Comments by "Big Blue" (@bigblue6917) on "Ed Nash's Military Matters" channel.

  1. Propeller driven aircraft. It's a bit like fashion. If you wait long enough it will come back into vogue.
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  2. Hitler declaring war on America is a little bit different from what many people think. Because of America's involvement with supplying Britain with military equipment and clashes between the USN and Germany's U-Boats Hitler believed that America and Germany were already in an undeclared war. So as far as he was concerned all he was doing was formalising something which already existed. Germany certainly had a confused relationship as far as long range bombers were concerned. They did not think they were needed in Europe because for them the Luftwaffe was there to serve the German army. But they then did need them for bombing the US. They then had to cobble together the Mistel because they belatedly realised there were targets in Russia they needed to bomb but they did not have the long range bombers they needed to carry out the task. Meanwhile Britain and America where building long range bombers because both countries knew that they were needed to reach targets which were well beyond their own borders.
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  3. If this next aircraft has even more wings, is flown by a mottle crew which includes a sniggering dog and the are chasing a pigeon then I've seen it already.
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  4. Never underestimate A Bloke In A Shed.
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  5. If you successfully eject using a Martin Baker seat then you are entitled to own a tie commemorating the fact.
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  6. With a top speed of 78 MPH that means that WW1 biplanes could shoot them down.
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  7. A whole new meaning to 'we use cookies.' Mentioning the backblast reminded me of the ISIS video footage of the guy firing an RPG from in side a room through a hole in the wall. Killed by his own backblast.
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  8. I've long had a soft spot for the F-5. Not big and flashy, or expensive, like many of its contemporaries, but a great little workhorse.
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  9. The F-4 Phantom definitely in my top 5 Cold War jets. Always looked like it meant business.
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  10. There are several stories about what happened with the two MiG-31s. One of them is that there was a hanger fire which destroyed one or both of them. Another is that one of them was destroyed in a mock dogfight when a missile was accidentally deployed through the mind reading device, which is why it was never used again, and the second one is said to have lost control and crashed because it was too close to first one when it exploded. Something not often reported was the death of a Soviet airforce general soon after this event. It has been said that he was in someway involved in the loss of both aircraft. The second one is, of course, at Area 51. Where else would you put it. I say is. There is a rumour that it was actually lost over the North Pole because an alien from Area 51 was bored one day took it for a ride. Apparently it could not read his mind and fired the ejection seat. But that would be silly.
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  11. I knew of this aircraft but not much on the detail. So thanks for that.
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  12. Sometimes the wrong aircraft is the right aircraft it just needs placing in the right roles.
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  13. A business with its own army. I'd hate to have to visit their complaints department
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  14. Looks like the plans for at least three different aircraft which got mixed up.
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  15. Interesting that it was a Maryland which first reported the deparcher of the Bismarck. When the British Royal Navy lost contact with her later it was a Catalina which found her again. This time the American connection was even closer as the man who spotted the Bismarck, the pilot of the Catalina, was an American. As America was still technically neutral at this time this was not mentioned until much later.
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  16. Having seen the French navy with their pre-dreadnought floating hotels, the French airforce went one better with flying apartment blocks. You get the feeling it was a bad idea to have the design team right next to a vineyard.
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  17. Ye-8 sounds like something made in Newcastle. Interesting idea. It did remind me of what they did to the North American F-100. The North American F-107. But in that case the air intakes were on top rather than underneath. The F-107 also did not make it into service either.
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  18.  @jamesdeery5377  And not gotten any better. Remember the British soldiers killed in the first Gulf War because a couple of trigger happy A-10 pilots was so set on getting kills they attacked a British column claiming the were Iraqis. And they were supposed to be experts at vehicle recognition. An RAF Jaguar pilot sent to check flew at a higher altitude and recognised them as British.
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  19. Thanks, Ed. The Dutch airforce tends to be one of those which ends up in the sort of reference book which is a follow on to the one which covers all the main protagonists. As it includes all the 'also rans' it means they do not get the same attention as the main contenders. So it is good to learn a bit more about them.
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  20. Okay. I knew about this one as I used to work at the Blackburn factory, though by then it was Britsh Aerospace, and they had a model of it on display in the reception area. If those hangers behind are at Blackburn's then I worked in one of them.
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  21. The Blackburn factory was right next to the River Humber. So to protect the site there was a bank built around it between it and the river. To test the Firebrand's guns the tail was raised to sit the aircraft in a level position. The guns could then be fired at a target to make sure the were grouped correctly. This was done with the bank as a backstop for safety reasons. One day while testing the guns Blackburn got a telephone call from an irate ships captain wanting to know what he was being shot at. It turned out that because the same position had been used for so long the shells had drilled a hole through the bank. Whatever people may say about Blackburn they built the Buccaneer. The finest low level attack aircraft of its time. When flying at Red Flag the USAF could not get anywhere near it. Even when the fighters tried to catch them flying over the ridge to exit from the site the Buccaneer pilots just flipped it on its back and flew over the ridge upside down so the fighters could not get a shot.
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  22. I thought for a minute you had slipped up and you was about to tell use about an episode of Stop That Pigeon.
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  23. The Russians are losing tank at a rate of 150 per month but an only build 20 per month. That means that it will take over 11 years to replace the loses. So they are refurbishing some 90 old tanks per month as replacements.
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  24. A great display of Russian airmanship. 🙄
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  25. When the Soviet Union came to an end MiG tried to sell the MiG 29 to the international market and brought it to the UK. Some British RAF test pilots flew it and was very impressed by how easy it was to fly. The MiG representative said that this was because Soviet pilots were getting so little flying time they had to make it easy.
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  26. Ukrainian Supply Logistics: What! Their sending what!? When's the WW1 biplanes arriving?
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  27. One thing with mines is that when you sink one ship it delays many others, especially if the ship sinks in a choke point. And stopping ships stops industry which starves armies.
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  28. To be fair that was their own fault. And they had done the same to France after the Franco-Prussian War.
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  29. Some of these aircraft look like they are from an episode of Dastardly and Muttley with their multiple wings. This one looks like it was in a Disney film. Flown by Baron von Razor-Strop. Interestingly the name floh, flea, would make a return. The motto for one of the German squadrons which flew the Me 163 was 'Only a flea but oh what a flea' (I am paraphrasing here somewhat).
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  30. The way drones are progressing it is starting to look like all the military people will end up working from home.
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  31. Hitting the wrong target is nothing new as we know. At the start of the Battle of France the first place the Germans bombed was one of their own towns. And they should have known it was there but due to a navigational error bombed. So, unless there was other evidence, I would go on the idea of it being a navigational error. As for the casualties then it would rely on what was happening at the base. It could well be possible to do two strafing runs with minimal casualties if any.
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  32. When you mentioned about them going to North Africa I was rather hoping they had to face the Gloster Gladiator. Loses to a biplane which it was supposed to be faster than has got to be a humiliation.
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  33. They look fresh from the factory
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  34. A very deadly game of cat and mouse. These sort of flights could be a series on their own.
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  35. To be fair the Skyraider only stayed as long as it did because of the Viet Nam War. Having said that it now looks like propeller driven aircraft are making a comeback as it has been realised that using the A-10 in counterinsurgency is a lot like using a Rolls-Royce for pizza delivery.
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  36. Thanks, Ed. I did come across this helicopter some years ago and my first thoughts were surely this is just one big flying target. But after reading about its use in Viet Nam I did wonder why many more were not used. A couple of years ago I came across some interesting statistics with regards to the use of helicopters in Viet Nam with regards to combat time seen by US troops. In WW2 the average marine saw 40 days of combat while fighting in the Pacific. In Viet Nam a soldier would see 315 days of combat. Being able to move troops into and out of the field very quickly making the difference.
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  37. Thanks, Ed. I came across the P-43 many years ago but there was very little in the way of in formation given at the time. So it was great to have the blanks filled in.
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  38. I always thought the F-5/F-20 was much underrated. And considering how long they lasted and how many were built they should be better known.
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  39. Where would we be without the man in his shed.
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  40. With my first car I had, on occasion, to start it by hand. Not a fun thing to do at the best of times. On a cold wet and windy night it's surprising how many swear words you remember.
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  41. Somewhat ironic that the first prototypes used British engines as that is what Spain did to keep its Messerschmits flying
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  42. Thanks, Ed. I knew very little about the YC-14 and even less about the YC-15. So, thanks to you, that is no longer the case. I know the Soviets took to the YC-14 design for the Antonov An 72/74 but as they have so many grass and dirty airstrips you can see why. Maybe take a look at their version at some point.
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  43. A bit harsh on the Togolese Coast Guard aren't we.😀
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  44. I too wondered about the propeller being at the rear when it came to landing. I also wondered about the arrester hook as there did not seem to be a good place to put it.
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  45. The 159 always looked to me like they forgot to add the bottom wing to a biplane. Other that the fact it looks like the trainer I do wonder what advantage having the wing on the top would give, especially when you consider the how much sky it blocks out.
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  46. I do get the feeling that when aircraft like this one is the subject of the video it should be accompanied by theme for Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machine. As there were several perfectly flyable biplane bomber what made them think this would work. I understand they had a lack of experience, not that we needed telling, but at least take a look at what everyone else was doing. When I say everyone else I took it as read that excludes anything by Caproni.
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  47. The Manchester also brought down the Hawker Tornado which used the same Vulture engine. The irony here was that the Vulture engine was virtually trouble free on the Tornado. You have to wonder what would have happened if the Tornado kept flying and the Typhoon was dropped.
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  48. I'm more surprised that you still have milkmen. Poor mite is not going to be able to follow in daddy's foot steps. Reminds me of the old joke about a couple who have just moved to a different city. One morning just after they had moved the husband comes back into the kitchen, having just picked the milk bottles up of the doorstep, when he turns to his wife and says. 'that milkman must have one hell of a milk round.' 'Why do you say that,' asked his wife. 'Well,' said her husband. 'That's the same milkman we had where we used to live.' 'And that's 90 miles away.'
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  49. The problem for the Royal Navy was that aircraft and aircraft design was put in the hands of the Royal Air Force. Which meant that their requirements were not properly catered for. Though they did get control back they were having to play catch-up during WW2. The German Kriegsmarine in WW2 had the same problem in that the aircraft they wanted for their carrier but Herman Goring refused to let them have any. I once read an autobiography of a Royal Air Force pilot who served between the wars. It was suddenly decided that RAF pilots should learn to fly from carriers. It was not a decision welcomed by the RAF pilots, as you can imagine.
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  50. The Valiant was used during the Suez Crisis where the Egyptians used the MiG 17s to try to intercept it. But as the service ceiling for the Valiant was 2,000 feet higher than that of the MiG they never got close.
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  51.  @billdyke9745  As you have just confessed to wearing flares on YouTube I think your task of destroying the evidence may not be as successful as you believe 🤔
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  52. I seem to remember reading that many of the Soviet pilots used to fly the harassing attack during WW2 were women who seemed to have developed quite a flair for the task. There was a British tank crew which shot down a MiG-15 in Korea using its main gun. By that time of the war in Korea the tanks were being used more as self-propelled artillery as there was little in the way of opposition from the North Korean tanks. To carry out the task of shelling North Korean positions the tanks were sat on specially constructed ramps to give them more elevation. While they were firing on the enemies lines the MiG flew down the valley the tanks were in passing in front of the tank in question just as it fired. The tank shell hit to MiG blowing it up killing the pilot. Not sure if they were credited with this kill but it has got to be something to boast about.
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  53. The Pterodactyl was on its wat to Farnborough when it was involved in an accident when it was hit by a comet rendering the Pterodactyl extinct. It's a pity he did not stick with the one shown 0:22 as that does look a better design. Leave it a single seater with the twin vertical fins and mount four machineguns in the nose.
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  54. I do know of Beardmore, mostly through their involvement in locomotives for the Great Eastern Railway in East Anglia. They built GER S69 4-6-0 locomotives.
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  55.  @casinodelonge  Not sure about the Italians as they would have viewed it as not having enough wings.
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  56. Along with the aircraft the west has, for some time, been sending military instructors and advisors to Ukraine. Yes Britain did send some troops to teach the Ukrainians to use the Javelin missiles just before the invasion, but that is part of a long running project by a number of western countries to help Ukraine improve its armed forces. Considering the poor state of the Russian economy even before this all happened you have to wonder about the standards of Russian training.
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  57. These people may have been the same ones who, some 50 years before, had designed the French navies battleships which looked like floating hotels
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  58. Polikarpov in the US in the lead up to WW2. Now that would have been interesting.
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  59. I think they've used the gates for spear for when they've run out of muskets
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  60. I am surprised they did not try and sell the helicopter to the army. A fleet of them landing anything up to a regimental size group where ever they were needed would be of huge importance. The autogiro you show at 1:35, the Avro Rota C-30A, was one of those unsung heroes of the Battle of Britain. They were used to calibrate the radar so they could work out the hight of the incoming German bomber raid. The radar operators needed something which could fly as slowly as possible at the same altitude as the raiders. I believe one thing the would do to reduce their speed was fly into the wind which could bring them virtually to a stop as far as ground speed is is concerned. All this while being unarmed and with German fighters about.
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  61. I did know about the Jaguar being shot down. As I understand it the Phantom had a jack plug socket in which a jack plug would in inserted before going into combat. This would complete a circuit and allow the missiles to be fired. Because of the closeness the border between West and East Germany it had become standard practice to have the jack plug resting in the socket. So in the event of a sudden attack by the Warsaw Pact the plug could be quickly pushed in to complete the circuit and make the aircraft ready for combat. What was supposed to happen was that the Phantom would intercept the Jaguar and do a mock firing of the missile. But what actually happened was the plug was in far enough for the circuit to be completed and the missile was launched. Fortunately the pilot of the Jaguar managed to eject from the Jaguar. After that the jack plug would no longer be placed into the socket until it was needed. Not sure if the Jaguar pilot got his tie from Martin Baker, the people who made the ejection seat. You are entitles to join an exclusive club of those who had successfully used the ejection seat. This was not the last time the Jaguar pilot ejected from an aircraft as he had to do it again. As I am writing this a thought has occurred to me. In the British military if you are awarded the same medal more then once instead of wearing two medals you would wear a bar across the ribbon of the first medal. So if you are awarded the Military Cross twice it would be the Military Cross and Bar. So having ejected twice was the unfortunate Jaguar pilot awarded the Tie and Bar.
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  62. It looks like some sort of prehistoric bat. Or something designed on a Friday afternoon when the liquid lunch was decidedly more liquid then usual. Still. It would have been interesting to see it over Berlin in 1944.
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  63. I came across this some years ago. The version I saw would have been flown by the Royal Air Force and was aimed at dealing with the huge Soviet helicopter fleets which would have been used to drop thousands of troops behind NATO lines. As jet aircraft are not much use against low flying helicopters the idea was to have these aircraft deal with them. I think they were to have flown behind the NATO front line and dealt with the helicopters once they had crossed over. Interestingly the RAF version would see the return of the Spitfire wing. The end to the Cold War meant there was no longer a need for such an aircraft.
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  64. There has been talk, on and off, of bringing back the OV-10 Bronco for COIN use. Got to be better then using the A-10 for COIN which is like using a Rolls-Royce for pizza delivery. Great aircraft though it is the A-10 it's wasted on COIN missions.
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  65.  @stephenrickstrew7237  I'll have to tell my partner that one. She loves puns. Ok, I laughed as well.😁 Just came across a photograph of a black Jeep. Licence plate is BAABAA. Thought you'd like that one.
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  66. When I first came across the Albacore I had wondered why they had just enclosed the cockpit. It was not until I looked into its history I realised that there was more to it and its reputation was not deserved. Taranto may have had a bigger impact if the second carrier had been available as was supposed to happen. One or two more of the larger warships damaged or sunk would have made it harder to make a show of force.
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  67. Actually the reason for the German Me-262 having swept wings was because the engines they ended up using was longer then those originally planned, with the engine much further forward of the leading edge.. This left the aircraft somewhat nose heavy. So to counter this problem they swept the wings back which moved the centre of gravity back.
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  68. At 3:42 there is a group of figures in the bottom right corner. I believe the figure on the left raising his right hand in greeting to the man with his back to us is Edward, Prince of Wales. Interestingly, many of the people in the photograph are wearing black arm bands which would indicate they are in mourning. So I do wonder if this was taken in January 1936 after George V had died. Which would make Edward King Edward VIII. First time I saw the Wellesley I was very much put in mind of a flying cloths peg. One which hung the Italian out to dry.
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  69. Well, at least enough to fit a cup holder in the cockpit.
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  70. The F-15EX would make a better choice. Ticks all the right boxes and with the two seater version would make it ideal for ground attack and long patrols on the Canadian border. I did come across the idea that one of the reasons the F-18E/F was not picked was because of the Boeing causing all that trouble for the Canadian owned company Bombardier. Something which was seen as totally unnecessary on the part of Boeing as Bombardier was in no way a rival for any of Boeing's market. If true, and I am not saying for one moment it is, then would the same apply to the F-15EX Anyway. CF-15EX Would make the better bet.
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  71. To be fair they got it spot on with the Buccaneer. It flew so damn low it did not need guns to kill infantry. And at that hight not even the fastest jets could catch it.
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  72. Thanks for the video, Ed. I had heard of this Lanc, if you hang around long enough it's amazing what you come across, but I have to admit I had forgotten all about it. As I don't remember much about it I'm assuming I had read a brief mention about it in one of those articles or books which seeks to list all the variants no matter how obscure. So thanks for the research.
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  73. Actually a number of P-39s and later P-63s were flown by US pilots who thought they were a very good aircraft and liked them a lot. You have to wonder what they could have achieved after D-Day with a 37 mm and a couple of 20 mm cannons in the wings taking part in the staffing of German vehicles on the roads in France.
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  74. I did read that the Egyptian airforce looked to using their new MiG-15s against the Valiant but as there was over three thousand feet between the service ceiling of the Mig and that of the Valiant this was never going to happen.
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  75. Do you think it's possible that the next step for drones is aerial combat with each other and that Digital Combat Simulator is being used like in The Last Starfighter to recruit virtual pilots. Or do you think it's time I had another coffee. And before anyone says it there is no such thing as too much coffee.
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  76. Plans for 1919 would have been very interesting indeed. Combined arms with a dedicated ground attack aircraft and paratroopers would have been a huge step forward militarily. Something which would not happen until the invasion of the Netherlands in 1940. And then by the Germans. Now that's history changing.
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  77. Some must have realised what a missed opportunity the Junkers Ju 89 was when they were having to build the Mistel to do the job which the Ju 89 could have done. Some 250 Mistels were built with limited success. Operation Iron Hammer was to knock out Soviet power stations around Moscow and Gorky. But these were never attacked because the Red Army had entered German and the Mistels no longer had the range. The Ju 89 could have carried out these raids. When looking at the Allied bomber raids one thing which is often overlooked is that they tried up some 5,000 aircraft, about the same number of AAA guns and one million men. Stalin may have dismissed the idea that this was the second front but just imagine have having all of that to send to the east.
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  78. Thanks for the video, Ed. I seem to remember coming across this aircraft in the dim and distant past where, I seem to remember, it was claimed to have been the bomber version of the Bf 110. The Ju 88 was a much better aircraft.
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  79. Just shows what can be achieved if you have the will to succeed. As for speaking Finnish, I understand even other Nord struggle with the language. Anywhere damp or humid is never good for wooden aircraft. Even the otherwise excellent Mosquito had to be withdrawn from the Far East because of the effects of damp.
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  80. Time to take the dust covers off the Victor and Vulcan. Interesting using acronym BUFF as I seem to remember it was originally used with the F-4 Phantom II
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  81. One of those aircraft you'd have loved to see in service. It may have proven itself as a dogfighter but Robin Olds showed that the Phantom was quite capable of dealing with MiG21s with the right planning. And as a mud mover it was very capable in that role. In fact that is what the Royal Air Force bought them for. And the Vought F8 proved itself as a dogfighter. Maybe not as quickly as its sibling. Here's a thought. If it had won out against the F-4 would this video have a what if for the Phantom and how it had more potential than the Vought F8U-3
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  82. The problem with emphasis on the Ho Chi Minh trail is that the majority of the supplies came by sea. The most effective force against these supplies was the US Coast Guard. The Australian airforce flew the Canberra in Viet Nam. The Australians were so accurate that if forward air controllers knew they were available the Canberras would be used first. If just one bomb was not within the target area the crew would have to go step by step with other officers from the squadron to find out why.
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  83.  @EdNashsMilitaryMatters  Wrangler flares and a Ben Sherman shirt. Those were the days. They had Sweet playing Ballroom Blitz on the film Suicide Squad, the only good thing in the film, so maybe time for flare to return.
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  84. Great looking aircraft. Watching the video I did think that the Royal Navy could have used it. But as they had the Buccaneer the Jaguar would not really have a role.
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  85. I once met someone who was born before Karl Benz built his first car and lived long enough, she was 100 at the time, to see the first man on the Moon. So in her lifetime we went from the horse and cart to Saturn V.
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  86. That would make for a very interesting video
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  87. On the up side when the MiG-15 faced the Valiant bomber the Valiant flew to high for it to reach.
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  88. I read about that. Apparently the real Gant looks nothing like Eastwood. The photographs were a ruse to allow the pilot to return to civilian life.
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  89. This is one of several channels I follow which takes the intriguing footnotes of history and fills in the missing information.
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  90. I remember reading about the Firebrand test firing its guns during WW2. As Blackburn's factory is right next to the River Humber there is a bank between it and the river to protect the factory from flooding. To test fire the four 20 mm cannons they would lift the Firebrand's tail up to get the aircraft level then, fire at a target which was in front of the bank. After test firing one day they got a message from a rather irate barge skipper complaining about being fired on from the factory as he sailed up the river. It turned out that they had fired at the same spot so often that the cannon shells had dug a hole through the bank.
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  91. The Shorts Seamew also seems to have beaten the Il-20 to the punch.
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  92. Not sure if that mean they are international or just very confused.
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  93.  @melchiorvonsternberg844  Things have moved on since 1978
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  94. As the M4 Sherman used aircraft engines you have to wonder what the Wasp Major would have done with it. June 6th 1944. Lands on the beach at Normandy. June 7th 1944 takes Berlin. They would have arrived sooner but the driver likes to get his seven hours sleep or he gets really cranky.
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  95. The Ukrainians have a soft spot for all Russian tanks. It's called the turret.
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  96. So why was I not surprised when that Russian soldier did a backward cartwheel. It's like if you want to know how not to do something get a Russian to do it. And not what you'd call stealthy. What with the noise from the rocket. And the Russian spinning in mid air.
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  97. What does count as a kill does seem to have a wide interpretation. I seem to remember that the Germans had no problem counting aircraft strafed on the ground as a kill in WW2. And America will allow a kill if an enemy aircraft flies into the ground while in combat with an American aircraft as a maneuver kill. So why not.
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  98. Looks like someone got the Mosquito and the Beaufighter mixed up
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  99. I'd have thought dodging an incoming aircraft when things didn't go quite to plan during landing would have been higher. But then again you've probable got more experience of these things than most of us.
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  100. Oddly enough some German aircraft designers ended up working for the Allies. The designer of the Me-163 ended up in the US
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  101. That moment when you stop counting your money and start weighing it instead.
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  102. The first Ta-Go looks like a design from the early 30's. Japan had something of a Catch 22 as far as Kamikaze attacks were concerned. They needed good pilots for the aircraft they intended to use for those attacks but at the same time they could not afford to use their best pilots as these were needed to defended Japan. So, many of the pilots they used were given the bare minimum of training. This in turn caused problems because they needed to get passed the US pilots who by this time were highly experienced. And even if they did that their lack of experience often led to failure. When you see film footage of a Zero crashing into the sea instead of a ship it could well be because the pilot could not control the aircraft while in a dive. Something experienced pilots knew about.
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  103.  @hoyks1  Don't we all🤨
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  104. R.J. Michell did something similar to this but decided against it because he feared that if the wings got steam hitting cold water would be rather explosive. Martin Baker of course produce the MB 5 aircraft with a gearing system to produce contrarotating propellers but with only one engine.
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  105. I was thinking the same thing. In his book Full Circle: The Story of Air fighting. Group Captain J.E. Johnnie Johnson talks about the early part of air combat in WW1. He mentions that the top speed for these early aircraft was around 50 MPH. If the wind was westerly, which if often was, and around 60 MPH the pilot got a good tailwind and would get to his target much quicker. The problem was coming back as the tailwind was now a headwind. To get back they had to use a method usually seen on sailing ships of tacking across the wind.
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  106. It's amazing how your sales are improved by a suitcase full of cash. Just ask Lockheed. Wasn't Lockheed the ones caught charging the US government $50 for a hammer about this time. If there was any justice then the Super Tiger was the one to pick. But as so often happens it is not the one to win. I can see why the British never bought it. They still had plenty of Hawker Hunters in service and the Lightning went supersonic climbing to altitude on its first flight. But still. The Tiger sounds like an excellent allrounder.
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  107. I just Googled the Bell XP-77 and first impression was it looks good. And then I thought oh, look. A tricycle undercarriage and a cannon firing through the propeller hub. Reminds me of another aircraft. In my defence it is late evening here and it's been a long day.😒
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  108.  @javiergilvidal1558  Went from the FW-159 to the FW-190. Quite a leap.
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  109. Another one from the book of what may have beens. Thanks Ed
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  110.  @billdyke9745  Sometimes you just have to face your fate. My problem is that last time I wore a pair of flares I had a much smaller waste. This may take some time
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  111. Like you I've been interested in aircraft since I was a boy. I have heard of many of these aircraft but usually in an A6 size book which had a line drawing of the aircraft on one page and some brief information on the other page, usually covering dimensions, speed armament and weapon load. But apart from that much of what Ed covers is as new to me as it is to you.
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  112. The designer of the Heinkel 219 Uhu flew it himself on three missions where he claimed a total of three kills against the Mosquito. This would have proven the worth of the aircraft if it was not for the fact that no Mosquitoes were lost in the area he flow in.
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  113. Certainly looks somewhat sporty. There does seem to have been a thing about sitting the pilot as far back as possible. It's like being the tail gunner on your own aircraft.
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  114. Another one of those little corners of aviation history which usually came up a one photograph and a short description in a book of also rans. But still worth a look.
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  115. It's interesting how fertile some peoples imagination can be.
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  116.  @donjones4719  That's Three of us.
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  117. It would make a good movie but it may be too far fetched even for Hollywood.
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  118. Strapping a new engine to a new airframe has enough problems. But strapping a new unproven type of engine to a new airframe really ups the difficulty levels.
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  119. That is the big problem with the F-22. I understand that the quality control is so bad that parts have to be corrected before they can be fitted.
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  120. This is one of those aircraft I was aware of but knew very little about. So thanks for the video. One thing which can said about this period is that what was ordered yesterday would be out of date tomorrow.
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  121. Congratulation's on reaching 40K It is very well deserved. You listened to your audience and gave us what we asked for. What more can we do but watch your excellent videos. I think one of the other factors here is that there is a very good audience all willing to chip in and add what they know. It feels like a group of like minded people. Always enjoyable to read the comments.
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  122. The fact that the title starts off with The Douglas got me, along with the thumb nail didn't help.
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  123. Finally. A French bomber that actually looked good. Rather then something which had had a number of extensions added.
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  124. It is surprising how somethings can focus the mind.
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  125. @JZ's Best Friend Why do you think they had all those nuclear submarines up there. Of course they were 'on an exercise.' And all that thing with the Russians planting there flag at the North Pole. They were also after the Firefox. (I think I'll stop now as even as I'm starting to believe what I've written🤪)
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  126. Now this one I knew about. My thoughts when I first came across it was that before being folded the wigs did add extra lift. Whereas once folded away the wing had just become dead weight.
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  127. Somewhat ironically the made a single seat version of the Mosquito called the Hornet. Excellent aircraft but it also had a limited service life.
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  128. I may have missed something but I thought the parasol wing had been around for sometime. As for Gloster their next aircraft was a jet. Bypassed the piston engined monoplane entirely. Just shows how warfare speeds up technology.
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  129. That had me wondering as well. The whole thing has a look of someone with little understanding of naval aircraft design.
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  130. I have no doubt that the Russian warship was hit by Ukrainian missiles. But knowing what the Russia navy is like, remembering their carrier, an onboard fire which was out of control is actually quite feasible. I was going to ask what this missile strike says about the state of Russia's military intelligence that allowed this to happen. Surely they must have known, or at least suspected, that Ukraine had anti ship missiles. If not then they should have worked on the principle that it was a possibility. The reason I have not asked that question is that we know that any form of Russian intelligence, be it military or state intelligence, is a joke. And the Russian military is the punchline.
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  131. It's hard not to think they got the wrong aircraft.
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  132. He's gone to join so many great airman in the sky. R.I.P.
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  133. I did come across a reference to the incident where the Firefox accidentally flew low over a Soviet helicopter cruiser bringing down a Kamov Ka-27 which had just taken off. Apparently the helicopter hit the deck of the cruiser where it exploded. The list of casualties was never released but it is though to have included the helicopter crew and several of the sailors who were on deck at the time. This may be the Soviet naval crews you mention.
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  134.  @dannygroom3327  Not sure the pilot would be in a position to get a refund in that case.
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  135. If you've ever seen French pre-dreadnought battleships you'll know this is nothing. I'd swear that on them they had a solarium instead of a bridge'
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  136.  @BucketBucket275  I've seen that bank. That will have taken some doing.
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  137. There was some thought that the Soviets had come across the US prototype design through satellite images. The same has been said about the Sukhoi Su-25. The USAF was looking for a dedicated ground attack aircraft and an aircraft like the Su-25 was one of the two prototypes the USAF were looking at. But they went with what would become the A-10 instead. If this is true then the USAF got the much better aircraft.
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  138.  @EdNashsMilitaryMatters  I was starting to think you didn't love us anymore
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  139.  @FirstDagger  Still early technology
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  140. A French aircraft with a moustache. Getting a bit stereotyped here. But I shall refrain from asking about the beret and hooped top.
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  141. Not sure about that. Not big and complex enough for them.
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  142. I wouldn't mind seeing that one myself.
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  143. That is definatelly on my list of 'I would have liked to see that in action.' Unless, of course, I was German.
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  144. History is full of these predictions which turns out to be wrong. Twenty years before they were saying 'the bomber will always get through.' Turns out that was not true either.
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  145. I think we have to be very careful about what lessons we learn from the Russian Ukraine war. For one thing the Russian armed forces seem to have been caught out by the invasion as much as Ukraine. There are Russian air defences to take on drones. But the botched invasion has left the Russian armed forces in such a complete shambles that they were rarely used. And the average Russian pilot gets between one third and one half of the flying hours his NATO counterpart does. And, unlike the west, he does not specialise. So he may be flying air defence one day and attacking SAM sites the next. NATO has squadrons dedicated to dealing with SAMS. The pilots will fly an average of 200 hours per year on training and exercises. They will take part in things like Red Flag or Top Gun which is probably two of the most comprehensive exercises for pilots to fly in. Yes, there may well be lessons to learn, as you said. Though I have a feeling most of those will need to be learnt by the Russians. I think the first lesson they need to learn is that the surprise in surprise attack is for the enemies forces and not your own.
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  146. You'd think not. Especially with the latest revelations about one of its banks.
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  147. Birthday balloons often have a number on them to show how old the person is. This begs the question how old this person is to need a balloon that size. Probably knew Confucius when he was a lad.
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  148. @Aqua Fyre You wouldn't be the first to go into battle with a brolly. And let's not forget that the original purpose of the bowler was as a hard hat. You're going to be the best dressed soldier on the battlefield.
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  149.  @philvanderlaan5942  Fits that gap between Art Nouveau and Art Deco. Art I don't Know what they were thinking.
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  150. The photograph at 2:52 was the Beverley over its namesake of Beverley with Beverley Minster just below the aircraft. I saw the Beverley in Beverley when she was there. In fact I saw here during her last flight. I would have thought the Yorkshire Air Museum would have given her a home.
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  151. We all have them on occasion.
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  152. True about the days of innovation. But the C-130 is still out the and looks like it will be fore sometime to come.
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  153. Another aircraft I am aware of but, as happens so often here, much added to what I already knew.
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  154. As we know the Lightening was so quick that on its maiden flight it went supersonic on its first climb to altitude.
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  155. I have read about these two ships but that was some time ago and no more that a paragraph I seem to remember. The mention of the paddle wheels is what reminded me of them. As an idea for a future video or two what about remote controlled vehicles of WW2
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  156. Douglas: We've got this great new jet. The Skylancer. US Navy: Nice. Just put it at the end of that line of other great new jets, will you. Talk about right aircraft wrong time.
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  157.  @angrydoggy9170  thanks for adding that. There are reports that the tyres a cheap ones bought from China. Probably bought from Alibaba with 3000 five Star reviews
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  158.  @angrydoggy9170  Da. Good for a year or 10,000 miles. Oh. Sorry. Mistranslation Good for a year if you don't move the truck and then just 10 miles.
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  159.  @anthroderick5383  That would have been the time when I read about it as well.
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  160. This is true. And they should be kept away from drawing boards at all costs.
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  161. I had heard of the Salamander but because it never saw active service little was written about it.
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  162. The French pulling out of a project became a theme. They pulled out of being involved in the Eurofighter because the other countries refused to delay it so as the French could build and sell their aircraft.
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  163. Some very interesting aircraft here. Looking at the R-42 I could F-82 in it but my first thought was of the P-38 Lightning. Sitting the cockpit between the two fuselages with four 303s and four 20 mm would have been something of a surprise for the Germans.
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  164. My money is on the T-7. They need something to dodge them ATGMs
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  165.  @stevesullivan9752  Keeping them is one thing. Getting into them is quite another. On the upside I could still fit into the same shoes.
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  166. Someone's been watching Fireball XL5. Well you're not 'Fooling' me. Anyway, great fun Ed. Thanks
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  167.  @johnladuke6475  All they need now is computers and electricity
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  168.  @hobbyhermit66  They moved. Said they didn't like being talked about.
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  169.  @markfrench8892  So there is a place called Billings in Montana. That explains it. I wondered why Montana was being billed for everything
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  170. It was a very difficult time for both jets and carriers. I did read that back in the 50s one USN admiral had so much trouble with the latest jets landing on his carrier that he sent them all back to their shore base.
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  171.  @sterlingarcher8924  No you were entitled to buy the tie
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  172.  @andrewbranch4918  Not always your fault.
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  173.  @terraflow__bryanburdo4547  They're French so nothing British.
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  174. All things considered you may have to add some sort of designation to distinguish between the various aircraft given that sobriquet.
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  175. There was a case of a British Spitfire pilot with his squadron in France at the end of the Battle of France who brought another pilot, French I believe, back with him to England.
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  176. I have also come across a reference to the cages being used to deal with RPGs after Russian loses in Grozny. It looks like a secondary us is to add material to break up the outline in the hope the anti tank missile teams will not recognise them at tanks. I have not seen figures for other missiles but the kill rate for the NLAW is 90%. I should imagine other missiles such as the Javelin will be something similar. So cage or no cage they are going to get that tank. You can see why the Russian tank crews would sooner hide out in the woods.
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  177. I get the feeling Ukraine would say all of them.
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  178. The Iraq Iran War, when Iraq was the good guys. Oh, how things changed. When the Iraqis invaded Iran they headed straight for the oil fields and once captured Saddam basically told the Iranians that's it. We got what we want. You can stop fighting now. For some reason the Iranians decided otherwise.
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  179. I also thought the Empire was about to Strike Back.
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  180. In the spring of 43 the Germans believing that they were on the way to winning the war cancelled many military projects. Especially those which were for the defence of Germany. Amongst those projects cancelled was the Enzian. It was a smaller pilotless version of the Me-163 but was a radioguided ground launched anti-aircraft missile with a 500 kg, 1,100 lb, warhead. You can imagine what that would do if one or two of those had exploded in formation of USAAF B-17s. If it had gone into production then maybe the XB-28 would have been looked at again.
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  181. Right kit, right place but wrong time.
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  182. Surely all them civilians are already fighting. For the other side.
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  183. Definitely a success story.
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  184.  @johngreen-sk4yk  Interesting phraseology. I don't want to worry you but that's the sort of phrasing you get from crazy dictators.
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  185.  @johnladuke6475  judging by some of the cookie list he'd either give up or forget what he was there for.
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  186.  @DraftySatyr  True but it could be quite drafty. The most dangerous job in the world at that time was that of the man that had to wash the windows.
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  187. As wooden aircraft go I don't think the Mosquito has anything to worry about.
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  188.  @AudieHolland  It took me awhile to realise them and the Me-109 had their engines the wrong way up.
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  189. Looks quite a useful fighter. You have to wonder what it would have been like in combat.
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  190.  @dovidell  Over time it has absorbed many words from around the world. I once got the better of someone trying to show off while we were discussing something. He said 'well the French have a word' for that to which I replied 'just the one?'
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  191.  @robertl6196  Just in case they had to fight them.
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  192. Someone did fall off. His nickname was stumpy
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  193. Not sure how I missed this one. When the Royal Air Force approached North American to build some of Curtiss's aircraft for them North American showed the RAF their ideas for a fighter. The RAF said yes but found it to be underpowered. So they took out the Alison engine and but in the Merlin in its place. So the aircraft went from being the A-36 to the P-51. And we all know what happened next.
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  194. Something of a nod towards the North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco. Looks good.
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  195. Deja View. That feeling you've watched this before
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  196. It is somewhat ironic that the US ended up buying Soviet technology, the Yakovlev Yak-141, so they could make the F-35 The US and UK should have gotten together on this. Hawker Siddeley and British Aerospace had put forward plans for a supersonic VSTOL and STOVL aircraft which could have been excellent for the job but the finance was not there. Whereas the two countries working together could have shared the cost.
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  197. I forgot to mention that there was talk, not sure if it was French or British, of a tunnel being dug under the English Channel for the French to invade Britain. Considering how long the real one took to dig you have to conclude that the war would have been over long before the tunnel was completed.
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  198. Judging by some of the videos I've seen I'd say very much so. Some of the tracks left in the mud it looks like they are some 12 to 18 inches deep, 30 to 45 cm. It does look like quite a few trucks and APCs bottomed out in it. One thing I do find odd is this has caught the Russians out as this is well known to them. Remember all the film footage from WW2 of the Germans trying to move through it. The only thing I can think of is this was not part of the decision to invade. So now they are paying for it. Hope that helps
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  199.  @notreallydavid  No problem. I tend to just write my thoughts down and then edit them afterwards. But sometimes I miss something. And thanks P.S. I just noticed I had written after instead of afterward. So I changed it before I get another correction.👍
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  200. I always thought the Halifax did not get the attention it deserved. It was doing much of the heavy lifting before the Lancaster even turned up.
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  201. so the famous, or infamous, Football War was not about football but was about bananas. Is that better, worse, or just a step sideways.
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  202. Definitely one for the list of 'we'd like to have seen that one in service.' One of the things I've wondered about with this sort of configuration is how do you protect the engine as this is the rear of the aircraft is the area most likely to be hit. I think I read in Air Vice Marshal James Edgar 'Johnnie' Johnson's book Full Circle that he mentions that many Italian pilots did not want enclosed cockpits because stunt pilots did not use them. It was a case of if they don't use them I don't use them.
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  203. I understand the Russians had a secure phone called Era. This would help them talk to each other without being listened in on. The reason it is not working is because they destroyed the Ukrainian phone masts which they needed for their phones. The latest death of a Russian general was discovered on an expletive laden call between two people from the FSB. Which was not secure. Do they have a WhatsApp group do you think. A US expert has been looking at photographs and footage of the Russian trucks which have flat tyres. From what he has said the problem comes about because the trucks have not been moved for a long time which means that with the heat from the Sun and other weather factors has made the tyres fragile and subject to splitting. He believes these trucks have not been moved for a year.
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  204.  @JanBruunAndersen  that brought up a smile. The Chinese military have the ability to do just that because it is so corrupt. So both sides will be adding their percentage
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  205. I did know about this aircraft but this fills in much of the missing details. Thanks.
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  206.  @michaelbizon444  I supposed we'd have to do back the the flying apartment to do Art Deco.
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  207. The Mixmaster. Think I've got one of those in the kitchen. Actually I do know about Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster. Looks a handy aircraft for speed and range. But, as always, timing is everything. Pity it did not turn up in1942. Also I think if they lost the turrets and relied on speed like the Mosquito the top speed could mean only German jets could have caught her.
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  208. I understand that in 2015 the Thai air force held an exercise with the Chinese air force with the Thai's flying the Gripen. Though the Thai's did come out on top, especially with beyond visual range combat, they did have problems withing visual range. So they may have decided that rather then upgrade to a newer Gripen they would take advantage of the F-35.
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  209. @JZ's Best Friend It's classified.
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  210. Growlers would be a good addition but I was under the impression that they take time to get the dedicated crews trained up. I know the Russians just treat it as another mission, like flying ground attack or as escort, which is one f the reasons they lost so many aircraft to SAMs
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  211. Thanks Ed. Another aircraft brought out from the mists of time. It would have been interesting to have seen the B-534 as a monoplane with a retractable undercarriage. It would have been rather racy and it does look somewhat like the Hawker Hurricane with a longer nose.
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  212. There has been the sound of some serious back peddling there. It now turns out they can stay in service. But they are also buying some two seater turboprop aircraft for fighting in places like Afghanistan instead of using the A-10
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  213.  @jbepsilon  How to get yourself banned from an entire planet.
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  214. I love the 1930s aviation industry. Another day, another aircraft. Or three.
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  215. When I saw the photograph I thought it was some sort of flying radar for the fleet
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  216. I have come across this aircraft before so it is good to get further details about it. When I first saw it I looked at the nose and thought it was designed by Junker as it does have something of the Stuka about it. The German navy seems to have made the same mistakes about its composition that were made by the Kaiser before WW1 in trying to compete against the Royal Navy with surface ships. Back then the submarine was an unknown entity but after WW1 they had a better understanding of how to use them. And it's not like Hitler planned to take on Britain anyway.
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  217. Back in the early 60s the West was shocked to see the first Tupolev TU-22. The supersonic bomber. Turns out the biggest threat was to the crew as of the 311 they built 70 of the crashed. On the up side the air conditioning ran on what was effectively vodka.
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  218. It'll be interesting if the USAF does to Russia what they did to Iran and support the next drone with a couple of F-22s.
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  219. Not to worry. The crab people will get them. Tried to add an emoji but for some reason there is no half human and half crab emoji. You don't think the sea otter people got to them do you.😮
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  220. I had wondered what happened to the Fairey Delta as she showed such promise. So it is good to finally find out. Thanks Ed. Of course the best and most famous delta wing aircraft has got to be the Avro Vulcan. It had a phenomenal power to weight ratio which meant that at 60,000 feet it could out turn many fighters aircraft of its day. There was a joke that if it had a gun it could dogfight any Soviet fighter of the 50s or 60s.
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  221.  @20chocsaday  One of the things with the TSR 2 was that they wanted it all singing and all dancing. Whereas something more realistic, and much less expensive, could well have worked for the role it was to be used for. The plus side is that many lessons learned from the TSR 2 were carried forward with the Tornado.
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  222.  @xmeda  And watching you undercarriage fall off.
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  223. It is somewhat ironic how WW2 advanced some aircraft designs such as jets. while others like this one came to an end. I think we'd all like to have seen it fly. Without the wings collapsing. A couple of insect related aircraft stories for you. There is a story that Dr. Ernst Heinkel, the German aircraft designer, once told Hitler that the it was impossible for the bee to fly, but because as the bee did not know this it could fly. When I first came across this my thoughts were that the fact that the bee flies would suggest the Heikel was wrong. Turns out Heinkel was wrong, yes there's a surpise. High speed video has shown that not only does the bee fly but that it's method of flying is so advanced that we are not likely to replicate it anytime soon. Story number two. And here's one you may be able to make a video on. Post WW2 Britain built a research aircraft using something taken from some flying insects. In the past some insects had four wings but today only have two. A short stub of the original wing is still there and acts as a counterbalance to the remaining wing. So when the remaining wings beats down the wing stubs move up as a counter balance. This helped that insect with stability. So with the idea in mind it was thought that this could help with keeping aircraft stable when they fly. So they tried it out. The aircraft took off and once in the air the test pilot switch them on. Now it has been some time since a read about this so some of it is a bit sketchy. But as I remember it the stabilisers immediately cause great difficulties for the test pilot which left him struggling to fly the aircraft as the stabiliser was causing a lot of vibration. What's more he could not switch the stabiliser off so all he could do was extremely carefully fly the aircraft in a circuit until he could land it. He said it was the most terrifying experience he's ever had in his life. And no it was never flown again.
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  224. Ed does have a knack of finding these little gems to present to us.
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  225. I have heard of the Pirate but it usually came up in the ones that never made it chapter.
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  226.  @billdyke9745  Trouble is the rest has followed.
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  227. So the population of Montana
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  228.  @xgford94  Nope. That would make them way to close.
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  229.  @skepticalbadger  That's rather confusing. Are they a singing group or is that a reference to they do not bathe very often. Or possibly a mention of the fact they are not noted for being deep thinkers. Or is that all of the above plus several more which cannot be mentioned in polite company.
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  230.  @nowthenzen  I thought that was the Welsh
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  231.  @jaxxmadine  It didn't but they count those passing through.
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  232.  @IvorMektin1701  it wasn't a case of Britain not adapting more a case of different tactics. Over Britain the RAF were intercepting the Luftwaffe at much higher altitudes than the Soviets were. As the P-39 was no good at that hight it was of no use.
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  233.  @NoName-ds5uq  As I said. Once you've found its niche just stand back and leave them to it. It would have been interesting to have seen the CA-15 in action.
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  234. Sometimes mother knows best.
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  235. I've also noticed a few aircraft from this period where without the markings you'd be hard pushed to tell which navy it flew for.
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  236. Another peep behind the hanger doors of aviation history and those might-have-beens. They are now getting their 15 minutes of fame. I would be worth your while taking a look at many of the post war projects, many of which are quite astounding.
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  237. I, like you, are one of the few who have also heard of it.
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  238. Interesting that the Fury got 20 mm cannons while the Sabre still used the 50. calibre machineguns. This despite the fact that towards the end on WW2 the USAAF recognising that the machinegun no longer had the stopping power it once had.
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  239. The down side of in-depth research is is you get too in depth with the research. The downside you ask. Okay. You've got me there.
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  240. A very stunning looking aircraft. It was a while ago but I seem to remember reading that its method of delivering its nuclear weapon was to fly over the target then once it passed it to do a loop and tossed the bomb over its should just as the aircraft reached the top of the loop. The aircraft would complete the loop before flying off at high speed just as the bomb landed. Just imagine being on the ground at the target and watch the aircraft fly passed, then just as you thought you were safe you watch it do a loop and lob the bomb back your way.
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  241. I do know about the Welkin but it was a fairly brief mention which lacked your details.
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  242. So not the famed Football War.
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  243. The Hurricane was libel to water damage. So they thought it would be better to build the Hawker Sea Hurricane instead. This interesting because, as we know, the Japanese did a floatplane version of the Zero with some 327 being made.
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  244. This aircraft, along with the Italian Caproni Ca.60, make it look like an unaired episode of Dastardly and Muttley. Actually we should remember that though referred to as a triplane the Fokker Dr.1 was, in effect, also a quadplane as the Nighthawk was. This was because it had a wing between the wheels. Both the Fokker Dr.1 and the earlier Sopwith Triplane had big problems with wing loading for the top wing. In 1929 the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) investigations found that the upper wing of the Dr.1 carried a higher lift coefficient than the lower wing. At high speeds it could be 2.55 times as much. So I do wonder if the Nighthawk had the same problem.
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  245. Thanks, Ed. One thing I love about this site is that it fills in the blanks on aircraft I have heard about but would love to know more. Part of the problem with the French was that much of the aircraft earmarked for supporting Dien bien Phu were suddenly taken away for another operation, which meant they were not available for support at Dien bien Phu which was so desperately needed. A case of French muddled thinking. America did not make that mistake with Khe Sanh. The Soviet Su-25 looks very similar to the failed rival to the American A-10. It's thought that a Soviet spy satellite photographed that aircraft but missed the A-10.
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  246.  @EricIrl  It's been all down hill since Eric Bloodaxe. Eric got something of a bad reputation for other Eric's after him.
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  247.  dimapez  y that time they could have bought them from Britain.
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  248. Poor Thomas Selfridge. I am sure when he became involved with aviation it was not to be the first person to die in an aviation accident. We sometimes forget how the Wright brothers tried to monopolise aviation which is at odds with the fact that even they had to admit they had relied on other peoples discoveries.
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  249.  @Caseytify  the German navy did want to use airdropped mines but as the navy had to rely heavily on the airforce, and Goring was not going to oblige the navy, the pilots were untrained and dropped them without regards to their proper placement. This is what you get when you don't foster cooperation between people.
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  250. Definitely comes into the unsung hero category.
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  251. Always had a soft spot for Swedish postwar aircraft. Especially the Saab 35 Draken. Interestingly you can now buy the Draken. I'm going to need a much bigger piggy bank for that one. The British BAC/English Electric Lightning was also capable of intercepting the SR-71. Even, on one occasion, passing above the Blackbird.
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  252.  @huwzebediahthomas9193  We may laugh but Russia brought the T-62 back into action and that was based on the T-54/55 which dates from 1948.
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  253. Well the XC-99 is not just a forgotten aircraft but one I've never heard of. And as I have been interested in aircraft for many years that takes some doing.
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  254. Seeing that there was another excellent video of Ed's coming up I was suddenly reminded of a book I had years ago. It was a small book full of aircraft like these. Aircraft that were just a little bit late, or never made it to production or were very limited in number. Always found it an enjoyable book. One thing we can see in all of these videos is the importance of timing. If the Woomera had just been a few years early it could have been a very useful aircraft to have if it was working properly. I do wonder about using it as a torpedo bomber as the external fuel tanks do look a bit close together. Was the Woomera the first aircraft to use remote turrets? I know the B-29 used them but was it the first?
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  255.  @rob5944  Funny you should mention the head wind blowing the aircraft backwards. The earliest British and French WW1 aircraft were very slow and did have this problem while returning from flying over German lines. The only way the could return to their own lines was to tack across the wind like a sailing boat. The Luftwaffe was to all intents and purposes as tactical arm of the German army with a limited strategic role. I have to agree with you about the effect of strategic bombing on civilians. Actually this was known much earlier from the Zeppelin and later Gotha bomber raids on Britain in WW1. Something often missed about the raids on Britain in WW1 was that much of what was put in place to deal with them meant that Britain was much better prepared for the Battle of Britain
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  256.  @kentl7228  True but once one was shot down and the realisation that the monster could be slain set in the level of fear was not the same. Also the Zeppelins were never as effective as it was thought they would be. For one thing most nights the wind came from the west which made it a headwind for Zeppelins flying towards England. And if it was a strong headwind this would often mean they would be diverted to other lesser targets. This made them less effective as far as Germany was concerned. And as soon as the Gotha bombers were available in sufficient numbers Zeppelin raids were stopped. Interestingly one of those involved in the fight against these raids was General Hugh Dowding who as Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding would lead the Royal air Force during the Battle of Britain.
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  257. The most produce. Yes I do know that. It looks like it was the first to make the famed 25 sorties.
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  258.  @hughgordon6435  Sounds about right. I did come across something on YouTube about there being a special pipeline which runs from a nearby port which is supposed to supply they fuel for a hypersonic aircraft. I think it's hypersonic.
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  259. While the rest of us.🤨
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  260. You may enjoy Ed talking about paint drying but thing of it from his point of view. He has to watch the paint dry without the benefit of his narration.
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  261. It's interesting how the best piston engined aircraft ever produced came right at the end of the war but were just as piston engines were being superseded by the jet engine.
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  262. Keep an eye on your Germans
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  263. Actually the film was shot in Italy and is their latest pasta. Just need to get the size right.
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  264.  @NoName-sb9tp  Thanks
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  265.  @alerossi8564  Thanks
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  266. That China visit has been postponed. The US secretary of state has decided to delay the trip. Interestingly China has claimed it is a weather balloon which was blown off course. So a learning experience for the Chinese. The wind blows things around. This follows on from their last experiment where a man stood outside and discovered that when it rains you get wet. There next experiment looks at what is said about brass monkeys and cold weather. Do they really lose their bearings. No GPS jokes please.
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  267. Great looking aircraft. Pity it wasn't ready in 1939. Imagine the Battle of Britain with squadrons of MB.5s over Kent. You really do not have time to be a perfectionist in wartime. Which is why the whole production run of German Panther tanks was less then three months worth of T-34s. Having said that when it comes to ejector seats you do want something a little bit better then good enough.
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  268. Another little know aircraft to tickle my interest. Always a good day when one of your videos pops up.
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  269. Typical Australia. What's not getting rained on is on fire and what's not on fire is getting rained on. The things you'll do for fun. Stay dry
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  270. As locomotives had been using water condensers for some time by this point I do wonder why they didn't use that.
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  271.  @psz5515  Sorry no. It was some time ago, I think back in the 90s, so I cannot remember the source. I do remember it partly because of the reuse of the Spitfire wing and partly because I found the concept of an aircraft designed to take on these huge fleets of Soviet helicopters fascinating. The Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy do have this thing about low level flying. I know when the RAF took over the RN's Buccaneers and flew them at Red Flag and they were so low, 15 to 20 feet off the ground, the US Airforce could not touch them. So hurtling around at tree top hight would mean nothing to them.
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  272.  @sichere  Funnily enough I had the same thoughts. I know that it the chinook had to fly at top speed the Apache helicopters flying in support could not keep up.
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  273.  @sailingbrewer  You'd think so but as helicopters use chaff and flares as well. So there are times when you just have to use guns. And that means flying low and slow.
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  274.  @clivestainlesssteelwomble7665  This is true. And they also sold opium to China which got us into to wars with China.
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  275. If you wanted something different, aviation wise, you have to go Italian
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  276. I do know of this aircraft and what they planned to do with it. And we all know about the Luftwaffe would later use fighter aircraft such as the 109 to ram US bombers. It's interesting that both Japan and Germany became so desperate that they thought suicide attacks were the solution. But in Germany when your boss is a sycophantic junkie should you expect clearheaded thinking
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  277. start with a monoplane and end with a biplane. Or jets.
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  278.  @casinodelonge  If it isn't mint or something similar then you know not to trust them
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  279.  @direktorpresident  True. But it was the fact that they had to tack across the wind like they were in a sailing ship which struck me as being the most interesting.
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  280.  @politenessman3901  yet Putin's yacht is worth $100 million. His job pays well.
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  281.  @None-zc5vg  Same thing happened to the Mosquito. The glue holding to laminations together came apart in the heat.
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  282. From Antonov, the people who gave you the Antonov A40 flying tank, we have the Antonov AN-14Sh flying hovercraft. Wait. didn't the hovercraft fly anyway. Yes it does fly very low. But it is counted as flying. Even had a pilot and everything. You get a feeling it should have been in a Bond movie.
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  283. Well, they would make good drones.
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  284. Makes the Corsair look like a better aircraft for landing.
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  285. What if indeed
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  286. It looks like one of those self assembly beds you order only to find the parts come from three different beds.
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  287.  @bob_the_bomb4508  I did think of that but as a fighter the wing would make it easy to bounce from above, especially as the enemy is most likely to be ahead of you.
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  288.  @mahbriggs  And the biplane had just reach its peak. Even so low mounted wings were very common by this time.
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  289.  FlitzerFlash  Yep, your right. Still get to watch it happen though
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  290.  FlitzerFlash  When you look at aviation history it is often surprising how much earlier things were. There was a British swept wing aircraft in the early 1920s. Over 20 years before the likes of the Me-262. And I am sure there was others before that.
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  291.  @mikepette4422  But true. Possibly.🤔
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  292. Wasn't there an Italian who built a steam powered floatplane back in the 1880s I think. He tried it out on a lake and claimed it did briefly fly though there were no witnesses
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  293. The between the wars period is one of odd design ideas and things which could have been very good if only.
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  294. Thanks for reminding me about the Airfix model. I'd forgotten all about that.
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  295. Sometimes you don't realise just how complicated aircraft recognition can become. Pilot 1: Is that one of our Maryland's or one of theirs. Pilot 2: Not sure. Wait a minute and we'll find out if they start shooting at us.
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  296. The USAF did fly tactical bombers in the ground support role in Vietnam. They flew the Martin B-57 Canberra, as did the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). I did read the that Canberra of the RAAF was so noted for its accuracy that US Forward Air Controllers preferred to use them if they were available. There is the possibility the the US Army and Airforce missed out on a much better solution in the form of the Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne. A helicopter with the potential speed and firepower to have taken on the role of both the A-10 and the AH- 64 Apache. I believe one of the reasons the AH=56 was not accepted, besides it's speed making it too fast for the army airforce agreement, was its cost. But compared to the cost of both the AH-65 and the A-10 combined it was possibly a much better solution. And it would have meant it would have been under the control of the US Army rather than the US Airforce and would therefore have been under the armies budget.
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  297.  @DraigBlackCat  Thanks. Some interesting thoughts
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  298.  @willstand2514  This does seem to be more of a problem with getting things made in places like China which are not set up for western sizes. So it is more a case that your feet are the same size but the sizes shown are wrong.
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  299.  @johnp8131  We're showing our age John
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  300. Well, it's been awhile since anyone went balloon busting. Though the balloons were usually at a much lower altitude and were much better defended. And the USAF pilot who shot this one down has to get another 35 to beat the Belgian ace Willy Coppens.
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  301. The Soviets were more advanced than we believed. Though Beria had stolen the plans for the nuclear bomb from the Americans, Soviet scientist had built their own bomb which was smaller and more powerful than the US nuclear bomb.
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  302.  @jlvfr  thanks. I know the Typhoon was used more for the ground role but the P-39 could have come in useful with the 37mm
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  303.  @JohnyG29  true but ground attack and low level combat with the P-38 was more a Soviet thing as they were in need of such a thing
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  304.  @jlvfr  thanks. Interestingly the Soviet 37mm was not very good either.
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  305. Better engines with four nose mounted cannons and this could have been Italy's Beaufighter.
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  306.  @davidb6576  Not sure if either version is applicable.
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  307.  @neilcoligan8621  That's another aircraft which was flown by many countries was did not get the recognition it deserved.
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  308. Inexperience Japanese pilots flying the Zero also got caught out in the dive could also get caught out.
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  309. So have I. It was used throughout most of WW2. So several years. And we are talking 20mm cannons.
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  310. Finally got what they wanted only to run out of time.
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  311.  @tommyfred6180  I understand they are stealing civilian clothed and cars and heading for Belarus. It has been estimated that between 30,000 and 40,000 Russias have been killed, wounded, captured, surrendered or deserted. Not good news for Putin
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  312. I was thinking about the power of the Wasp Major and how it could have been used elsewhere. As the M4 Sherman used aircraft engines you have to wonder what the Wasp Major would have done with it. June 6th 1944. Lands on the beach at Normandy. June 7th 1944 takes Berlin. They would have arrived sooner but the driver likes to get his seven hours sleep or he gets really cranky.
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  313.  @maciek_k.cichon  that was banned by the French government. The French are very funny about stale bread.
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  314.  @bentilbury2002  I could go all French philosopher at this point and say the onion bomb is like life. It has many layers and always ends in tears
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  315. Actually I do know of the Bombay. In fact when I saw the thumb nail my first thoughts were, 'Oh.' 'that's the Bombay.' One thing I remember is that, as you pointed out, it looked older then it was. Interestingly the Blackburn B-101 Beverley looks somewhat like an undated version of the Bombay with its undercarriage.
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  316. Well you know how it is. You are having an amorous evening with your lady love. No. No. A real one. Honest. And you decide to spice it up a bit. So you use that butt plug from the draw in the bedside cabinet for that added spice. But in your excited fumbling you just happen accidentally to select the 6 pounder anti tank shell you just happen to keep in the same draw. It could happen to anyone. Just think. If it had been a high explosive round he could have really finished with a bang. And then, stood outside the Pearly Gates, you would have heard St. Peter say 'you did what?'
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  317. You'd think so, wouldn't you. I think it's something to do with the thinkers of such thoughts being as dumb as a bag of hammers.
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  318. It's interesting how many great aircraft arrive just at the wrong time. We all know about the best piston engined aircraft turning up just as the jets age starts. And the best biplanes going into service only to be surpassed by the monoplane. And here again is Germany bringing the best biplane of WW1 into service just as the war end. Something we'll see again some 25 years later with their jets.
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  319.  @SoloRenegade  That is so true. Though as WW2 is often viewed as a continuation of WW1 seeing the biplane reaching its peak in WW2 is rather appropriate.
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  320. I was wondering about that as well.
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  321.  @brianargo4595  thanks Brian. I've just been having one of those days today
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  322.  @sugarnads  I tend to do that in case some my not be aware of that fact
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  323.  @terrynewsome6698  My sense of humour, Terry. Having said that the West, and the Soviet Union, was quite happy to supply Saddam while he was busy keeping Iran busy. So whereas Saddam would not be on anyone's Christmas list he was tolerated. That is until he invaded Kuwait as Kuwait is on everyone's Christmas list. Yes I know Muslims do not celebrate Christmas but you know what I mean.
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  324.  @eze8970  If you check it out Iraq did consult the US ambassador about Iraq invading Kuwait and her answer convinced Saddam there would be no problems from the US.
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  325. It's in the post. Just keep your eye out for a very, very large van.😊
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  326. When I saw the photograph with someone in the front I took it that he was the pilot and that they had found a way of not having to shoot through the propeller. I also saw the he had no guns but I assumed this was because it was a prototype. But he was not the pilot but the observer. My thought was that if I was an observer I would only observe only from the ground. Preferably from a different county. When you have and aircraft that kills more of your people then the enemy does then maybe flying it is not a good idea.
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  327. In was thinking the same thing.
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  328. I very much enjoy these little gems from the past. You have to wonder what would have been achieved if the original idea of war not starting until 1944/45.
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  329. I do find it odd that we have the technology for stealth and hiding infrared signals but they don't.
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  330.  @derrickstorm6976  Actually the first 'shed' was probably a converted cow shed which was being used to store stuff in, sounds familiar. Some man on seeing the frame the family used for weaving clothe which was being stored there realised he could make improvements to it and suddenly invented the weaving industry. That was one thousand years ago.
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  331. This aircraft looks like it was designed by several different design teams none of whom ever met the other teams and all tasked with designing some specific part of the aircraft. I do hope you will be looking at the Supermarine 224. It seems like Supermarine did one or two designs with the inverted gull wing and I have come across a couple of references to the original Spitfire design being like this until it was changed. There was also meant to be a naval aircraft by Supermarine which had this wing shape to shorten the landing gear just as the Vought F4U Corsair would do later.
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  332.  @JohnyG29  Actually I came across the 224 in a book about the Spitfire some time ago but since then I have found some rather vague details, some of which contradict what I had read. So thank you for confirming the original details were correct.
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  333.  @direktorpresident  Funnily that's what she said.
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  334. So the Merlin was used by the British, Russia, lend lease spitfires, Americans, Spain on ex-German aircraft and the Italians. Just need Japan and we have the full set.
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  335.  @owen368  I'll take your advice on the coffee.
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  336.  @nightshade4873  When drones get to the point where they are fighting each other then the airforce takes over. They are not going to let the army have all that fun. Actually maybe the future to all wars is through computers rather than drones. For one thing we can all stay at home drinking our coffee.
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  337. One of the reasons the Netherlands my have not been rushing to build up its military is because of its stance on neutrality. They were neutral in WW1 and they were not planning to change that position if and when war broke out. With that in mind they would have been reluctant to give others, especially Germany, the impression that they were readying for war. Also everyone, including Germany, thought that there would be several more years before war broke out.
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  338. I also thought of the Gloster Gladiator but then I remembered its entering service date was 1937. Right on the cusp of the transition to monoplanes. I think Gloster's claim to fame is the fact that it went from biplane to jet, the Gloster Meteor, without a propeller drive monoplane in between.
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  339.  @mikearmstrong8483  don't worry about having that tune in your head. We all have it lurking there somewhere
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  340. Somewhat ironic that the USAAC was impressed by the Stuka as concept was based on the US navies Curtiss F11C Goshawk. Interestingly both the Americans and the British used dive bombers for their navies but used fighter bombers for ground attack over land. The British Army had requested dive bombers but that request was turned down.
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  341. Imagine dogfighting with a pair of 40 mm cannons. I think even the most stalwart Luftwaffe pilot would avoid taking it on.
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  342. All this equipment came in handy not only with the Vietnamese attack on Cambodia but also China's attack in support of the Cambodian's. Vietnam managed to drive back the Chinese while still fighting in Cambodia. Oddly enough one of the problems the Chinese faced in Vietnam was the fact that no one in the Chinese military wore rank insignias as all good communists were said to be equal. This resulted in incidents were orders were being ignored because that persons giving the orders was unknown to those receiving the orders.
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  343.  @philvanderlaan5942  Join the que
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  344.  @jeffbybee5207  Exquisitely ugly at a pinch.
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  345.  @babboon5764  Imagine ejecting right in front of the air intakes.
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  346.  @daviddowney9331  Incentive to stay with the jet
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  347.  @thekinginyellow1744  A;; part of the learning curve
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  348. Just had a British Pathe video come up in my YouTube feed and it shows the earlier version of the Pterodactyl 1A as seen at 0:22 on your video. It is being inspected by a British Royal Air Force officer and though it does not state who he is it does look like Marshal of the Royal Air Force Hugh Trenchard.
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  349. Talking about the difficulty of using something like that in a confined space. I am sure we've all seen the Isis guys blowing themselves up using an RPG in a confined space. Whole new meaning to a suicide attack.
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  350.  @dexexmachinatu4151  Well tbf if his IQ was higher than his age he'd would have attached it to something more solid for the test firing.
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  351. I think Putin will claim it was all just an exercise and backdown. If he thought to use this to get a dialogue with the west about NATO not getting closer to the Russian border then that has failed. Before this happened there was not a majority in Ukraine for joining NATO but there is now. And all the weapons and equipment Ukraine wanted has not only been sent but NATO troops have been sent to provide the much needed training. If this was to test NATO's resolve in helping Ukraine then he has his answer. The problem for Putin is how much has this cost Russia. Russia is reliant on the sale of gas, oil and arms exports. Many arms deals have been cancelled and he has just shown those countries in Europe who buy the oil and gas how venerable they are. All that expense of the new pipeline is now wasted. And the only country he can sell to is China. Definitely a buyers market for China.
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  352. Actually the Royal Air Force was using autogyros before the war and used them during the Battle of Britain to help calibrate the radar with regards to how high the Germans were flying.
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  353.  @mirthenary  the SE5A had a top speed of 138 MPH so yes it could catch it.
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  354.  @grahvis  SE5A could catch it with all its engines.
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  355.  @neoclassic09  I'd pay to watch that
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  356.  @jonathanklein383  The British SE5A could do 138 MPH
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  357.  @JanHgh  It would have been interesting. Possibly using a Martin Baker tie pin.😀
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  358. Much has been made of the F-35s stealth capability. But we all know that at some point it will be beaten. Every new advance will, at some point, be defeated. And if you can get within visual range of an F-35 is is not the top dogfighter. When the British Royal Air Force flew them in visual range against the Typhoon the Typhoon won every engagement. Ed. A bit of advice with regards your new microphone. Make sure you get a decent stand. If it comes with a little tripod do not use it. It is useless. It does not have to be mega expensive mike stand. Something between £20 and £30 should do it. Secondly get yourself a pop filter. That's one of those round discs they have in front of the mike. It will cost about £5 and will attach to the mike stand. I will improve the sound. Hope that helps.
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  359. There was a report came out in 1959 which stated that surface to air missiles would become so potent that no aircraft would be safe and this would be the end of aircraft flying over enemy territory. The thing which amazed me when I found out about this report was that people actually believed it. Radar guided missiles can be effected by jamming and chaff. Neither of which were new. Chaff, after all, is just what window was in WW2. And jamming signals is older then that. I understand that the first use of flares to distract heat seeking missile was by an Israeli reconnaissance pilot who was trying to distract a heat seeking missile by using the flares he carried to aluminate the battlefield at night. It worked and he went home.
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  360. Are we also starting to see a way of dealing with the likes of NLAW and Javelin. Something placed on top of a tank turret which can kill the missile on its way to the tank. We all knew it was only a matter of time before a counter was produced. On the up side t could be some time before the likes of Russia and China could have such a piece of kit.
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  361.  @Simon_Nonymous  Now you mention it I can see what you mean👍😄
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  362. I have to say I can solve all of those by simply telling you that all these phenomena are down to my playing Destroy All Humans. In the UK in the past one of the areas often sited for these phenomena was a place called Warminster. Warminster just happened to be near the Royal Aircraft Establishment where top secret research into aircraft was carried out. Another popular spot was in East Anglia. Were the USAF had bases. They, I believe, flew U-2 and SR-71 aircraft from there. Interestingly one area for which these phenomena have now been spotted is off North West Scotland and are thought to be what is known as the SR-72.
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  363. Just when you think there is nothing new to learn about the Spitfire and its variants up pops two more. The Spitfires wing almost made a return. Back in the 1980s it was realised the problems which the Soviet helicopter fleets could cause in the event of a war by dropping troops behind NATO lines. There was a proposal put forward for a highly maneuverable turboprop power aircraft utilising the canard layout and with the Spitfires wing. The idea was that, similarly to the A-10, it would have a rotary cannon in the nose, 20 mm I believe, and the turboprop in the rear. It would also mount a large number of air-to-air missiles under the wings. Once the Soviet helicopter fleets were detected squadrons of these aircraft would be scrambled to intercept them. The end of the Cold War meant that the idea never went any further.
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  364. Whatever the Navy felt about the RAF collaring all the best fighters the German navy would have been yellow and green with envy.
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  365. With a speed of 120 MPH the Ta-Go could have been easy prey for the Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a of WW1 which had a top speed of 138 MPH.
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  366. Same here.
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  367.  @limedickandrew6016  True there is a lot of propaganda but those are not Ukrainian claims. And if anything they are confirmed kills. So there are others which are still to be confirmed. And if the Russians had not lost so many tanks why were they putting T62s back into service and are they bringing T-54s out of retirement. The T-54 dates from 1948.
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  368.  @limedickandrew6016  I've seen the ' German Panther' but it looks like it was a film prop.
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  369.  @ChucksSEADnDEAD  And now T-55s which saw service against the US M48 and the British Centurian
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  370. Looks like a pregnant fish and flew like one by the sounds of it.
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  371. An interesting 'what if.' I seem to remember that the US Navy wanted the F-18 as cost saving exercise because the F-14 was so expensive. To sweeten the deal they added other capabilities which then pushed the price up to the point where it cost more that the F-14. Makes the F-15N look like a better choice.
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  372. I have long known about the Whirlwind and, like you, I did think it should have been given the Merlin engine. They could have reequipped them with the Merlin once the Battle of Britain was over. Even without being used as a pure fighter it would have made a terrible mess on any ground target. Imagine a couple of squadrons doing hit and run raids in France in 1941 with four or five squadrons of Spitfires in support. It could have cause havoc to all the Luftwaffe bomber bases in Northern France. i understand a number of the squadrons ended up in Russia.
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  373. I just looked up both the Gloster F.5 and the Mitsubishi A6M and they are remarkably similar. The F.5 is a bit slower but only has a 9 cylinder engine compared to the 14 cylinders of the A6M. You have to wonder what difference the extra 5 cylinders would have made as he F.5 had a top speed of 316 MPH whereas the A6M could make 331 MPH. It may, like the A6M, have made an excellent naval aircraft, assuming it is not used with the British Pacific fleet. The US did have some difficulty recognising none America aircraft.
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  374.  @mombaassa  I have a feeling this is a story put about the US to hide the fact that they have it at Area 52 (Area 51 is in fact a cover story for Area 52.) We all know that the only way that guy you mentioned can get all those deliveries done in one day is by time travel. And what he flies is kept at the secret Area 25 at the North Pole. Am I the only one getting a headache from keeping track of all these secret bases.
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  375.  @joeschenk8400  There was a B-24 which flew the 25 mission before any B-17 did. Unfortunately it crashed into a mountain in Iceland killing a USAAF general who was onboard. So it never got the attention it deserved for what it achieved.
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  376. The upward firing guns on the Me-110 could be just as dangerous to the Germans. The last sight for more then one German was the blazing wreck of his victim plunging down on top of them.
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  377. The Bristol F2 was originally to be a bomber but when they realised it was built like a fighter, with the pilot also being provided with a machinegun, it became what must have been the first ever fighter bomber. Interestingly both the pilot and machine gunner of the F2 would be credited with same kills regardless as to who had actually shot the enemy aircraft down. This may have been because at some point both may have shot the same aircraft.
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