Final Flight

If you've been to the World War II museum in New Orleans, you have seen the war birds on display in the Boeing Center. This is a time lapse video of how they were installed in their final positions.

I cannot imbed the video so the link to it is here.

Aviation History

In case you were wondering, this is where Antoine de Sainte-Exupery was born on June 29, 1900. Aviation pioneer and author, this house is on a street in Lyon, France now named for him. He disappeared on a mission in 1944. The remains of his aircraft were found in April 2004.

On My "To Do" List

I need to try to get this place. I can combines wine and aviation history.

Link is here.

Helicopters and Autorotation

The recent helicopter accident in NY got me asking "Why didn't he auto rotate down?" I know it works because I experienced it first hand.

I was returning from offshore one afternoon. I was the only passenger. In order to pass the time, I started talking to pilot about my growing apprehension about flying in helicopters. He went on with the many reasons that helicopter pilots will tell you why they are safer than fixed wing aircraft. One of these was the ability to auto rotate and land safely. "Let me show you.", he said. He then twisted the throttle back to idle and dropped the collective to the deck. We started falling like a rock and my stomach was left somewhere 100 feet above me. He then began pulling pitch and slowed us down to a more reasonable fall rate. To my relief, he then brought the power back on and we flew back to base without further demonstrations. He claimed that he could land the helicopter under auto rotation and then go into a low hover and rotate it 180 degrees before setting it down again. Furthermore, he had to practice auto rotation on a regular basis.

So, auto rotation is real and the pilot should have been able to land softly on the water. I will await the NTSB report with interest.

Of course, when I was flying offshore, our pilots were all Viet Nam veterans and those guys could do some very delicate things with a Bell 212 or a Bell 206 Long Ranger.

Next time, I'll tell you about translational lift and it's application departing an offshore platform on a hot day in a fully loaded helicopter.

Le Bourget - Post WW2 Military

This area has military aircraft from post WW 2. Plane spotters may see some familiar profiles. I was struck with the T6. evidently the French air force used them for spotting.

Le Bourget - Inter War Years

Some of the coolest exhibits were in the hall for the inter war years. These 20s and 30s aircraft may not be familiar to plane spotters as these are what Europe was doing during that era.

This is a 1920s commercial liner that flew Paris - London.

This plane was the first to fly Paris to New York.

This is a German glider like the ones they used to train their pilots.

More gliders.

Le Bourget - Normandie Nieman

In 1942, Gen DeGaulle decided that the Free French should be more visible in the fight against Germany. He sent a group of French pilots to Russia. This group became known at the Normandie Nieman Regiment. They flew Yak 3s like the one below with Russian support crews. They completed 5,240 missions with 273 confirmed kills and 36 probable. (Link). Unfortunately, the descriptive plaque is in French but I think it describes the damage to the aircraft and its original paint. Anyway, it's a piece of little known history.

Le Bourget - A4D (Oops, AD4) Skyraider

This Skyraider is in the WW II section, probably because they didn't know where else to put it. It came too late to be in WW II (it first flew in March 1945) but it did fight in Korea and Vietnam. France purchased about 100 of them in 1959. This one is painted in the colors of a unit that served in the Algerian War. (note the drip pan under the hydraulics)

Le Bourget - Motors

There are lots of motors. The coolest ones are from the pre-WW II area. 

Le Bourget - Uboat Gyrocopter

Almost hidden in the rotary wing section of the museum was this 1 man gyrocopter. It was carried by German U Boats and used to get a lookout to a higher elevation. I wonder how effective it was and what the captain would do if he had to make a crash dive. I suspect the lookout would go swimming. Only 12 of these exist in museums around the world (2 in the US) and this museum is lucky to have one.

Le Bourget - Prototypes

There is a hall where they display prototype aircraft from the 50s and 60s. Included in there is the VTOL version of a Mirage. Here are some pictures. The descriptions were all in French so my understanding of them is somewhat weak.

This thing is truly like strapping on a jet engine.

Early personal rocket

Another personal jet pac

A mini jet

Don't know what this is except an idea to strap a jet onto something.

The plane in the center set some sort of speed record.

Le Bourget

This is a teaser for aviation pron that's coming.

WW 2 Museum

I was forced into retirement in July. One of the benefits is being able to go places during the week when the crowds are small. I took one of the grandsons to the WW 2 Museum. Here are a few pics to tease you.

When I asked grandson what he wanted to see first he said, "The submarine". That's an exhibit where they simulate the last mission of the USS Tang. It is a mock up of a submarine interior. You are issued cards with crew positions and you man their station. At the end, you get to find out if you survived. Because it was early and a Tuesday, we had the whole thing to ourselves and out pick of duty stations.

And an insiders tip......you can see the PT boat by signing up at the front desk. Small groups are allowed in to the workshop area at noon.

Warbird Pr0n

The Confederate, Oops, Commemorative Air Force flew into New Orleans last weekend with their collection of warbirds and landed at Lakefront Airport (NEW) As a bonus, they brought one of the last surviving Doolittle Raiders, Col. Dick Cole, who answered questions from the audience. If you didn't know, he was Jimmy Doolittle's co-pilot. Here is some aviation eye candy.