More questions than answers ...

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7817

... Lots of stuff going on in a few of these photos, but very few answers as to what, when, where and why ... at least for me.
I've been in plenty of hockey rinks in my day, but I haven't a clue where, when this was or why there's partially disassembled aircraft in the middle of a hockey rink. Doesn't look to be an exhibit to me. Looks more like a training deal of some sort.

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7817

A Lockheed service school photo. No problem getting that part, but what's the deal with the trimmed prop blades? You will notice the wires leading from the fuselage to the props though, so I'm assuming some sort of exercise in how to operate prop pitch etc.?

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7817

Not hard to figure out what happened here, but would someone like to explain just how easy or difficult it is for one B-17 to taxi and hit another B-17 such as what you see here? Something went way wrong. How could the pilot and co-pilot not see this coming.
B-17G 42-39835 "Wannta Spar" ended up converted as a flying bomb for Project Aphrodite

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7817

A B-17 doing one heck of a balancing act. What's going on here? Photo only states: "Ridgewell - 381st BG"

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7817

This could be new to me. Did P-40B/C's have a smaller spinner than later versions of the P-40? Sure looks like it here. That 'is' an early P-40 spinner, is it not?
Photo states: "Son of General Chennault by Shark-Faced Plane at Keesler Field"

Here's a comparison (I think) ...

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Wed Jan 13, 2016 11:28 am

most interesting Mark!

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7817

What exactly does a "Compass Rose" do? ...

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7817

What is all this stuff? I believe this is a P-63.

K5DH · **Posted:** Wed Jan 13, 2016 12:02 pm

Mark Allen M wrote:

Not hard to figure out what happened here, but would someone like to explain just how easy or difficult it is for one B-17 to taxi and hit another B-17 such as what you see here? Something went way wrong. How could the pilot and co-pilot not see this coming.
B-17G 42-39835 "Wannta Spar" ended up converted as a flying bomb for Project Aphrodite

I wonder if the B-17 with the crunched tail was being pushed by a tug using MLG tug struts? Or perhaps blown into the other ship by the wind?

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7817

This is no way to treat a combat veteran P-39 ... caging and freezing it ... lol
I do believe it is a vet, I'm sure I've seen that logo before. Perhaps stateside unit emblem?

Here's what the photos are about ...

Not only 'freezing' a vet, but 'caging' it as well .... so sad :wink:

Not sure this is the same P-39 with a swapped out 4-blade prop or not. Does look to be a P-39 though. Then again it now starts to look like a P-63. hmmm!

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7817

K5DH wrote:

I wonder if the B-17 with the crunched tail was being pushed by a tug using MLG tug struts? Or perhaps blown into the other ship by the wind?

Ah yes indeed!! by looking at the photos again this explanation does sound more logical.

Thx

Matt Gunsch · **Posted:** Wed Jan 13, 2016 12:55 pm

The compass rose is for calibrating the whisky compass. Line the plane up on the cardinal headings 360 090 180 270 and note the difference on the whisky compass, turn the compass compensator screws to get it as close to the rose setting as possible, then align plane with the other headings and write down the compass readings. under the compass is a placard that says for 360 steer 002, 090 steer 093 and so on....
The P-63 with all the electronics could be a Pinball plane

Obergrafeter · **Posted:** Wed Jan 13, 2016 1:30 pm

I built a Compass Rose for the Army a few years back. (Many actually) Concrete with NO steel in the structure (for obvious reasons) and a 6" Brass cylinder in the center. Army engineers did the "TRUE" cardinal headings, for helicopters, probably never used but it was a good contract. Always wondered what was so important about the center brass pin? Surely being off didn't matter that much plus how close to centering the aircraft could one get?

dollar65 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 13, 2016 1:32 pm

Mark Allen M wrote:

A B-17 doing one heck of a balancing act. What's going on here? Photo only states: "Ridgewell - 381st BG"

Looks like the plane suffered a right leg failure:

might have been some fun to put that big baby on the trailer.....

Laurent

C VEICH · **Joined:** Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:40 pm **Posts:** 1471

Mark Allen M wrote:

This could be new to me. Did P-40B/C's have a smaller spinner than later versions of the P-40? Sure looks like it here. That 'is' an early P-40 spinner, is it not?
Photo states: "Son of General Chennault by Shark-Faced Plane at Keesler Field"

Pretty sure that's a P-38 prop and spinner attached to a P-40. So far as I am aware all production P-40 variants used the same diameter spinner.

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