The Ongoing Mystery Aircraft Thread Part Deux.

The size, and all that strapping on the struts, remind me very much of those diddy Irwin aircraft, but I can't find an inverted sesquiplane amongst them !
 
I hope that one of our (American) friends here will come up with a more or less precise or at least plausible designation overnight. In any case I shall contribute my piece of cake tomorrow.
 
Lefty you are right and deserve the next :icon29:. The picture appeared in Aero Digest, April 1928, page 634 with the following caption “The Irwin Meteorplane Racer, with a wing span of 14 ft. and powered with an Irwin 20 h.p. engine, has a speed of 137 m.p.h.”
It seems that this machine isn’t covered on aerofiles.com. The closest entry there is:
Irwin M-T-2
M-T-2 aka SP-1 1926 = 1pOB; 25hp Irwin Meteormotor; span: 14'0" length: 12'0" load: 175# v: 85/75/24 range: 200. Plywood construction. $1,165; POP (Irwin's estimate): about 40 [2616, et al], plus an unrecorded number sold as kits for $350 [579M, 3685, 7788, et al], less motor (the Meteormotor went for $625). One of the world's first successful small, personal airplanes.
 
The strange thing about that mystery is, that there is a photo at flickr which shows exactly the same line-up of aircraft and persons, but with a completely different background.

Have a look here

Any explanation for this?
 
Curious indeed - I suspect the hangar shot is the original - a clever job of replacing the scenery - difficult to do even in Photoshop..... I felt sure it was an Irwin - posted another model some years ago - and that Nieuport-style taping on struts and undercarriage is probably unique to Irwin.

Here's one with original background -
 

Attachments

  • oddball.jpg
    oddball.jpg
    51.1 KB · Views: 8
hi Mike:encouragement:
If you would twist my arm (does not matter which one) behind my back and force me force me an answer, I would say something Bleriot XIish.
And then in particular a ""replica" to commemorate a 1914 long-distance flight by Turkish pilots.
 
Yes, an odd machine constructed by the Turkish Aeronautical Association in 2001 - this one christened the 'Bleriot AK-01X'. Over to Holland :very_drunk:

What's the weather like there, Walter? Southern Europe seems to be in meltdown but it certainly isn't so up here !
 
Thank you Mike:encouragement:
Weather overhere is a pleasant 22-24C though with quite some wind the last few days.
Mind you, since are women team reached the European final on Sunday, temperatures will start to equal the rest of (mid-south) Europe:jump:.

The flight by Turkish Captains Fethi and Sadik was quite an achievement. A 2,500km flight Istanbul-Damascus-Jerusalem-Cairo-Alexandria in 1914.

Next challenge has some sort of dual nationality.
 

Attachments

  • quiz uswatw.jpg
    quiz uswatw.jpg
    15.4 KB · Views: 8
The subject is not that rare. Several dozens (maybe up to 100) were built in the various versions.
Visualize her with a conventional gear, if that helps.
i
 
It looks like a tricycle undercarriage version of the Roger Adam RA-14 Loisirs. Maybe something that Maranda of Canada came up with after they bought (?) the rights to the design?
 
Bingo PH :very_drunk:
Indeed a Canadian variant of the Adam RA-14, although not from Maranda, but a development from Chris Falconar as the Maranda 14H.
This particular aircraft was built in USA (N715RR).
Go ahead, sir!
 
Thank you, Walter. When first I saw the picture, it rang bells. But not until you suggested visualising it with conventional gear did the penny drop!

Anyhow, today I'm feeling just a little mischievous. So look at the image below - I apologise for the graininess but the original is very small - and don't give the obvious answer. Use that to pursue your research to say what, where and why it is!

 
Well I'll have to state the obvious - looks like a very well-known type with a fairly large piece missing ! Why, I know not....
 
..... and a few smaller bits added!

How about a clue? It started its life in a different continent from that where it achieved the form illustrated in the photograph, which was taken in a country that has since changed its name, and the name attributed to the mystery aircraft is connected with an early British childrens' television programme that featured an eponymous puppet character that scared my sister witless!
 
I think the heat's got to Pommehomme.......or the cider......:dizzy:

This is the De Havilland 82 Tiger Moth monoplane conversion, renamed the Muffin the Mule Special. In Zimbabwe. That fulfils most of ph's criteria....
 
It could have been the cider but not the heat. Out west, we're enjoying sunny days but temperatures only in the low to mid twenties. I prefer that to the weather that is being endured 'darn sarf'.

I think that lefty should be the victor ludorum for making the effort and getting one out of three. You'll find the whole answer at https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1945/1945 - 2027.PDF. Oh, and the television programme wasn't Muffin the Mule (isn't that illegal?) but Sara & Hoppity. See the connection?

I'll look forward to moving onto the calm sanity of Mike's next offering.
 
Thank you, Mike. However, I must claim 2/3 rather than the niggardly one that you offered - I did after all state Zimbabwe as the country of origin, and before Mr Ebagum took over it was indeed called Rhodesia !

As for Sara & Hoppity, never heard of it, probably because when it appeared in 1962, I was on an in-depth 3-year course of beer appreciation in the watering-holes of Leicestershire........

Here's a brave chap - hope he remembered to put in some ear plugs !
 

Attachments

  • weebelter.jpg
    weebelter.jpg
    71.1 KB · Views: 13
Ah, we return to the mysterious and fascinating world of Georges Sablier. This is the Sablier Type 1952, 00-28, the history of which I've never been able to fathom. Has anyone else succeeded where I've failed?

Oh, and Mike, I used to think that BA (Hons)(Leic) meant Bachelor of Arts. Now I know what the BA really stands for in Leicestershire! I congratulate anyone who achieves honours in beer appreciation. Was it a first?
 
Last edited:
FINALLY ! This is the fourth time I've tried to post a reply - getting really hacked off with this 'server busy' notice that haunts us nowadays......

Mike, I think an obscurity it will remain, unless anyone can track down M Spitaels of Ham-on-the-Hour.... Over to you, sir :very_drunk:
 

Attachments

  • wmmmmaa.jpg
    wmmmmaa.jpg
    58.4 KB · Views: 13
Back
Top