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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Anyone else like Birds AND planes? (7 Viewers)

Farnboro John said:
Yes, in the markings of the red tail fighter group composed entirely African-Americans. This privately owned one is based at North Weald I think.

Cheers

John
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The reason I asked, even though knowing it looked very much like one, was because when first picked up on engine noise, I thought it sounded underpowered compared to say one of our Spits., which generally have a distinctive growl (praps it’s a Merlin feature?)
Was wondering at the time, if it was some type of “kit” lookalike.👍
 
KenM said:
The reason I asked, even though knowing it looked very much like one, was because when first picked up on engine noise, I thought it sounded underpowered compared to say one of our Spits., which generally have a distinctive growl (praps it’s a Merlin feature?)
Was wondering at the time, if it was some type of “kit” lookalike.👍
Click to expand...
It will have essentially the same model of Merlin as the commonest present day Spitfire variant, the Mk IX. The main thing that makes a difference to Merlin sound (apart from, at the extremes, power settings) is the style of exhaust. Early Spits and Hurricanes had their twelve cylinders connected to six exhausts - three each side - which reduced the sound to something like a comparatively muted purr, whereas Spit IXs have six a side - i.e. one per cylinder - which produce the more familiar snarl. Mustangs have six a side as well.

The red-tail P-51D is owned and flown by Peter Teichmann.

Cheers

John
 
Looks like a Spooky or Spectre though cannot make out any barrels on the port side. F John will most likely have a bit more detail in relation to the uprated design of the prop. blades and wavy paint line on the side / belly.
 
Difficult to say with 100% certainty from that photo, but it looks like a regular C-130.

The cannon pods on the pure-evil AC variant are quite prominent:
1703446429893.jpeg
 
And the paint scheme and wave line? Upper is Gunship Gray FS 36118, Under FS 36293.
Perhaps the turrets have been removed for maintenance / testing.
FJ will know, being a modeller as well as enthusiast.
 
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So the guns don't retract? What made my son think it was an AC-130 is the black port where the gun would stick out. Photos of regular C-130's that I've looked up don't appear to have that black port. Maybe it's a AC-130 with the guns removed for some reason?
 
crazyfingers said:
So the guns don't retract? What made my son think it was an AC-130 is the black port where the gun would stick out. Photos of regular C-130's that I've looked up don't appear to have that black port. Maybe it's a AC-130 with the guns removed for some reason?
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Black port is AC-130 for sure. Cannons are probably stowed for ferrying. Chilling aircraft, considering its purpose. 🫤
 
F15E Eagle from Lakenheath most likely. Will be a rare sight in a couple of years when the airbase receives its full compliment of Lightning IIs. Been my favourite for many years.
 
PYRTLE said:
F15E Eagle from Lakenheath most likely. Will be a rare sight in a couple of years when the airbase receives its full compliment of Lightning IIs. Been my favourite for many years.
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AFAIK the final state will be two squadrons of each (USAF squadrons have 24 aircraft, so the base has about the same number of combat aircraft as the entire RAF). Also quick enough for round the island of GB and back for lunch..... ;)

John
 
PYRTLE said:
F15E Eagle from Lakenheath most likely. Will be a rare sight in a couple of years when the airbase receives its full compliment of Lightning IIs. Been my favourite for many years.
Click to expand...
Track disappeared over the highlands :unsure: bit of low flying maybe?
 

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