Cool pictures! Post them here!

As far as o/t pics go I had to show this, taken from the bridge of a British Frigate in the Falklands conflict. Shows 2 A4 Skyhawks attacking, can you imagine the balls on the guy that took the pic? 2 A4s, both with 30mm cannon firing at you and two 1000pound bombs and he takes a happy snap!

I wonder if he was related to the sailor on the HMS Coventry, that after being struck by no less than three 1000pound bombs one lodged in the ships structure next to him. He called the bridge and reported that the bomb had landed next to him but had not exploded. Then apologised that he was vacating his post!

 

Australian soldiers 'Going over the top' WWI photo by Frank Hurley.

Courtesy of the Australian War Memorial.

 

Great pics, Doc. The answer to your question is, in my mind, simply "force of will". We were willing to bear any cost to win, the Allies simply refused to loose. Am not surpised to see ANZACS (or in this case just Aussies) running to the guns. Didn't know about the inheirent over-stability of the ensign eliminator, and what's a Pom?

 

Thanks Belair, a pom is our slang term for the English. Long story as to how that came about.

The Corsair pic shows the reason that we were almost speaking Japanese now. The early US Carriers were wooden decked. The Poms had already learned the value of an armored deck, the loss of carriers in early 43' almost handed the war in the Pacific to the Japs.
It also shows the awesome rugged survivability of US carrier aircraft, sure thats a write off but I bet the greatest asset climbed out and walked away. Try that in a Zero and you would be a pile of burning debris, same with most British carrier aircraft. With the exception of the 'Stringbag' the Swordfish. They say you could dive that into the deck from 10000ft and walk away! Too bad it was obsolete even in 1939 when they decimated the Italian fleet at Toronto.
Doc.

 

I think you mean Taranto, the italian fleet in Toronto hangs out on Church Street.

 

You know what? I think your right! Either that of they sunk the wrong fleet. Thanks for the correction.
Doc.

 

Heres a few I like.

 

Dude, your scaring me!

 

Picture I took at the Rosanky swap meet a number of years ago.

BR

 

That is one WILD pic, Doc! I hadn't seen that one before, but that guy had to have a brass pair for sure. especially since it appears that one Skyhawk pilot is at a level where he's looking square into the camera lens!

 

Okay, Doc inspired me to post one O/T as well. This is an official USAF photo that my uncle go me back in the sixties when he was stationed at Edwards AFB. In case you don't know what it is, it is the first (and only remaining) XB-70 Valkyrie, an experimental Mach 3 bomber. How big is it? Take a look at the converted school bus near it!

 

Airplane Mantra:

Any landing you can walk away from is a good one.
Any one you that you can re-use the airplane is a GREAT one.

That one probably wasn't "GREAT"

I personally LOVE the OT posts. Learned alot from that one.

 

Airplane Mantra:

Any landing you can walk away from is a good one.
If you can re-use the airplane, it is a GREAT one!

This one probably wasn't GREAT!

Love the OT stuff. Learned alot from this one. Thanks!

Sean

 

Actually I posted this picture once before. But since we are doing WW2 I thought this example of a son of Nippon trying to fly in very difficult conditions is kind of interesting. You can't see the airplane in question but he is somewhere in the bright spot. Operations off Okinawa.

 

I guess I'm confused,I see a significant tie to American history,but what does this have to do with traditional hot rods/customs?