red750

The Heinkel He 177 Greif (Griffin) was a long-range heavy bomber flown by the Luftwaffe during World War II. The introduction of the He 177 to combat operations was significantly delayed, by both problems with the development of its engines, and frequent changes to its intended role. Nevertheless, it was the only long-range, heavy bomber to become operational with the Luftwaffe during the war. The He 177 had a payload/range capability similar to that of four-engined heavy bombers used by the Allies in the European theatre. Work on the design began in response to a 1936 requirement, known as Bomber A, issued by the RLM for a purely strategic bomber. Thus the He 177 was intended originally to be capable of a sustained bombing campaign against Soviet manufacturing capacity, deep inside Russia. In contrast to its heavy payload and very wide, 30 metres (98 ft) planform, the specifications called for the design to have only two very powerful engines. To deliver the power required, the He 177 needed engines of at least 2,000 horsepower (1,500 kW). Engines of this type were new and unproven at the time. The Daimler-Benz DB 606 power system that was selected, in conjunction with its relatively cramped nacelles, caused cooling and maintenance problems, such that the powerplants became infamous for catching fire in flight,[3] and contributing to the He 177 gaining nicknames from Luftwaffe aircrew such as Reichsfeuerzeug ("Reich's lighter") or Luftwaffenfeuerzeug ("Air Force lighter"). The type matured into a usable design too late in the war to play an important role. It was built and used in some numbers, especially on the Eastern Front where its range was particularly useful. It is notable for its use in mass raids on Velikiye Luki in 1944, one of the late-war heavy bombing efforts by the Luftwaffe. It saw considerably less use on the Western Front, although it played a role during Operation Steinbock (the "Baby Blitz"), against the UK in 1944. A total of 1,169 were built. For extensive further information, including design, development, operational history and 34 variants, click here.

The Miles M.57 Aerovan was a British twin-engined short-range low-cost transport aircraft designed and produced by Miles Aircraft. It was primarily used for freight and passenger services. Development of the Aerovan started during the latter years of the Second World War as an affordable freighter suitable for both civilian and military purposes. It was suited to austere operations, and possessed an atypically high payload capacity for its power output. Relatively large payloads, including a single car, could be transported by the aircraft, being loaded via its large clamshell freight door. While Miles intended to produce the Aerovan for the British Army as a wartime asset, development was put on hold by order of the Air Ministry until the end of the conflict. On 26 January 1945, the maiden flight of the Aerovan took place. Quantity production formally commenced during 1946, although customer demand exceeded the company's production capacity. The Aerovan was primarily flown by commercial operators, but was also operated by a number of military users. Numerous variants were developed, and further models were envisioned, including a flying boat model; however, production was halted as a result of the company's bankruptcy in late 1947. The Miles Aerovan was a twin-engined high-wing monoplane of plastic-bonded plywood construction with some spruce and metal parts. It had a fixed tricycle undercarriage, three vertical tail and rudder units, one central and two as tailplane endplates, the configuration being generally reminiscent of the Miles Messenger. The wing featured electrically-actuated flaps that could be adjusted to any angle, which were a recent innovation. On the ground, steering was achieved either by differential braking or differential operation of the throttles. The Aerovan had a relatively deep-sided forward fuselage, which necessitated the use of a large fin area. A pair of pilots were accommodated within a large clear perspex canopy which formed the front dorsal part of the pod, while the pod-shaped fuselage was lined with four or five circular windows on either side for use by passengers. Access to the cabin and cockpit was via a door on the starboard side. For additional comfort, amenities such as soundproofing were typically installed. The Aerovan's lifting capabilities were such that payloads could weigh up to one tonne, along with sufficient volume to enable the carriage of a typical family car, which could be loaded through the clamshell doors set to the rear. Various aspects of the Aerovan's configuration could be adjusted to meet customer demand; such alterations included the addition of skis for operations within snowy climates. The standard Aerovan was powered by a pair of Blackburn Cirrus Major piston engines; alternative powerplants included the de Havilland Gipsy Major and the Lycoming O-435, often necessitating the use of enlarged fins and rudders to cope with the increased power under all circumstances. By swapping the engines, the maximum speed could be increased by up to 20 mph and the rate of climb by up to 50 per cent. Number built: 48 For more details of the development, operational history and variants, click here. Hurel-dubois Miles HDM.105 variant (high aspect wing)

The Miles M.17 Monarch was a British, light, touring aeroplane of the 1930s. It was a single-engine, three-seat, cabin monoplane with a fixed, tailwheel undercarriage. The last civil type produced by Phillips and Powis before the war, the Monarch was a development of their earlier Whitney Straight. Compared to its sibling. the Monarch had an enlarged fuselage, allowing provision of a third seat in part of what had been the luggage space. Eleven aircraft were built between 1938 and 1939, six of these to British customers, the rest going to export. On the outbreak of war five of the British-registered machines were impressed by the Air Ministry; one machine belonging to Rolls-Royce acquired camouflage paint but remained in its owner's service. All but one of these survived the war, though a Dutch-registered aeroplane (PH-ATP) was destroyed in the Luftwaffe raid on Schiphol on 10 May 1940. One aircraft, OY-DIO, was on the Danish register until 9 Sept. 1939 and owned by a Dane named Hagedorn. In the 1950s, one Monarch (G-AIDE) enjoyed some success as a racer in the hands of W.P. Bowles For the most part, the remaining Monarchs led uneventful but useful careers; a number survived into the Sixties. G-AFJU is displayed at the National Museum of Flight at RAF East Fortune near East Linton, Scotland. Sporting successes (G-AIDE) 1st - Goodyear Trophy (1957) 3rd - King's Cup Race (1957) 1st - Norton Griffiths Trophy (1958) 2nd - Osram Cup Race (1958)

The Sapphire Aircraft Australia Sapphire LSA is an Australian ultralight aircraft that was designed and produced by Sapphire Aircraft Australia. It was introduced in the late 1980s and still in production as recently as 2010, but now out of production. The Sapphire was supplied as complete ready-to-fly-aircraft. The Sapphire complies with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules. It features a strut-braced high-wing, a single-seat enclosed cockpit with a bubble canopy or, optionally, an open cockpit with a windshield, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration. The aircraft is made from fibreglass, epoxy resin and extruded foam. Its 8.84 m (29.0 ft) span wing has an area of 9.132 m2 (98.30 sq ft). The standard engine fitted is the 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 two-stroke powerplant. In the early 2010s period a two-seat version and a motorglider variant were being developed.

Saab MFI-15 Safari, also known as the Saab MFI-17 Supporter, is a propeller-powered basic trainer aircraft used by several air forces. It is very similar in appearance to the Malmo MFI-9 (Recreational 3 axis), but bigger and heavier (third seat), and the tailplane is higher on the fin. On 11 July 1969 Saab flew the prototype (SE-301) of a two/three-seat civil/military trainer or general utility aircraft allocated the designation Saab-MFI 15. Developed at Malmö Flygindustri, it was powered by a 119 kW Avco Lycoming IO-320-B2 flat-four engine and with a conventional low-set tailplane. The latter was later modified to a T-tail configuration to minimise damage when operating from rough airfields. On 26 February 1971 the prototype was flown with the more powerful Avco Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 air-cooled flat-4 piston engine, which became the standard powerplant for the production version, now designated as the Saab Safari. A braced shoulder-wing monoplane with fixed tricycle landing gear, available optionally with tail-wheel landing gear, it provides side-by-side enclosed accommodation for two and has dual controls as standard. It has forward-swept wings to maintain correct centre of gravity. This design constraint applies also to the ARV Super2 and the Bölkow Bo 208 Junior, the latter a license-built version of the Malmö MFI-9 Junior. A military version designated originally Saab-MFI 17 was flown on 6 July 1972 and differed from the Safari by being equipped more specifically for use as a military trainer, or for artillery observation or forward air control and liaison.; this version was later named Saab Supporter. In August 1978 Saab flew a prototype version of the Safari with a 157 kW Continental flat-six turbocharged engine; designated Safari TS, it did not enter production. A trainer based on the Safari's design was built in kit form for assembly in Pakistan as the Mushshak, with 92 aircraft delivered to the Pakistani Air Force. A later batch of 120 aircraft was built entirely in Pakistan. Variants MFI-15 Safari – original civilian variant. MFI-17 Supporter – Saab's designation for the military variant, Danish designation T-17. Saab Safari TS – a prototype fitted with a 157 kW (210 hp) turbocharged piston engine. MFI-17 Mushshak – improved version of MFI-17 Supporter manufactured by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex under license. PAC Super Mushshak – upgraded Pakistan-manufactured variant of the MFI-17 Mushshak.

The Saab 91 Safir (Swedish for sapphire) is a three (91A, B, B-2) or four (91C, D) seater, single engine trainer aircraft. The Safir was built by Saab AB in Linköping, Sweden (203 aircraft) and by De Schelde in Dordrecht, Netherlands (120 aircraft). Development of the Safir began in 1944 as part of a plan to compensate for reductions in orders for military aircraft when the Second World War finally ended. Three major civil programmes were planned, the Type 90 Scandia airliner, the Type 91 Safir light aircraft and the Saab 92 motor car. The Safir was designed by Anders J. Andersson, who had previously worked for Bücker, where he had designed the all-wood Bücker Bü 181 "Bestmann". The Safir thus shared many conceptual design features with the Bestmann. It was primarily of metal construction, although it did have fabric-covered control surfaces. Development was slowed by the need to concentrate on more urgent military work, and by industrial action in suppliers. The Safir's first flight took place on 20 November 1945. While the prototype was first powered by a 130 hp (97 kW) four cylinder de Havilland Gipsy Major IC piston engine, the Saab 91A initial production model used a 145 hp (108 kW) Gipsy Major 10. The Gipsy-engine Safir was considered underpowered by military customers, and as a result, the Gipsy was replaced by a six-cylinder Lycoming O-435A rated at 190 hp (140 kW), with the re-engined type becoming the Saab 91B, flying on 18 January 1949. The Saab 91C, first flying in September 1953, retained the O-435 engine, but has a revised four-seat cabin. The 91D replaced the O-435 with a lighter four-cylinder Lycoming O-360-A1A engine rated at 180 hp (130 kW). As well as its primary role as a trainer/touring aircraft, the Safir was also used as an aerodynamic testbed. The first prototype was used as a platform for low speed testing of the swept wing for Saab 29 jet fighter, and was later further modified to test the wing for the Saab 32 Lansen fighter.[8] In addition, one ex-Swedish aircraft was sold to Japan, going through a variety of modifications to test high-lift devices for the Shin Meiwa PS-1 flying boat. Saab restarted production of the Safir at its Linköping factory in 1954,[6] building 25 Saab 91B-2s for Norway, 30 Saab 91Cs, all for military customers, and 99 Saab 91Ds.[10] Production continued until 1966, when the last Safir, a Saab 91C for Ethiopia, was completed. Total production was 323 aircraft including the prototype. The Safir was used by the Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Austrian, Tunisian, and Ethiopian air forces as a trainer aircraft, and a single aircraft was used by the Japan Defense Agency as an STOL test platform. The type remained in Norwegian and Finnish service until the late 1980s, and in Austria until 1992. While it was replaced as a trainer by the Scottish Aviation Bulldog in Sweden in 1971, it remained in use as a liaison aircraft, still being in service in 1994. Major civilian users were Air France, Lufthansa and the Dutch Rijksluchtvaartschool (RLS) on the Groningen Airport Eelde, near Groningen. Variants 91A – Original production version, powered by 145 hp (108 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Major 10 engine. Three seats. 48 built. Swedish Air Force designation Tp 91. 91B – Three seat version with 190 hp (140 kW) Lycoming O-435. 106 built by De Schelde. Swedish Air Force designation Sk 50B. 91B-D - Improved 91B. Three built by De Schelde. 91B-2 – 91B variant for Royal Norwegian Air Force with minor modifications, mainly a constant speed propeller[citation needed]. 25 built by Saab for Norway. 91C – Four seat version of 91B, with fuel tanks moved to the wings, and a constant speed propeller.[citation needed] Eleven built by De Schelde and 30 by Saab. Swedish Air Force designation Sk 50C. 91D – Four-seat version, powered by 180 hp (130 kW) Lycoming O-360 engine driving a constant speed propeller. 99 built by Saab.