Skywriting invented by British Major

[Olham 164]

The english pilot Major J. C. Savage had to find something to earn his livelihood with

after the end of WW1. It was his idea, to use the sky as an advertising space. Quick he made

contracts with many big companies. He bought an S.E.5a from military outlet and modified it

with two long tubes attached to the exhaustpipes. Oil was injected to them, which produced,

together with the hot exhaust fumes, a white smoke. On quiet days, the writing remained

readable for about 10 minutes. His aircraft is now exposed in the Science Museum, London.

 

 

 

I just found this website and did my best translating this text.

 

http://www.airventure.de/

 

You find lots of pictures there, but more modern aircraft. Also many good nose arts.

[Tanyrhiew 0]

Ahh, thanks fo that little bit of trivia - that SE5 is on the front cover of my copy of Sagitarius Rising! I'd been wondering why there was a plume of white smoke trailing behind it.

[Bullethead 12]

I didn't know any fieldgrade WW1 officers could write

Edited November 18, 2009 by Bullethead

[Flyby PC 23]

You know there used to be a sky writing effect you could probably attach to your Se5a? It's a CFS3 effect, so should work fine.

 

It used to be at Reg's hangar, as part of the Henschell 123 package. I don't see the immediate link, but I'm sure it'll still be in there somewhere, perhaps coming with the plane itself. - http://www.regshange...%20Hs123%20.htm

 

You got three colours, red white or blue.

 

It wasn't brilliant by comparison with the normal stuff at Reg's / Groundcrew, but it was definitely ok, and a it was fun trying to write something, but it's actually pretty hard.

 

 

Edit -

 

It's not at Reg's, but it is still at the Groundcrew site - (bottom link in common files). -

 

http://www.regshange...20Hs%20123A.php

Edited November 18, 2009 by Flyby PC

[Bullethead 12]

It's not at Reg's, but it is still at the Groundcrew site - (bottom link in common files). -

 

http://www.regshange...20Hs%20123A.php

 

Thanks for that :).

 

And just to emphasize, don't be confused that this is an Hs123 page. Just scroll all the way to the bottom.

[JimAttrill 24]

The SE5a in the Imperial War Museum is also an ex-signwriter but has been re-converted back to original spec. All the extant SE5a's in the UK were used as signwriters and that is why they are still around.

 

The war museum here in Joburg has an original SE5a part of the gift from the UK after the war.

 

If you are at all interested in any aspect of WWI the Imperial War museum is a place where you can spend whole days without seeing everything.

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Yes...My childhood memories of wandering around the IWM....wow..It is without doubt,THE place that hooked me into the first Air War!...for that, I am very grateful!

 

A visit to London is not complete without going there!

[Olham 164]

Amen to that - I was lucky to see it on my trips to London.

A must for every air combat aviation fan!

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

Yes indeed. IWM is one of the premier spots in the world to visit for WWI items and info, (not to mention the odd bits they have from other eras as well). Wish I could get back to London and spend a week just hanging out there.

 

.

[Olham 164]

There must also be an Royal Air Force Museum, but not in London, I think.

Never been there. Does anyone know that one? What do they show?

[Olham 164]

Ah, found it (oh, the web and it's possibilities!).

Here is an address with their Online Photographies of WW1:

 

http://navigator.raf...do?highlight=27

 

Do we have this skin in OFF?

 

 

Edited November 19, 2009 by Olham

[JimAttrill 24]

I wonder what Flt Sgt Beck did to get reduced in rank to Corporal? I suppose we shall never know. That sort of demotion was pretty rare as it could take you many years to get to that rank in the first place.

 

As a coincidence, my father retired from the RAF as a Flt. Sgt. and I left as a Corporal ....