“TWA mechanics at La Guardia Field resemble men from space after donning metal propeller hubs. 1941”
November 09, 2009, 11:22pm
x planes
experimental aircraft. exotic aeromachines. oddities. sleek silver cigars. pedal-o-trons. soviet hive-mind bombers. aerial joy. the olden days. action shots. propaganda posters. etc
[xplanes] [at] [hotmail] [dot] [co] [dot] [uk]
Designed by Redfield. Icons by Cameron Hunt.
Film production crew and cast pose in front of the Sikorsky S-29, modified to resemble a German Gotha bomber, which was used in the 1930 Howard Hughes movie Hell’s Angels
When looking back at the life of Hughes, it is easy to become lost in a mire of recollections, rumours, accusations, Leo DeCaprio - and of course that Simpsons episode..
For the World War One based Hell’s Angels, Hughes - aged just 23 - basically assembled the world’s largest private air force - approximately ninety aircraft - at a cost of around $600,000
For the scene in which the Gotha bomber (above) was shot down, Hughes insisted that the aircraft be put into a spin - with the aircrew bailing out if necessary. Daredevil pilot Al Wilson accepted, for the sum of $10,000. A mechanic named Phil Jones volunteered to be his assistant, releasing black smoke to simulate the aircraft being hit by gunfire. Jones lost his life when the aircraft fell to earth during the filming of the scene.
Two other stunt pilots died whilst involved with the movie, including Al Johnson of the legendary 13 Black Cats. Hughes himself was injured crashing a plane (allegedly whilst trying to micro-manage his stunt pilots in the air)
Annoyingly, the advent of the talking picture during production meant that Hughes had to reshoot large sections of the film with dialogue - and cast the largely unknown Jean Harlow to replace the existing female lead.
The film ended up costing Hughes a record $4 million to make. Despite a spectacular premiere and warm reviews, it is believed that the movie takings did not recoup the costs for at least a couple of decades..
October 05, 2009, 5:35pm
English Electric Lightning F6 “XP693” Nose section being towed to the Thundercity hangar. Cape Town, 2003. This aircraft was restored and is now one of only four remaining airworthy Lightnings, all in the same collection.
(photo by Sven De Bevere)
October 01, 2009, 9:16pm
February 1962: the first Lockheed A-12, known as “Article 121”, is secretly transported to Groom Lake, Nevada
July 17, 2009, 8:21pm
“The Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation J-10 (traditional Chinese: 殲十; simplified Chinese: 歼十; pinyin: Jiān Shí, meaning “Annihilator (Fighter) Ten”), known in the West as the “Vigorous Dragon”
The J-10 next-generation fighter program remained unknown outside of a China until December 29 2006, when the Xinhua News Agency officially disclosed its active duty status with the PLAAF.”
more things Chinese in a few weeks
July 16, 2009, 1:48am
“Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) at sea with good luck message on deck to crew of Stars & Stripes, American vessel competing in America’s Cup race in Australia. February 04, 1987”
(All set for the cricket, my Australian friends?)
July 08, 2009, 7:08am
Argentinian Air Force FMA Pucara, Argentina, June 19, 2009
(photo by Marcelo Allende)
UPDATE: the whole sequence here
June 29, 2009, 9:27am
Grumman XF5F-1 ‘Skyrocket’ - prototype twin-engine shipboard fighter interceptor, early 1940s
June 29, 2009, 7:18am
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak, 3 Sqn Belgian Air Force, Late 1950’s
June 20, 2009, 9:09pm
In late April 1945, United States intelligence personnel began a search for top secret German weapons of war, codenamed operation ‘Lusty’. They amassed over 6,000 tons of equipment.
Two ships - the HMS Reaper and USS Richard J. Gatling - transported the bounty to the US (operation ‘Seahorse’)
HMS Reaper carried 40 German airframes, including ten Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighters, which were flown to France by America’s first (unofficial) Jet Squadron - ‘Watson’s Whizzers’
June 17, 2009, 9:23am
