Faces behind those names

[B_Realistic]

This is firstly addressed to the Moderators.
Is it a good idea to post a picture from yourself so you know who you talking with?
If it's against a rule or other privacy you can drop it.
Otherwise?

[learstang]

Personally, I'd be interested to know the faces behind the posts.  However, I'm afraid if we post our pictures we might scare people away!

Best Regards,

Jason

[Massimo Tessitori]

It could be a good idea. Please, start it yourselves to give a good example.
Regards
Massimo

[B_Realistic]

This is me on a hot summer day when we went riding.
I've got a Ducati ST3.

[K.Ingraham]

B_ I get it, you just wanted to show off that bike 
Interesting architecture behind you--what country are you in?

This is a good idea, the regulars here get along pretty well & knowing how ugly the other guy is can only improve one's self esteem.

I'm the fugly fellow on the bottom-left of this page:
http://www.75thrra.com/unit_directors.html

[learstang]

Don't be so hard on yourself, Kev, you're quite the handsome chap!  Not nearly so handsome as Michel's bike, mind you.  I'd post a photograph of myself, if I could find a good one, but there's only so much you can do even with Photoshop.

Regards,

Jason

[B_Realistic]

I'm from Belgium. The building that you see is the town hall from a town we visited.
Off course I want to show my bike.
It's great that someone follows my lead and show themselves.

[TISO]

Me at my office
I'm the flighter (the guy in harness and black helmet) doing last check before flight.
(machine is AB-212 reg. S5-HPB, pic was taken in late september 2010)



I refuse to reveal my face at this time
 
TISO's anthem (on account of my black helmet) - only 2 black helmets (others are blue) in entire unit
 

The sound of hoof beats 'cross the glade
Good folk, lock up your son and daughter
Beware the deadly flashing blade
Unless you want to end up shorter
Black Adder, Black Adder,
he rides a pitch black steed
Black Adder, Black Adder,
he's very bad indeed
Black: his gloves of finest mole
Black: his codpiece made of metal
His horse is blacker than a hole
His pot is blacker than his kettle
Black Adder, Black Adder,
with many a cunning plan
Black Adder, Black Adder,
you horrid little man!!!

[learstang]

Nice picture, TISO!  Is that a civilian or a military Huey?

Best Regards,

Jason

[TISO]

Nice picture, TISO!  Is that a civilian or a military Huey?

Best Regards,

Jason

She is police ship (in civilian register).I'm with Slovenia Police helicopter unit. My official title is Policeman technician flighter III. We technicians work as mechanics (officiall title according to EASA is engeneer ) on our own line and base maintenance, fly as winch operators (when in mountain rescue ops) & crew chiefs (other mission profiles as HEMS, SpecOps, trash&arse) on Agusta-Bell-212 and 412 and TFO's (tactical flight officers - doing FLIR and camera work) on other machines (AB-206BIII, A-109E and EC-135)

[Troy Smith]

since were showing off....



the closest I ever got to a Hurricane... Chailey Airshow 'press' day 6 aug 2004.   Not the most flattering photo...

Yes, I did ask if I could get in....but the chap was not about let some random chap put a foot into the instrument panel, it's quite a step over into the cockpit.
Sadly the pilot, Brian Brown was killed flying this Hurricane at Shoreham airshow in September 2007.
Glad I I didn't go that year!

And couple more.



the chap in the dapper straw hat is ex Squadron Leader Francisek Kornicki, I had a brief chat to him, he was at Deblin Airforce Academy in 1936 and was flying a PZL.7 when Poland was invaded!

I have a great pic of the Spitfire [MH434] doing a fast low pass, with nothing to date it, just grass, trees and sky.
Work was running the bar there, and I got told that on the friday they would be flying some planes in..there were about 50 people there in total, and none of the usual restrictions or crowd barriers.
MH434 flew in first and then the 'the black and the blue' Hurricane XII and Spitfire PRXI flew in.  I made a beeline for the Hurricane after he'd landed, and started chatting away to the pilot, he worked pretty fast I was a Hurricane afficionado and asked if I wanted to look in the cockpit....which means climbing up on the plane!
I got a shock seeing light coming through the cockpit 'floor', the Canadian ones kept little windows in the roof of the wheel well so you could check the undercarriage is up [remember the Hurricane was the first RAF fighter with a retractable undercarriage]
I've never been this close to working 'warbird'  before [or since ] and the smell was memorable!

I know 3 pics is a bit much, but as both were used by the VVS some might find the details of use....

The last Hurricane shot shows well the difference in surface finish between the fabric, fabric covered plywood [behind and under the cockpit] and the metal parts.  The exhaust stain was pale grey brown, and wiped off very easily.

more pics, from the actual show here
http://www.aviationphoto.co.uk/Chailey%20Airshow%202004.htm

cheers
T
for some reason the misses out there were two P-47, certainly of the saturday.

[learstang]

Thank you for the photographs, Troy, both of you and the aeroplanes!  Don't worry about posting the aeroplane pictures - we can never have too many.  Now if only that chap in the striped shirt weren't in the way...  Do you know if anyone has restored a Hurricane (either flying or static) in VVS colours?  That would be interesting to see.  Regarding the "windows" in the wheel wells, some of the I-16's had these as well.  I'd wondered what they were for - this could be answer - to check that the landing gear were well and truly up (or down).

Regards,

Jason

[Troy Smith]

Do you know if anyone has restored a Hurricane (either flying or static) in VVS colours?

AM274, an ex-VVS machine is being restored in the US at the moment, and is planned to be displayed in VVS markings
see - http://www.jneaircraftrestoration.com/AM274/AM274.html
A couple of years ago they kindly sent me some photos of the gun bays, which had the VVS armament mountings still fitted, though not the guns. There was a posting on this here.

also, this one
http://109lair.hobbyvista.com/DETAILSITE/UK/hurricane/z2768/hurri_z2768.htm
Don't know if planned to be restored in VVS markings, but some fascinating pics here. Note Soviet tyres.
Also, note the internal cockpit framework is painted with Aluminum paint, this was standard factory finish up until maybe 1942. [there is a colour pic of a KZ295 on the production line with grey-green interior framework - here http://www.flickr.com/photos/8270787@N07/4826065083/]

There is a Hurricane on a plinth  at Revda, 200 miles from Murmansk
see 'Russia' here
http://members.madasafish.com/~d_hodgkinson/hawker-guide-RW.htm

The aircraft had been recovered from a crash site near Lov Ozero on the Kola Peninsula, renovated and placed on a concrete plinth with the inscription ?To the Fighting Brotherhood of the Allies in the struggle against Fascism during WWII and in the memory of the pilots who did not return from combat and who died in the tundra, mountains, lakes and swamps of the Russian North?. The lightly damaged but weather-beaten plane was discovered with a Merlin XX engine, four 20mm canon and a tropical filter. The photo is taken from ?Warbirds Worldwide? journal 30 of September 1994, which includes the story of the recovery of the aircraft.

see post 26 here
http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php?topic=23.15

Looks like they  recreated the fabric and wood parts which rot away, note weird shape of the tailplane.
Never got any more info on this plane though.

Regarding the "windows" in the wheel wells, some of the I-16's had these as well.  I'd wondered what they were for - this could be answer - to check that the landing gear were well and truly up (or down).

Quite possibly, retracting undercarriages were brand new, and there are stories of pilots forgetting to put the gear down when landing!
cheers
T

[learstang]

Great information and links, Troy, thank you!

Regards,

Jason

[Massimo Tessitori]

Good images and informations on Hurricanes too! Thank you for sharing.
Regards
Massimo