What is your favorite aircraft of all time?

[Tiki Tom]

Had the good fortune to stumble across this in a field in upstate New York. A Curtiss C-46 Commando. About 3,500 were built during WWII, but it could never keep up with the DC-3/ C-47 Dakota because the Commando was “a maintenance nightmare.”

Still, it was a little bit haunting to see this baby sitting in a field by the side of the road.

 

[GHT]

The Sopwith Camel is a British WW1 biplane fighter aircraft that was introduced in 1917. It was developed by the Sopwith Aviation Company and became one of the best known fighter aircraft of the Great War.

The Camel was powered by a single rotary engine and was armed with twin synchronised Vickers machine guns. It was highly manoeuvrable in the hands of an experienced pilot. Camel pilots have been credited with downing 1,294 enemy aircraft, more than any other Allied fighter of the conflict.

 

[dirigoboy]

I will have to confess to two things, the first being that I know little of airplanes of The world wars, and the second thing, is that what I do know, is based on bias.
Back during my high school days, I had a biology teacher who strode in to school each day in his tweed coat with a great deal of vigor. He was a family friend of ours as well, a Marine Corps fighter pilot, and during both WWII and Korea, he flew the Corsair which he absolutely loved

In memory of pilot John Gillespie Magee

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark nor ever eagle flew—
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

 

[belfastboy]

My favourite is always the one I am in taking me to my next destination.

 

[Peacoat]

I will have to confess to two things, the first being that I know little of airplanes of The world wars, and the second thing, is that what I do know, is based on bias.
Back during my high school days, I had a biology teacher who strode in to school each day in his tweed coat with a great deal of vigor. He was a family friend of ours as well, a Marine Corps fighter pilot, and during both WWII and Korea, he flew the Corsair which he absolutely loved
View attachment 548422

In memory of pilot John Gillespie Magee

I have always liked the Corsair as well.

 

[Tiki Tom]

I will have to confess to two things, the first being that I know little of airplanes of The world wars, and the second thing, is that what I do know, is based on bias.
Back during my high school days, I had a biology teacher who strode in to school each day in his tweed coat with a great deal of vigor. He was a family friend of ours as well, a Marine Corps fighter pilot, and during both WWII and Korea, he flew the Corsair which he absolutely loved
View attachment 548422

In memory of pilot John Gillespie Magee

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark nor ever eagle flew—
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

My wife’s father was a Marine Corps Corsair pilot in the Pacific during WWII. Regrettably, he didn’t talk about it much, so —despite internet searches— I know little about the specifics.

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

I've jumped from RAF flown Hercules C-130s so often I suppose it's my favourite bird but I never landed in one.

 

[Tiki Tom]

One last mission: surviving Flying Tigers vet visits China one more time.
what a life. I am amazed by their longevity and vigor.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/us-flying-tiger-veterans-china-world-war-ii-rcna123481

 

[Peacoat]

One last mission: surviving Flying Tigers vet visits China one more time.
what a life. I am amazed by their longevity and vigor.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/us-flying-tiger-veterans-china-world-war-ii-rcna123481

Given their ages, I can't imagine there would be any more visits.

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

Terrence in the era thread is a lad kid loosed in China now with the American Air Force flying tigers.
If memory serves under Chennault the boys were offered a $5,000 bounty per Zero downspout.

 

[Tiki Tom]

This is from an old junior high newsletter of the mother of a friend of mine. It is from the year 1942. See the article titled “Attention Boys”. It asks for the youngsters to donate the model aircraft they are building to the Air Raid Wardens so that they can be used in demonstrations. It then lists the boys who have donated models and which planes they made.

I have never heard this tidbit of history before. I relate to it, as I was an avid aircraft modeler when I was a kid.

 

[Peacoat]

Tom, that's a real find.

I too, can relate to this, as I was into planes when I was kid.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Mitsubishi MR2M1 Carrier Reconaissance Aircraft

Part of a family of aircraft designed by Sopwith designer Herbert Smith for the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1922

 

[Tiki Tom]

Interesting bit of WWII aviation news…

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

Sweet. Named his plane after his lass. I bet they wed and lived long together, bless them both.

 

[rogueclimber]

Grumman HU-16C Albatross

The era, the romance...

AND Jimmy Buffet flew one!

 

[Tiki Tom]

Grumman HU-16C Albatross
The era, the romance...

AND Jimmy Buffet flew one!

Amen, brother.
AND the plane was prominently featured in Tales of the Gold Monkey!

(I still can’t believe I’m living in a world without Jimmy Buffett.)

 

[Altiori]

B-17

The Eighth Air Force suffered more than 47,000 casualties in World War II, including over 26,000 deaths and 28,000 prisoners of war, which was half of the U.S. Army Air Forces' total casualties. This was more than the entire United States Marine Corps.

The “Mighty Eighth” was created in Savannah. Two blocks from where I live. It is now an American Legion.

This is the plaque. (First photo)

And the plane “The Sentimental Journey” that did several flyovers of Savannah over the weekend. (Second photo)

(Flew over our house; the sound of the engines was stunning)

“Despite Memorial Day’s origins as a time to honor fallen Civil War soldiers, it has largely become an unofficial kickoff to the summer season. What barbeque lovers and beach trippers might not know, however, is that the holiday also comes with a law requiring a National Moment of Remembrance. This solemn reminder was said to be inspired by a group of children. While touring Lafayette Park in Washington, D.C., in 1996, the children were asked what Memorial Day meant to them. Their answer ? “The day the pools open!” The National Moment of Remembrance law was passed in 2000, and encourages all Americans to pause for one minute at 3 p.m. local time to think about the sacrifices of fallen military personnel.”

—from History Facts

Maybe say a prayer or think good thoughts in honor of our fellow men and women who died in service to our country.

Freedom isn’t free.

Wishing you all a peaceful day.

 

[Peacoat]

Amen, brother.
AND the plane was prominently featured in Tales of the Gold Monkey!

(I still can’t believe I’m living in a world without Jimmy Buffett.)

He has been gone now going on close to a year. I knew Jimmy through his harmonica player, Fingers Taylor, the first
Coral Reefer. RIP Jimmy and Fingers.

 

[vintagewool]

Grumman HU-16C Albatross
The era, the romance...

I submit for your consideration the unmistakable J2F Grumman Duck.