And yes I thought of the Cri Cri right away as well, what a cute little thing :D Here's one: http://aneg.free.fr/images/belmont2002/Cri-cri.gif And here's a jet-version! http://www.amtjets.com/gallery_real_plain.html
Frank
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Gulfstream Driver on March 13, 2006, 08:46:28 PM
I can't believe someone actually gets in that thing. Wonder what the height limit is...
Was somebody looking for the tail number for the Corsair? N5588N
NiFe = Nickel Ferrite (or some other form of Ferrous, which is iron.)
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: fireflyr on March 14, 2006, 03:08:02 AM
Frank, Thanks for the site on CRI-CRI, I wish I knew how to paste stuff on here myself.
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Plthijnx on March 28, 2006, 01:51:00 PM
sorry if it's a repost, i'm at work and don't have much time until lunch....
FIXED LINK
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Frank N. O. on March 28, 2006, 01:58:12 PM
WOW! It was recorded on video! I surely didn't see this before! Thanks for posting the link (note: the link itself when openend has an extra quote-mark " that needs to be removed after the file-name or it'll come up 404).
Frank
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: fireflyr on March 28, 2006, 03:47:49 PM
FANTASTIC, These guys are really smooth sticks!
Title: Re: Texans Skiing (In formation!!!)
Post by: Mike on March 29, 2006, 06:12:33 AM
Respect!! (and that coming from a sling wing guy....)
