FD Aircraft 19

[Sheepster]

USCG Grumman J2F-4 Duck

Lt John Pritchard and his crewman, Radioman First Class Benjamin Bottoms were the first Coast Guardsmen to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross for their attempted resue mission on 23rd November 1942.



The USCGC Northland had been tasked with the rescue of the crew of an RCAF B-17 SAR aircraft that had crashlanded on the Greenland ice sheet while searching for another aircraft. The RCAF crew had spent 13 days trapped on the ice and conditions were poor when the Northland arrived to commence the search. With the deteriorating weather the Northland's Grumman Duck was launched to attempt to find the crashed aircraft. The Duck crew found the wreck and endeavoured to find a place on the ice to put their aircraft down. Nothing was available near, and instead the Duck was landed on the ice some distance from the wreck. Carrying emergency supplies the Duck crew hiked to the wreck, and carried 2 injured Canadian aviators back to their aircraft and managed to take-off from the ice and returned to the Northland. The Duck crew were desperate to return to the ice for another sortie, but the weather had deteriorated to the point that a take-off was not possible.
The next morning conditions were still poor, but the Duck was able to get airborne and navigate back to near the wreckage. Another RCAF airman was excorted back to the Duck, and the crew were able to get airborne in the worst weather, but never made it back to the Northland.
The Canadians were finally rescued about a week later, and the Duck was seen from the air as having crashed. Both the USCG crewmen were posthumously awarded the DFC, the first USCG officer and the first USCG enlisted man to be awarded the DFC.

https://www.nga.mil/history/NGA_partici ... ervic.html

Corrected drawing title

[The_Sprinklez]

To replace the old drawings in the Archive

UK - de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver

Loving the Beavers, but it looks like you forgot the credit line on the UK image

[eswube]

Great additions.

[rifleman2]

Love the DHC-2 any plans for any more?

The Falkland Islands Govt air service, RCAF RNZAF, RAAF?
The Float equipped version would be superb to see

[darthpanda]

Love the DHC-2 any plans for any more?

The Falkland Islands Govt air service, RCAF RNZAF, RAAF?
The Float equipped version would be superb to see

all coming!
Finland - de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver


to replace the old drawing in Taiwan section
Taiwan - de Havilland Canada U-6A (DHC-2) Beaver


Falkland Islands - de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver


Kenya - de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver

[Hood]

USCG Grumman J2F-4 Duck

Lt John Pritchard and his crewman, Radioman First Class Benjamin Bottoms were the first Coast Guardsmen to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross for their attempted resue mission on 23rd November 1942.

One small mistake, the caption on the drawing says Douglas and not Grumman.

[rifleman2]

Darthpanda thank you. Love the Beavers. And the other Dehaviland Canada aircraft.

[Sheepster]

Thanks @Hood, title corrected. Dunno how that one slipped thru ...

[Sheepster]

SARO A.36 Lerwick

Probably the worst British aircraft ever to enter service.



In 1936 a requirement was issued for a twin-engined patrol flying boat. Supermarine won with their 314, but due to their Spitfire commitments advised that it may have been 2 years until they could produce their design. In their stead SARO was awarded a contract to build their second-placed design "off the drawing board". An initial order was placed for 21 aircraft and the first of 3 prototypes flew in November 1938.
Immediately deficiencies in the aircraft's handling became apparent, unstable on the water and in flight. The aircraft was impossible to fly "hands-off", a major failing for a long-range patrol aircraft. Modifications to the tailplanes, including converstion to a twin-tail, were able to reduce, but not resolve, the aerodynamic problems. In desperation Shorts were called in to try to resolve the water handling problems, even creating a scaled-down version of the Sunderland hull, and although the worst of the water handling appeared to be remedied the aircraft still suffered from severe porpoising at speed on the water.
The first Lerwicks were sent to 240 Squadon in the summer of 1939, and in late October the contract for further aircraft was cancelled. But in November with the choice of Lerwicks or nothing, the contract was reinstated, although in December it was requested that the Lerwicks be terminated and SARO instead tasked to build Sunderlands.
In service the Lerwick was unpopular, and in the event of a failed engine uncontrolable - the aircraft would enter a spiral descent as it could neither remain airborne under the power of a single engine, nor could it maintain direction. The Lerwick had a very bad crash and "disappearance" record.
In light of the design's abject failure the RAF were forced to purchase Catalinas from the US, an outdated design they had originally rejected. By April 1941 the first Catalinas arrived and the Lerwick were rapidly phased out.
Suprisingly some Lerwicks were temporarily returned to sevice for the RCAF with 422 Squadron in preparation for the arrival of Sunderlands for the squadron. They were quickly withdrawn with the arrival of the Sunderlands.

[eswube]

Great entries.