My Favorite WW1 Topic~~
 

http://www.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/wwi/wwiair/ The air war!!

Eric

You might be interested also in this:

http://webcommunity.ilvolo.it/strutt...wi-p12961.html

it's about the Aeronautica Militare museum of Vigna di Valle.

Sergio

Great Score!!a wonderful collection as only a few survived!

Can you imagine standing in the Caproni Tri-motor's gunner's cage at 3 Thousand, plus feet?

Actual dogfight footage~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwrIf_5gEEM

Sergio!

I loved seeing Francesco Baracca's Spad. Grazi, Magnifico!

Ciao!

Gunny John

WW1 aircraft machine guns~ http://www.century-of-flight.net/Avi...achineguns.htm

Gunny John

As you now the original Franecsco Baracca's SPAD VIII went destroyed when the pilot got shot while flying over the Austrian lines on 19 of June 1918 still you might be interested to see the video of the very exact copy rebuilt and flying:

http://www.museobaracca.it/Video2/Un...o-del-Montello

Sergio

For our Italian friend~~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9zHmrrHqO0 Sergio!

Sergio,

I knew that Franecsco Baracca is, perhaps, Italy's greatest ace. I didn't realize that the Spad in the picture was a replica of his. From what I've heard (obviously!) the Spad was a powerful and tricky aircraft to master, but Baracca did it well.

Italian aircraft, by the way, are greatly underrated in my opinion. The WW1 Caprione's were intriguing and radical for their time; and WW2's Folgories (Please pardon my very bad Italian spelling :)) were flying Ferrari's!

And what a great video! Thanks for sharing, but I have two questions. Instead of an American rock group sing some insipid song, why wasn't the background music Verdi's "Te Deum" or Va Penserio?" And I wonder what engine they put in the replica instead of the water cooled V-8. If I recall correctly the original was a Marc Birget designed Hispano-Suiza. Of course, there may not be any H-S's left, or any left that could be risked in an operational aircraft.

Very Best Regards,

Gunny John

PS. My wife and I hope to make our 5th trip to Italy sometime in 2015. We can't get enough!

Thank You Gunny. You opened another great door. Debbies' family is from Mordigo Sicily. She passes on her regards to both you and Sergio, Bella! Eric

The new SPAD VIII is operated by a moder Lycoming engine, and was constructed also thanks to the original projects of Francesco Baracca's SPAD VIII elaborated by the American Jim Kinger; not longer original are the brakes and the little wheel under the tale of the plane (instead of the skate).


Sergio

P.S.

Yes I agre that music is totally inappropriate for that film.

I'll stick with my old Cessna 172~

Thanks gents, great websites.:)
If you like WW1 aviation check out this aerodrome in New York.

http://www.oldrhinebeck.org/

I have a friend who is a docent there. He once started up a old Le Rhone rotary aircraft engine for us to check out.Amazing!:thumbup:
If you like building exact models of unusual WW1 aircraft,check out this website.
http://www.wingnutwings.com/ww/
Company is owned by Peter Jackson(Lord of the Rings,The Hobbit,War Horse,etc). He is a crazed collector of WW1 items.
Fun stuff.:burnout:
Bob

I visited Old Rhinebeck several times back when Cole Palen was still alive. It was much less known and perhaps a little more homey then. He let the public sit in the planes, as well as help start them by flipping propellers! I don't imagine that goes on anymore!

I had to pull out my Illustrated History Of Fighters to try to find that one; I would have to say the G.55 Centauro [Fiat], the C.200 [Machi], the C.202 Folgore [Machi], and the Re 2001 Reggiane were all handsome mono-wing Italian fighter aircraft of WW II. :thumbup:

Many years ago, I read a fascinating article in Vintage Motorsport [IIRC] about the son of an Italian aeronautical engineer who rose to fame & fortune here in the US in the 50's/60's and had a replica of a 1959 Ferrari Testa Rossa built using original leftover parts, damaged cast-offs, a boat engine [from an original Testa Rossa], hand hammered 'new' parts, using the original tree stump forms used back in the 50's, a taxi chassis/brakes/suspension...All period pieces or made by the original craftsmen using their tools and fixtures...No expense was spared...Retro Italian craftmanship... :cheers:

IIRC, the father was brought here by Howard Hughes to assist in the war effort after Italy capitulated...It seems Hughes had connections and whenever an Axis aircraft was captured, it was brought back for Hughes Aircraft to test and evaluate...I do remember they mentioned the ME262 painted in USAAF colors and actually flown here...

To he attention of Richard

I found an old film youtube regarding the Macchi C.202 Folgore during the WWII

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V16GJAUVTRk

Sergio

Was this the plane used by Franco and his nazi thugs??

Used by Mussolini and his Italian thugs. Franco and his fascist thugs were supplied airplanes by the Germans.

Another thug~I never understood how Franco survived all those years! I lived with a Basque family in Bayonne France that bordered Spain. They all dispised him! He out lived all of them and died in 1975~ Tks for the correction~