Captured Triebflugel

[NARSES2]

To restrain the width add [img width=800] that will size the image to 800 pixels (or whatever number you place) wide. Appears to work on on this forum for my image source, unsure on other sources such as Flickr though.

Yup it does, I use 900 on mine, although my host site (Photobucket) now allows me to copy in a format/size that's spot on so I no longer need to manually change it.

[PR19_Kit]

....................or if there are no objections from anyone, I might even try to "find" them myself.

Yes, they need to be discovered! 

[bluedonkey99]

I'm not convinced of the effectiveness of the roundels on the rotors but I can imagine the MOD insisting that "if it flies it must have wings and those wings must have roundels painted on them".

I can imagine the RAF insisting it had roundels on the basis of "we captured it ........." 

Well, if they thought about it - they could have one massive roundel by painting bands of yello/blue/white/red on the wings/rotors ....

[NARSES2]

Well, if they thought about it - they could have one massive roundel by painting bands of yello/blue/white/red on the wings/rotors ....

That would have looked pretty spectacular

[PR19_Kit]

Well, if they thought about it - they could have one massive roundel by painting bands of yello/blue/white/red on the wings/rotors ....

And quick too.

The paint crews could stand on some scaffolding above the 'wings' with buckets of paint and brooms, and then they could start the engine.

The thing would almost paint itself! 

Actually that might make a really good diorama! 

[Rheged]

Well, if they thought about it - they could have one massive roundel by painting bands of yello/blue/white/red on the wings/rotors ....

And quick too.

The paint crews could stand on some scaffolding above the 'wings' with buckets of paint and brooms, and then they could start the engine.

The thing would almost paint itself! 

Actually that might make a really good diorama! 

This is a fascinating and innovative suggestion!   However, get the paint consistency too liquid, and the whole area would be decorated with an array of rainbow droplets.

I'm sure that you can imagine the opinion of the station's Senior Warrant Officer on that particular occurrence.

[Joe C-P]

Round and round and round she goes!   

[zenrat]

One of my ideas regarding the Monogram Peacemaker in my stash was to have it almost all in RAF anti-flash white except for a small patch on one wing where an erk with a roller on a stick and a paint tray was just finishing it off.  This was inspired by the opening credits of Red Dwarf.

[NARSES2]

One of my ideas regarding the Monogram Peacemaker in my stash was to have it almost all in RAF anti-flash white except for a small patch on one wing where an erk with a roller on a stick and a paint tray was just finishing it off.  This was inspired by the opening credits of Red Dwarf.

Ah yes, one of my favourite t.v. sci-fi comedies  Not seen the re-vamped series.

[PR19_Kit]

Many moons ago I scratchbuilt an HO gauge Warren girder bridge for my planned American short line running around my home 'office'. It had 5870 parts in its construction! 

Anyway, it was painted overall rusty grey, as many bridges are over there, and when I was about to finish it the late Mrs_PR19 bought me a tiny kit of a gandy dancer wagon, which was so neat I built it right away. Then I wondered what to do with it as it wouldn't move of course, being so tiny. (It's about an inch long in HO...)

So it ended up being a semi-permanent fixture in the middle of the bridge span with a railroad worker painting the bridge's inner sides with his paint can (and dog...) on the wagon. 

Somewhere I've got a pic of the bridge, but until I find it this pic of a gandy dancer wagon will have to do.....

[Rheged]

As promised, I have searched for Eric Brown's report  on this unique flying machine and found the following information


My initial researches into Eric "Winkle" Brown's report on the Treibflugel have been hindered by most sources asserting that this aircraft was never built.  More detailed work in the Fleet Air Arm archives  have, however, revealed that his Enemy Aircraft Assessment paperwork  does exist, although it is not yet available for public release.   Other   FAA documents filed under the general heading "  Captain Eric Melrose  Brown, CBE, DSC, AFC, Hon FRAeS,/ aircraft reports "  include the   Britten-Norman Trislander    Gloster Meteor PR19, Hawker Tornado,  Junkers 88, Miles M52 and Short Seamew............none of which appear on the usually quoted lists of aircraft he is noted to have flown.

Discussing this with friends (and former pupils) who have a connection with Royal Navy archives resulted in my researching the work of 30 Assault Unit  .  This  was an  intelligence gathering  unit whose  activities included taking part in the capture of Cherbourg. They launched an assault on Octeville – a suburb to the south west of port. This was the location of the Kriegsmarine naval intelligence HQ known as Villa Maurice which 30AU Commandos captured along with 20 officers, 500 men and "quantities of records" 30AU also took over the former headquarters of Admiral Karl Dönitz, the Château de la Muette ,  'liberating' over 30 tonnes of documents which were immediately sent back to the UK. Whilst most 30AU missions in Germany during early 1945 remain subject to official secrecy.The unit is known to have targeted military scientists, sometimes far behind enemy lines. According to some sources, the secrecy surrounding 30AU was such that significant German figures, captured far behind the lines by field teams from 30AU, were officially reported to have "surrendered" to Allied infantry. Declassified reports detail a 30AU team reaching the Focke Wolf works  in Bremen some hours before the main body of Allied troops and carrying away large quantities of documentation in five heavily laden AEC Militant 10 ton trucks. A total of fourteen  covered  "Queen Mary" trailers left the site shortly afterwards .  The convoy, escorted by armoured cars and marked with  large white ensigns, drove straight to Bremerhaven, where a number of tank landing ships were waiting. Once loaded, they immediately sailed for Harwich, discharging their cargo at the Royal Navy training establishment HMS Ganges, Shotley Gate.  It is believed that the material was later sent on to RAE Farnborough.  Cargo manifests for the LSTs include mention of  two Focke Wolf  "Entwurf VI", four " FW354 thrust wing hunter, numbers V-1 to V-4", a single  Ta154 Moskito  and an unknown number of Ta 183 airframes.  Having found this material, it is reasonable to assume that at least one   Treibflugel  airframe was assembled at Farnborough in late 1945.

In late 1945, Eric Brown commanded the Enemy Aircraft Flight, an elite group of pilots who test-flew captured German and Italian aircraft. That experience rendered Brown one of the few men to have been qualified to compare both Allied and Axis aeroplanes as they flew during the war. He flight-tested at least 53 German aircraft. His published reports include  the Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet rocket fighter, Me262 Shwalbe , Arado Ar 234B Blitz,  and the single-engined  Heinkel He 162A Spatz . His report on the Focke Wolf Treibflugel  has not yet been declassified but I have received official clearance to reveal some aspects of it as shown below.

F-W 354 Treibflugel  aircraft: some initial observations: E M Brown RN   date not legible on copy report

Cockpit  entry and layout.  A difficult aircraft to board, given that a scaffold tower or similar construction is necessary.  Pilot lies , seated, on their back. This is not a comfortable position and thus the aircraft cannot be manned at "immediate notice" for more than 30 minutes without extreme pilot fatigue.  The instrument panel is well laid out and clear to read.  Controls are appropriately placed and move freely. Disembarking from the aircraft after a sortie is difficult and uncomfortable requiring ground crew assistance.

Take off.   Ensure that all ground staff are well clear of the take-off area.  Engage all three rocket motors within 10 seconds of each other in order to obviate excessive vibration due to asymmetric thrust.   At 250rpm engage both RATO units.  Aircraft will then take off vertically.  At NO LESS THAN 500 FEET  transition to horizontal flight and jettison RATO units. At an airspeed  of 200mph, wingtip ramjets should automatically engage.

Forward flight,  Control surfaces are  well balanced and responsive, although heavy enough to be fatiguing during extended flight.  Airspeed is controlled by adjustments to the rotor pitch.  Manoeuvrability  was not fully explored during the initial test flights, this remains an area to be   tested in later sorties.

Landing.  Reduce speed by altering rotor pitch and transition to vertical flight mode. Very gently adjust rotor pitch to manage a very gentle sink-rate.  Pay careful attention to cockpit mirrors , and cut off fuel only when the aircraft is shown by cockpit indicators to be firmly on the ground.  Await arrival of ground crew with scaffold tower and with  their  assistance exit cockpit.

Armament.  Not fitted in this aircraft .....Versuchs V-2....

General remarks.  The small tail-mounted undercarriage wheels seem fragile for the load carried and during landing are potentially liable to collapse if landing is not perfectly vertical.  Rear view during landing is poor and in need of improvement.  Should an in flight emergency occur,  an demolition  charge will (allegedly)  sever the cockpit area  from the fuselage  and  drive the rotor component away from the cockpit, allowing the pilot to jettison the hood and parachute to safety. However, cockpit egress is extremely difficult and pilot survival not guaranteed. This aircraft is NOT recommended for use on HM ships as it requires an exceptionally stable , static platform from which to operate.  It is possible, but unlikely, that the RAF might consider further investigation of this concept but investing in efficient runway repair teams  will be more cost-effective  than the use of vertical take-off  airframes.
Report signed    E M Brown , Lt RN

[PR19_Kit]

Perfection!   

[NARSES2]

You've just ruined some people in Whitehall's Bank Holiday  The "how the hell conversations" have already started 

[Rheged]

You've just ruined some people in Whitehall's Bank Holiday  The "how the hell conversations" have already started 

I've said it before but, like Kit's work on the PR19, these items  may possibly be officially sanctioned disinformation.  It may even be supported by certain people at GCHQ.    On the other hand, it might all be a figment of an over active imagination.

To quote the childrens' author Joan  Aitken  "Is this a true tale?  As to that ,I'm afraid I can't tell you!"

[NARSES2]

You've just ruined some people in Whitehall's Bank Holiday  The "how the hell conversations" have already started 

I've said it before but, like Kit's work on the PR19, these items  may possibly be officially sanctioned disinformation. 

Ah yes, but the branch of "The Service" responsible for miss or dis-information never ever tells the other Branches what it's up to, and if it does do the "other Branches" believe them or not ?