RAF or Luftwaffe or Other?

Drew5233 · 03-07-2009, 12:27 AM

Found this in a lot of Life Pictures. The only caption was 1914-1918 War which is obviously wrong.

What do you think? Battle of Britain?

James S · 03-07-2009, 01:00 AM

Is it a genuine photo ?
Looks like a 109 to me.

phylo_roadking · 03-07-2009, 02:04 AM

James S...I have the same reservation - iit looks like a 109...but it also looks like a 109 with the cockpit still closed, you can see the shine on the glass of the canopy.

Formerjughead · 03-07-2009, 02:09 AM

I am glad you guys weren't in the AA service ............that looks like a Hurricane to me

phylo_roadking · 03-07-2009, 02:37 AM

F-J-H....look carefully....

Down on the side of the engine "facing" the camera you can see the bulge of the 109's big port-side air intake. You can also see the slight dihedral of the wings, the Hurricane's were almost horizontal.

And there's no Hurricane-style slight "fairing" in front of and behind the tailwheel streamlining it...and the tailwheel is visibly larger than the Hurricane's in proportion to the rest of the aircraft.

Formerjughead · 03-07-2009, 02:51 AM

I dunno man.........I think the canopy is too round to be a 109. As far as the tail wheel I think we might be seeing the right front landing gear wheel.

It just doesn't look German enough to me

phylo_roadking · 03-07-2009, 03:51 AM

Quote:

As far as the tail wheel I think we might be seeing the right front landing gear wheel.

Even if it was...it's not quite far enough outboard and too far back for a Hurricane...it would be impossible to see so much of the starboard wheel from that angle, see the pic below...while it's in exactly the right place for a 109 tailwheel.

Plus the dihedral is exactly right for 109 wings.

And if you look closely -

...you can see the sun shining on a very UN-Hurricane-like bulge on the left wing!

That's enough to be able to say it's a Bf109G of some variant!

P.S. see how the canopy opens? That's why James and I have reservations about the whole pic...

Even if it was a Hurricane there - the cockpit canopy is STILL closed!!! A 109's might JUST manage to flop back into place if the aircraft rolled correctly...but a Hurricane's would have to be physically slid forward from the inside to close it!

Warren F · 03-07-2009, 04:25 AM

I to think it's a 109 but... what if the falling pilot was not from the aircraft in the pic

Formerjughead · 03-07-2009, 05:50 AM

I am not liking the conopy. I am not ready to sign off on it being a 109. Someone needs to clean up the picture

marcus69x · 03-07-2009, 07:48 AM

I hope that guy's got a parachute.

View Poll Results: What is the Aircraft in this picture?
Me 109	12	66.67%
FW 190	4	22.22%
Grumman Wildcat	1	5.56%
Other	0	0%
I have no real idea when it comes to the specifics of flying machines. In short; I am out of my depth.	1	5.56%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 18. You may not vote on this poll

03-07-2009, 12:27 AM	#1 (permalink)
Drew5233 Very Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Leeds Posts: 13,417	RAF or Luftwaffe or Other? Found this in a lot of Life Pictures. The only caption was 1914-1918 War which is obviously wrong. What do you think? Battle of Britain? __________________ Combat Communicators of the British Army

03-07-2009, 01:00 AM	#2 (permalink)
James S Very Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Omagh N.Ireland Posts: 2,145	Is it a genuine photo ? Looks like a 109 to me. __________________ http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=S8gRx8tWJmI http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8poZshcDj8g http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mpUK7Dm-IPI http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=c49tRp...eature=related http://www.open2.net/oulecture2005/the_lecture.html

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03-07-2009, 02:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
phylo_roadking Very Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: feels like Brigadoon! Posts: 1,264	James S...I have the same reservation - iit looks like a 109...but it also looks like a 109 with the cockpit still closed, you can see the shine on the glass of the canopy.

03-07-2009, 02:09 AM	#4 (permalink)
Formerjughead WW2F Cooler King Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chico, Ca Posts: 209	I am glad you guys weren't in the AA service ............that looks like a Hurricane to me

03-07-2009, 02:37 AM	#5 (permalink)
phylo_roadking Very Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: feels like Brigadoon! Posts: 1,264	F-J-H....look carefully.... Down on the side of the engine "facing" the camera you can see the bulge of the 109's big port-side air intake. You can also see the slight dihedral of the wings, the Hurricane's were almost horizontal. And there's no Hurricane-style slight "fairing" in front of and behind the tailwheel streamlining it...and the tailwheel is visibly larger than the Hurricane's in proportion to the rest of the aircraft.

03-07-2009, 02:51 AM	#6 (permalink)
Formerjughead WW2F Cooler King Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chico, Ca Posts: 209	I dunno man.........I think the canopy is too round to be a 109. As far as the tail wheel I think we might be seeing the right front landing gear wheel. It just doesn't look German enough to me

03-07-2009, 04:25 AM	#8 (permalink)
Warren F Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Vancouver Island BC Canada Posts: 19	I to think it's a 109 but... what if the falling pilot was not from the aircraft in the pic

03-07-2009, 05:50 AM	#9 (permalink)
Formerjughead WW2F Cooler King Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chico, Ca Posts: 209	I am not liking the conopy. I am not ready to sign off on it being a 109. Someone needs to clean up the picture

03-07-2009, 07:48 AM	#10 (permalink)
marcus69x I love WW2 meah!!! Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Middlesbrough Posts: 1,750	I hope that guy's got a parachute.

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