The Ongoing Mystery Aircraft Thread Part Deux.

[Moses03]

It is the Dunham. Later N2469.

I found this photo a few months back and have not been able to find another since. Bit of an elusive ship.

Suds for Uli.

 

[giruXX]

Excellent find, Kevin!

On with a biplane

 

[pomme homme]

Bristol Taxiplane?

 

[giruXX]

yes, indeed

 

[pomme homme]

Thank you, Uli. Let's stay with biplanes - but of a variety less pleasing to the eye.

 

[Moses03]

Knowing Mike's nod to Gallic flying machines, not getting much of a vibe from it.

Big wheels!

 

[pomme homme]

Ah, that's my curve ball. You're looking in the wrong country, Kevin. But the designer of this biplane did have French connections.

 

[pomme homme]

..... he also had a connection with a well known London department store.

 

[pomme homme]

He claimed Russian Imperial origins but some said that he was of Bulgarian extraction.

 

[lefty]

You're milking it, Mike.......

 

[pomme homme]

I wouldn't have to, Mike, if someone put me out of my misery!

Last clue in the hope of eliciting an answer. This biplane had a 200hp Curtiss up front and it hailed from Sevenoaks.

If this doesn't produce an answer, I'll throw the towel in!

 

[fabulousfour]

In this case it should be the De Bolotoff SDEB 14.

Never got even the idea that this plane could be British

 

[pomme homme]

Hooray - and thank you, Robert. May your thirst for more obscure aeroplanes be quenched!

Yes, this is the De Bolotoff SDEB 14 - although I'd have thought that someone might have watched the 'Mr Selfridge' television series and thus got its identity sooner by virtue of the second clue. I sourced the photograph from https://archives.imeche.org/archive/...t-de-bolotoff? and I'd be most interested to know where the InstME sourced that collection of photographs.

Anyhow, away to Germany.

 

[fabulousfour]

Thanks, Mike, very interesting link!

I don't know about the Selfridge TV series, probably never aired here in Germany, so the clues were quite mysterious to me.
But with the last clue google gave me the solution within minutes.

Here is a mystery which is lacking its wings, hope it is not too obscure.

 

[cthornburg]

Bee Line BR racer

Chris

 

[fabulousfour]

It is the Bee Line BR-1 Booth Racer

Over to Chris

 

[cthornburg]

Yes it's a DC3/C47
Why put it on here? I had this for a long time before I noticed it.

Chris

 

[lefty]

Been digging, Chris, and have soved some of the mystery. This started life as a C-47B-5-DK. Delivered to USAF, transferred to RAF, ended up with Jetairlines of Australia as VH-EQB. Here it is -

http://www.aussieairliners.org/dc-3/vh-eqb/vheqb.html

Don't know where the windscreen mod came from - presumably a bit of Aussie work ?

 

[cthornburg]

I was surprised I didn't notice earlier the windscreen. Seems a lot of work to modify. I know it was easy to spot but finding the story would be interesting. Over to you Mike.

Chris

 

[lefty]

Thanks Chris. Here's one that with a bit of tidying-up, would be quite a smooth machine.......