The official aviation quiz topic!

realplaneshaveprops · Post by **realplaneshaveprops** » 18 Oct 2005, 17:38

Very easy one (with some google help):

Who can tell me something about Memphis Belle?

1. What was so special about Memphis Belle?
2. Name of all crew members and their positions
3, Who was Memphis belle in real? (Her name)

Koen

MD-11forever · Post by **MD-11forever** » 20 Oct 2005, 12:24

1) The B-17 Flying Fortress "MEMPHIS BELLE" (Serial No. 41-24485) was one of 12,750 B-17's built by the Boeing Aircraft Co. The BELLE was the most famous because she was the first heavy bomber in Hitler's European war theatre to complete 25 combat missions and keep her entire crew alive. She flew for 10 months from November 7, 1942 to May 17,
1943. The BELLE shot down eight enemy fighters, probably destroyed five others, and damaged at least a dozen more. She dropped more than 60 tons of bombs over Germany, France and Belgium. During her 25 missions she flew 148 hours, 50 minutes, and covered more than 20,000 combat miles. She is the only B-17 to have her own file in the Air Force Film Depository.

2) Capt. Robert K. Morgan - Pilot
Capt. James Verinis - Copilot (Died 2003)
Capt. Vincent B. Evans - Bombardier (Died 1980)
Capt. Charles B. Leighton - Navigator (Died 1991)
T/Sgt. Harold P. Loch - Engineer/Top Gunner
T/Sgt. Robert Hanson - Radio Operator
S/Sgt. John P. Quinlan - Tail Gunner (Died 2002)
S/Sgt. Cecil H. Scott - Ball Turret Gunner (Died 1979)
S/Sgt. Clarence E. Winchell - L Waist Gunner (Died 1994)
S/Sgt. Casimer "Tony" Nastal - R Waist Gunner

3) Ms. Margaret Polk

Source: http://www.memphis-belle.com/belle_story.htm

Christophe

realplaneshaveprops · Post by **realplaneshaveprops** » 20 Oct 2005, 14:46

Good answers MD-11forever

Your next

Koen

MD-11forever · Post by **MD-11forever** » 25 Oct 2005, 11:45

OK, here is the next question.

1) What was the first aircraft that was registered in the Belgian civilian register?
2) What was its registration?
3) When was it registered?
4) Who was the owner of the aircraft?

Christophe

realplaneshaveprops · Post by **realplaneshaveprops** » 30 Oct 2005, 09:44

Did you find the answers on the internet, or from a book?

Can't find a thing on the net! But I won't give up

Koen

MD-11forever · Post by **MD-11forever** » 30 Oct 2005, 20:23

Hello Koen,

Yes, I found this on the net, with the help of Google. To give a hint: I got it from a belgian website that is specialized in these things.

Have fun with the search!

Greetings,

Christophe

PS I have a few days off, I'm back on Thursday

MD-11forever · Post by **MD-11forever** » 04 Nov 2005, 14:52

OK, since no one seems to find the answer, let me give you an extra hint. The answer to my question can be found on a website that covers the Belgian aviation history. Just try this in google, it is quite easy then to find the answer.

Christophe

Advisor · Post by **Advisor** » 04 Nov 2005, 14:55

Belgian Aviation History is great.

I tried here but nothing

MD-11forever · Post by **MD-11forever** » 04 Nov 2005, 16:24

Advisor,

The website is correct. Go to the homepage and you will find some interesting things...

Christophe

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 04 Nov 2005, 17:33

It's O-BABA a Pfalz D.XII registered on 26 august 1920. The aircraft belonged to Count Vilain XIII.

Thanks for the link Advisor

Chris

realplaneshaveprops · Post by **realplaneshaveprops** » 04 Nov 2005, 20:16

This sleek Pfalz D.XII was the first aircraft on the Belgian civilian register on 26 august 1920. This ex-German air force fighter with serial number D 2922/18 received certificate of airworthiness n° 33 and belonged to Count Vilain XIII, a famous pilot of the Aviation Militaire during the first world war. The Count took this picture on 30 august 1920.

http://www.baha.be/Webpages/Navigator/P ... z_dxii.htm

I think you have the correct answer Avro

Koen

MD-11forever · Post by **MD-11forever** » 07 Nov 2005, 09:44

Avro, you have indeed found the correct answer. The next question comes from you.

Koen, you have provided the correct link where I found this question.

Greetings,

Christophe

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 07 Nov 2005, 11:46

Ok let's get back to nice little acronyms

hat does SSR mean ? And what are the two modes of operations of the SSR ?

Chris

realplaneshaveprops · Post by **realplaneshaveprops** » 07 Nov 2005, 16:10

The SSR is the Secondary Surveillance Radar:

SSR came into place in the 1940s and was used to identify friendly aircraft and ships to gunnery folk charged with
shooting down or sinking anything which flew or sailed within detection and firing impact range.

The SSR interrogates the transponder onboard the aircrafts, they can answer in 2 modes:

Mode A: only identification code (squawk code)

Mode C: identification code + altitude information

New type is Mode S: Mode A/C + TCAS II

Koen

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 07 Nov 2005, 16:56

Totally correct except that mode C only gets the pressure altitude AFAIK....

Mode S is a mode where the plane is called via a specific 12 bit adress. Which gives a direct link between the SSR device and the airplane.

Anyway it's your turn Koen

Chris

realplaneshaveprops · Post by **realplaneshaveprops** » 09 Nov 2005, 23:59

I want (please):

-The names of the V-bombers
- Year of entry in service
- Used engines

Bonus: the name of the rejected Short V-bomber!

Good Luck

Koen

SN_Bigbirdy · Post by **SN_Bigbirdy** » 17 Nov 2005, 18:44

I found :

names : the Valiant, the Victor and the Vulcan
years of entry : valiant (1951), victor (1952) and vulcan (1952)
engines used : heavy four-piston-engines

rejected type : Blue steel Mk.2 ? (totally not sure about that one)

shoot me if I'm wrong,

greetings
Simon

regi · Post by **regi** » 17 Nov 2005, 20:26

heavy four piston engines on the Vulcan? Euh? Before I would sound too cynical, is it possible that you check a bit first yourself? I mean, a piston engine on the Vulcan...You are aware that the Vulcan was the long range bomber which bombed Port Stanley on the Falklands at low altitude? It was tanked under way by brittish tanker planes, one of them a converted Victor bomber, also not with the piston engines you talk about.
This is the outmost humiliation for the brittish aviation I have ever heard. Piston engines on the Vulcan and Victor,good gracious!

realplaneshaveprops · Post by **realplaneshaveprops** » 17 Nov 2005, 21:45

Simon,

Names are correct
Year of entry in service is incorrect, you gave the year of first flight
Engines are incorrect

Bonus (rejected type) Blue Steel is a stand-off missile for the V-bombers
http://members.aol.com/nicholashl/ukspa ... bsteel.htm
The rejected aircraft was designed by Short
I know that the bonus question is difficult, so it's not necessary to give the correct answer on it.

Koen

PS: Nobody will shoot you!!!

SN_Bigbirdy · Post by **SN_Bigbirdy** » 17 Nov 2005, 22:19

regi wrote:Before I would sound too cynical, is it possible that you check a bit first yourself?!

Well excuse me for being wrong. Since I'm not at all home in military I took what I found on the page I found for true! I only searched for fun an answer on those questions.That is still no reason to insult me and saying I'm stupid! :frown: