It's Time To Play,"What's My Plane" !

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Thank you Rugbyfan 1972. For whatever reason I have made a bad habit of confusing McCudden with Ball for years. You are correct, it was most definitely Ball who was first credited with using the sliding Foster mount on his Nieup to attack from below, and wrote about having some success with it. It's likely that McCudden heard about the tactic and gave it go when he got out of the DHs's and into the SE5's. However, many Allied pilots after the war stated in their own writings, and later in interviews with historians, that it was nearly impossible to fire the gun in such a fashion with any real accuracy and most did not bother to try and develop the skill.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Red-Dog 3]

I look at from a different angle, the RE8 was more difficult to fly, but with a Top Speed of 102mph. It offered a Chance for Survival, particularly if your observer knew which end of machine gun was dangerous. The BE2 offered two chances at survivablity , . . Slim . . and None, with a top speed of 72mph. It was like a cat . . toying with a three legged mouse. The BE2 was obsolete in 1914, it hung around BECAUSE of it's ease of flying. And the Raw Courage of it's crews.

 

 

Hi Uncleal,i belive that the other reason we had to fly the BE2 was because it was a goverment backed design so they had to show support and bulit too many?

[Bullethead 12]

#16 does share one important feature with the aircraft he mentioned.

 

Yes, I knew the manufacturer, but I was less sure on the specific model than I was on the SVA picture, so I went with that one. Now I think I've got this one figured and am impatiently waiting until 1110 my time tomorrow when my 36 hours run out, meanwhile checking periodically for bonus questions (which I hope are more obscure in the future so I have a chance to answer them ).

 

But in the interests of fair play, I'll buy all participants a drink to lubricate the thinking gears. This is a drink I learned from a complete sot in Southampton: one of those little bottles of Bass No. 1 barley wine topped up to a full pint with mild. Bottoms up!

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Good luck Bullethead, I hope you have the chance to put in your answer on the bird.

 

Meanwhile, as we are waiting anyway...

 

DING DING DING !!! WILD CARD PHOTO !

The first to correctly identify the item in the photo, what it's purpose is, and the aircraft it is fitted to will be awarded 2 bonus points. You must be precisely correct on all fronts to be awarded the points.

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Olham 164]

Okay; pic 16 must be an LVG C-Type; I'd say the C VI, cause it's designer DID work for DFW earlier

(thanks for that hint); here's Wikipedia about that craft:

 

LVG C.VI was a German two-seat reconnaissance aircraft used during World War I.

 

Development

The aircraft was designed by Willy Sabersky-Müssigbrodt and developed by Luft-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft

(LVG) in 1917. The C.VI was a further development of the C.V, which Sabersky-Müssigbrodt had made for

his former employer DFW. It was lighter, smaller and aerodynamically refined, although its fuselage

seemed more bulky. It was a biplane of mixed, mostly wooden construction. It featured a semi-monocoque

fuselage, plywood covered. Rectangular wings of wooden and metal construction, canvas covered.

Upper wing of slightly greater span, shifted some 25 cm (10 in) towards front. Vertical fin plywood

covered, rudder and elevators of metal frame canvas covered, stabilizers of wooden frame canvas covered.

Straight uncovered engine in a fuselage nose, with a chimney-like exhaust pipe. Two-blade Benz wooden

propeller, 2.88 m (9.45 ft) diameter. Flat water radiator in central section of upper wing.

Fixed conventional landing gear, with a straight common axle and a rear skid.

A total of 1,100 aircraft of the type were manufactured.

 

Operational service

Most LVG C.VIs were used by the German military aviation in last operations of World War I, mostly on

Western Front, for close reconnaissance and observation.

After the war, Deutsche Luft-Reederei (DLR) used several C.VIs to provide mail and passenger transport

service. The Polish Air Force used several aircraft during Polish-Soviet war (the first was left by the

Germans, another completed from parts in 1920 and several bought abroad). Suomen ilmailuliikenne Oy

purchased two C.VIs from a Swedish airline in 1923. The company filed bankruptcy in 1922, but would be

a predecessor to Aero O/Y, i.e. Finnair. The Finnish Air Force purchased two aircraft. One was destroyed

in a spin in Santahamina in 1923. The other was used until the end of 1924. Several (at least eight) were

used by Lithuania, two last ones survived until 1940. Three were used in Czechoslovakia, two in Switzerland

(1920-1929), several in the USSR.

 

Today, there are three surviving C.VIs. Two are on display at the RAF Museum in Hendon and the Musée de

l'Air et de l'Espace in Paris. [end of quote]

 

I don't know, what the important feature was, that you mentioned being improved by the designer, but I

guess, that think it's either the radiator being placed sidewards of the pilot, so he could not get hurt

by boiling water; or that second pipe going from the radiator forward.

 

Last question: can I still take part on the wild card picture?

[RAF_Louvert 101]

There ya' go Olham. It is indeed an LVG C-type, and I would have accepted either a C.V or a C.VI. Personally I think it is a C.V based on how horizontal-looking the lower edge of the engine cowling is, but I am not 100% sure of that myself. The final two points in this set are yours Olham.

 

Also, yes you are free to go for the Wild Card as they are separate from the photo sets. However, if you answer incorrectly you would still have to wait 36 hours before trying again on the same Wild Card photo.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

 

 

[Bullethead 12]

 

Well, let's see what Lady Luck has to say this time .

 

The stuff I'm reasonably sure on:

 

The item in the photo is an air valve for fuel management. One slide determines whether the air comes from the hand pump or the mechanical pump and the other slide determines which fuel tank the air pressure from the pump acts on.

 

The thing I'm guessing on:

 

This was installed in a Fee.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Well Bullethead, Luck is NOT being a Lady to you tonight, I'm afraid. While your reasoning is excellent it is none-the-less completely incorrect. Sorry Sir, better luck next time.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Bullethead 12]

Luck is NOT being a Lady to you tonight, I'm afraid.

 

Yeah, she's usually in a fickle mood. But still audentes Fortuna iuvat; I'm living proof .

 

I'm just glad to be able to take a shot at this one. The other bonus pics were over and done with before I knew they existed .

[Olham 164]

Okay, my guess on the wildcard photo - when it's half wrong, the other half may help others.

 

This must be a cleat, or how you call that in English, for fixing boats to land, with ropes-

or seaplanes! So this will be on a seaplane here. Now I didn't find any picture showing it;

and I must guess: the Hansa-Brandenburg W 29 ?

 

Here's Wiki about it:

 

The Hansa-Brandenburg W.12 was a German biplane fighter floatplane of World War I.

It was a development of Ernst Heinkel's previous KDW, adding a rear cockpit for an observer/gunner,

and had an unusual inverted tailplane (which instead of standing up from the fuselage, hung below it)

in order to give an uninterrupted field of fire.

The W.12's (under the Naval designation C3MG) served on the Western Front, based at the Naval air bases

at Ostend and Zeebrugge. The aircraft had some success, and one shot down the British airship C.27.

In April 1918, a W.12 made an emergency landing in the neutral territory of the Netherlands, where it

was interned and flight tested by the Dutch. In 1919 the government of the Netherlands bought a licence

to build the aircraft. Thirty-five W.12's were subsequently manufactured by the Van Berkel company of

Rotterdam as the W-A, serving with the Dutch Naval Air Service until 1933.

 

The Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 was a German monoplane fighter floatplane which served in the closing months

of World War I, from bases on the North Sea coast. It was based on the W.12 biplane that it was designed

to replace. The monoplane configuration created less drag, and thus gave greater speed.

 

General characteristics

 

* Crew: Two (pilot & observer/gunner)

* Length: 9.38 m (30 ft 8 in)

* Wingspan: 13.50 m (44 ft 4 in)

* Height: 3.00 m (9 ft 11 in)

* Wing area: 32.2 m² [2] (348 ft²)

* Empty weight: 1,000 kg [2] (2,200 lb)

* Loaded weight: 1,494 kg (3,285 lb)

* Powerplant: 1× Benz Bz.III 6-cylinder water-cooled inline engine, 112 kW (150 hp)

 

Performance

 

* Maximum speed: 175 km/h (95 kn, 109 mph)

* Range: 520 km (281 nmi, 320 mi)

* Service ceiling: 5,000 m (16,400 ft)

* Endurance: 4 hrs

* Climb to 1,000 m (3,280 ft): 6 min[2]

 

Armament

 

* 1 or 2 × fixed, forward-firing 7.92 mm (0.312 in) LMG 08/15 machine guns

* 1 × flexible 7.92 mm (0.312 in) Parabellum MG14 in rear cockpit

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Sorry Olham, you're even farther off than Bullethead was. But great info on the Hansa-Brandenburg W.12. You and BH can now go sit and relax together in the pub and enjoy some brew whilst the rest try and sort this one out.

 

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Here are the current standings after the fourth round:

 

Olham, 9 points

Dej, 7 points

Rickitycrate, 6 points

Bullethead, 5 points

Duce Lewis, 2 points

Luftace, 2 points

rhythalion, 2 points

JohnGresham, 1 point

Red-Dog, 1 point

Shrikehawk, 1 point

TonyO, 1 point

 

 

While Olham is currenlty in the lead, with eight more photo sets to come as well as numerous additional Wild Card phots it's still anyone's game at this point, and anyone's Blue Max.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

 

 

[Luftace 0]

This is a magneto selector switch found in a spad xiii. Im guessing that each knob switched one of the 2 magnetos on and off prior to starting the engine. This instrument is actually quite small and is located on the "dash" just left of center below the air pump emergency shut off lever.

 

 

[Olham 164]

Wow, Luftace - just checked a SPAD XIII cockpit picture, and you must be right there!

[JimAttrill 24]

Hey Olham, a completely OT remark added to yours:

 

I would call that 'cleat' a 'Bitt' at least that was what it was called on sailing ships. As that bit of rope (excuse the pun) was fixed and did not wear, they sailors would sometimes change over which end was attached to the bitts and which was attached to the anchor. This is where the English expression 'to the bitter end' comes from. It has nothing to do with taste.

 

Sorry, I couldn't resist this . I am enjoying this thread but don't know enough to join in.

[Luftace 0]

Well sure you can Jim! I know very little about this subject myself, and I kind of see this competition as a WW1 aviation crash-course. Just gotta take a little time and do some research, though the LVG really threw me off, I found references and even a few pictures on her, but for the life of me couldn't bring myself to conclude that was what was in the picture.

 

Thanks Olham, I just hope that is enough info for what Lou is looking for. I spent atleast an additional hour after I posted trying to find out manufacture, model, exact function etc. on that little gizmo and turned up nothing. Plenty of info on Bosch magneto switches though! Those are the ones I'm used to seeing!

 

 

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Luftace wrote:

This is a magneto selector switch found in a spad xiii. Im guessing that each knob switched one of the 2 magnetos on and off prior to starting the engine. This instrument is actually quite small and is located on the "dash" just left of center below the air pump emergency shut off lever.

 

Outstanding, Luftace! That's exactly what it is. The Sélecteur Magnétos, or magnetos selector switch has been sitting in front of us all for years in our WW1 flight sims, and if you jump into your OFF Spad XIII and watch that little switch when you fire up the engine you will see both of those little push buttons slide from off to on, (a neat little touch I am betting a lot of people have missed, but not those ever diligent OFF devs). I believe the body of the switch and the slide rods were built from teak, which is a stable wood and has a natural oil in it that prevents rotting. The rods are each wrapped with a strip of brass tubing that acts as the contact when slid into place, with the wires running out from the bottom of the switch body and down to both magnetos.

 

Two more points to you Luftace.

 

Also, JimAttrill, I had no idea that is where the term "to the bitter end" came from. Thanks for sharing Sir, I love that kind of tidbit.

 

 

The standings now after Wild Card #3:

 

 

Olham, 9 points

Dej, 7 points

Rickitycrate, 6 points

Bullethead, 5 points

Luftace, 4 points

Duce Lewis, 2 points

rhythalion, 2 points

JohnGresham, 1 point

Red-Dog, 1 point

Shrikehawk, 1 point

TonyO, 1 point

 

 

Well done all.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Olham 164]

Thanks, Jim, for the details on that Bitt - it's hard for a German to find the right word

in such specific fields. I was certain, the part was a bitt, and so I searched websites

for Marine and Yacht supplies - without finding it really.

 

Since I'm flying the SPAD recently, it's a shame I never noticed that part.

[Duce Lewis 3]

Since #16 is putting up such a fight, I am going to give you all a small hint.

Hi Lou

Love the contest!

It's a fun learning tool for us ...and I'm sure you too

 

Might I make a suggestion?

Can you hold off on making hints until say 42 hours after posting the pics?

Otherwise there's not much chance of getting a 2nd shot after 36 hr's

 

Cheers,

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Hi Ya Duce,

 

Glad you are enjoying it Sir, and I am learning a ton of new info as I prepare each set. I agree entirely with your suggestion about giving hints. From this point forward I will either give a hint at the initial posting of the photos, (if I feel one might be needed), or I will wait 42 hours after posting a set before giving any clues. Thanks for the input Duce.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Duce Lewis 3]

Cool Beans Lou!

Thanks for being open to suggestions

[RAF_Louvert 101]

I'm always open to suggestions, in particular if they are good ones.

 

 

A heads-up to all contestants. In a little less than 2 hours from now, at 3:00pm GMT, I will be posting photo set #5. Just like a good scout, be prepared.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Here we go folks, the fifth set of photos is ready. Again I will remind everyone to please follow the rules, (found in the first post of this thread), and be sure to write at least a 150-word description about features shown in the photo and/or about the plane itself when going for that second point. Also, just a couple of items on this set. In photo #18 when you are going for the second point I want you to name the individual of note found standing to the right of the aircraft in the picture. Also, a hint for #20; the engine in this plane is NOT the 80hp Le Rhone; and look closely for a feature that is decidedly absent from planes of this type. And finally, on #17, it would be best if you though outside the range of WW1 combat aircraft that you might normally be used to seeing.

 

 

 

 

 

Good luck all. Round 5 begins now. Let's play What's My Plane!

 

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Red-Dog 3]

Is No 18 a Fokker E.V

General characteristics

 

• Crew: One
• Length: 5.86 m (19 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 8.40 m (27 ft 6.75 in)
• Height: 2.80 m (9 ft 3 in)
• Wing area: 10.7 m² (115.5 ft²)
• Empty weight: 384 kg (848 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 562 kg (1,238 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Oberursel UR.II, 82 kW (110 hp)

Performance

 

• Maximum speed: 204 km/h (127 mph)
• Service ceiling: 6,300 m (20,670 ft)

Armament

 

• 2 × 7.92 mm Spandau MG08 machine guns

Edited August 24, 2009 by Red-Dog

[Bullethead 12]

#20 is the cockpit area of a Morane-Saulnier Type N "Bullet".

 

The "Bullet" was roughly analogouse to the Eindecker, using a similar system of wing warping. The pylon in front of the cockpit is the leverage point of the wing warping cables. Its gun was NOT synchronized and there were usually deflector plates (an idea of Roland Garos) to protect the prop, but those are absent from this one. It's also armed with a Vickers instead of the usual Hotchkiss. This, combined with the absence of deflectors, makes me think this one served in the RNAS. It was powered by a 110hp Le Rhone 9J, not the 80hp type.

Edited August 24, 2009 by Bullethead