Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #aviationlovers
Most recents (14)
Nestled in a backyard garden in Kemback, Fife Scotland is the last bit of a notorious Handley Page Victor. 1 of the 1st 5 built and once the largest aircraft ever to (accidently?) go supersonic. 1/5 #planespotting #avgeek #aviationdaily #aircraft #aviationlovers #aviation #milair 
It is the cockpit of HP Victor B Mk.1 XA917. The aircraft is seen below, brand new in 1956, one of the first 5 Victors in the Handley Page shops at Radlett. The tail in the foreground is of XA918, used to help develop the tanker variant. It was scrapped in 1970 2/5
On June 1, 1957, Handley Page chief test pilot Johnny Allam took XA917 on a test flight from Gaydon, Warwickshire. 3/5
A self-storage company in west London puts eye-catchers atop its tower that overlooks A-40. A July 2013 G.E. image caught them placing one on display. Thankfully they understand what they have… 1/6 #planespotting #avgeek #aviationdaily #aircraft #aviationlovers #aviation #milair
…so in 2021 they removed it and commissioned a thorough restoration. It's Hawker Hunter WT555, the 1st production F.1 and a very important airframe. First flown on 16th May 1953 from Hawker's plant at Dunsfold, it was retained by them for handling and performance trials. 2/6
It then retired to ground instruction duties at RAF Locking, then to the RAF Museum at Cosford with a camo livery it never had in operation. Incredibly, the museum decided to dispose of it. The owner of Vanguard wasted no time snapping it up as an eyecatcher. 3/6
The Walter Soplata Aircraft Collection deserves a long thread of its own, which I am working on. Meanwhile I am looking for one particular airplane that he had…Ahh here it is…this one. 1/5 #planespotting #avgeek #aviationdaily #aircraft #aviationlovers #aviation #milair
Douglas Skyraider 09103 was one of several prototypes Douglas built in 1945-46. Originally called “Dauntless II” It was first designated XBT2D-1 in the USN’s clumsy pre-1946 designation system. It then became an XAD-1 Skyraider. 2/5
Mr. Soplata was a visionary who saw value in acquiring important aircraft the military didn’t want. He was a working man, not rich, and was tenacious in buying and moving these relics to his Ohio farm throughout the latter half of the 20th century. 3/5
Chitral Airport, Pakistan, has a crashed Fokker F-27 Friendship that is now “Friendship Restaurant”. “When life gives you lemons…make lemonade.” 1/4 #planespotting #avgeek #aviationdaily #aircraft #aviationlovers #aviation
Built in 1960, Fokker F-27 AP-ALN flew for Pakistan International Airline from 1961-July 5, 1994 when, flying from Islamabad to Chitral with 4 four crew members and 38 passengers,…2/4
#1 engine had trouble on final & poor alignment with the runway forced a go-around. #2 engine was at full power and gear and flaps retracted, but it still lost height. As it turned to to avoid the river it landed in a field, sliding for 300m before colliding with a tree. 3/4
Stored outside, all that remains of a very rare French research aircraft of the late 1940s, rescued after being a target on a gunnery range. The third of only 4 built and the only survivor. 1/ #planespotting #avgeek #aviationdaily #aircraft #aviationlovers #aviation #milair
Sud-Ouest Espadon (Swordfish) first flew in 1948 & was intended to be fighter/interceptor but, as with so many 1st generation jets, it proved to be underpowered and failed to meet specs. The 4 prototypes then became test beds for various engine configurations. 2/
This one, SO.6025, fitted with a rocket engine below the fuselage, was the 1st European A/C to break the sound barrier in level flight, 15 Dec. ‘53. Along with jet fuel it had rocket fuel & nitric acid between the jet intake & rocket so it could be safely dumped if necessary. 3/4
#USNavy #USAF #avgeeks #aviationlovers - NATF-22? Yes, there could have been a navalized F-22 stealth a la F-14 Tomcat with swing wings, Mach 2.25 supercruise, heavier landing gear, and so much more. So why did the US Navy opt for the F-18 and F-35 instead? I'll tell you... 1/
2/ Congress wanted the NATF-22 but the US Navy pushed back. The swing wings would have compromised stealth and added to the maintenance woes. As it was, the F-14 was already far too expensive especially in the absence of the #USSR's military, which is why the F-14 was retired.
3/ The naval F-22, aka Sea Raptor, would have been slower than the F-14 and cost more. The F-22's unit cost was, ballpark, $138 million. A navalized one surely would have cost at least 20% more based on F-14 vs F-15 costs. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_…
#avgeek #aviation #RoyalNavy #aviationlovers – The remarkable Westland Wyvern naval strike airplane featured contra-rotating propellers and a mighty, behind-the-cockpit 3,200-hp Rolls Royce Eagle engine. This configuration allowed a cut down nose... 1/
2/ optimized for aircraft carrier naval aviation. 127 built, 1946–1951. Six W.34 prototypes↖️. 7 x TF.1 pre-production planes↗️ built in 1946. 9 x TF.2 ↙️↘️built in 1949. These used either a Rolls-Royce Clyde or 3,560 hp Armstrong Siddeley Python turbo-prop.
3/ There was a single Westland Wyvern TF.3 two-seat trainer converted in 1950 from one of the previous aircraft. By the way, Wyvern was a legendary dragon. The definitive model was the TF.4, which was later renamed S.4. So what are TF and S (torpedo fighter? Strike?)?
-Sky Giants- 🧵
The Bayraktar TB-2
The TB-2 is a medium altitude long endurance unmanned combataerial vehicle (MALE UCAV), made in Turkey by Bayrack. (1/5)
#svagaiature #aviationlovers #UkraineInvasion #tech #Turkey #aviationdaily #AutonomousVehicles
The Bayraktar TB-2
The TB-2 is a medium altitude long endurance unmanned combataerial vehicle (MALE UCAV), made in Turkey by Bayrack. (1/5)
#svagaiature #aviationlovers #UkraineInvasion #tech #Turkey #aviationdaily #AutonomousVehicles
The project began when the USA put an embargo on Turkey for UAV, due the fear of them being used to taget PKK groups inside and outside of the nation. Bayrack started developing a drone on the request of turkish government, and in 2014 the TB-12 made its maiden flight. (2/5)
A year later the weapon system had been already tested.
Many problems, regarding its components arose with time: the engine used, made in Austria, was only certified for civilian use; while parts of its imaging system and bomb rack was suspended... (3/5)
Many problems, regarding its components arose with time: the engine used, made in Austria, was only certified for civilian use; while parts of its imaging system and bomb rack was suspended... (3/5)
-Sky Giants- 🧵
Me-323 Gigant
The Messerschmitt Me 323 was a military transport plane. It was a power variant of the Me-321 glider. (1/5)
#svagaiature #WWII #aviationlovers #aviationdaily #Germany #History #planespotting
Me-323 Gigant
The Messerschmitt Me 323 was a military transport plane. It was a power variant of the Me-321 glider. (1/5)
#svagaiature #WWII #aviationlovers #aviationdaily #Germany #History #planespotting
Development began in 1941, german used french radial engines in order to not put more stress on their industry. They also reinforced the wings and installed a steadier undercarriage comprised of four small wheel at the front and six larger wheels on the side of the fuselage.(2/5)
At the beginig were used only 4 engines, later upgraded to six, in version -D.
The Me-323 wings were made out of plywood and fabric, while the fuselage consisted in a metal tube construction with wooden spar. The floor had heavy breacinf to support the cargo. (3/5)
The Me-323 wings were made out of plywood and fabric, while the fuselage consisted in a metal tube construction with wooden spar. The floor had heavy breacinf to support the cargo. (3/5)
[THREAD]: Mohammud Ahmed first tasted absolute freedom when he found himself in Chuka town on the eastern slopes of Mount Kenya. The government placed him at Chuka University to pursue a degree in Economics and Statistics.
He was a young man born inhaling the breeze from the Indian Ocean in Mombasa and raised in the metropolitan capital Nairobi. Never in his life had he gone to a boarding school. In actual fact, never had he been away from his parents’ surveillance.
Yet here he was,thrown into the wilderness of higher learning to fend for himself & coerced to acquire responsibility by living independently.With over six thousand students in the university,Mohammud was part of a minority of Somali’s whose numbers did not even accumulate to ten
Worth using google translate to watch the #propagandalive as @Erkanomia is in #Moscow to cover the #Kremlin #Military parade #HappeningNow. Some ++good #OSINT & #IMINT in his #live & candid coverage. 😎
For example, while the #Moscow #Elite typically use a black #SUV with license plate ending in 88 (sometimes 888 for family of senior officials & oligarchs who must #Drive themselves), here we see the first of the latest #cars with new #licenseplatedata.
Close-up I made from the #Finland team's #photography showing @mod_russia's Army #celebrity #swag bags for the Diamond Jubilee #celebration of the #Soviet #WWII win... ignoring 1939-1941 🙄
The Hon Minister Mr Singh, #IndianArmedForces, is a special guest at #VictoryDayParade.
The Hon Minister Mr Singh, #IndianArmedForces, is a special guest at #VictoryDayParade.
[THREAD]: Mahamud Tawane has always known the value of work. As a boy in Garissa, Kenya, he would spend his school holidays working at his father’s cotton farm, cultivating and harvesting. At the end of the day, he would be paid per kilo of his harvest.
In his final year of secondary school, Tawane had a friend who read plenty of magazines and narrated his readings to him. On one occasion, Tawane’s friend told him about an ongoing admission at a flying school in Kansas.
Without hesitation, Tawane applied and within a short duration received a response. However, the reply was not as pleasing as he would have hoped.The fee was simply unimaginably unaffordable.
At the time, Tawane lived with his older brother who happened to also be his guardian.
At the time, Tawane lived with his older brother who happened to also be his guardian.
[THREAD] : How does one switch from a managerial position at a beer manufacturing company to become a pioneer in the aviation industry? Meet Moses Mwangi, Managing Director at 748 Air Services, a man whose entire existence runs on one word: diversity.
Moses started out as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), in 1984. His adamant pursuit of Accounting and Finance was a conscious response to his O levels teachers who discouraged him from pursuing anything related to mathematics.
They constantly reminded him of his supposed mediocre mathematical skills and tried pushing him to do a subject he had a distinction in, History. Mwangi remained undeterred despite his teachers’ persistent efforts.
[THREAD] : While other kids in Lusoi Primary School in Nyeri played regular games, Samuel Mwaura Muthinji spent his time creating aircraft models from iron sheets. Muthinji was fascinated by how huge heavy metallic objects floated in the air and moved from one point to another.
His enchantment for flying came at a tender age and he then developed an utmost adoration for flying. After completing his primary school in Nyeri, Muthinji enrolled in Moi Forces Academy near the Moi Air Base in the Eastleigh suburb for his secondary education.
Everyday, when coming out of class heading to the dormitory, Muthinji observed the landing of the aircraft at the nearby Air Base. He made a vow to his peers that one day one time he will become a pilot.
