Aircraft Trivia Quiz

Close, but not close enough.  As a clue - the fighter was an emergency fighter, and used the same engine as a famous naval fighter.

The trainer is the T-6 Texan.  There were actually four different combat versions planned from the standard T-6 design.  One of these was built for Thailand, but with the start of WWII they were commandeered by the US and were called A-27s.  There were only ten of them.  All of them were destroyed by the Japanese.  The second was the NA-72, which was an attack version designed for Brazil.  It appears that 30 of these were built.  Third was the NA-74, which was supposed to be for Chile, but I do not see anything where any of these were actually built.  Fourth was the fighter design--known as the NA-44.  It was a single-seat aircraft, and only one was built.  It ended up being sold to Canada. 

This trainer aircraft family first flew 1st April 1935, and would eventually number over 17,000.  It's host nation opted for an improved version, but one which retained fixed undercarriage (a later development used a retractable one, this was also bought in large numbers).  Some were built overseas, and many were used by the enemy too.  One overseas version had the optional retractable undercarriage (and some other modifications), and was built until 1946, and used until 1958 (last flight 1959).  Out of this developed a fighter version, with a more powerful engine.

What was the name of the fighter?

Yes, the MB.3 - apparently it was the death of baker that spurned Martin on to develop the ejection system, Martin Baker now have 7361 aircrew in their "tie club".

It was the internal failure of the MB.3's Napier Sabre which caused the crash..............

Incidentally, a guy named John Marlin was building an MB.5 replica (ish), does anyone know if his has ever flown?

The MB.3, which was the aircraft Valentine Baker was flying when he died?

So, so, so close.....................

Ah, now that would be the Martin-Baker MB.5, one of the most beautiful aircraft ever made.  It directly contributed to air safety as in it's design MB made the cockpit easier for pilots, developing the idea of ergonmics.  Indirectly, Valentine Baker was killed testing an earlier aircraft, and from this, and the failure of the MB fighter series, MB became the main developer thence producer of ejection seats.

Just - it took a fair bit of figuring on that one.

This aircraft was a powerful piston fighter prototype which didn't go into production, but it did contribute massively to modern fighter safety?

For the bonus (), what was ultimately responsible for the chain of events?

milair's got it again...that beast had TEN engines...it was also later planned to upgrade the airframes to use turboprops, and a study was done by the US Navy that considered fitting nuclear reactors into them as well. 

The Saunder Roe Princess?

The inner engines were 4 coupled Bristol Proteus which required contra-props, whereas the two outer engine were single & didn't require contra-props. The Princess was SR's last commercial aircraft to fly, after which the SR.53 hybrid interceptor flew. The SR Skeeter was introduced not long before the SR.53's first flight & was later developed into the Westland Wasp / Scout.

Think bigger...much bigger....

I was thinking of the Westland Wyvern, but it doesn't quite meet the specs mentioned.

No takers?  This aircraft was the last commercial fixed wing plane to be built by the manufacturer.  The only airplane they built after this one was an experimental fighter design that went nowhere....they then switched their focus to helicopters. 

Alright, here's the next one...

I am looking for an aircraft.  This aircraft was designed to have, and flew with, two different propeller designs at the same time.  While the design was successful, the changing times doomed this plane to just a few examples being produced.  Over the years following the completion of these planes, there were plans at two different times to use two different kinds of engines than the ones it flew with, but neither of the plans was actually carried out.  The planes were cut up for scrap and not one survives today.  Name the plane, and for bonus points, name the reason for the different prop designs.

Yup.  The tail is reminiscent of the old Martin Mars.

now thats a comprehensive answer.  

100% Correct.

An unusual looking aircraft, i quite like it.

Passangers boarded the aircraft through a hatch in the nose.

I like it.

Over to you F8, maybe we should start calling you "aviation guru"

OK, this is the Latecoure 631, a very large 6 engine flying boat.  There was one prototype and 10 production aircraft built.  Now, on to the losses:

1--#3 was lost off Cape Ferret, France

2--#6, owned by Air France, lost 1200 miles from Dakar in the Atlantic.  This aircraft was flying to Port Etienne, Mauritania when it went down at sea.  Four days after it went down, a USCG ship found debris but no survivors.  All 52 people on board were lost.

3--#7, owned by Latecoure, lost at sea, undisclosed location

4--#8, owned by France-Hydro, lost in Cameroon

Power was 6 Wright Cyclone engines.

Ok, im thinking of a French aircraft built in 1942. The prototype was captured by the germans during their occupation of France and subsequently bombed by the allies. It was retired in 1955 after losing 4 of its kind at sea.

Bonus if you can tell me how many were built, and where the 4 were lost.

Thanks F-8fantic, I never knew that the Delta 2 was capable of supercruise. 

No problem borg....here's a bit for information purposes:

http://www.ventnorradar.co.uk/FD2.htm

"The idea of a record attempt occurred to the pilot after the aircraft effortlessly passed the sound barrier without using full power or reheat."

@ scorpiomikey: I was looking for the EE Lighting (and I do not think the Draken could supercruise) So it is your turn to ask a question! (but I think you should only give one anwser next time)

@ F-8 Fanatic: I could not find a reference of the Delta beeing able to supercruise. And since scopiomikey came with a viable anwser earlier this round goes to him.

That must be the Fairey Delta 2.  The idea to use this research plane for a speed record attempt came about as a result of the plane going supersonic without afterburner.

The first "supercruiser".................

There were several. 2 that i can think of, english electric lightning used the mk.301/302

The other that i can think of was the saab draken which had a Svenska Flygmotor RM6 which was a swedish variant of the avon.

Okay, staying withni the Avon theme, which aircraft used a development of the Avon that powered the Scimitar (which was subsonic) and was able to supercruise....

Borg R3-MC0

I am thinking about two (british) aircraft, but I am going for the Supermarine Scimitar.

Spot on Borg.

After the Scimitar was retired, XD219 soldiered on doing wet runway braking tests, with it's wings removed!

One on the Saratoga;

I am thinking about two (british) aircraft, but I am going for the Supermarine Scimitar.

osher

VC-10? 

Sorry, not the VC-10, "the last serving example" rules it out.

The VC-10?  I believe it was the last aircraft produced by Vickers, and it had huge power reserves, whilst remaining (just) subsonic.

F-8fanatic

wow, that didnt take long!  Over to you, milair....

No, problem - I often think Navy bird when you post.............

Anyway, any ally of this country once said "Only the (insert nationality) could put (insert power) of thrust into an aircraft & keep it subsonic", the last serving example had a very unusual feature for an aircraft &  It was also the last aircraft to be produced by this prestigious manufacturer.

Name the plane?