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Everything posted by red750
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Another airliner crash - South Korea 29/12/24
red750 replied to red750's topic in Aircraft Incidents and Accidents
CNN. An Air Canada Express flight “experienced a suspected landing gear issue” after arriving at Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Nova Scotia on Saturday night, though no injuries were reported, according to the airline. Flight AC2259 – which took off from St. John’s, Newfoundland – was subsequently “unable to reach the terminal and customers were offloaded using a bus,” Air Canada spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick said in a statement to CNN. The flight, operated by partner PAL Airlines, was carrying 73 passengers, the statement said. The plane – a De Havilland DHC-8-402, according to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada – skidded down the runway for a “decent” distance, and passengers saw flames on the aircraft’s left side, passenger Nikki Valentine told CNN newsgathering partner CBC. “The plane shook quite a bit and we started seeing fire on the left side of the plane and smoke started coming in the windows,” Valentine said. -
Another airliner crash - South Korea 29/12/24
red750 replied to red750's topic in Aircraft Incidents and Accidents
A Jeju Air flight has been forced to turn around after experiencing landing gear issues just a day after South Korea's deadliest airline disaster in decades. This morning, another Jeju Air flight departed Seoul's Gimpo International Airport for Jeju island, but was forced to turn around after a landing gear issue was detected shortly after takeoff, the South Korean airline said. 'Shortly after takeoff, a signal indicating a landing gear issue was detected on the aircraft's monitoring system,' Song Kyung-hoon, head of the management support office at Jeju Air, told a news conference. 'At 6.57 am, the captain communicated with ground control, and after taking additional measures, the landing gear returned to normal operation. 'However, the decision was made to return to the airport for a thorough inspection of the aircraft.' Local media reported that 21 passengers chose not to board an alternate flight to Jeju, citing concerns over safety and other reasons. The airline has seen a surge in customers cancelling their flight reservations since Sunday's incident, with a total of 68,000 tickets cancelled, Yonhap news agency reports. Jeju Air's 41 plane fleet includes 39 Boeing 737-800 aircraft. -
Another airliner crash - South Korea 29/12/24
red750 replied to red750's topic in Aircraft Incidents and Accidents
The heartbreaking last words of a passenger on the doomed Jeju Air flight that crashed, so far killing 179, have been revealed. Jeju Air flight 7C2216, arriving from the Thai capital Bangkok with 181 people on board, was attempting to land shortly after 9 a.m. (0000 GMT) at South Korea's Muan International Airport when it veered off the runway and erupted in a fireball as it slammed into a wall. A passenger texted a relative to say a bird was stuck in the wing of the plane, the News1 agency reported. The person's final message was, 'Should I say my last words?' The crash is the worst by any South Korean airline since a 1997 Korean Air crash in Guam that killed more than 200 people, according to transportation ministry data. The twin-engine Boeing 737-800 can be seen in video from local media skidding down the runway with no apparent landing gear before slamming into a wall in an explosion of flame and debris. Other photos showed smoke and fire engulfing parts of the plane. -
Have done a few times.
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Another airliner crash - South Korea 29/12/24
red750 replied to red750's topic in Aircraft Incidents and Accidents
An updated report... https://au.yahoo.com/news/passengers-being-rescued-plane-crashed-005000634.html -
Onetrack is correct. When I first saw the name, I thought is was wrong, because we all know a Tiger Moth is a biplane, but de Havilland built two different Tiger Moths.
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The news tonight - amazing! (NOT!)
red750 replied to flying dog's topic in AUS/NZ General Discussion
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E-190 was shot down Xmas day 2024
red750 replied to pmccarthy's topic in Aircraft Incidents and Accidents
Here is an article claiming Russia refused permission for the airliner to land, to force it to ditch in the sea. Russia tried to make plane crash in sea -
The news tonight - amazing! (NOT!)
red750 replied to flying dog's topic in AUS/NZ General Discussion
Here is an MSN article with slideshow which gives a background on the Chinese superplane. Chinese super weapon. -
The Dassault Falcon 6X is a large, long-range business jet developed by Dassault Aviation in France. Its precursor, the Falcon 5X twinjet, was launched in 2013, rolled-out in 2015 and made its first flight on July 5, 2017, but its development was frozen as its Safran Silvercrest engine failed to meet performance objectives. In December 2017, the Falcon 6X was launched as a stretched version with PW812D turbofans, made its first flight on 10 March 2021, and entered service on 30 November 2023. It has the widest purpose-built business jet cabin at 2.58 m (102 in). Its 70.7 m2 (761 sq ft) wing allows a 35,135 kg (77,459 lb) maximum weight with 59.9 kN (13,460 lbf) engines, for a 5,500 nmi (10,200 km) range and a Mach 0.90 top speed. The Falcon 6X is largely based on the Falcon 5X aerodynamics and systems, validated during its preliminary flight test program, but it is optimized to take advantage of its 58–62 kN (13,000–14,000 lbf) PW812D engines for a longer cabin and a greater 5,500 nmi (10,200 km) range, a Mach 0.90 top speed and a Mach 0.85 cruise. Its cabin is 12.3 m (40 ft) long, is 1.98 m (78 in) high by 2.58 m (102 in) wide (the largest in a purpose-built business jet), and can accommodate 16 passengers in three zones with 29 windows, including a galley skylight. A front-fuselage extension makes its cabin 51 cm (20 in) longer.[30] The Falcon 6X reinforces the 5X new 70.7 m2 (761 sq ft) wing and keeps its digital flight control system and Honeywell Primus Epic EASy III flight deck. The new engine fans have a diameter of 110 cm (44 in), 15 cm (6 in) narrower than the Gulfstreams, with four low-pressure turbine stages instead of five, engine weight is reduced by 91 kg (200 lb). Its empty weight increases by 1,030 kg (2,270 lb) or 5.7%, from 18.1 to 19.2 t (40,000 to 42,300 lb), due to heavier engines, fuel system and structural reinforcements.[31] The Falcon 6X will be the first Dassault aircraft with a nitrogen inerting system.
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The Cessna 190 and 195 Businessliner are a family of light single radial engine powered, conventional landing gear equipped, general aviation aircraft which were manufactured by Cessna between 1947 and 1954. The 195 model was also used by the United States Air Force, United States Army, and Army National Guard as a light transport and utility aircraft under the designations LC-126/U-20. The Cessna 190 and 195 were Cessna's only postwar radial-engined aircraft. The first prototype flew in 1945, after the end of World War II and both the 190 and 195 entered production in 1947. The 195 was the first Cessna airplane to be completely constructed of aluminum and features a cantilever wing, similar to the pre-war Cessna 165 from which it is derived. The wing differs from later Cessna light aircraft in that it has a straight taper from root chord to tip chord and no dihedral. The airfoil employed is a NACA 2412, the same as used on the later Cessna 150, 172 and 182. The 190/195 fuselage is large in comparison to other Cessna models because the 42" diameter radial engine had to be accommodated in the nose. There are two rows of seats: two individual seats in the first row, with a comfortable space between them and up to three passengers can be accommodated on a bench seat in the second row. The 190/195 has flat sprung-steel landing gear legs derived from Cessna's purchase of the rights to Steve Wittman's Big X. Many have been equipped with swiveling crosswind landing gear which allows landing with up to 15 degrees of crab. While the crosswind gear simplifies the actual landing, it makes the aircraft difficult to handle on the ground. The 195 is equipped with a retractable step that extends when the cabin door is opened, although some have been modified to make the step a fixed unit. The aircraft was expensive to purchase and operate for private use and Cessna therefore marketed them mainly as a business aircraft under the name "Businessliner". The engines fitted to the 190 and 195 became well known for their oil consumption. The aircraft has a 5-US-gallon (19 L) oil tank, with 2 US gallons (7.6 L) the minimum for flight. Typical oil consumption with steel cylinder barrels is 2 US quarts (1.9 L) per hour. A factory-produced floatplane version was equipped with a triple tail for improved yaw stability. The Cessna 195 produces a cruise true airspeed of 148 knots (274 km/h) (170 MPH) on a fuel consumption of 16 US gallons (61 L) per hour. It can accommodate five people. Including the LC-126s, a total of 1180 190s and 195s were built. The 190 was originally introduced at a price of USD$12,750 in 1947 (equivalent to $173,978 in 2023). When production ended in 1954 the price had risen to USD$24,700 (equivalent to $280,239 in 2023) for the 195B. This compared to USD$3,495 for the Cessna 140 two seater of the same period. Variants The main difference between the 190 and the 195 models was the engine installed. 190 Powered by a Continental W670-23 engine of 240 hp (180 kW) and first certified on 1 July 1947. 195 (Specifications below) Powered by a Jacobs R-755A2 engine of 300 hp (225 kW) and first certified on 12 June 1947. 195A Powered by a Jacobs L-4MB (R-755-9) engine of 245 hp (184 kW) and first certified on 6 January 1950. 195B Powered by a Jacobs R-755B2 engine of 275 hp (206 kW) and first certified on 31 March 1952. It featured flaps increased in area by 50% over earlier models. LC-126A Military designation for the Cessna 195, five-seat communication aircraft for the US Army, it could be fitted with skis or floats, 15 built. LC-126B Similar aircraft to the LC-126 for Air National Guard use, five built. LC-126C Variant of the LC-126A for instrument training/liaison, 63 built. U-20B LC-126B redesignated by the USAF after 1962. U-20C LC-126C redesignated by the USAF after 1962.
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The Cessna Airmaster, is a family of single-engined aircraft manufactured by the Cessna Aircraft Company. The Airmaster played an important role in the revitalization of Cessna in the 1930s after the crash of the aviation industry during the Great Depression. Initial model 1936-built Cessna C-34 Airmaster at Blackpool (Squires Gate) Airport in 1950 In the mid-1930s, nearing the end of the Great Depression, the American economy began to slowly strengthen. Dwane Wallace (founder Clyde Cessna's nephew who was a recent college graduate in aeronautical engineering) decided to assist his uncle and cousin, Eldon Cessna (Clyde's son), in building more modern airplanes for Cessna Aircraft. The design of the first Airmaster is credited to Wallace, and the first flight of the C-34 model was in June 1935. Not long after introduction of the C-34, Clyde Cessna retired from the aircraft industry, leaving the company to his nephew. Later models Cessna C-37 on display at the Kansas Aviation Museum Cessna C-37 cockpit The original Airmaster, the C-34, evolved into more advanced versions of the Airmaster. The C-37 had a wider cabin, improved landing gear and electric flaps. The C-38 had a taller vertical tail, curved main gear legs and a landing flap under the fuselage. Changes common to both the C-37 and C-38 included wider fuselages and landing gear along with rubber engine mounts to hold the 145 hp (108 kW) Warner Super Scarab engine.The final revisions of the C-34 were the C-145 and the C-165, of which 80 were built. On these models, the belly flaps added on the C-38 were removed and the overall length of the fuselage was increased. The only difference between the C-145 and C-165 was the engine horsepower, with the latter having an upgraded 165 hp (123 kW) Warner engine. End of the line It was with the beginning of World War II that the Airmaster line came to an end. The welded tubular fuselage, fabric-covered body, extensive woodwork, wooden wings and radial engines, all characteristic of 1930s-era aircraft technology, became too expensive and slow to produce. The old-style aircraft was quickly replaced with aircraft constructed from aluminium with strut braced wings first seen in the Cessna 120. The design of the C-34 incorporates characteristics that were borrowed from previous models of Cessna Aircraft. These similarities include the high mounted cantilever wing and the narrow design of the cabin windows. The wings and tail surfaces were composed entirely of wood while the fuselage was structured with steel tubing coupled with wooden stringers and formers. Both C-145 and C-165 models were offered with floats. Variants C-34 Four-seat light cabin aircraft, powered by a 145-hp (108-kW) Warner Super Scarab radial piston engine; 42 built. C-37 Cabin widened by 12.7 cm (5 in), fitted with improved landing gear and electrically operated flaps; 46 built. C-38 Fitted with wide landing gear with curved legs, plus a taller vertical tail and a landing flap under the fuselage; 16 built. C-39 Original designation of the Cessna C-145. C-145 Powered by a 145-hp (108-kW) Warner Super Scarab radial piston engine. C-165 Powered by a 165-hp (123-kW) Warner Super Scarab radial piston engine. C-165D Powered by a 175-hp (130-kW) Warner Super Scarab radial piston engine. UC-77B Two Cessna C-34s impressed into service with the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. UC-77C One Cessna C-37 impressed into service with the USAAF in 1942. UC-77D Four Cessna C-37s impressed into service with the USAAF in 1942. UC-94 Three Cessna C-165s impressed into service with the USAAF in 1942.
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The Caudron Simoun was a 1930s French four-seat touring monoplane. It was used as a mail plane by Air Bleu, flew record-setting long-range flights, and was also used as a liaison aircraft by the Armée de l'Air during World War II. The aircraft later was used as an inspiration to the famous Mooney "M series" aircraft by Jacques "Strop" Carusoam. Variants C.500 Simoun I Experimental, one built. C.520 Simoun Experimental, one built. C.620 Simoun IV Experimental, one built. C.630 Simoun (Specifications below) Initial production version with Renault Bengali 6Pri engine, 20 built. C.631 Simoun Modified version with a Renault 6Q-01 engine, three built. C.632 Simoun Similar to C.631, one built. C.633 Simoun Modified fuselage with a Renault 6Q-07 engine, 6 built. C.634 Simoun Modified wing and take-off weight with either a Renault 6Q-01 or Renault 6Q-09 engine, 3 built. C.635 Simoun Improved cabin layout and either a Renault 6Q-01 or Renault 6Q-09 engine, 46 built and conversions from earlier versions. C.635M Simoun Military version with either a Renault 6Q-09 or Renault 6Q-19 engine, 489 built.
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Hi Joe, Phil Perry lives in the UK and last visited this site in Jan, 2023.
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The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that entered service in 1940 with the United States Navy, and the British Royal Navy where it was initially known as the Martlet. First used by the British in the North Atlantic, the Wildcat was the only effective fighter available to the United States Navy and Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater during the early part of the Second World War. The disappointing Brewster Buffalo was withdrawn in favor of the Wildcat and replaced as aircraft became available. With a top speed of 318 mph (512 km/h), the Wildcat was outperformed by the faster 331 mph (533 km/h), more maneuverable, and longer-ranged Mitsubishi A6M Zero. US Navy pilots, including John "Jimmy" Thach, a pioneer of fighter tactics to deal with the A6M Zero, were greatly dissatisfied with the Wildcat's inferior performance against the Zero in the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway. The Wildcat has a claimed air combat kill-to-loss ratio of 5.9:1 in 1942 and 6.9:1 for the war. Lessons learned from the Wildcat were later applied to the faster F6F Hellcat. While the Wildcat had better range and maneuverability at low speed, the Hellcat could rely on superior power and high speed performance to outperform the Zero. Wildcat production continued throughout the remainder of the war, with Wildcats serving on escort carriers, where the larger and much heavier Hellcat could not be used. Grumman fighter development began with the two-seat Grumman FF biplane. The FF was the first U.S. naval fighter with a retractable landing gear. The wheels retracted into the fuselage, leaving the tires visibly exposed, flush with the sides of the fuselage. Two single-seat biplane designs followed, the F2F and F3F, which established the general fuselage outlines of what would become the F4F Wildcat. In 1935, while the F3F was still undergoing flight testing, Grumman started work on its next biplane fighter, the G-16. At the time, the U.S. Navy favored a monoplane design, the Brewster F2A-1, ordering production early in 1936. However, an order was also placed for Grumman's G-16 (given the navy designation XF4F-1) as a backup in case the Brewster monoplane proved to be unsatisfactory. It was clear to Grumman that the XF4F-1 would be inferior to the Brewster monoplane, so Grumman abandoned the XF4F-1, designing instead a new monoplane fighter, the XF4F-2. The XF4F-2 would retain the same, fuselage-mounted, hand-cranked main landing gear as the F3F, with its relatively narrow track. The unusual manually-retractable main landing gear design for all of Grumman's U.S. Navy fighters up to and through the F4F, as well as for the amphibious Grumman J2F utility biplane, was originally created in the 1920s by Leroy Grumman for Grover Loening. Landing accidents caused by failure of the main gear to fully lock into place were distressingly common. Note: All photos show the RN Marlett variant. For more details on development, operational history and 15 variants, click here.
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The Socata TB 30 Epsilon is a light military trainer aircraft produced by SOCATA (then part of Aérospatiale). It is a tandem two-seater with a metal airframe. The first prototype flew on 22 December 1979. In 1978, the French Air Force (Armée de l'Air) published a requirement for a new basic trainer aircraft to partially replace the Fouga Magister in the early parts of the syllabus for pilot training. The new aircraft was expected to have tandem seating, be powered by a 224 kW (300 hp) piston engine and have a three-hour endurance. Similar designs were proposed by the SOCATA subsidiary of Aérospatiale (based on their TB 10 Tobago light aircraft) and by GEPAL (the GEPAL Mk II). The SOCATA proposal, the TB 30B, was chosen in February 1979. The first of two prototypes flew on 22 December 1979, but testing showed that the Epsilon had poor handling and it was redesigned with a new swept back fin supplemented by a ventral strake and a larger tailplane, while the wing was fitted with elliptical tips increasing the wingspan from 7.40 m (24 ft 33⁄8 in) to 7.59 m (24 ft 113⁄4 in). The first prototype flew again with these changes on 31 October 1980, and it was soon found that the handling problems had been fixed. The Epsilon is a low winged cantilever monoplane of all metal construction. It is powered by a Lycoming O-540 flat-six piston engine driving a two-blade propeller, and is fitted with a retractable nosewheel undercarriage. The pilot and instructor are sat in tandem under a sliding Plexiglas canopy, with cockpit layout designed to aid transition to the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet to which French students graduate after completing the Epsilon part of their training syllabus. The first prototype was modified into a testbed for the Turbomeca TP 319 Arrius turboprop engine, flying in this form on 9 November 1985. The testbed was then modified into a dedicated turboprop trainer, the TB 31 Oméga, powered by a 360 kW (483 shp) Arrius 1A2 and fitted with ejection seats, returning to flight on 30 April 1989. While it was offered for the United States Air Force/United States Navy Joint Primary Aircraft Training System competition to replace the Beechcraft T-34 Mentor and Cessna T-37 Tweet, it was rejected, with no sales resulting. The Armée de l'Air placed an initial order for 30 Epsilons in 1981, with further contracts following with a total of 150 ordered. First deliveries started in 1983, with the first training courses based on the Epsilon starting in September 1984. Export orders were received from Togo for three armed Epsilons in 1984, delivered in 1986 (with a fourth supplied later to replace a crashed aircraft) and from Portugal in 1987 for 18 aircraft, to be assembled in Portugal by OGMA. Variants TB 30 Epsilon: Military trainer aircraft TB 31 Oméga: Proposed turboprop powered version of the TB 30 Epsilon. Only one aircraft built
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The Bréguet 280T was a French biplane airliner of the late 1920s, created by the manufacturer as a means of finding a civil market for their 19 warplane, as they had once tried before with the 26T. The 280T was similar to the 26T, using the Bréguet 19's flying surfaces combined with a passenger-carrying fuselage that completely filled the interplane gap. The 280 fuselage was based on the 26T's fuselage but featured refined aerodynamics. A single prototype was evaluated in autumn 1928, followed by eight production machines ordered by Air Union. These were flown on routes between Paris and southern France, between Paris and Switzerland, and (occasionally) between Paris and London. They were joined in service by a 10th machine (converted from one of the 281T prototypes), and six 284Ts with more powerful engines (one of these converted from the other 281T). Two of this latter type were also operated by Air Orient on routes to East Asia. Some of Air Union's 280Ts and 284Ts were still in service when the airline was absorbed into Air France. Variants 280T (Specifications below) First main production version with a 370 kW (500 hp) Renault 12Jb engine, nine built. 281T Prototypes with 340 kW (450 hp) Lorraine-Dietrich 12Ed engines. Two aircraft built, one later converted to 280T, the other to 284T standard. 284T Second main production version with 450 kW (600 hp) Hispano-Suiza 12Lbrx engine, seven built.
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The Call-Air Model A is an American two- to three-seat utility aircraft designed by the Call brothers and built by the Call Aircraft Company, later developed into a successful line of agricultural aircraft. The Model A was designed by the Call family, who were Wyoming ranchers. The aircraft was ready to be produced in 1940 but the start of World War II delayed the start of production to 1946. The family had formed the Call Aircraft Company (known as Call-Air) to produce the aircraft. The prototype Model A was powered by a Continental A-80 engine but was redesignated the Model A-1 when re-engined with an Avco Lycoming O-235-A engine. A United States type certificate was awarded in July 1944 and the production model was designated the Model A-2. The Model A-2 was a two-seat braced low-wing monoplane with fabric-covered wooden wings and fabric-covered welded steel tube. It had a fixed tailwheel landing gear. Further models were introduced with different engines. Examples of the three-seat A-4 were converted for agricultural use followed by a new-build agricultural version the A-5. In 1962 the assets of the company were acquired at auction by the Intermountain Manufacturing Company (IMCO) who developed their own version the IMCO CallAir A-9. IMCO was later taken over by the Aero Commander division of the Rockwell Standard Corporation and later became part of North American Rockwell, the design was further developed and redesignated. Variants A Continental A-80-engined prototype, one built converted to A-1 A-1 Re-engined with an Avco Lycoming O-235-a engine, four built and prototype converted. A-2 Two-seat cabin monoplane production version powered by an Avco Lycoming O-290-a engine, 16 built. (Specifications below) A-3 125 hp (93 kw) Continental C-125-2-powered version, 15 built. A-4 Two/three-seat cabin monoplane version powered by a 135 hp (101 kw) Avco Lycoming O-290-D2 engine, 65 built. A-5 Open-cockpit two-seat agricultural version of the A-4, 74 built. A-5T Texan A-5 with revised fuselage structure, nine built. A-6 Improved version of A-5 with Avco Lycoming O-360-A1A engine, 34 built. A-7 Similar to A-5 powered by West Coast Dusting-built Continental W-670-240 engine. One converted from an A-6 A-7T Proposed development of A-7 with higher gross weight
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The Bryan Autoplanes were a series of three experimental roadable aircraft. Leland Bryan built his roadable aircraft in the town of Milford, Michigan. As a roadable aircraft the aircraft was required to be registered by both the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) and the Michigan Motor Vehicle Administration (MMVA), with road propulsion provided by propeller thrust. The Bryan Model I was built with a welded steel tube fuselage frame, wings from a Briegleb BG-6 primary glider and a Crosley automobile engine, which was later replaced by a 40 hp Continental. The Model II autoplane featured an extended Erco Ercoupe center-section, with a pusher engine at the rear of the fuselage nacelle, with twin tail booms supporting the tail section. The Ercoupe landing gear was used for the roadable operations, reaching up to 60 mph on the road. For storage and road transport the wings folded at two hinge lines. The Model I was approved for limited flight, in the experimental category. by the CAA, managing to accumulate 500 miles of road driving, and flying for the first time in 1953. The improved Model II achieved 80 hours of flight time and 4000 miles of road travel before a road accident. During repairs the Model II was rebuilt with two-seats becoming the Model III Autoplane, with a Continental A75 engine and convertible top motors, from a Chevrolet Corvair, to extend and fold the wings. After accumulating 70 hours of flight time and 1000 road miles, the Model III crashed during a flyby at the 1974 Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) airshow, at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, when an inadequately secured wing section parted company killing the designer. At the time of his death Leland Bryan was in the process of designing the Model IV Autoplane, based on a Rutan VariViggen. Only 2 units were built.
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The de Havilland DH.95 Flamingo was a British twin-engined high-wing monoplane airliner first flown on 22 December 1938. During the Second World War some were used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a transport and general communications duties. The Flamingo was a twin-engined civil airliner developed by de Havilland, led by their newly appointed chief designer R. E. Bishop, and was the first all-metal stressed-skin aircraft built by the company; only the control surfaces were fabric covered. It was powered by two 890 hp Bristol Perseus air-cooled sleeve-valve radial engines driving three-bladed de Havilland Propellers 'Hydromatic' variable-pitch propellers. Two pilots were seated side by side with a radio operator behind them in the cockpit, with the cabin accommodating 12–17 passengers depending on the flight distance. It had a retractable undercarriage, slotted flaps, and was considered a highly promising sales prospect for the company, capable of competing with the American Douglas DC-3 and Lockheed Model 10 Electra. The first prototype flew on 22 December 1938. It had a third central fin fitted as a temporary measure; this was removed when larger fins with larger rudder area were fitted to the twin tail. Powered by 890 hp (660 kW) Bristol Perseus XIIIC engines, it had a maximum weight takeoff in 750 ft (230 m) and the ability to maintain height or climb at 120 mph (190 km/h) on a single engine. Testing was successful, with the Flamingo being granted a certificate of airworthiness on 30 June 1939, with an initial production run of twenty aircraft being laid down. The Air Ministry were interested in the Flamingo as a military transport and issued a serial T5357 for official evaluation. A single military transport variant was built to Specification 19/39 as the DH.95 Hertfordshire. It had small circular cabin windows instead of the rectangular ones, and seating for 22 soldiers. A proposed order for 30 was cancelled to leave de Havilland free to produce Tiger Moth trainers. The sole Hertfordshire (R2510) crashed on 23 October 1940 at Mill Hill killing five crew and six passengers, including Air Vice-marshal Charles Blount, the Air Officer Commanding No. 22 Group RAF travelling from Hendon to Northern Ireland, apparently due to jamming of the elevator. Following the success of the first test flights Jersey Airways ordered three 17-seat aircraft, and this was followed by orders from the Egyptian government and the Air Ministry. The Air Ministry aircraft were to be used by the Air Council and the King's Flight. The prototype, fitted with 12 passenger seats, was delivered to Jersey Airways in May 1939 for two months evaluation and became the first revenue-earning Flamingo. The first services carried mail only but in July a regular weekend passenger service was operated. In October 1939 the prototype was bought by the Air Council, being delivered to No. 24 Squadron RAF where it operated until it was lost in an accident in October 1940. The second aircraft was to be the first for Guernsey and Jersey Airlines but it was impressed into military service and delivered to 24 Squadron, the other two on order were never built due to the outbreak of the Second World War. The Flamingo was Winston Churchill's favourite short/medium range transport and he flew it to visit Reynaud and the French leadership as the Western front collapsed on May 16, 1940. The BOAC Flamingoes were not popular, and following three accidents[ – one of which was fatal – and with a lack of spares, the airline decided to withdraw the type. In 1943 the four airworthy aircraft were shipped back to the United Kingdom and stored at Croydon. They did not return to service and were scrapped at Redhill in the early 1950s.
