Aircraft Trivia Quiz

You don't mean the Delta Dart, which is certainly a Delta, in more than one sense, and, in it's final configuration, was used a drone (hence, one-way).  However, the F-106 is not, in any sense, elegant, with that canopy!

The other option is the Mirage III, in which case, I guess you mean that it could be used for nuclear strike, which would indeed be a crisis, and a one-way flight.  Now, one could use the world elegant for the Mirage!

You are on the correct lines with the Vulcan, but this A/C belongs to another nation & is somewhat faster & smaller.

I am currently putting 1st coat onto the Airfix 1/72 Vulcan & with any luck I should see XH558 fly at Leuchars this year.

What a dolt I am, of course, it's the Vulcan bomber, possibly the most beautiful aircraft ever, possibly the largest delta wing ever (forgetting the kink they added in later), and, when the chips were down, was expected to fly one-way missions to Russia.

What about the B-58?

Although I don't think of it as elegant, what about the Goblin parasite fighter for the B36 bomber.

No, I suppose its a matter of taste - but I have never seen that Shuttle as elegant!

This is a combat aircraft.

The Shuttle, as it went up, and down, but not to a location (it has delta wings)?

Think Delta!

Ah, I was thinking the Tsurugi, but,elegant, no, not at all!  So, it would have to be a catapault aircraft, carried by British merchant ships, which were war-weary Hurricane Mk.I (50 initially) and would be used, in times of crisis, for a mission, which indeed was one-way, as, when the mission expired, the pilot had to ditch next to the ship, and hope to be picked up.  The Hurricane, could indeed be called a beautiful aircraft, although, a rugged beauty!

Had to do a bit of research for that one.

OK, This A/C was an elegant, high performance machine which in times of crisis could come with a one way ticket? 

We have a winner. I was getting concerned given the lack of guesses.

Details of this forgotten period of WW2 can be found here... http://www.flyingboatsonline.org/

Anyway, over to you Milairjunkie.

Lake Windermere / Short Sunderland.

If this isn't correct, I guess were talking gliders or shadow plants?

Neither the Lancaster nor the Meteor could use this place. They lacked a specific requirement that would have been essential. One special version of the C-47 was fitted with the necessary equipment although it never used this place.

This place was used by the aircraft that was built nearby in a temporary factory..

davros wrote:

Would this be the SR-71? Originally intended to be called the RS-71 (Reconnaisance/Strike) If so; the President would be Lyndon B. Johnson. I think there was some debate as to whether there had been a presidential gaff that caused the re-naming of this plane.

Just for the record, according to the 1997 publication on the SR-71, LBJ actually decided to call the Blackbird the SR-71 in deference to the USAF suggested RS because he like the phrase "Strategic-Reconnaisance" over "Reconnaisance-Strike", leaving the "Strike" designation for the YF-71 program.

Tom T

I would guess that the aircraft would either be the Avro Lancaster or the Gloster Meteor.

The Lanc because of it's massive payload, or the Meteor because of the poor acceleration and climb rate of the Goblin engines.

The B-17 had a much better wing area for it's payload then most, so it literally could fly on a single engine if need be, so I would tend to leave this one out.

As for the airfield, I would have to look that one up.

Tom T

Sorry, that's not the one. Actually; there was only one version of the C-47 that could have used this place. That's a little clue.

Would it be RAF Winkleigh????? The aircraft would be the C-47. During their pre invasion training.

 Sorry for the delay in replying. It's getting harder to come up with a new question. This will, probably, be an easy one.

 During WW2 this place, in Britain, was probably the largest single landing and take-off zone for planes. Can you name it and, also, the aircraft that most used it.

You got it Davros

The presidential gaff is recorded in the book about the SR-71.

Take it away!

Tom T

Would this be the SR-71? Originally intended to be called the RS-71 (Reconnaisance/Strike)

If so; the President would be Lyndon B. Johnson. I think there was some debate as to whether there had been a presidential gaff that caused the re-naming of this plane.

OK

Assuming the forum is open, here is a question:

This completely radical modern USAF air-breather aircraft oddly had it's  letter prefix designated to be a unique two-letter designation, and the only of it's kind since, by a seated president?

What is the aircraft?

Bonus: Who was the president?

Hint: What makes its designation unique is that unlike in the typical military parlance, one of the letters have nothing to do with the aircraft's mission/function, but actually describes its main radical performance characteristic.

Tom T

NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When the SR-71 was deployed to Kadena AB in May, 1967, two F-101 Voodoo fighters were deployed as chase aircraft. One was lost on June 1. It doesn't say which model, but I think that they would be F-101F or F-101Bs. From Historical Highlights of the First Twenty Five years of PACAF.

Here is a scan of the page.


Best wishes,
Grant

PS I inked in the B on F-101B.

Sorry, Guardsman,
Here is more info that might help.
F-101A - Single seat Tactical Fighter version, (special weapons delivery) used by the 27th TFW, Cannon AFB, NM. Aircraft moved to the 81st TFW at Bentwaters and Woodbridge AB in England. Airframe stressed for 6.33 G maneuvers.
F-101C - Single seat Tactical Fighter version. Airframe strengthened for 7.3 G maneuvers. Aircraft to 27th TFW, later 81st TFW. (522nd TFS, 27th TFW sent TDY to Kadena AB, Okinawa in response to the Taiwan Crisis in 1958. Only deployment of the single seat fighter version to the Far East.)
F-101B - Two seat interceptor version. Internal weapons bay for Falcon and Genie air to air missiles. Used by CONUS ADC squadrons, ADC F-101Bs were not based nor sent TDY outside of CONUS. Also used by Canadians.
F-101F - Dual control (flight controls also in the back cockpit) F-101B to be used as a trainer. Used by ADC and some ANG RF-101G/H units. Used by Canadians.
RF-101A - Reconnaissance version stressed to 6.33 G. Used by Tac Recon units in CONUS, and a few were used early in the Viet Nam War by PACAF. (TDY from CONUS? or detached from ROC?) ROC apparently used a limited number.
RF-101C - Recon version strengthened for 7.3 G maneuvers. Used by Tac Recon units in CONUS, USAFE, and PACAF. ROC also used this version.
RF-101G - Conversion of F-101As for Reconnnaissance mission. Used by the KY, ARK and NV ANG. Aircraft sent TDY to Itazuke AB in Japan in response to the Pueblo Crisis.
RF-101H - Conversion of F-101Cs for Recon mission. Used by KY, ARK and NV ANG. Aircraft sent TDY to Itazuke AB.
RF-101B - Conversion of ex RCAF F-101Bs for Recon mission. Used by NV ANG. Did not operate outside of CONUS.

Since ADC did not send the F-101B or F-101F overseas, how did a pair come to be stationed for a year or so overseas? Use as a chase plane is a hint. As far as I know, the TRS units overseas did not operate the two seat trainer version. I don't think that the 81st TFW in England used them either. F-101Bs might have been sent to the Paris Air Show or the one at Farnborough in England.

Sorry, if this is too obscure.

I left it as an aside as it is a pretty obscure question. I did not intend it to be the new trivia question.
It would be a nice beer bet.

Best wishes,
Grant

gmat wrote:

PS, If anyone is interested, where was the F-101B, or was it an F, operated outside of the CONUS? It flew as a chase aircraft and one was lost.

okay thats a pretty confusing question because Canada had over a hundred both fighter and drone versions, and even Taiwan had flew some.

so I don't understand what you are trying to ask.

Perhaps, I'm jumping the gun, but the lack of response would indicate that I didn't post a very good question. Sorry.
I was thinking that the P-47 never served in Alaska. The Mustang only served there as the P-51H with the 57th FG and with its descendant, the F-82, with the 449th FS (AW).
I got on this thread of thought when reading Top Cover Over America and on a separate track, researching P-47N units, especially Post War units. I combed through Combat Squadrons of WWII to see who had them.

Anyone can post a new question.

Best wishes,
Grant


PS, If anyone is interested, where was the F-101B, or was it an F, operated outside of the CONUS? It flew as a chase aircraft and one was lost.

Brumbles,
Good call.
The P-47N Thunderbolt flew very long range escort missions to Japan and also missions to Korea towards the end of WWII, so while it wasn't used in the Korean War, it did fly there. I'm thinking of some place that it never served, either in WW II or Post War. This was something that I noticed reading about this area, but I don't think it would be written down. P-51Hs were stationed at this location Post War, but Mustangs weren't stationed here during the war, either.
But you're right that the Thunderbolt didn't participate in the Korean War.
Although some Guard P-47 units were activated and one became the 47th FS and stationed at Dow AFB, I think.
After the Nationalist China/Kuomintang Government was kicked out of China in 1949, they were provided with P-47Ns, which served in Formosa/Taiwan into the mid 50s. So peripherally, they served in the Cold War. But Nationalist China didn't directly participate in the Korean War.
Best wishes,
Grant

In the Korean War? 

If I win, someone else can pose the next question -- perhaps you, Grant?

I found an awesome pic online of four or five P-47s (F-47s by then, probably) of the Maryland Air National Guard flying in formation -- which is doubly cool for me because I live in the flight path of Martin Airport, outside Baltimore, where MD ANG A-10 "Thunderbolt II"s frequently fly in formation! 

I'm not a regular participant in this thread, so I hope that I don't commit any faux pas. There are some very knowledgeable people here.
The Mustang and Thunderbolt have served in many theaters of operations, but, including post-war USAAF/USAF service, the Thunderbolt never served here, although the Mustang did. Where might this be? There could be various answers, but I hope not.
Best wishes,
Grant

Close enough for me!  Basically, at the end of the war, the Japanese were developing two completely separate airframes and engines, which, in profile resembled the Me-262.  The most famous of these was the Kikka.  These two were unrelated to each other, but, also to the ME-262.  It's often thought, wrongly, that the German design was copied, but, actually, the Japanese were really just inspired by it, with it's shape offering clues, but, that's about it (the submarine with the actual plans was sunk).  The Japanese army and navy hated each other (sounds familiar), even developing rival ships, submarines, aircraft, etc.  As such, both Japanese designs were quite different, except in profile (although different sizes).