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Post by Tom/CalClassic on Oct 25, 2010 9:25:35 GMT -5
I just saw a 60 Minutes episode reporting on Top Gear, and saw the planes in the background. Where is that filmed? I don't subscribe to BBC America to get that program here.
Thanks,
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Post by wildbillkelso on Oct 25, 2010 10:02:59 GMT -5
I have a scan of a picture from National Geographic, May 1949, of Operation Plainfare, the British part of the Berlin airlift. Talking about "Operation Plainfare": Just have scanned some pics from my repository and would like to share them with you - just to show my appreciation on this amazing project: RAF maintenance at Luebeck-Blankensee Note the ice shield panels riveted on the fwd fuselage and the german lettering on the hangar wall in the background! RAF maintenance at Wunstorf. Pic shows "WRAF mechanic Corporal Margaret Fisher from Poole/England". Hangar space was short at Wunstorf, so a lot of maintenance had to be done outside. It's said that on July 2nd, 1948 a heavy rainstorm caused electric breakdown on 26 (!) RAF Dakotas parked outside at Wunstorf... And this belongs to "Operation Vittles/Plainfare" too: Crashsite of an USAAF edit: USAF of course! C-47 (serial reads "349534") at Berlin-Friedenau, Handjerystrasse, July 25th, 1948. Skytrain was loaded with flour. The crew, Lt. Charles H. King and 1st Lt. Robert W. Stuber was killed. A street at Berlin-Zehlendorf got named after Charles H. King back in the seventies, IIRC. Cheers, Markus.
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Post by okami on Oct 25, 2010 10:32:44 GMT -5
I just saw a 60 Minutes episode reporting on Top Gear, and saw the planes in the background. Where is that filmed? I don't subscribe to BBC America to get that program here. Thanks, Hi Tom, The Top Gear test track is located at the Dunsfold aerodrome, which was a former Hawker/British Aerospace assembly site. At the site, the company tested and assembled many types, including the Hunter, Sea Hawk, Harrier and Hawk up to its closure in 1999. Resident aircraft there (often featured in the background in the Top Gear test track segments) include ex-BA Boeing 747-236B G-BDXJ owned by Aces High and modified as the "Skyfleet S570 prototype" for the James Bond film "Casino Royale" and Douglas R4D-1 ZS-MRU and C-47A N174DC as well as other aircraft.
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Post by Maarten on Oct 25, 2010 15:43:04 GMT -5
Crashsite of an USAAF C-47 (serial reads "349534") at Berlin-Friedenau, Handjerystrasse, July 25th, 1948. In 1980-82 a friend of mine lived just a few blocks from the Handjerystrasse. When I visited her I tried to find this house. Unfortunately those I asked where the house was couldn't tell me. Cheers, Maarten
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Post by mjahn on Oct 26, 2010 5:16:40 GMT -5
I see there's plenty of more detail in those maintenance pics. Antennas, rivets ... all duly copied.
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Post by Piston Paul on Oct 26, 2010 5:47:06 GMT -5
Manfred, ..two thing that slips into my mind: 1/ please note that there is only one (small) aileron trim tab, on the Right hand aileron. The MAAM DC-3 incorrectly carries two very large ones... (the LH can be deleted with an aileron-repaint.... ) 2/ I have an excellent detailed scale drawing, made by a talented DDA-member Nico Ouwersloot (passed away now) in the 1990-ties. This is still the 'template' for Jaap 'Spraycan' de Baare when he makes paint-drawings when our DDA-DC-3's change livery. (one in the KLM paint-hangar right now!!... details later ;D ) I will mail that drawing to you; it will be a great help, I guess. Please do not distribute any further and / or use for commercial purposes. Copyright may be involved. cheers, Paul
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Post by mjahn on Oct 26, 2010 6:00:32 GMT -5
Thanks Paul. Looking forward to the drawings. The ones I have used so far are by Mike Keep and what's available from the Net. Thanks also for the trim tab info, overlooked this of course. Hope I can rope in Jaap for a paint, too. KLM and Belgian Air Force spring to mind ...
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Post by Piston Paul on Oct 26, 2010 6:16:38 GMT -5
I'd heard there were 75th anniversary events being planned as well, but I know that Ready 4 Duty was really unlikely to attend due to costs unless a sponsor could be found to get the plane over and back due to the high fuel costs involved with such a trip. Considering it costs about $1000 an hour to operate the plane (even with volunteer crew), it's easy to see how quick those costs would add up. I do hope that another anniversary can be put on, but it'll take some deep pockets to make it happen. Capflyer, there WAS a celebration this year ! At Rock Falls, IL. It was called 'The Last Time', and was held the weekend before Oshkosh. 26 DC-3's and one DC-2 flew into Rock Falls. On the Monday, 23 (!) DC-3s flew to Oshkosh in a mass-formation. I was there, flew to KOSH aboard a DC-3 and witnessed it all... A thing never to forget, just like the Eindhoven-event. Look at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=si0PpuGpgA8 (official video) and: www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbyG4Zr0qsQ and: www.youtube.com/watch?v=236JYIbkYjkand: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbP_UHOLgfo for the fomation flight. (B-25 as camera-ship) and many more.............
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Post by capflyer on Oct 26, 2010 8:58:25 GMT -5
Paul, I'm aware of that one, I was speaking of another one put on in Europe for Eindhoven.
I'm still sad the R4D didn't make that trip. Never heard why from the crew, but my guess is that there were funding issues since there was no funding of the event.
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Post by wildbillkelso on Oct 26, 2010 10:03:01 GMT -5
I see there's plenty of more detail in those maintenance pics. That was my hidden agenda when selecting the first two pics. Glad I could help! Cheers, Markus.
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Post by okami on Oct 26, 2010 11:23:39 GMT -5
Time for me to chip in two cents, I guess. Here are two lay-out plans I photographed a couple of months ago while in Brussels. They were part of a map of lay-out plans from the Sabena archive in the Royal Army Museum (Aviation department) in Brussels. I photographed the lot when I was there (DC-3, DC-4, DC-6, DC-6A, DC-6B, DC-7C and Convair CV-240) The configuration differences for the rear part can be explained as follows: Douglasses OO-AUY - OO-AUV were ex-C-47s converted by Douglas to DC-3C standard. They retained the military standard toilet compartiment, but had the entrance sized down to a single door panel (eliminating the rear panel of the double cargo door). www.skystef.be/regi/OO-AUV.htmwww.skystef.be/regi/OO-AUY.htmDouglas OO-AWN was an ex-RAF C-47A which had previously flown for KLM as PH-TBY. It too was converted, and had a door similar to those found on pre-war DC-3s. The military-style toilet compartiment was retained. www.asa-be.com/images/PhotoGallery_BCR2/OO-AAA/OO-AWN.jpgDouglasses OO-AWZ - OO-AUO were ex-C-47s converted by Canadair to DC-3C standard. As such they had a non-standard passenger door. The toilet configuration was also changed from the standard military one to the standard civilian lay-out. Presumably, Sabena's DC-3Ds had similar internal lay-outs. www.asa-be.com/images/PhotoGallery_BCR2/OO-AAA/OO-AUO.jpg
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