Nerd's Corner - Ice cool aircraft recognition game.

[CharlieOneSix]

Good guess....!

[Cacophonix]

I have cheated and found it. What a fascinating challenge C16.


Caco

[CharlieOneSix]

I don't think using a book is cheating - if it is then I have been guilty...post away, Caco.

[Undried Plum]

Marinens Flyvebaatfabrikk M.F.11 aka Høver M.F.11


My guess is that it did a flytt in April 1940, probably from Sunnmøre or Romsdal, presumably to Shetland initially.

[CharlieOneSix]

Oh, well done, UP! Exactly right. The Norwegian Marinens Flyvebaatfabrikk M.F.11 (sometimes known as the Høver M.F.11 after its designer) was a three seat, single-engine biplane used for maritime reconnaissance pre-WW2. A month after the Germans invaded Norway it is shown here in May 1940 after its crew evaded the Luftwaffe and flew it across the North Sea from Norway. I've tried to find out more detail as it's local to me but haven't succeeded yet.

All yours.

[Undried Plum]

If correct:

[Cacophonix]

I don't think using a book is cheating - if it is then I have been guilty...post away, Caco.

No let's all agree that this isn't cheating. The only thing that is a cheat here is using Google Image/reverse/ search. As for the rest, all is fair in love, aviation and war!

Using Google itself is not illegal if one does the searching manually.


Caco

[CharlieOneSix]

It has a family resemblance to the Gee Bee Racer...but isn't that!

[Cacophonix]

We have already canvassed that Italian aircraft here before but reminding ourselves again is well worth it. I will hold my counsel.

Caco

[Mrs Ex-Ascot]

Aircraft? Maybe I should Giggle Italian flying engine!

[Cacophonix]

Aircraft? Maybe I should Giggle Italian flying engine!

It is a kind of ducted fan so you would find it almost immediately if you do that and that would be entirely within the spirit of this game Mrs Ex-Ascot.

Caco

[Mrs Ex-Ascot]

Ok I got onto Giggle (egged on by Caco ) ;https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stipa-Caproni Rather an interesting experiment.

OH as I haven't anything ready at the moment. (assuming that I am correct )

If no one posts by tomorrow morning I will see what I can find.

[Undried Plum]

Yup, that's the one.

[Cacophonix]

I have posted updates from time of what types have been canvassed here and I will update that spreadsheet again this week and will ask Alison if we can post it as a reference sticky at the top of the page.

With respect to C16's challenge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marinens_ ... ikk_M.F.11

Romsdalsfjord Air Group

The Air Group's composition One of the Norwegian air units in which the M.F. 11 saw action was the highly improvised Romsdalsfjord Air Group (Norw. Romsdalsfjordgruppa). The air group was eventually to consist of a total of four aircraft; one M.F. 11 (F.342, originally from Trøndelag Naval District), one Arado Ar 196 (the one captured at Lyngstad) and two Fleet Air Arm Supermarine Walrus'. The first Walrus (P5649) of 700 Naval Air Squadron was one released by Norwegian authorities after having been interned in Kristiansund on 8 April after failing to return to the battleship HMS Rodney after a scouting mission due to high waves. The other arrived in Molde on 13 April to inform the Royal Norwegian Navy command of the imminent arrival of an RN task force. After meeting with Captain Ullring, the commander of the local RNoN district in the Romsdal area, the crew of the Walrus decided on joining the Romsdalsfjord Air Group for the time being. The air group was based out of Eidsøra, where the newly built school was utilised as a barracks and the local rifle association provided a guard force of riflemen for observations of air and naval activity. A group of local women provided the force of around twenty-five officers and men with food and other supplies.

Operations Operations of the Romsdalsfjord Air Group, including M.F. 11 F.342, was almost completely restricted to scouting the coast of Romsdal for enemy forces. This was because the group had only 2,000 rounds of machine gun ammunition, no tracer ammunition or bombs and only fuel for a few days if all four planes were to be used. On 12 April, on one such mission, F.342 discovered and reported the exact position of two German merchant vessels to Captain Ullring. This report lead helped RNoN warships in seizing the German ships that same day (see: HNoMS Sleipner). Actual contact with German forces occurred very seldom; on one reconnaissance mission over Trøndelag F.342 came under fire from German aircraft, but escaped without suffering any damage. The only real combat involving the air group came off Vigra on 14 April when F.342 encountered a German Heinkel He 115 and exchanged fire with it from ranges varying from 300 to 50 meters. Neither the German or the Norwegian aircraft was hit and when the He 115 turned to escape northwards F.342 lacked the speed to chase after it.

Escape to the UK On 17 April ltns Kjos and Diesen met with RNoN Commander Gottwaldt and decided that the four aircraft had to be evacuated as fuel reserves were down to only five to six hours flying time. The British pilots' wish to return to their own units also played in on the decision. The hope and plan was for the Norwegian pilots to return as soon as possible with better aircraft and supplies. At 0330hrs the next day the Arado Ar 196 flew off first with a crew of three, making the journey to Shetland without problems and landing safely at around 0630. As the air group had only two sets of maps F.342 had to fly in formation with the two Walrus' planes. When the planes approached Orkney F.342 had straggled behind the British aircraft and was intercepted by three Gloster Gladiators from Scapa Flow. The Gladiator crews misread the situation, believing that the Norwegian biplane was chasing the two Walrus' flying boats, and began to attack the M.F 11. Luckily for the Norwegians lieutenant Diesen managed to immediately land on the water. Although their aircraft was hit by forty to fifty machine gun rounds the crew survived without injury. After this initial friendly fire episode the Norwegians were welcomed as allies and gave the British commanders a report of the situation in the Romsdal area. The German Arado Ar 196 attracted especial attention amongst the British and a Fleet Air Arm Commander was given the task of flying it down to Helensburgh where aircraft designers were waiting to disassemble and study the modern German design. This did however not go quite as planned as the plane tipped over and sank during landing, although the pilot made it out alive. Even though the Norwegian officers expressed their desire to return to Romsdal to continue the fight there no one of them were to return to Norway in time to take part in the remaining fighting there.

With respect to Stonehaven itself here it a rough translation from Norwegian of what transpired. Although my great grandfather was Norwegian, he having left Norway to go and murder Wales in Walvis Bay in South West Africa, I have had to rely on Google by Odin. The pilot who flew the aircraft to Stonehaven was called Abilsø.

https://www.hobbykjelleren.net/flightsim/mf11a.pdf

Upon arriving at Voss, they were greeted by a new order from Norwegian forces. The plane had to turn and land instead in Granvin. Abilsø took the reports and went to Voss by car. But he was then dressed in civies, and did not escape the military leadership. By accident, he was discovered by General Steffens and eventually handed over the reports. Back in Eidfjord had to undergo extensive repairs, the plane had 28 bullet holes. The days now led to patrols and small bombings of German ships without any success. Either it was bombed, or the bombs did not detonate. On April 23, the group ordered a transfer to the Sognefjord. For some reason Abilsø was ordered by F.346 to stay in Eidfjord. Here it happened a little and he lost contact with Voss. After two days of inactivity, Abilsø decided to fly to Scotland. He had a little gasoline, but managed to reach Stonehaven just south of Aberdeen. From there he flew north to Helensburg near Glasgow. There were other Norwegian pilots who had crossed the North Sea. The struggles in southern Norway were over, but in Troms still hard games took place. The inactive Norwegian pilots in Scotland thought they could help and equipped 2 MF11 aircraft, F.346 and F.310, with 450 liters of extra gasoline in the rear cockpit rails, and set off across the North Sea towards Tromsø. Aviators were lieutenant Torstein Diesen and fenrik Finn Strand Kjos. The trip started from Sullom Voe on Shetland in the evening of 4 June. The petrol was hand pumped along the way, and the speed was great when the two planes arrived at Skattøra Marinebase at Tromsø at four o'clock in the morning the next day.

Already the following day the aircraft were sent to Vadsø. The one plane was led by the deputy mayor von Hanno. When the plane approached Vadsø it was heavily shot by a Norwegian MG shooter who had orders to shoot on all planes. The engine stopped, and the aircraft had 70 bullet holes. The airplane rocks life mostly because of luck. Which of the planes this was is not known. The next few days helped repair the plane. But it was at the end of the war and Norway capitulated. Ole Reistad had an idea of forming a flying school in Finland, and on June 8, F.346 and F.310 were ordered to Finland. They first flew to Salmijävri on the Finnish side of Pasvikelva, opposite Svanvik. Here they found an MF 11 and a Heinkel 115 from Tromsø. Together, the 4 aircraft flew to Rovaniemi in northern Finland.

Caco

[CharlieOneSix]

Thanks for that, Caco - very interesting. My challenge did indeed show F.346 but I had obliterated the large number on the fuselage before posting!

[Cacophonix]

I see that Mrs Ex-Ascot is hiding her light under a bushel. In her absence I submit the following.

SFP.JPG (53.99 KiB) Viewed 848 times

Caco

[Mrs Ex-Ascot]

No bushels involved; just got busy making lemoncello which needs to be ready by the end of the month.

Is the above from the inter war era?

[CharlieOneSix]

Off the top of my head I think that's the Sopwith Tabloid - the nose is very distinctive.

[Cacophonix]

Off the top of my head I think that's the Sopwith Tabloid - the nose is very distinctive.

Yes, you are right, it is the Schneider version of the same C16.

The Sopwith Tabloid and Sopwith Schneider were British biplanes, originally designed as sports aircraft and later adapted for military use. They were among the first types to be built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. The "Tabloid", so named because of its small size, caused a sensation when it made its first public appearance.

A floatplane variant was prepared and entered for the 1914 Schneider Trophy race; piloted by Howard Pixton. This aircraft comfortably won the competition, the prizewinning variant being known as the Sopwith Schneider.
Production orders for both types were placed by the military, and although a few Gnome Lambda-powered Tabloids saw limited service in the early war years some Gnome Monosoupape-powered Schneiders were still in service four years later, at the end of the Great War.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Tabloid


Your turn Sir.


Caco

[CharlieOneSix]

Nothing ready so OH please.