Experten109/40

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another hint?

the word Tindian was a contaction of "Tin" "Indian".. and no it wasn't a Pontiac.

Ernie P.

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Interesting.... first victory with the Tomahawk IIB. Thanks; Ernie P.


AK382 Code N/A, 41-14893, Flown by "Bowks" Bowker RAF 112 Sqdn 27/8/1941. Served with 3 Sqdn RAAF under RAF control was coded 'V' with 'Tindian' a contraction of 'Tin Indian' on the port cowl and was usually flown by F/O Thomas Hamilton Trimble (260652); it was supplied from 112 Sqdn; on 22/11/41 it was flown by F/O Trimble when on a wing op and they were formed into a defensive circle (contrary to accepted practice) losing 6 a/c; on 29/11/41 it was damaged on take-off with F/O Geoffrey Talbot Chinchen (250704) being ok.


THE LONDON GAZETTE, 36192, 28 September, 1943 page 3 of 10
Distinguished Flying Cross. Flight Lieutenant Neville BOWKER (89773), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 112 Squadron, awarded with effect from 6th January, 1942.

Flight Lieutenant Neville Bowker (89773), Had two Favorite Planes in 112 Sqn AK461, Flight Lieutenant Neville Bowker (89773), Had two Favorite Planes in 112 Sqn AK461, coded A and AN218, coded B, named Menace, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 112 Squadron, DFC , 112Sq; POW 27/Dec/1941, victories 10.33. Neville Bowker was born in 1918 in the Orange Free State, South Africa, but was brought up in the Southern Rhodesia. He joined the SAAF, but transferred to the RAF in mid 1940, being commissioned in the RAFVR. He attended 70 OTU at Nakuru, joining 112 Squadron on 14 February 1941.He served as a Pilot Officer in 112 Squadron, when the unit moved to Greece in early 1941. During the evening on 11 May 1941 five Bf110s of II/ZG 76, which had arrived at Argos from North Germany four days earlier, swept in over Heraklion airfield to strafe. Insufficient warning allowed only a single 112 Squadron Gladiator to get into the air, but Bofors and Lewis gunners opened fire as the Bf110s swept round the airfield. As they completed their circuit, Pilot Officer Bowker attacked one and a low level dogfight commenced, during which the lone Gladiator pilot attempted to lead his opponents over the gun positions. After a few minutes the Bf110s made off to the north-west, Bowker landing to claim one probably shot down.
This claim was definitely confirmed destroyed in the Command Intelligence Summaries. On 14 September, 1941, six Tomahawks from 112 Squadron received an R/T message that there was a ‘bandit’ over Mersa Matruh at 19,000 feet. The formation climbed to about 16,000 feet and spotted a S.79 bellow Flight Lieutenant Harrison engaged the S.79, which he hit. The Italian bomber was then engaged by Pilot Officer Neville Bowker firing his wing guns only as his .5” machine gun had jammed. He reset and returned to the attack and at 150 yards, he saw petrol streaming from the enemy aircraft. He pumped shots into the starboard engine and the fuselage and the S.79 blew up.
This was 112 Squadrons 77th victory and the first with their new P-40 Tomahawk IIBs.
On the 27 December 1941 he was shot down by small arms fire when strafing, flying a Tomahawk (AN283 ? or was it AN218). The Germans took him prison again, but this time for the rest of the war. The award of a DFC was announced in October 1943, but with effect from 6 January 1942, by which time he had been promoted to Flight Lieutenant.
Bowker was credited with 2 biplane victories and a total of 10 victories at the time of his capture.
After the war he returned to Southern Rhodesia and married. He farmed together with his wife Colleen in Rhodesia and Mozambique and ended in South Africa in Mining machinery.
They retired to Australia in 1992 where he and his son have been instrumental in producing the first machine to remove the meat from coconuts.

Experten109/40

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your up.

Ernie P.

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Thank you, Sir. I have a feeling I won't be up long, though. Thanks; Ernie P.



Question: What aircraft do I describe?


Clues:

(1) It was a revolutionary aircraft; the first of its kind.

(2). Its unusual design was intended to correct problems encountered by its contemporary aircraft (themselves revolutionary in concept) during takeoff and landing.

SimonCraig1

There are many answers and I'm sure this isn't the correct answer but... the Hawker Siddeley Kestrel, subsequently developed into the Harrier, being the first practical VTOL jet aircraft? Did away with the need for the very extended runways jet aircraft required and which were likely to be destroyed in the first nuclear exchanges.

glasscock

Tricycle landing gear. First came the Curtiss Pushers.

NORFOLK (Nov. 15, 2010) Retired Navy Cmdr. Bob Coolbaugh pilots a replica of a Curtiss Pusher Biplane on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). The original aircraft was flown off the deck of the light cruiser USS Birmingham by Eugene Ely on Nov. 14, 1910 to launch naval aviation. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nicholas Hall)

Ernie P.

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A couple of really good, though incorrect, answers so far. I'm sorry, but my clues may have been a bit more obscure than I intended. Here's a couple more to get you guys honed in a bit better. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What aircraft do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It was a revolutionary aircraft; the first of its kind.

(2). Its unusual design was intended to correct problems encountered by its contemporary aircraft (themselves revolutionary in concept) during takeoff and landing.

(3) This aircraft design affected aircraft design for many years to come.

(4) The exigencies of war dictated that the prototype be literally cobbled together from pieces of other aircraft.

Ernie P.

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A couple more clues to close out the evening. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What aircraft do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It was a revolutionary aircraft; the first of its kind.

(2). Its unusual design was intended to correct problems encountered by its contemporary aircraft (themselves revolutionary in concept) during takeoff and landing.

(3) This aircraft design affected aircraft design for many years to come.

(4) The exigencies of war dictated that the prototype be literally cobbled together from pieces of other aircraft.

(5) Some of the cannibalized aircraft were “donated” by the enemy.

(6) One prototype was completed and flown.

Ernie P.

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A couple more clues. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What aircraft do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It was a revolutionary aircraft; the first of its kind.

(2). Its unusual design was intended to correct problems encountered by its contemporary aircraft (themselves revolutionary in concept) during takeoff and landing.

(3) This aircraft design affected aircraft design for many years to come.

(4) The exigencies of war dictated that the prototype be literally cobbled together from pieces of other aircraft.

(5) Some of the cannibalized aircraft were “donated” by the enemy.

(6) One prototype was completed and flown.

(7) The prototype exhibited very good handling characteristics.

(8) The plane was a bomber with a very simple defensive strategy: Use superior speed to simply run away from any opposing fighter.

Ram-bro

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arado blitz bomber

Ernie P.

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No; the Ar 234 was produced in some small quantity. This plane was only at the prototype stage, although it did fly. But you're starting to think along the right lines. You are looking for a WWII bird. Thanks; Ernie P.



Question: What aircraft do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It was a revolutionary aircraft; the first of its kind.

(2). Its unusual design was intended to correct problems encountered by its contemporary aircraft (themselves revolutionary in concept) during takeoff and landing.

(3) This aircraft design affected aircraft design for many years to come.
Note: On both sides of the iron curtain.

(4) The exigencies of war dictated that the prototype be literally cobbled together from pieces of other aircraft.

(5) Some of the cannibalized aircraft were “donated” by the enemy.

(6) One prototype was completed and flown.

(7) The prototype exhibited very good handling characteristics.

(8) The plane was a bomber with a very simple defensive strategy: Use superior speed to simply run away from any opposing fighter.

(9) A second prototype was captured before it could be completed.

Experten109/40

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whoops... i gotta learn to read all the clues LOL

Ernie P.

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No; but now I've got to go read about the Bearcat to see what landing and takeoff "handling deficiencies" its contemporaries suffered. (-: Hmmm.... This was a bomber; intended to outrun any fighter it might encounter. Thanks; Ernie P.

Ernie P.

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We posted at the same time. Okay; you're back on track now and I'm betting one of you guys will have it shortly. Thanks; Ernie P.

Experten109/40

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Mosquito.

Ernie P.

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Nope. And, this has gone on 'way longer than I thought it would. This clue should make the answer obvious. If not, re-read clues (4) and (9). Thanks; Ernie P.



Question: What aircraft do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It was a revolutionary aircraft; the first of its kind.

(2) Its unusual design was intended to correct problems encountered by its contemporary aircraft (themselves revolutionary in concept) during takeoff and landing.

(3) This aircraft design affected aircraft design for many years to come.
Note: On both sides of the iron curtain.

(4) The exigencies of war dictated that the prototype be literally cobbled together from pieces of other aircraft.

(5) Some of the cannibalized aircraft were “donated” by the enemy.

(6) One prototype was completed and flown.

(7) The prototype exhibited very good handling characteristics.

(8) The plane was a bomber with a very simple defensive strategy: Use superior speed to simply run away from any opposing fighter.

(9) A second prototype was captured before it could be completed.

(10) Early turbojets were poorly responsive; especially during takeoff and landing, when the engines were running slowly. This aircraft’s unique configuration was intended to provide extra lift at low airspeeds, to help compensate for this.

Experten109/40

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Gloster Meteor.

proptop

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What was that German jet bomber with the swept forward wings??? It had B-24 main landing gear IIRC...is that what you're talking about Ernie?

Edit: I see now, after some research, that it was B-24 nose wheels...not the mains.

Ernie P.

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You're on the right track proptop; but what was the aircraft? Thanks; Ernie P.

proptop

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Junkers Ju-287 is the one I was thinking about...

http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/ju287.html

proptop

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Ernie...if that's the correct answer, ya better let someone else take the next question...I've been having a [:@] of a time lately logging in here on RCU...sometimes I can't get in at all!?

I've been quite busy as well...so....

Ernie P.

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That's the plane! It really was an outstanding bit of design work; intended to overcome some of the problems the early turbojets had while landing and taking off. Both the Americans and Russians copied it's design in design testing after the war. Note that it is often referred to as a "testbed". The idea was to test new design concepts; not necessarily to create an aircraft that would be mass produced.

Proptop has said he can't field the next question. I don't want to be the only one asking questions. So how about this? If there's some one lurking out there who hasn't asked a question, post it within the next four hours. If no one posts anything within four hours, the floor is open to any one who has asked three questions or less. If no one has asked a question by this evening, I'll open the floor to all comers. Thanks; Ernie P.




Question: What aircraft do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It was a revolutionary aircraft; the first of its kind.

(2). Its unusual design was intended to correct problems encountered by its contemporary aircraft (themselves revolutionary in concept) during takeoff and landing.

(3) This aircraft design affected aircraft design for many years to come.
Note: On both sides of the iron curtain.

(4) The exigencies of war dictated that the prototype be literally cobbled together from pieces of other aircraft.

(5) Some of the cannibalized aircraft were “donated” by the enemy.

(6) One prototype was completed and flown.

(7) The prototype exhibited very good handling characteristics.

(8) The plane was a bomber with a very simple defensive strategy: Use superior speed to simply run away from any opposing fighter.

(9) A second prototype was captured before it could be completed.

(10) Early turbojets were poorly responsive; especially during takeoff and landing, when the engines were running slowly. This aircraft’s unique configuration was intended to provide extra lift at low airspeeds, to compensate for this.

(11) The fuselage was from one bomber; the tail from another. The main landing gear was from a transport; and the nose wheels from a crashed enemy bomber.


Horst Lommel
In the summer of 1944, an unusal aeroplane took to the skies. With its forward swept wings, the design was a critical milestone in the annals of aviation technology and made the Ju 287 the first swept-wing design in the world. One of the world's most interesting airplanes is revealed through many previously unpublished reports, photographs and technical line drawings. It is an airplane whose revolutionary design played a major role in the postwar development of jet aircraft, in both the East and West. This book fills a gap in the material covering the first chapter of the jet era. 224pp. over 300 photos & drawings.

The Junkers Ju 287 was a German flying testbed built to develop the technology required for a multi-engine jet bomber. It was powered by four Junkers Jumo 004 engines, featured a revolutionary forward-swept wing and was built largely from scavenged components from other aircraft. The flying prototype and an unfinished second prototype were captured by the Red Army in the closing stages of World War II and the design was further developed in the Soviet Union after the end of the war.
The Ju 287 was intended to provide the Luftwaffe with a bomber that could avoid interception by outrunning enemy fighters. The swept-forward wing was suggested by the project's head designer, Dr. Hans Wocke as a way of providing extra lift at low airspeeds - necessary because of the poor responsiveness of early turbojets at the vulnerable times of take-off and landing. The first prototype was intended to evaluate the concept, and was cobbled together from the fuselage of a Heinkel He 177, the tail of a Ju 388, main undercarriage from a Ju 352, and nosewheels taken from crashed B-24 Liberators. Two of the Jumo 004 engines were hung under the wings, with the other two mounted in nacelles added to the sides of the forward fuselage.
Flight tests began on 8 August 1944, with the aircraft displaying extremely good handling characteristics, as well as revealing some of the problems of the forward-swept wing under some flight conditions. Tests also suggested that the aircraft would benefit from concentrating more engine mass under the wings, a feature that was to be incorporated on the subsequent prototypes. These were to have been powered by Heinkel HeS 011 engines, but because of the development problems experienced with that motor, the BMW 003 was selected in its place. The second and third prototypes were to have six of these engines, the former with a cluster of three under each wing, the latter with two under each wing and one on each side of the fuselage, as the first prototype had. These machines were to have all-new, purpose-designed fuselages, and the third prototype was also to carry armament and serve as the development aircraft for a production version.
Before the second prototype was complete, though, the Junkers factory was over-run. Wocke and his staff, along with the two prototype aircraft, were taken to the Soviet Union. There, the second prototype (returned to its original Junkers in-house designation, EF 131) was eventually finished and flown on 23 May 1947, but by that time, jet development had already overtaken the Ju 287. A final much-enlarged derivative, the EF 140, was tested in prototype form in 1949 but soon abandoned.

Ernie P.

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Proptop has said he can't field the next question. I don't want to be the only one asking questions. So how about this? If there's some one lurking out there who hasn't asked a question, post it within the next four hours. If no one posts anything within four hours, the floor is open to any one who has asked three questions or less. If no one has asked a question by this evening, I'll open the floor to all comers. Thanks; Ernie P.

Okay; no new questioners have come forward. So, the floor is now open to any one who wants to ask a question. If no one has asked a question in the next four hours, I'll toss out a new one. But fair warning; it won't be a softball. Thanks; Ernie P.

Experten109/40

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yep. I'll ask a question in a bit.. gimmie about an hour or so.

Experten109/40

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nota "softball" question. in the forground,

~ what Warbird is this?
~ what country did she fly for?
~ what fighter group & unit did she fly with?