The Ongoing Mystery Aircraft Thread Part Deux.

[Moses03]

and it flew ???

Flew is such a subjective word. Lets not get caught up in that so much.


Not a French or British contraption (sorry Mike), but is from a well-known helicopter company. The photo is circa 1952.

 

[Moses03]

Okay, was having some late April fools fun with you all. (Kind of a tradition). This was an engine testbed for Piasecki that logged over 1500hrs apparently.


Back to the regular scheduled program...

 

[Moses03]

The company ceased operations a year or so after this particular model made it's debut. It's similar slightly younger sibling was the last design built and flown.

 

[Moses03]

This company was prolific from the early 1920's until 1932. Mostly tourers and racers.

There is an Aerofiles entry for it.

 

[lefty]

You finally dragged it out of us ! It's the Alexander D-1 X447V.

 

[Moses03]

That is it Mike. The original Flyabout.

Over to the lowlands-

 

[lefty]

Don't think you could refer to this one as a flyabout... I have no idea of the purpose of the diddy portholes along the fuselage - perhaps someone could enlighten us ??

 

[fabulousfour]

The Latham Trimoteur Hydravion of 1919
Must have been rather uncomfortable for the rear gunner to sit in the gale of the center engine....

According to aunt Wiki the portholes lighten the cabin of the radio operator.

 

[lefty]

I suspect comfort wasn't uppermost in the priorities of designers in those days - just imagine the noise too.....and that radio operator must have been lying prone !

Robert has the big Latham spot-on - over to you sir

 

[fabulousfour]

Thanks, Mike!

Noise, wind, uncomfortable seats and not to forget the water spray, in short, I'm sure it should be a hell of fun to fly such a kite today.

This one shouldn't be too difficult.

 

[cthornburg]

Info on the Latham

The seventh compartment was fitted for a position for a turret gunner andradio set. The following compartments were not accessible from the inside; bolted portholes allowed inspections from outside

Chris

 

[pomme homme]

Noise, wind, uncomfortable seats and not to forget the water spray

Sounds like an everyday Ryanair flight!

 

[giruXX]

... and Robert's plane looks like an ancestor of the NYP: the Ryan M-1

 

[fabulousfour]

... and Robert's plane looks like an ancestor of the NYP...

And that would have become one of my hints if that would have become necessary.

The Ryan M-1 it is!

The photo is from the Ford Touring Trophy in August 1926, Vance Breese at the stick finished in eighth place.

An early "Ryanair"

Uli, over to you please!

 

[giruXX]

Thank you Robert,

I’ve answered because I’ve found another “portholer”. See here:

 

[lefty]

....and do I hear nightingales singing ?

 

[Dev One]

In Bristol?

 

[Moses03]

There is a good music school there.

 

[giruXX]

the song is from 1939, but the plane isn't

 

[Dev One]

I would say Lefty has it...although his clue gave me the Bristol bit....the Berkeley by Bristol.