Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
04-08-2016, 02:08 AM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
Right you are, cfircav8r; the Halberstadt D.II, flown (the blue one) by Boelcke, Richthofen and several other Jasta 2 pilots. You're up, Sir; take it away. Thanks; Ernie P.
Question: What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
The Halberstadt D.II was a biplane fighter aircraft of the Luftstreitkrไfte (Imperial German Army Air Service) that served through the period of Allied air superiority in early 1916. As the first-ever biplane configuration fighter aircraft to serve in combat for the German Empire, it had begun to be superseded in the then-forming Jagdstaffeln by the superior Albatros fighters by the second half of that year, although small numbers of Halberstadts continued in use well into 1917.
The D.II was the production version of the experimental D.I. Lightened to improve performance, it also featured staggered wings and a more powerful 120 hp Mercedes D.II engine. The side and frontal radiators that had been tried in the D.I were replaced by a wing mounted radiator, similar to that later used by the Albatros D.III and D.V. The two bay wings were very strongly braced, with the trailing edge a wooden member, as opposed to the wire or cable common on many World War I German single-engined aircraft. Photographic evidence indicates that many examples were rigged with washout on the lower wings – giving the impression of a curved or twisted lower wing trailing edge. In some photos even the upper wings have a similar sort of "trailing edge droop" on the fixed section inboard of the ailerons. The cockpit was raised in relation to where it had been on the D.I, which required a dorsal turtledeck to be built up atop the rear fuselage to fair the cockpit into the lines of the fuselage. Lateral control was by ailerons, designed to use a single-forward-projecting control horn for one of the twin aileron cable's connections, with the twin cables for each surface running from the lower fuselage, outwards through the lower wing and upwards to the forward horns and the ailerons' lower surfaces, a common system for early German World War I biplane aircraft that had been used previously on the 1914-vintage DFW B.I unarmed two-seater as just one example, and on the later Albatros D.I fighter that replaced the Halberstadt D.II in 1916. Like the earlier Fokker Eindecker, the Halberstadt D.II had no fixed tail surfaces and over-sensitive "Morane"-style balanced elevators, and rudder with no fixed fin were used for the tail surface design. Although it must have shared the typical "Morane" elevator sensitivity and the controls cannot have been well harmonised, it was very manoeuvrable in skilled hands and could be dived safely at high speed. A single synchronised 7.92 mm (.312 in) lMG 08 "Spandau" machine gun fired through the propeller arc, from a mostly-exterior mount beside the starboard side of the engine cylinders.
If the only performance figures available for the type are accurate, the Halberstadt fighter’s speed and climb were little better than the Eindecker’s and inferior to such Allied contemporaries as the Nieuport 11 and the DH.2 but it earned the respect of Allied fighter pilots and was a preferred mount of the pilots of the early Jagdstaffeln, until the Albatros D.I became available.
Like other early German fighter types, the D.II was at first supplied in ones and twos to the ordinary six-aircraft reconnaissance units or Feldflieger Abteilungen of what would become the Luftstreitkrไfte in October 1916, then from February 1916 onward through the summer of that year gathered into small specialized fighter units – the Kampfeinsitzer-Kommandos or "KEK" units. When the first true fighter Jagdstaffeln were formed in mid-1916, the Halberstadt was the best fighter available and was used by Oswald Boelcke to demonstrate his famous pioneering air fighting tactics (the Dicta Boelcke) to the new units (although he is also recorded as flying a Fokker D.III at this period). His Halberstadt was painted bright blue – one of the first documented instances of the gaudy personal finishes applied by German fighter pilots to their mounts for the remainder of the war.
In service, unlike the previous Fokker Eindeckers and succeeding D-series biplanes from every other manufacturer of the era, the Halberstadt-built D-series fighters bore no marked IdFlieg-issued military serial numbers anywhere on their exteriors. The license-built Aviatik and Hannover-constructed examples of the Halberstadt D-series fighters usually had IdFlieg-issued serial numbers on their rear fuselage sides.
As the new Albatros fighters came into service the Halberstadts were quickly replaced, although a few survived into early 1917. Manfred von Richthofen flew a red Halberstadt D.II for a few weeks in February and March 1917, after the spar of his Albatros D.III cracked in combat.
Believed to have been first tried within the first six months of 1916, future German rocketry pioneer Leutnant Rudolf Nebel, then flying as a fighter pilot with Jasta 5, one of the earliest German fighter squadrons within the Luftstreitkrไfte, used a Halberstadt D.II aircraft of that unit in the first known German attempt at arming an aircraft with wing-mounted rockets as long range armament. Leutnant Nebel used a set of four improvised tubular launchers, two mounted per side on the wings, with a signal rocket being fired from each tube for the unofficial trial. According to Leutnant Nebel's apparently "undated" account, he took off on a defensive mission when 25 Allied aircraft appeared in the air near Jasta 5's base. He managed to fire his improvised rocket armament at a distance of 100 m (330 ft) from the Allied fighter formation, in a "head-on" attack at it and scared one British pilot into surrendering as the British aircraft landed safely in German territory, with Leutnant Nebel landing no more than 20 m (70 ft) away, to ensure the British pilot's capture. Just over a week later, Leutnant Nebel used his improvised rocket armament again and blew the propeller off an Allied aircraft, causing it to crash land.
In mid-October 1916, another attempt was made to arm a Halberstadt D.II with rockets, this time for observation balloon attacks with a more formal method, using eight Le Prieur-like rockets mounted on the outer wing struts, the way that the French Nieuport 11 had been armed nearly a year earlier. Problems with the ignition system on the rockets prevented the system from being experimented with any further.
Question: What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
- Although it wasn’t the first of its type within its service, it was the first of its style.
- It replaced an iconic warbird.
- And it was, in turn, replaced by an iconic warbird.
- Perhaps as a result of (2) and (3), it is relatively unknown.
- It was noted as being little superior to the aircraft it replaced, although opinions seem to differ on that point.
- It was noted as being much inferior to the aircraft which replaced it, although opinions seem to differ on that point.
- And yet, it was also noted as being quite maneuverable in the hands of a skilled pilot; and it could be dived safely at a high rate of speed.
- It was flown by several well-known aces; several of whom are themselves icons.
- It was introduced in wartime, during a period of enemy air superiority.
- Its service life was, even for its time, pretty short; although some serious problems with its replacement led to some of them being famously brought back into service while the replacement was being debugged.
- This aircraft supposedly had an “Achilles’ heel”; a significant weakness in its design.
- This aircraft did achieve at least one, and possibly two, aviation “firsts”.
- The elevator and rudder were fully moveable (“flying” style), with no “fixed” surfaces.
- The wings were “drooped” at the rear, inboard of the ailerons.
- Armament was a single machine gun.
- It was a biplane.
- Wing mounted radiator.
- The wings were noteworthy as being very strong.
- Its Achilles’ heel was also noteworthy, and well known to enemy aviators. The weakness was at the heel, or extreme tail, of the fuselage.
- One famous pilot painted his aircraft a bright blue.
- There were, unlike all of their kindred, no military issued serial numbers displayed on their fuselages.
- These aircraft were used in early experiments with aircraft mounted rockets. In one experimental firing, an enemy pilot was frightened enough he landed immediately and surrendered. In the next trial, a rocket struck an enemy aircraft, forcing it to land and be captured.
- The next attempt to utilize the rockets failed, due to problems with the ignition system. Further experiments were abandoned, for reasons unknown.
- Two “license built” versions of the aircraft were produced, as well.
- Early experiments, the first known, with radio transmitters and receivers were carried out with this aircraft, and later versions of this aircraft.
- And a very famous airman, or at least the group he lead, was involved in these experiments.
- Six cylinder inline engine, crew of one, one machine gun and a weight of a bit over 1,100 pounds.
- Clue (20) should indicate the aircraft was NOT British or French.
- Clues 16, 15, 17, 18, 14, 7 and 19 tell us we are looking for a biplane armed with a single machine gun, a wing mounted radiator, very strong wings which drooped at the rear, which was very maneuverable and could be dived at a high rate of speed, and which had a well-known weakness at the very rear of the fuselage.
The Halberstadt D.II was a biplane fighter aircraft of the Luftstreitkrไfte (Imperial German Army Air Service) that served through the period of Allied air superiority in early 1916. As the first-ever biplane configuration fighter aircraft to serve in combat for the German Empire, it had begun to be superseded in the then-forming Jagdstaffeln by the superior Albatros fighters by the second half of that year, although small numbers of Halberstadts continued in use well into 1917.
The D.II was the production version of the experimental D.I. Lightened to improve performance, it also featured staggered wings and a more powerful 120 hp Mercedes D.II engine. The side and frontal radiators that had been tried in the D.I were replaced by a wing mounted radiator, similar to that later used by the Albatros D.III and D.V. The two bay wings were very strongly braced, with the trailing edge a wooden member, as opposed to the wire or cable common on many World War I German single-engined aircraft. Photographic evidence indicates that many examples were rigged with washout on the lower wings – giving the impression of a curved or twisted lower wing trailing edge. In some photos even the upper wings have a similar sort of "trailing edge droop" on the fixed section inboard of the ailerons. The cockpit was raised in relation to where it had been on the D.I, which required a dorsal turtledeck to be built up atop the rear fuselage to fair the cockpit into the lines of the fuselage. Lateral control was by ailerons, designed to use a single-forward-projecting control horn for one of the twin aileron cable's connections, with the twin cables for each surface running from the lower fuselage, outwards through the lower wing and upwards to the forward horns and the ailerons' lower surfaces, a common system for early German World War I biplane aircraft that had been used previously on the 1914-vintage DFW B.I unarmed two-seater as just one example, and on the later Albatros D.I fighter that replaced the Halberstadt D.II in 1916. Like the earlier Fokker Eindecker, the Halberstadt D.II had no fixed tail surfaces and over-sensitive "Morane"-style balanced elevators, and rudder with no fixed fin were used for the tail surface design. Although it must have shared the typical "Morane" elevator sensitivity and the controls cannot have been well harmonised, it was very manoeuvrable in skilled hands and could be dived safely at high speed. A single synchronised 7.92 mm (.312 in) lMG 08 "Spandau" machine gun fired through the propeller arc, from a mostly-exterior mount beside the starboard side of the engine cylinders.
If the only performance figures available for the type are accurate, the Halberstadt fighter’s speed and climb were little better than the Eindecker’s and inferior to such Allied contemporaries as the Nieuport 11 and the DH.2 but it earned the respect of Allied fighter pilots and was a preferred mount of the pilots of the early Jagdstaffeln, until the Albatros D.I became available.
Like other early German fighter types, the D.II was at first supplied in ones and twos to the ordinary six-aircraft reconnaissance units or Feldflieger Abteilungen of what would become the Luftstreitkrไfte in October 1916, then from February 1916 onward through the summer of that year gathered into small specialized fighter units – the Kampfeinsitzer-Kommandos or "KEK" units. When the first true fighter Jagdstaffeln were formed in mid-1916, the Halberstadt was the best fighter available and was used by Oswald Boelcke to demonstrate his famous pioneering air fighting tactics (the Dicta Boelcke) to the new units (although he is also recorded as flying a Fokker D.III at this period). His Halberstadt was painted bright blue – one of the first documented instances of the gaudy personal finishes applied by German fighter pilots to their mounts for the remainder of the war.
In service, unlike the previous Fokker Eindeckers and succeeding D-series biplanes from every other manufacturer of the era, the Halberstadt-built D-series fighters bore no marked IdFlieg-issued military serial numbers anywhere on their exteriors. The license-built Aviatik and Hannover-constructed examples of the Halberstadt D-series fighters usually had IdFlieg-issued serial numbers on their rear fuselage sides.
As the new Albatros fighters came into service the Halberstadts were quickly replaced, although a few survived into early 1917. Manfred von Richthofen flew a red Halberstadt D.II for a few weeks in February and March 1917, after the spar of his Albatros D.III cracked in combat.
Believed to have been first tried within the first six months of 1916, future German rocketry pioneer Leutnant Rudolf Nebel, then flying as a fighter pilot with Jasta 5, one of the earliest German fighter squadrons within the Luftstreitkrไfte, used a Halberstadt D.II aircraft of that unit in the first known German attempt at arming an aircraft with wing-mounted rockets as long range armament. Leutnant Nebel used a set of four improvised tubular launchers, two mounted per side on the wings, with a signal rocket being fired from each tube for the unofficial trial. According to Leutnant Nebel's apparently "undated" account, he took off on a defensive mission when 25 Allied aircraft appeared in the air near Jasta 5's base. He managed to fire his improvised rocket armament at a distance of 100 m (330 ft) from the Allied fighter formation, in a "head-on" attack at it and scared one British pilot into surrendering as the British aircraft landed safely in German territory, with Leutnant Nebel landing no more than 20 m (70 ft) away, to ensure the British pilot's capture. Just over a week later, Leutnant Nebel used his improvised rocket armament again and blew the propeller off an Allied aircraft, causing it to crash land.
In mid-October 1916, another attempt was made to arm a Halberstadt D.II with rockets, this time for observation balloon attacks with a more formal method, using eight Le Prieur-like rockets mounted on the outer wing struts, the way that the French Nieuport 11 had been armed nearly a year earlier. Problems with the ignition system on the rockets prevented the system from being experimented with any further.
04-08-2016, 02:12 AM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
Further info on the Halberstadt D.II. Thanks; Ernie P.
In late 1916, the Halberstadt D.II was the first known aeroplane for an official trial, with a special unit named the FT-Versuchsabteilung (Radio Telegraphy Experimental Detachment), with the "FT" possibly meaning Funk-Telegraphie, of air communications using radio communications (via Morse Code) in directing fighter aircraft. IdFlieg sanctioned the test, which resulted in the creation of a radio-telegraphy transceiver for the flight leader's aircraft, weighing 25–30 kg (55-60 lb) along with the battery, aircraft engine-driven generator and aerials. Receiving gear for the other aircraft in a combat formation was similarly devised, with the radio receiver weighing 12.5–15 kg (27.5-33 lb). By early 1917, the FT-Versuchsabteilung was making combat trials with the radio gear with Halberstadt D.III and D.V aircraft and by late September 1917 with the famous Jagdgeschwader I unit commanded by Manfred von Richthofen, especially Jasta 4. Later trials using the more advanced Albatros D.III and Albatros D.Va fighters used the gear for the first attempts at an air-based version of ground-controlled interception of Allied bomber aircraft, using visual ground spotters as the ground component by the home defence Kampfeinsitzerstaffel units.
Aviatik of Germany built the D.II under license. It was originally known as the Aviatik D.I (not to be confused with their Austrian subsidiary's independently-designed Aviatik (Berg) D.I) but was later called the Halberstadt D.II(Av).
The Halberstadt D.III primarily differed from the D.II version in its substitution of the Argus As.II 90 kW (120 hp) straight-six engine, which differed from the usual Mercedes D.II powerplant in having its camshaft in the engine block and using pushrods to operate the overhead valves, rather than having a camshaft running atop all of the cylinders as in a single overhead cam engine. A total of 50 D.III examples were built by Halberstadt, with the first 30 ordered in July 1916 and the last 20 ordered in August 1916.
The D.IV version, of which only three were built to an order placed in early March 1916, changed the wing bracing layout to a single bay, dispensed with the twin bracing struts for the "all moving" vertical tail rudder surface, and used a Benz Bz.III 110 kW (150 hp) straight-six engine for power, with a small conical spinner for better streamlining. Tested by IdFlieg in October 1916, this type was rejected for further evaluation due to a poor forward field of view for the pilot.
The D.V version was a less radical departure from the earlier D.II version and mostly differed from the D.II, in having its four-member cabane strut structure supporting a central panel for the upper wing, rather than both upper wing panel's wing roots meeting along the centreline of the aircraft, for better forward pilot vision. It also used the D.III version's Argus As.II engine and changed the mounting position of the aircraft's 7.92 mm (.312 in) lMG 08 machine gun from the right to the left side of the nose. A total of 57 D.V aircraft were built, from orders placed in October 1916 and January–June 1917, with 31 of these being sent to Germany's ally in the Central Powers, the Ottoman Empire.
General characteristics
In late 1916, the Halberstadt D.II was the first known aeroplane for an official trial, with a special unit named the FT-Versuchsabteilung (Radio Telegraphy Experimental Detachment), with the "FT" possibly meaning Funk-Telegraphie, of air communications using radio communications (via Morse Code) in directing fighter aircraft. IdFlieg sanctioned the test, which resulted in the creation of a radio-telegraphy transceiver for the flight leader's aircraft, weighing 25–30 kg (55-60 lb) along with the battery, aircraft engine-driven generator and aerials. Receiving gear for the other aircraft in a combat formation was similarly devised, with the radio receiver weighing 12.5–15 kg (27.5-33 lb). By early 1917, the FT-Versuchsabteilung was making combat trials with the radio gear with Halberstadt D.III and D.V aircraft and by late September 1917 with the famous Jagdgeschwader I unit commanded by Manfred von Richthofen, especially Jasta 4. Later trials using the more advanced Albatros D.III and Albatros D.Va fighters used the gear for the first attempts at an air-based version of ground-controlled interception of Allied bomber aircraft, using visual ground spotters as the ground component by the home defence Kampfeinsitzerstaffel units.
Aviatik of Germany built the D.II under license. It was originally known as the Aviatik D.I (not to be confused with their Austrian subsidiary's independently-designed Aviatik (Berg) D.I) but was later called the Halberstadt D.II(Av).
The Halberstadt D.III primarily differed from the D.II version in its substitution of the Argus As.II 90 kW (120 hp) straight-six engine, which differed from the usual Mercedes D.II powerplant in having its camshaft in the engine block and using pushrods to operate the overhead valves, rather than having a camshaft running atop all of the cylinders as in a single overhead cam engine. A total of 50 D.III examples were built by Halberstadt, with the first 30 ordered in July 1916 and the last 20 ordered in August 1916.
The D.IV version, of which only three were built to an order placed in early March 1916, changed the wing bracing layout to a single bay, dispensed with the twin bracing struts for the "all moving" vertical tail rudder surface, and used a Benz Bz.III 110 kW (150 hp) straight-six engine for power, with a small conical spinner for better streamlining. Tested by IdFlieg in October 1916, this type was rejected for further evaluation due to a poor forward field of view for the pilot.
The D.V version was a less radical departure from the earlier D.II version and mostly differed from the D.II, in having its four-member cabane strut structure supporting a central panel for the upper wing, rather than both upper wing panel's wing roots meeting along the centreline of the aircraft, for better forward pilot vision. It also used the D.III version's Argus As.II engine and changed the mounting position of the aircraft's 7.92 mm (.312 in) lMG 08 machine gun from the right to the left side of the nose. A total of 57 D.V aircraft were built, from orders placed in October 1916 and January–June 1917, with 31 of these being sent to Germany's ally in the Central Powers, the Ottoman Empire.
General characteristics
- Crew: one, pilot
- Length: 7.3 m (23 ft 11 in)
- Wingspan: 8.8 m (28 ft 10-1/4 in)
- Height: 2.66 m (8 ft 9 in)
- Wing area: 23.6 mฒ (254 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 519 kg (1,144 lb)
- Loaded weight: 728.5 kg (1,606 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 ื Mercedes D.II six cylinder in-line, 90 kW (120 hp)
- Maximum speed: 150 km/h (93 mph)
- Service ceiling: 4,000 m [SUP][15][/SUP] (13,123 ft[SUP][15][/SUP])
- Climb to 1,000 m (3,280 ft): 3.5 minutes
- Climb to 2,000 m (6,560 ft): 8.5 minutes
- Climb to 3,000 m (9,840 ft): 14.5 minutes
- Climb to 4,000 m (13,120 ft): 22.5 minutes
- Climb to 5,000 m (16,400 ft): 38.5 minutes[SUP][16][/SUP]
- 1 ื forward-firing 7.92 mm (.312 in) lMG 08 "Spandau" machine gun
Last edited by Ernie P.; 04-08-2016 at 02:15 AM.
04-08-2016, 06:40 PM
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
04-09-2016, 05:24 PM
Ok, here's a few more
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
4. 3 aircraft were built as float planes.
5. After the war some were converted to commercial passenger carriers.
6. Powered by a 180 H.P. inline 6 cylinder water cooled engine.
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
4. 3 aircraft were built as float planes.
5. After the war some were converted to commercial passenger carriers.
6. Powered by a 180 H.P. inline 6 cylinder water cooled engine.
04-10-2016, 10:28 AM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
Ok, here's a few more
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
4. 3 aircraft were built as float planes.
5. After the war some were converted to commercial passenger carriers.
6. Powered by a 180 H.P. inline 6 cylinder water cooled engine.
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
4. 3 aircraft were built as float planes.
5. After the war some were converted to commercial passenger carriers.
6. Powered by a 180 H.P. inline 6 cylinder water cooled engine.
04-10-2016, 05:24 PM
04-10-2016, 07:02 PM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
04-11-2016, 01:25 AM
And a few more.
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
4. 3 aircraft were built as float planes.
5. After the war some were converted to commercial passenger carriers.
6. Powered by a 180 H.P. inline 6 cylinder water cooled engine.
7. Armament consisted of 3 machine guns, 2 forward fixed and 1 trainable rear gun, with provisions for anti personnel grenade dispensers mounted under the fuselage.
8. 2 seat aircraft.
9. Monoplane.
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
4. 3 aircraft were built as float planes.
5. After the war some were converted to commercial passenger carriers.
6. Powered by a 180 H.P. inline 6 cylinder water cooled engine.
7. Armament consisted of 3 machine guns, 2 forward fixed and 1 trainable rear gun, with provisions for anti personnel grenade dispensers mounted under the fuselage.
8. 2 seat aircraft.
9. Monoplane.
04-11-2016, 10:05 PM
No guesses yet? Lets try a couple more clues.
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
4. 3 aircraft were built as float planes.
5. After the war some were converted to commercial passenger carriers.
6. Powered by a 180 H.P. inline 6 cylinder water cooled engine.
7. Armament consisted of 3 machine guns, 2 forward fixed and 1 trainable rear gun, with provisions for anti personnel grenade dispensers mounted under the fuselage.
8. 2 seat aircraft.
9. Monoplane.
10. Manufactured jointly with another well known manufacturer of the time.
11. Was designed as a ground attack aircraft.
12. Aircraft featured a metal framework that was skinned with corrugated duralumin sheets.
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
4. 3 aircraft were built as float planes.
5. After the war some were converted to commercial passenger carriers.
6. Powered by a 180 H.P. inline 6 cylinder water cooled engine.
7. Armament consisted of 3 machine guns, 2 forward fixed and 1 trainable rear gun, with provisions for anti personnel grenade dispensers mounted under the fuselage.
8. 2 seat aircraft.
9. Monoplane.
10. Manufactured jointly with another well known manufacturer of the time.
11. Was designed as a ground attack aircraft.
12. Aircraft featured a metal framework that was skinned with corrugated duralumin sheets.
04-12-2016, 05:19 AM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
No guesses yet? Lets try a couple more clues.
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
4. 3 aircraft were built as float planes.
5. After the war some were converted to commercial passenger carriers.
6. Powered by a 180 H.P. inline 6 cylinder water cooled engine.
7. Armament consisted of 3 machine guns, 2 forward fixed and 1 trainable rear gun, with provisions for anti personnel grenade dispensers mounted under the fuselage.
8. 2 seat aircraft.
9. Monoplane.
10. Manufactured jointly with another well known manufacturer of the time.
11. Was designed as a ground attack aircraft.
12. Aircraft featured a metal framework that was skinned with corrugated duralumin sheets.
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
4. 3 aircraft were built as float planes.
5. After the war some were converted to commercial passenger carriers.
6. Powered by a 180 H.P. inline 6 cylinder water cooled engine.
7. Armament consisted of 3 machine guns, 2 forward fixed and 1 trainable rear gun, with provisions for anti personnel grenade dispensers mounted under the fuselage.
8. 2 seat aircraft.
9. Monoplane.
10. Manufactured jointly with another well known manufacturer of the time.
11. Was designed as a ground attack aircraft.
12. Aircraft featured a metal framework that was skinned with corrugated duralumin sheets.
Well, that should certainly finish it up. Thanks; Ernie P.
04-13-2016, 06:37 PM
I'm running out of clues.
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
4. 3 aircraft were built as float planes.
5. After the war some were converted to commercial passenger carriers.
6. Powered by a 180 H.P. inline 6 cylinder water cooled engine.*
7. Armament consisted of 3 machine guns, 2 forward fixed and 1 trainable rear gun, with provisions for anti personnel grenade dispensers mounted under the fuselage.
8. 2 seat aircraft.
9. Monoplane.
10. Manufactured jointly with another well known manufacturer of the time.
11. Was designed as a ground attack aircraft.
12. Aircraft featured a metal framework that was skinned with corrugated duralumin sheets.
13. WWI aircraft.
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
4. 3 aircraft were built as float planes.
5. After the war some were converted to commercial passenger carriers.
6. Powered by a 180 H.P. inline 6 cylinder water cooled engine.*
7. Armament consisted of 3 machine guns, 2 forward fixed and 1 trainable rear gun, with provisions for anti personnel grenade dispensers mounted under the fuselage.
8. 2 seat aircraft.
9. Monoplane.
10. Manufactured jointly with another well known manufacturer of the time.
11. Was designed as a ground attack aircraft.
12. Aircraft featured a metal framework that was skinned with corrugated duralumin sheets.
13. WWI aircraft.
04-13-2016, 06:49 PM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
I'm running out of clues.
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
4. 3 aircraft were built as float planes.
5. After the war some were converted to commercial passenger carriers.
6. Powered by a 180 H.P. inline 6 cylinder water cooled engine.*
7. Armament consisted of 3 machine guns, 2 forward fixed and 1 trainable rear gun, with provisions for anti personnel grenade dispensers mounted under the fuselage.
8. 2 seat aircraft.
9. Monoplane.
10. Manufactured jointly with another well known manufacturer of the time.
11. Was designed as a ground attack aircraft.
12. Aircraft featured a metal framework that was skinned with corrugated duralumin sheets.
13. WWI aircraft.
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. Something of a breakthrough aircraft of its time.
2. Less than 50 were manufactured.
3. Manufacturing difficulties were the reason for the low numbers.
4. 3 aircraft were built as float planes.
5. After the war some were converted to commercial passenger carriers.
6. Powered by a 180 H.P. inline 6 cylinder water cooled engine.*
7. Armament consisted of 3 machine guns, 2 forward fixed and 1 trainable rear gun, with provisions for anti personnel grenade dispensers mounted under the fuselage.
8. 2 seat aircraft.
9. Monoplane.
10. Manufactured jointly with another well known manufacturer of the time.
11. Was designed as a ground attack aircraft.
12. Aircraft featured a metal framework that was skinned with corrugated duralumin sheets.
13. WWI aircraft.
Your puzzlement is understandable. I'm also a bit baffled as to why this one wasn't solved much earlier. If no one gets it in the next day or two, I'll solve it. Thanks; Ernie P.
04-13-2016, 07:55 PM
I might have taken a shot at it except for two issues:
1) I've done several myself over the past few months and feel it's time for new blood
2) I'll be heading out of town in the near future, without internet access, and won't be able to run a quiz
1) I've done several myself over the past few months and feel it's time for new blood
2) I'll be heading out of town in the near future, without internet access, and won't be able to run a quiz
04-14-2016, 06:29 PM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
Since, apparently, no one else is available, I'll do the deed. How about the Junkers CL.I? Thanks; Ernie P.
The Junkers CL.I
The Junkers CL.I was a ground-attack aircraft developed in Germany during World War I. Its construction was undertaken by Junkers under the designation J 8 as proof of Hugo Junkers' belief in the monoplane, after his firm had been required by the Idflieg to submit a biplane (the J 4) as its entry in a competition to select a ground-attack aircraft. The J 8 design took the J 7 fighter as its starting point, but had a longer fuselage to accommodate a tail gunner, and larger wings. The prototype flew in late 1917 and was followed over the next few months by three more development aircraft. The Idflieg was sufficiently impressed to want to order the type, but had misgivings about Junkers' ability to manufacture the aircraft in quantity and considered asking Linke-Hoffmann to produce the type under licence. Finally, however, Junkers was allowed to undertake the manufacture as part of a joint venture with Fokker, producing a slightly modified version of the J 8 design as the J 10. Like the other Junkers designs of the period, the aircraft featured a metal framework that was skinned with corrugated duralumin sheets. 47 examples were delivered before the Armistice, including three built as floatplanes under the designation CLS.I (factory designation J 11). After the war, one or two CL.Is were converted for commercial service by enclosing the rear cockpit under a canopy.
General characteristics
The Junkers CL.I
The Junkers CL.I was a ground-attack aircraft developed in Germany during World War I. Its construction was undertaken by Junkers under the designation J 8 as proof of Hugo Junkers' belief in the monoplane, after his firm had been required by the Idflieg to submit a biplane (the J 4) as its entry in a competition to select a ground-attack aircraft. The J 8 design took the J 7 fighter as its starting point, but had a longer fuselage to accommodate a tail gunner, and larger wings. The prototype flew in late 1917 and was followed over the next few months by three more development aircraft. The Idflieg was sufficiently impressed to want to order the type, but had misgivings about Junkers' ability to manufacture the aircraft in quantity and considered asking Linke-Hoffmann to produce the type under licence. Finally, however, Junkers was allowed to undertake the manufacture as part of a joint venture with Fokker, producing a slightly modified version of the J 8 design as the J 10. Like the other Junkers designs of the period, the aircraft featured a metal framework that was skinned with corrugated duralumin sheets. 47 examples were delivered before the Armistice, including three built as floatplanes under the designation CLS.I (factory designation J 11). After the war, one or two CL.Is were converted for commercial service by enclosing the rear cockpit under a canopy.
General characteristics
- Crew: Two, pilot and gunner
- Length: 7.90 m (25 ft 11 in)
- Wingspan: 12.04 m (39 ft 6 in)
- Height: 2.65 m (8 ft 8ผ in)
- Wing area: 23.4 m[SUP]2[/SUP] (253 ft[SUP]2[/SUP])
- Empty weight: 710 kg (1,562 lb)
- Gross weight: 1,050 kg (2,310 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 ื Mercedes D.IIIa, 134 kW (180 hp)
- Maximum speed: 161 km/h (100 mph)
- Endurance: 2[SUP][2][/SUP] hours
- Service ceiling: 6,000[SUP][3][/SUP] m (19,700 ft)
- 2 ื fixed, forward-firing machine guns
- 1 ื trainable, rearward-firing machine gun
04-15-2016, 01:48 AM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
Thank you, Sir. It was a cool plane. As you know, I figured it out fairly early on; but I doubt I was alone. But, if nothing else, clues 11 and 12 should have given it away. I think several of our experts probably had it figured out but didn't want to take the lead right now, for some reason. Maybe this next quiz will interest them. Thanks; Ernie P.
Question: What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
- This aircraft was expressly designed to fight at what was, for the day, very high altitudes.
04-15-2016, 09:54 AM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
Not the Dolphin, SimonCraig1; but a good guess. Maybe this afternoon clue will help. Thanks; Ernie P.
Question: What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
Question: What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
- This aircraft was expressly designed to fight at what was, for the day, very high altitudes.
- It was designed to counter an enemy aircraft which was reaching previously unheard of altitudes.
04-15-2016, 02:14 PM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
Evening clue. Thanks; Ernie P.
Question: What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
Question: What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
- This aircraft was expressly designed to fight at what was, for the day, very high altitudes.
- It was designed to counter an enemy aircraft which was reaching previously unheard of altitudes.
- It had one of those names which stick in the memory.
04-15-2016, 07:37 PM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
Morning clue. Okay, maybe a bit early, just to reward the night owls. Thanks; Ernie P.
Question: What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
Question: What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
- This aircraft was expressly designed to fight at what was, for the day, very high altitudes.
- It was designed to counter an enemy aircraft which was reaching previously unheard of altitudes.
- It had one of those names which stick in the memory.
- The threat it was intended to counter never really became fact; and consequently few of these aircraft were ever produced, and most of those never flew.
04-16-2016, 10:24 AM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
Afternoon clue. Thanks; Ernie P.
Question: What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
Question: What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
- This aircraft was expressly designed to fight at what was, for the day, very high altitudes.
- It was designed to counter an enemy aircraft which was reaching previously unheard of altitudes.
- It had one of those names which stick in the memory.
- The threat it was intended to counter never really became fact; and consequently few of these aircraft were ever produced, and most of those never flew.
- Less than 100 completed aircraft were produced, including prototypes, and a small number of airframes without engines.
04-16-2016, 12:41 PM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
Absolutely; the Welkin, or Vault of Heaven, it is. Good job, Adrian; and you are up, Sir. Thanks; Ernie P.
Question: What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
- This aircraft was expressly designed to fight at what was, for the day, very high altitudes.
- It was designed to counter an enemy aircraft which was reaching previously unheard of altitudes.
- It had one of those names which stick in the memory.
- The threat it was intended to counter never really became fact; and consequently few of these aircraft were ever produced, and most of those never flew.
- Less than 100 completed aircraft were produced, including prototypes, and a small number of airframes without engines.
- The wings were enormous, and had a high aspect ratio.
- The cockpit was pressurized.
- The cockpit canopy was double layered.
- The wings were so large, flaps were not needed.
- A night fighter version was produced, but not put into production.
- The flight envelope at altitude was very small.
- By the time it was ready, the threat was no longer there.
- Twin engine monoplane.
- The wing was so large the tail had to be lengthened to avoid coupling problems.
Answer: The Westland Welkin
The Westland Welkin was a British twin-engine heavy fighter from the Westland Aircraft Company, designed to fight at extremely high altitudes, in the stratosphere; the word welkin meaning "the vault of heaven" or the upper atmosphere. First conceived in 1940, it was built from 1942–43 in response to the arrival of modified Junkers Ju 86P bombers flying reconnaissance missions that suggested the Luftwaffe might attempt to re-open the bombing of England from high altitude. The threat never materialized; consequently, Westland produced only a small number of Welkins and few of these flew.
[h=2]Design and development[/h]Westland put forward their P.14, essentially an adaptation of Westland's Whirlwind fighter layout (and a more experimental twin, the P.13) to meet Air Ministry Specification F.4 of 1940 for a high altitude fighter. The most obvious feature was the enormous high aspect ratio wing, with a span on the production aircraft of 70 feet (21 m). The compact but troublesome Rolls-Royce Peregrine engines of the Whirlwind were replaced by the more powerful two-stage Rolls Royce Merlin Mk.76/77. However, the most significant feature was a pressurised cockpit. The last item required the majority of the effort in designing what would become the Welkin. After extensive development a new cockpit was developed that was built out of heavy-gauge duraluminium bolted directly to the front of the main spar. The cockpit hood used an internal layer of thick Perspex to hold the pressure, and an outer thin layer to form a smooth line. Heated air was blown between the two to keep the canopy clear of frost.
In January 1941, the Ministry of Aircraft Production authorized the building of two P.14 prototypes. The F.4/40 specification was revised into F.7/41 that year. The Welkin design was now in competition with the Vickers Type 432 with Merlin 61 engines.
The pressurization system was driven by a Rotol supercharger attached to the left-hand engine (this was the difference between the Merlin 76 and 77), providing a constant pressure of 3.5 psi (24 kPa) over the exterior pressure. This resulted in an apparent cabin altitude of 24,000 feet (7,300 m) when the aircraft was operating at its design altitude of 45,000 ft (14,000 m). This cabin altitude was still too high for normal breathing, so the pilot had to wear an oxygen mask during flight. A rubber gasket filled with the pressurized air sealed the canopy when the system was turned on, and a valve ensured the pressure was controlled automatically. Moreover, the pilot also had to wear a high altitude suit as he might have been required to bail out at altitude.
The Welkin required a sophisticated electrical system. This was to minimize the number of seals and points of entry in the cockpit for the controls and instrumentation. It took an electrician experienced in the features of the Welkin four hours to undertake a pre-flight check of this system. The wings were so large that the high lift Fowler flaps of the Whirlwind were not needed, and were replaced by a simple split flap. The extra wing area also required more stability, so the tail was lengthened to provide a longer moment arm. The armament − four Hispano 20 mm cannon − was the same as the Whirlwind's, but the Welkin carried the guns in a tray in its belly, which facilitated loading. In that position, muzzle flash was also less likely to dazzle the pilot.
By the time the Welkin Mk.I was complete and in production, it was apparent that the Luftwaffe was no longer conducting high altitude missions, due largely to successful interceptions by specially modified Supermarine Spitfires. Only 77 complete Welkins were produced, plus a further 26 as engine-less airframes. Two Welkins served with the Fighter Interception Unit based at RAF Wittering from May to November 1944, where they were used to gain experience and formulate tactics for high altitude fighter operations. A two-seat, radar-equipped night fighter version known as the Welkin NF.Mk.II for specification F.9/43 was developed but only one was eventually produced as the variant was not ordered into production.
Information on the Welkin was only released at the end of the war.
The Welkin was seriously handicapped by compressibility problems exacerbated by its long but thick wings, causing the flight envelope (flyable speed range) between high-incidence stall and shock-stall to become very small at high altitudes - any decrease in airspeed causing a "normal" stall, any increase causing a shock-stall due to the aircraft's limiting critical Mach number. This reduction of the speed envelope is a problem common to all subsonic, high altitude designs and also occurred with the later Lockheed U-2. When W.E.W. Petter came to design his next high altitude aircraft, the English Electric Canberra jet bomber, it was distinguished by noticeably short wings.
[h=2]Variants[/h]
- Welkin Mk.I : Single-seat twin-engine high altitude fighter aircraft.
- Welkin NF.Mk.II : Two-seat night fighter prototype.
General characteristics
- Crew: One pilot
- Length: 41 ft 6 in (12.67 m)
- Wingspan: 70 ft 0 in (21.30 m)
- Height: 15 ft 9 in (4.80 m)
- Wing area: 250 ft[SUP]2[/SUP] (23 m[SUP]2[/SUP])
- Empty weight: 8,310 lb (3,768 kg)
- Loaded weight: 10,356 lb (4,697 kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: 11,410 lb (5,175 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 ื Rolls-Royce Merlin 76/77 liquid-cooled piston engine, 1,233 hp (920 kW) each
- Maximum speed: 385 mph (625 km/h)
- Range: 1,480 mi (2,380 km)
- Service ceiling: 44,000 ft[SUP][10][/SUP][SUP][11][/SUP] (13,420 m)
- Rate of climb: 3,850 ft/min (19.58 m/s)
- Wing loading: 41 lb/ft[SUP]2[/SUP] (204 kg/m[SUP]2[/SUP])
- Power/mass: 0.11 hp/lb (0.18 kW/kg)
- Guns: 4 x 20 mm Hispano cannon
[TABLE="width: 315"]
[TR]
[TD]Role
[/TD]
[TD]high altitude fighter
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Manufacturer
[/TD]
[TD]Westland Aircraft
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Designer
[/TD]
[TD]W.E.W. Petter
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]First flight
[/TD]
[TD]1 November 1942
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Introduction
[/TD]
[TD]May 1944
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Retired
[/TD]
[TD]November 1944
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Primary user
[/TD]
[TD]Royal Air Force
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Number built
[/TD]
[TD]75 + 2 prototypes + 26 engine-less airframes
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]