Most unusual warbirds

Tulio · **Joined:** Mon May 03, 2004 1:05 am **Posts:** 3236

Small air forces have through the years, by necessity, adapted airframes not intended for combat, into that role.

To mind, come the Rhodesian AF, Guatemalan and Salvadorean AFs, and even the U.S. CAP.

So, this is an invitation for images and comments on such aircraft that are too, legitimate warbirds.

This is an image [EDITED] from the Andrew Watson collection- of a Rhodesian Bonanza, with .30cal gun packs.

Saludos,

Tulio

The Inspector · **Posted:** Tue May 24, 2011 12:20 am

Didn't the Israelis roll 500# bombs out the door of a C-47 in the first conflict?

Tulio · **Joined:** Mon May 03, 2004 1:05 am **Posts:** 3236

Yes, they did; they had a system of rollers installed on the floor of the Douglas.

And the Hondurans did something similar, IIRC during the 1969 100 Hour War against El Salvador, using a C-47 to bomb the Salvadorean
AF's main installations in Ilopango Airfield.

Argentineans employed civilian turboprop and executive jet aircraft as squadron hacks and also as navigational pathfinders for some of
their missions into the Islas Malvinas [Falklands] in 1982.

Saludos,

Tulio

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11324

I'm no Bonanza expert, but that example looks much newer than 1953, unless there has been a lot of conversion work done. The photo certainly doesn't date from 1953.

I'd like to see that at an airshow in the US! :mrgreen:

mustanglover · **Posted:** Tue May 24, 2011 10:54 am

Tulio wrote:

Small air forces have through the years, by necessity, adapted airframes not intended for combat, into that role.

To mind, come the Rhodesian AF, Guatemalan and Salvadorean AFs, and even the U.S. CAP.

So, this is an invitation for images and comments on such aircraft that are too, legitimate warbirds.

This is an image -photographer is unknown to me- of a Rhodesian Bonanza, with .30cal gun packs.

Saludos,

Tulio

Is that Bob Diemert?

The Inspector · **Posted:** Tue May 24, 2011 11:42 am

It's hard to tell from an old KODAK BROWNIE picture, but that Doctor killer may have had the third window painted on like Poor Sailors Airlines did with their DC-4's by painting the window surrounds square so people would think they were DC-6's-

famvburg · **Joined:** Fri Oct 07, 2005 9:41 am **Posts:** 540

I think the confusion may come from here:

http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/1953.htm

I think it's PHOTO # 1953.

According to Wiki, the V35A is 1968-1969:

V35A
(1968-1969) V35 with a streamlined windshield and minor changes, optional turbocharged TSIO-520-D engine (as V35A-TC), 470 built

The Inspector wrote:

It's hard to tell from an old KODAK BROWNIE picture, but that Doctor killer may have had the third window painted on like Poor Sailors Airlines did with their DC-4's by painting the window surrounds square so people would think they were DC-6's-

Speedy · **Posted:** Tue May 24, 2011 2:44 pm

mustanglover wrote:

Is that Bob Diemert?

I thought that too!!! Followed closely by didn't I see that on the ramp at Harlingen one year?

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11324

Makes sense now. The Inspector's comment would certainly have been possible as well, except the three bladed prop wouldn't have made much sense unless a larger engine had been installed- in which case installing the larger windows would also have been plausible.

famvburg wrote:

I think the confusion may come from here:

http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/1953.htm

The Inspector wrote:

It's hard to tell from an old KODAK BROWNIE picture, but that Doctor killer may have had the third window painted on like Poor Sailors Airlines did with their DC-4's by painting the window surrounds square so people would think they were DC-6's-

redvanner · **Posted:** Tue May 24, 2011 4:47 pm

Another quite unusual warbird is the Swedish MFI 9, also produced as Bökow 208 in Germany. Originally a light 2-seater for Training with a 100 HP RR-Continental O-200-A, several were equipped with rocket-pods under the wings. They performed quite well initially in the Biafran war against Nigeria. The pictures below were taken from this site (in Swedish):

http://lae.blogg.se/category/biafra.html

Several other pics and drawings on the website/blog

Michael

Tulio · **Joined:** Mon May 03, 2004 1:05 am **Posts:** 3236

Too late for the correct answer, but...yes, I believe that 1953 was the photo classification / serial number versus the airplane's year of manufacture. I received the photo a long time ago, and posted it as received.

Thank you for posting the link. Now I have the photographer's namne added to the photo.

Saludos,

Tulio

Tulio · **Joined:** Mon May 03, 2004 1:05 am **Posts:** 3236

During January 1929, three Ryan B-1 Broughams took part in combat agaings rebel troops led by Colonel Marciano Casado, during a revolt that took place in the departments of San Marcos and Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. The Ryans were armed with machine guns firing from the door.

This constituted the first use of an aircraft in Guatemala, for any combat-related operations.

Saludos,

Tulio

P51Mstg · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:36 am **Posts:** 1202

There were 3rd windows that were customer installed, but not (to the best of my knowledge) the big one. So with the big window, its a V-35 ........

Probably is photo #1953

Mark H

gary1954 · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2011 6:48 am

mustanglover wrote:

Tulio wrote:

Small air forces have through the years, by necessity, adapted airframes not intended for combat, into that role.

To mind, come the Rhodesian AF, Guatemalan and Salvadorean AFs, and even the U.S. CAP.

So, this is an invitation for images and comments on such aircraft that are too, legitimate warbirds.

This is an image -photographer is unknown to me- of a Rhodesian Bonanza, with .30cal gun packs.

Saludos,

Tulio

Is that Bob Diemert?

Now that is a good one :axe:

Speedy · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2011 9:49 am

gary1954 wrote:

mustanglover wrote:

Tulio wrote:

Small air forces have through the years, by necessity, adapted airframes not intended for combat, into that role.

To mind, come the Rhodesian AF, Guatemalan and Salvadorean AFs, and even the U.S. CAP.

So, this is an invitation for images and comments on such aircraft that are too, legitimate warbirds.

This is an image -photographer is unknown to me- of a Rhodesian Bonanza, with .30cal gun packs.

Saludos,

Tulio

Is that Bob Diemert?

Now that is a good one :axe:

If that was Diemert, though, wouldn't the Bonanza be modified to hold like 16 passengers or something?

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