This Week's Meaningless Topic (#155)(August 25)

[Rodger Pettichord]

Hi all. Most of us are not just flight simulation fans, we also are flight history buffs. We know significant names, planes, and events. This week's topic will test your aviation history knowledge, so let's have at it.

 

THIS WEEK'S MEANINGLESS TOPIC:  What bits of aviation history are associated with the following planes?

 

 

1. FOKKER Dr !

 

2. RYAN M-2

 

3. NORTH AMERICAN B-25

 

4. DEHAVILLAND DH1 COMET

 

5. BELL X-1

 

6. THE GOSSAMER CONDOR

 

7. NORTH AMERICAN F-117 NIGHTHAWK

 

8. VOLOCOPTER

Edited August 24, 2023 by Rodger Pettichord

[Stillwater]

Before I try to comment this long list, I would add one more:

 

9.

[Stillwater]

1. The red baron

2. Kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby

5. Chuck´s heroic move through the unknown barrier

6. Business class around the world

7. Afghanistan. Not a consistent progress.

8. The trial to establish traffic jams in 3D in our cities

 

3 and 4 I can not comment. And I wait for someone to recognize 9.

[boetie]

I would have to Google the majority I'm ashamed to say.

[John York]

Haven't a clue.  

[Ken Q]

3.  Doolittle raid from USS Hornet, SKA Shangra La

 

4.    First commercial airliner, because of safety issue, not a success.

 

Ken

Edited August 24, 2023 by Ken Q

[BradB]

7 hours ago, boetie said:

I would have to Google the majority I'm ashamed to say.

+1 - 🙂

[Rodger Pettichord]

11 hours ago, Stillwater said:

Before I try to comment this long list, I would add one more:

 

9.

Good one, Gerold. Am I right that this is the first jet plane -- a Heinkel He 178?

[Nick Cooper]

6 hours ago, Ken Q said:

4.    First commercial airliner, because of safety issue, not a success.

 

It was the first jet airliner.
It's not quite as simple as that, the design was rushed into production in an effort to beat the Americans to it.
Because the available jet engines were not powerful enough, the aircraft was made too light to resist metal fatigue,
which was an unknown quantity in those days.
The use of square windows provided the necessary weak point for the fatigue to start and they began to fall out of the sky.
It was a case of back to the drawing board and while it was grounded, Boeing learned from the unfortunate British experience
and were also given the time to perfect the 707.
It then wiped the commercial floor with it and by the time the Comet was ready, the 707 had won the race for most of the orders.
However, the Comet did go on to do sterling service for many years with both commercial airlines and the Royal Air Force.

 

Historically, the British have proved themselves to be masters of superb design and technology.
British management is another story and that of the two largest airlines of the time, BOAC and BEA, were directly, but not solely,
responsible for the demise of what had been a world-leading aircraft industry.

The Vickers VC10, for example, is considered by many, including me, to be a stunning design and if a jet airliner can be beautiful, then it was.

However, there were endless delays in its production and by the time it was ready, its reason d'etre had evaporated.
The fact that it was developed for short and high runways just before the world decided to build much longer runways for the 707 and its peers to lumber into the air, ensured that its higher operating costs consigned it to spend most of its long life with the military, where cost is not always the deciding factor.
Commercial passengers loved how quiet it was and pilots loved how it performed but the management (them again) hated it, despite having specified it in the first place.

BOAC even told the world that it was no good, thus ensuring that Vickers could not sell it to anyone else.

Later, the same management techniques contributed to the demise of the British motorcycle, truck and car manufacturing industries as well.
The intervention of some truly atrocious political decision making added to the disastrous outcomes.

[Rodger Pettichord]

For those who are puzzling about these planes and their seminal roles, I'll post an "answers" list on Sunday after the responses have dried up. Check in then if you are curious.

[Ken Q]

Thanks for correcting me Nick, that it was the first JET airliner.  Of course that is what I meant to say; answering these posts in the morning before work, and before the second cup of coffee not a good idea.  Thanks also for filling in the details.  I was aware of the safety issues, but did not know the back story.  Thanks again.

 

Ken

[gumbypickett]

I will have to check on Sunday.

But 8 looks familiar because I use one

every six months.

It's a Hills Hoist Rotary Clothesline.

cheers

Gumby

[boetie]

4 minutes ago, gumbypickett said:

I will have to check on Sunday.

But 8 looks familiar because I use one

every six months.

It's a Hills Hoist Rotary Clothesline.

cheers

Gumby

You're on the same washing frequency as the dog Gumby

[gumbypickett]

28 minutes ago, boetie said:

You're on the same washing frequency as the dog Gumby

👍

[wain71]

15 hours ago, BradB said:

+1 - 🙂

me to, I knew a few....

[Ken Q]

Here's another addition to Rodger's great topic.  Forgive me, but I think this one is especially significant.  Another great early airliner which introduced an important "First" to air transport.  What airpalne, and what was its "first"?

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by Ken Q

[Rodger Pettichord]

4 hours ago, Ken Q said:

Here's another addition to Rodger's great topic.  Forgive me, but I think this one is especially significant.  Another great early airliner which introduced an important "First" to air transport.  What airplane, and what was its "first"?

Tough one, Ken. With that nose, it would seem to be a four-engine variation of the Curtiss C-46 Commando, but there was no such thing. So it has to be the Boeing 307 Stratoliner. It was the first commercial airliner with a pressurized cabin.

Edited August 26, 2023 by Rodger Pettichord

[Stillwater]

On 8/24/2023 at 7:17 PM, Rodger Pettichord said:

Good one, Gerold. Am I right that this is the first jet plane -- a Heinkel He 178?

Correct Rodger. The first jet ever flown. How brave that test pilot (Erich Warsitz) has been, to trust an engine without propeller.

Great stories on wikipedia, about the time when Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain and Frank Whittle developed the jet engine in parallel. They became friends after the war, a pleasure to read.

[Stillwater]

On 8/24/2023 at 8:25 PM, Nick Cooper said:

management techniques

great term Nick, "management techniques" 😅

[John Burgess]

After the kind comments over in the Old Coots Club I have to give this a try 

 

 Tried not to see any of the other replies so, here's the one's I think I might know.

 

1. Red Baron

 

2. Charles Lindbergh crossing the Atlantic.

 

3. Not a clue.

 

4. World's first Jet airliner (also, sadly, discoverer of the effects of metal fatigue which is why we don't have those lovely big windows any more).

 

5. Really not sure. Tempted to google but - go for Chuck Yeager first supersonic flight.

 

6. First proper Man Powered flight. Sorry Icarus 😉

 

7. A wild guess. First 'Stealth' airplane?

 

8. Not a clue so another wild guess. First battery powered flying machine?

 

All the best,

 

John

[Ken Q]

On 8/26/2023 at 11:33 AM, Stillwater said:

Correct Rodger. The first jet ever flown. How brave that test pilot (Erich Warsitz) has been, to trust an engine without propeller.

Great stories on wikipedia, about the time when Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain and Frank Whittle developed the jet engine in parallel. They became friends after the war, a pleasure to read.

Today is the anniversary of that first fight!

[Rodger Pettichord]

2 hours ago, John Burgess said:

After the kind comments over in the Old Coots Club I have to give this a try 

 

 Tried not to see any of the other replies so, here's the one's I think I might know.

 

1. Red Baron

 

2. Charles Lindbergh crossing the Atlantic.

 

3. Not a clue.

 

4. World's first Jet airliner (also, sadly, discoverer of the effects of metal fatigue which is why we don't have those lovely big windows any more).

 

5. Really not sure. Tempted to google but - go for Chuck Yeager first supersonic flight.

 

6. First proper Man Powered flight. Sorry Icarus 😉

 

7. A wild guess. First 'Stealth' airplane?

 

8. Not a clue so another wild guess. First battery powered flying machine?

 

All the best,

 

John

Welcome, John. Very good first time here with very good guesses. See the #155 Answer Thread posted today for final word. Good to have you aboard!

[Ken Q]

On 8/26/2023 at 1:21 AM, Rodger Pettichord said:

Tough one, Ken. With that nose, it would seem to be a four-engine variation of the Curtiss C-46 Commando, but there was no such thing. So it has to be the Boeing 307 Stratoliner. It was the first commercial airliner with a pressurized cabin.

Dodge is correct.  

Edited August 27, 2023 by Ken Q

[Ken Q]

2 hours ago, Ken Q said:

Dodge is correct.  

Sorry Rodger.  The "Mad Auto-Correct" strikes again!! (Just noticed it).

 

Ken

[flyingleaf]

Ah Rodger y'all left out the Mule Team. Hilda is sniffling around and I DO tell her your posting is real. We and you darling Hilda came about because of a lot of adult flavored beverages were consumed. Bless Y'all k. (p.s.: T. Bone is swilling a beer as I watch him)

Edited September 2, 2023 by flyingleaf

[Rodger Pettichord]

10 hours ago, flyingleaf said:

Ah Rodger y'all left out the Mule Team. Hilda is sniffling around and I DO tell her your posting is real. We and you darling Hilda came about because of a lot of adult flavored beverages were consumed. Bless Y'all k. (p.s.: T. Bone is swilling a beer as I watch him)

Jeez, Karl, don't know what I was thinking. Please apologize to Hilda and team for me 😉.

[flyingleaf]

On 9/2/2023 at 9:26 AM, Rodger Pettichord said:

Please apologize to Hilda and team for me

Done Rodger. She's happy as a clam and sends her love to you. k