Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Share Posted November 29, 2009 Some of you will have seen my thread for my aviation photos website ( My Aviation Photos ), most of which are post 2006 digital images. I've recently dug out and scanned a load of old aviation photos and slides. While the quality isn't perfect, and some scans have picked up the texture of the Kodak photo paper used in the 1970's, there's some interesting pictures amongst them and some subjects you don't see any more. There's quite a few civilian aircraft amongst them, but I'll try and stick to those with a military theme on here. As far as I can tell from the old airshow program, this is the RAF Falcons parachute team aircraft, the Andover, seen at Usworth ( Sunderland Airport ) at the 1973 airshow. This aircraft was replaced by the C-130 Hercules. You can clearly see the texture on the photo paper. Also seen is the nose of one of the Chipmunks from one of the University Air Squadrons. and a newer photo of an older aircraft! This picture of the Boxkite replica at Old Warden was taken in 2003 on a compact 35mm camera. Probably some of the last film photography I did of aircraft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Some of the pictures haven't stood the test of time very well, being covered in dust or scratches, and some have had dramatic colour fading. I've spent a great deal of time repairing these photos prior to backing up, with many of the dusty photos taking several hours work to restore. This Lamella Hangar photo from Usworth shows how much some of the 1970's pictures have deteriorated. Here's the 'Before' picture and 'After' ( although dust/scratches hasn't been removed on this one ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Next some of the Buccaneer, one in the air ( possibly RAF Leuchars ) and three of the Fleet Air Arm Museum example, taken sometime in the early 1980's, possibly '82. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 The pictures aren't in any particular order, other than roughly alphabetical as listed in Photobucket, as it's easier to keep track of which I've posted. So jumping forwards to 1989 at Duxford, we have some from the filming of the 'Memphis Belle'. Five B-17's were used in the film, B-17G 'Sally B' from the UK, two B-17G's from France, and a B-17G and an original B-17F from the USA. The first picture shows B-17F 'C Cup' on the left, then the French IGN B-17G 'Baby Ruth', the second French B-17 'Mother & Country', followed by the late David Tallichett's B-17G in the starring role. The tail of 'Sally B' can just be seen on the right edge of the picture. Picture 2 shows the ill-fated French B-17 closest to the camera which was sadly lost in a take off crash during the filming. Once the fire took hold of the fuel load, there was nothing that could be done to save the aircraft, and only the tail, engine blocks and a few small parts survived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 A close up of B-17F 'C Cup', owned by the Late Bob Richardson. The aircraft is now part of the Museum of Flight collection in Seattle Washington. and the Tallichett B-17 over the wing of one of the P-51's wings. The 'Belle' artwork has been painted out in this picture as nose art was frequently changed during filming to create the impression of more aircraft, and as a result of servicability issues during filming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 All five B-17's used in the film, plus there was the IWM B-17G 'Mary Alice' in the hangar. This was the largest collection of B-17's in the UK since the 1960's when three were used for the filming of 'The War Lover' at Bovingdon. This is a scene that will probably never be repeated again. The 'Memphis Belle' and 'Sally B' ( also carrying the 'Baby Ruth' artwork ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 The B-17's only accounted for five of the eighteen aircraft used in making the film. There was also a B-25 Mitchell and TBF Avenger used as camera ships, a Dakota used as a prop at RAF Binbrook for the on base scenes, the P-51's and the Messerschmitts. The Messerschmitts were actually Spanish built copies of the Bf109, and were the same aircraft used in the 1968 Battle of Britain film where around thirty were available. By the time of the Memphis Belle film, only three were airworthy, and all three were used in the film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan turner (RIP) Posted November 29, 2009 Share Posted November 29, 2009 (edited) jessie oo-er wierd or what your photo buccanneer 3 at yeovilton thers a bloke standing in front of the wing brown trousers light jacket hands in pockets and camera around neck, I do believe that it is me, before I got fatter and gray haired, somewhere in the car park is my old yellow mk3 cortina. Shown pic to my wife and she agrees but cant be sure if it was 1982. Edited November 29, 2009 by alan turner (RIP) error Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 That's scary!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Seen on the same day as the Belle filming, but not connected was this Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor. I'm building a 1/5 scale model of one of these at present for a customer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Used by both civilian airlines and the military, this Lockheed Constellation was seen by my dad, coming in to land at Boston, over my dads ship. It was probably taken aaround the 1950's. and jumping forwards to the 1980's, a SAAB Drakken at Duxford. Is it still there? I don't recall seeing it recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 During the Memphis Belle filming, B-17 'Mother & Country' blew a cylinder off the crank case. The engine cowling blew off, striking the tailplane and almost hitting one of the chasing P-51's. A replacement engine came from a complex chain of events which started in the mid 1970's, when Ted White bought two B-17's, one which would become 'Sally B' and the other for a spares source. The Imperial War Museum later bought the spares aircraft which became 'Mary Alice'. In the early 1980's, the RAF Museum aquired a B-17 for Hendon. Its low time engines were transferred to 'Mary Alice' as spares for B-17 'Sally B'. When 'Mother & Country' blew an engine during filming, a replacement engine was taken from the IWM B-17 'Mary Alice' and fitted to 'Mother & Country'. The scene below shows re-fitting a spare engine to 'Mary Alice' after the donation of the No.4. You can see the different olive drab on the cowl gills from the freshly painted 'Mother & Country' as the gills were part of the engine assembly. If you look at some wartime olive drab B-17 pictures, you can see them with silver cowl gills where a brand new engine has been fitted to an old airframe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 (edited) Something for those who like their planes faster and noisier! Funny how perceptions/opinions change. When this F-15 picture was taken, I was very pleased with myself for catching the aircraft giving such a 'large image' with a compact camera. Now that I'm shooting digi SLR with a 300mm lens, I'm disappointed if I haven't filled half the frame with the subject. However, looking through some of the old pics I have, objects in the foreground are often as interesting as the subject itself and often creates more depth to the picture. I think today, many photographers are obsessed with over cropping of images. Edited November 29, 2009 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 These are more my kind of warbird. A selection of formation shots from Duxford, around 1992. Slightly fuzzy, but still great formation pictures. My camera equipment back then wasn't the best, and neither was my technique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Who remembers Spencer Flack's all red Spitfire from the 1980's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Some more aircraft all in red, but these are a little more famous! The Red Arrows, flying the Folland Gnat. Much preferred the Gnat to the current Hawks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Jets once more, this time Harriers, probably both the normal and sea Harriers are really early marks, but as I'm not really into 'hairdryers', I couldn't tell you for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 While this slide was a bit over exposed, it was identified on another forum as most likely being from RAF Finningley. while this Hawk shot was taken while I was working as an aircraft engineer at Newcastle Airport. The Hawks were there as part of an exercise. We frequently had RAF aircraft dropping in, mostly through bird strikes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 No idea where this Jaguar picture was taken..... but this pyrotechnics shot was at RAF Leuchars with a squadron of EE Lightnings doing the attacking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Another from Leuchars, the BBMF Lancaster and another BBMF aircraft at Teesside Airport's airshow in the 1970's, their Hurricane, along with a little 'Jessie the Jeep', probably aged around 7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Once more at RAF Leuchars, the Mosquito. Is that Prince Charles or Philip walking into shot on picture 2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted November 29, 2009 Share Posted November 29, 2009 Thanks for posting the photo's here , bit of time traveling isnt it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Here's some time travel - Twenty five years later, the same aircraft, a bit larger having a better lens and camera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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