Warbird Information Exchange

deserves respect and remembering ... right!!?

Well if that's the case why don't I know anything about the aircraft in this first photo?
What is it and what could have been it's missions?
I leave it to you smarter historians to educate me.

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“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

And I also have a few additional "somewhat oddities" wearing invasion stripes. Here's the first.


Cessna AT-17 Bobcat with invasion stripes

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“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Handley Page H.P. 54 Harrow transport conversion (unofficially nicknamed "Sparrow"), probably with 271 Squadron RAF.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handley_P ... .54_Harrow

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item ... /205127051

(I'm no genius but the looks of the thing just made me think "'30s Handley Page" and it was process of elimination after that )

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

The Harrow is an interesting aircraft in its own right, having been used for aerial mine dropping and flown alone on these night missions. Quite a good read. There were a number destroyed during operation Bodenplatte and of the 100 made I believe 5 made it to VE Day.

Several modelers have made night “fighter” examples with shark mouths on them, however I have not seen a picture of one so marked. Perhaps that will come up someday.

What about the invasion-striped warbird RV-8s?

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Well, I suppose that somewhere, somebody has a Prinus painted up like a nitro-fuel funny car.

Other than it looks dopey? Nothing really!

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“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Don't tempt me with ideas for my Pious...

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Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.

The Cessna is probably a C-78. I don't know about other Liaison Squadrons in WWII, but the 14th Liaison Squadron received two C-78's when they arrived in England. Their purpose was VIP transport, and the 14th was attached to the 3rd US Army and transported Patton in one of the Cessna's on a few occasions. I have evidence of one C-78 which was wrecked by the 14th in France just after their initial deployment, so I know at least one made it to the continent and did not stay in England.

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REMEMBER THE SERGEANT PILOTS!

A little off topic, but........the Hellcat Prius.

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remember the Oogahonk!
old school enthusiast of Civiltary Warbirds and Air Racers

Not such a well known one

On the contrary, I'd say very well known, even to the point of current airworthy Widlcat's in similar schemes.

This is TFC's example

Great thread!

Just to clarify, the TFC Wildcat is a GM-built FM-2 (Wildcat Mk.VI) with a Wright Cyclone and the tall tail, not the original JV579 which was a P&W-powered FM-1 (Wildcat Mk.V). IIRC, it's been in these markings since the D-Day 50th anniversary in 1994.

Royal Navy use of the Martlet/Wildcat does tend to go a little under-appreciated, even in the UK. Here's hoping for plenty more RN Wildcat schemes in the future...

9th AF C-47

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“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Surprised. And here I thought that the French based DC-3 F-AZOX had an inaccurate paint scheme.

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Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
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