Sublime S.W. Clatworthy’s cutaway of the no-nonsense construction and accommodation details of the Calcutta. You could almost hear the Jupiter engines roar. As usual for that era, the flight crew operated the controls “al fresco”. The radio operator had a more convenient place, next to the passengers and a funnily cook-attired steward.
“Aerospaceman” James “Mr. MAC” McDonnell and his company best-seller. If I’m not mistaken the 2,000th Phantom produced (F-4D-30-MC, 66-7533) delivered on 12 March 1967.
The Pa-raglider Rese-arch V-ehicle 1 was an experimental vehicle built inhouse at the NASA’s Flight Research Center in 1962. It was conceived to evaluate the possible use of a deployable Rogallo wing in the Gemini capsule landings. Towed into the air by both ground vehicles and aircraft from the Rogers Dry Lake, its flights were, as you may imagine, fairly short and intense. In total nearly 350 of those test flights were undertaken between 1962 and 1964.
Family portrait of test pilot Milt Thompson and the 1-A team, support motorcycle and a classic Stearman tow plane. The 1-A was the second iteration of the design.
Photo: NASA.
This M5G is the key attraction feature of a luxury “Lifestyle Emporium” in Sandton (South Africa). Coded 401, it was the first of a handful of Mirage 5s -of three models- acquired by the Gabonese AF starting in 1982. They remained operational until 1993, not being replaced in service until 2006 when six Mirage F1AZ were bought from South Africa. Another Gabonese Mirage have also ended up in South Africa, at the entrance of the Rhodesfield Technical High School.
Putting the finishing touches; it was hoisted there in its weary former “war colours”. Painful too see it so neutered, but the photo’s composition is just outstanding.
The almost forgotten Ca.97 was a general utility/transport/airliner first flown in 1927. It was a pioneer design in Italy characterised by its carbon steel all-metal structure and quite innovative construction methods. Another peculiarity was it could be powered by one, two or even three engines. Only a very small number was produced. Some served as airliners and the Regia Aeronautica employed the rest mainly in the colonies, a few armed. An enlarged, more capable, derivative became the very successful Ca.101.
Salvatore Castelli from Taliedo operated the single-engine Ca.97M I-AAQN
(c/n 2992) on his “transporti aerei” service.
What a gorgeous poster; Castelli would have had my money.
Artist: Plinio Codognato.
The CAMS 55 was the main Aéronavale “patrouille maritime à longue distance” flying boat of the first half of the 1930s replacing the Latham 47 in service. This conventional biplane was a derivative of the unsuccessful CAMS 51 civilian airliner. The various models produced had a tandem engine configuration using two motorizations: a pair of either Hispano-Suiza 12Lbr or Gnome et Rhône 9Kb. The more than a hundred produced served in fifteen escadrilles until they’re gradually replaced by the Bizerte starting in 1936. Their operational lives continued in less demanding coastal waters until the start of the war.
In this pretty photo a Gnome et Rhône-powered 55/2 of the 3E1 Escadrille at l’Étang de Berre base.
The planetary timing gear system that actuated the mighty Bristol Hercules sleeve valves.
Aviation Rapture 