This afternoon's warbird was not a Mustang.

ndicki

ndicki

Charter Member 2016
Lasst weekend, I saw a beautiful Mustang fly over our house, which LZ identified as Nooky-Booky, the only airworthy P-51D in France. But yesterday afternoon, I heard a very different engine sound - a radial - and shot outside expecting to see the Yak-11 which is a frequent visitor. But the engine didn't sound right for the Yak...

I grabbed my 20x OP telescope -

Painted blueish dark green on top. Pale grey undersides. Greenhouse tapering towards the rear. Triangular, fairly pointed tailfin. Radial engine. Yellow inboard leading edges. Red circles edged with white... ZERO!

Well, it wasn't a real Zero of course, as the slightly swept wing shape soon revealed. But it was a very good replica based on a T-6 Harvard. And they'd changed the airscrew for a three-blade one, so it didn't make the Harvard's characteristic 'meow' sound.

Back to my book...
 
Spot-on. But when you're sitting at home, it has even more effect!

The other day, I was driving home along a country lane from Maisse when I was beaten up by the Yak at some 100 - 200 feet. He came in low from the right hand side, flew over the car, banged off a half-aileron turn half-Immelmann and came in for a second pass from the front. By then, I was out of the car watching! If it had been for real, I'd have been contacting the insurance company...
 
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