3rd Stuka Found

[LongBlade]

Apparently there used to be only two fully intact Stukas in the world. Now a 3rd has been found in the Baltic and is being raised.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/06/12/german-divers-recover-stuka-bomber-radiator-from-baltic-sea-floor/

[Centurion40]

Nice.

I've always admired the design of the Stuka.

[mirth]

Very cool. Hard to imagine only two were left. I would have guessed that the Russians had some kicking around. Don't they have a sizeable collection of WW2 German equipment they keep on display?

[bob48]

^Yeah, good point Mirthy - they certainly have quite a collection of German armour, albeit mostly in a rather decrepit condition.

[mirth]

Looks like it's actually a Ju-88, not a Stuka

http://news.yahoo.com/wwii-plane-wreck-not-stuka-larger-ju88-131031484.html

[Centurion40]

Booo!  Well, okay, it's still pretty cool.

[Centurion40]

Hmmm.

Stuka:




Ju-88



We're not dealing with experts, are we?

[bob48]

I only looked at the one picture of the wreckage, and I did not think that there were sufficient visual clues to establish what the aircraft is, so I'll reserve judgement.

[Centurion40]

Not jumping to a conclusion shows wisdom.

[mirth]

The guys doing the recovery seem pretty sure it's an 88 based on the wing section they recovered. The initial evaluation of it being a Ju-87 was based on underwater pictures.

[bob48]

Either way, its a rare aircraft, I doubt there will be many Ju88's around either.

Talking German aircraft - its not many years ago that a Ju52 visited Newcastle airport, and spent several days doing flying tours. As it happens, I only live about 5 miles away, so we were lucky enough to see it buzzing around on several occasions, it has very strange sound with those three engines.

Whilst I'm in a mood to reminisce, if you will indulge an old fella, the best aircraft sound ever was a low pass by a Mosquito at an air show at RAF Luchars - those twin Merlins were just incredible. It was a pretty memorable day, since I got to stand beside a B1 bomber, and had a chat with an A10 Warthog pilot, his aircraft being on the static display line.

And Mrs Bob talked her way into a Chinook (she loves Chinooks!) where she sat in the Boss's seat and was given the 'grand tour' by the crew chief.

All-in-all, a splendid day :-))

[mirth]

Great stories, Bob! I'd love to see a Ju52 or Mosquito. I've seen more of the modern types up close.

[bob48]

We have been to the Luchars show a couple of times, and it used to be quite a big event. I have loads of 'photo's, but no digital ones unfortunately. Lots of 'modern' stuff, including an F15 and a display by a Dutch F16 which was quite something. Other nice stuff was a restored Dauntless and a PBY Catalina, and a flypast by 'the last' Vulcan, which was just stupendous. What else? - oh aye, an Avro Shackleton, just before they went out of service, and 'Black Mike', the last F4 Phantom in service with the RAF - a fabulous aircraft - painted in a special all black livery.

Then all the usual stuff - the Battle of Britain flight, Spit, Hurri and Lanc, Tornado's, Jaguars, choppers - Red Arrows - wonderful - think its time for me to fire up FSX.............and get pootling around the wild blue yonder!

[besilarius]

If it had been a Stuka - in the Baltic, how neat would it have been to have found one of the twenty fitted out for service on the Graf Zeppelin aircraft carrier. 
Had special landing gear.  If you think about ditching in the water, the danger was enormous with the fixed gear.  A plane would easily cartwheel, and probbaly end up in the drink, upside down.
So these rare birds had explosive charges in the langing gear roots, to blow off the legs, and allow a smooth water landing.

[LongBlade]

Booo!  Well, okay, it's still pretty cool.

Something about that bug-like cupola makes it look cool. That, the HE-111 and a couple more are kinda neat. At some point I'll probably pick up a model kit and try to do it.