Messages

1

Other Aviation Events / Re: Brendan Finucane lecture Collins Barracks

« on: July 03, 2012, 03:39:47 pm »

Where should we book, or who should be contacted, Tony? Museum staff directly?

- I am sorted, booking office it is 

2

Scale Aircraft Modelling / IPMS Ireland Nationals 2012

« on: May 29, 2012, 01:30:18 pm »

Hi guys,
I am taking the liberty to invite you all to this year's IPMS Ireland Nationals.
The event will be held on September 15th/16th, at the Atlantic Airventure Park in Shannon, Co. Clare. We are hoping that the airport just around the corner could attract some extra modellers with their creations from abroad, but we'll see how things will turn up on the day.

...webpage for the event:
http://www.2012nationals.t15.org/

and you are most welcome 

3

Aviation Waffle / Re: RTE: "The German"

« on: January 30, 2012, 04:25:49 pm »

Could chase a Heinkel or Junkers as all three aircraft - Ju, He, Spit - landed in Ireland at some stage and sometimes after fighting each other.
It was enjoyable and entertaining to watch and let's hope that will see some more of this stuff made in Ireland.

To ad a bit of criticism: that wing clip and fight on foot after a rough crash landing was a bit unreal

4

Irish Aviation History / Re: Spitfire Tr9 ex 158 at Duxford

« on: February 09, 2011, 10:24:41 am »

Two of the three clearly have markings that seperate them as LF111s with the white square still being worn behind the fuselage boss


Other than the suggested camera port there is  positive evidence to the third AC being a Sea Fire as Opposed to T 9..possibly 160.

Unless there is a more specialized way to positivel conform that it is not a T( given the amount of write offs but the time the T(s came in service it could be assumed that it is actually a Lf 111.


Juts to confirm that 5 of the six T9s left the country was 160 scrapped or was he used instructionally or exported as part of some package.

Top picture from left: Spit Tr.9 160, dare to say another Tr.9 /although I haven't got a clue to be honest/, Seafire 150

Middle picture from left: Spitfire Tr.9 160, unidentified airframe /that's the Tr.9, which might not be there at all/, Seafire wing

Bottom picture from left: Seafire 150, Chipmunk, Seafire 155

I am stil confused with that hole, I have marked before. From what I know, there should be no acces panel on this part of the fuselage, searching through the photographs of current Tr.9s I found that 'Grace Spitfire' has red flash light in exactly the same spot, but has faired over the usual position of this light between the wings. She has the fuselage acces panel too, but I can't see access panel on the ex163.
I wonder, do we know which subtypes of Mk.IX were used for conversion in whichever case? People who know Spitfires suggested that FR.IX fuselages could be used in some cases, which might explain that circular hole at the bottom of the fuselage, which would be faired over during the conversion.
Without even thinking that IAC could use cameras in Tr.9s. They would not fit in there anyway, because of the rear cockpit.


I'm not trying to come up with some conspiracy theories, I just think that this is an interesting feature and I'm just a bit confused - again

5

Irish Aviation History / Re: Spitfire Tr9 ex 158 at Duxford

« on: February 04, 2011, 10:55:16 pm »

Thanks Joe,
I got bit confused, ofcourse it is TR9 

6

Irish Aviation History / Re: Spitfire Tr9 ex 158 at Duxford

« on: February 04, 2011, 09:46:06 am »

Thank you.
That's very early Mk.I drawing, I think that the parachute flare tube was eliminated very soon in the production, or at least I haven't seen it on any technical drawings I have - not saying that I know it all, just never heard about its presence before.

I am very curious, because, we all know about the oblique cameras, but I have never heard about the vertical camera instalation on the IAC Seafires. And this photographs could be unique, because it clearly shows the camera window of the vertical instalation, if it is a camera window.

Found this drawing in my archive, F.24 camera instalation in the Seafire:

 

7

Irish Aviation History / Re: Spitfire Tr9 ex 158 at Duxford

« on: February 03, 2011, 02:42:28 pm »

The Baldonnel Seafire scrap heap is famous even outside of Ireland. I've seen photographs of the Seafires, aparently, taken in the 80's, by some Czech visitors of Dublin.

I thought that these were gone by then...

BTW is this a camera window on the undersurfaces?

8

Irish Air Corps / Re: PC-9 recon cameras?

« on: January 25, 2011, 09:12:46 am »

...in the rest room? 

I had a big trouble to find any decent pictures of these pods when building model of Marchetti and here they are.
Would I be too cheekey to ask for more photographs, kind like a walkaround of those pods? It's too late for me now, but just to have them for the record.
Thanks

9

Irish Aviation History / Re: The Pink Panther and the I.A.C.

« on: January 09, 2011, 08:33:28 pm »

I have to agree with two previous posts, as I understand this is a very sensitive issue and I don't want to   Sorry...

10

Irish Aviation History / Re: The Pink Panther and the I.A.C.

« on: January 07, 2011, 03:07:39 pm »

Blue Monday,
Papa242 is one of the people responsible for defacing the ministers property ie AlouetteIII's and bone domes I am sure that if he sees this he will explain the history of the Pink Panther

You also mention the painting of the one at the time of their withdrawl. I remember that you asked about it at the time, but it was removed before it was finished. I did not want to put  it up on the forum at the time as you will understand, I will try and dig it out now that a period has passed.
Tony K

Tony, believe or not, I have few pictures of the Pink Panther 'tail art' on the CD just inches from my hand. Unfortunately, can't stick up any of it as it wasn't me who took those photographs...

11

Irish Aviation History / Re: Another piece of history disappears

« on: November 29, 2010, 08:03:16 pm »

It is/was a landmark, sad to see it go, but I suppose, to hell with it 

Wouldn't mind to get some of the hangar door rollers and runners for my own workshop though

12

Scale Aircraft Modelling / Re: New Airfix 1/72 Air Corps Hurricane

« on: September 03, 2010, 06:24:05 pm »

I have a few IAC kits which I've built as per  my limited research and information I had at the time.
Are they accurate? No. Colours and boss and numbers are all over the place and wrongly done as I've found out latter, when I have gathered more information and found some new photographs unknown to me at the time of the build.
Am I lying wake at night and getting grey because of it? No.

I'm always saying it depends what do you expect from the kit.
Airfix does a great job in making affordable and relatively easy to assemble kits for the beginners. If beginner buys this kit and builds it and paints it according to the instructions that's OK.
If you want to build 'an Irish Hurricane' then work away. If you want to build a replica of the 105 then you would have to do a bit more research. That was my point.

A bit OT, there was uproar when one of the Chinese manufacturers /don't know which one now/ kept releasing kits of the Czech AF with the national insignia the wrong way. They were informed about their mistake a quite a few times by various people, but no, they kept at it. Until recently... But hey, doesn't matter as long as it's 'the CAF' machine 

13

Scale Aircraft Modelling / Re: New Airfix 1/72 Air Corps Hurricane

« on: September 01, 2010, 10:04:56 am »

Tha camouflage for the IAC No.105 as they have it in the box is 'a bit' off. In another words, wouldn't relly on the instructions at all.
The kit itself is retooling of the old model, I believe. It's not bad proportionwise and the plastic is classical Airfix.

14

Air Corps News / Re: US Customs search Irish govt jet?!!

« on: August 16, 2010, 12:18:51 pm »

Personally? Couldn't care less...

15

UK Air Shows / Re: The Best For Last, Statics @ RIAT

« on: July 27, 2010, 07:47:13 pm »

Nice shots 

I would only comment on that German 'Buchon' Red 7. I would say that this is actually newly built replica of Bf-109G. The original Hispano powered 'Civilschmitt' is Yellow 10 on your flying pictures thread.
But I'm open to corrections on this one.