Ref: GWL4807
Created: 12/29/2011
DOUGLAS TBD-1 "DEVASTATOR" 1942
Description: The Douglas TBD Devastator was a torpedo bomber of the United States Navy, ordered in 1934, first flying in 1935 and entering service in 1937. At that point, it was the most advanced aircraft flying for the USN and possibly for any navy in the world. However, the fast pace of aircraft development caught up with it, and by the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the TBD was already outdated. It performed well in some early battles (Coral Sea in May 1942), but in the Battle of Midway (from 4th to 6th of June 1942) the Devastators launched against the Japanese fleet were almost totally wiped out. The type was immediately withdrawn from front line service, replaced by the Grumman TBF Avenger.
Ref: SPE32042
Created: 01/28/2012
POLIKARPOV I-16 "Chinese & Japanese markings"
Description: The late 30’s Soviet Fighter. It was used by several Air Forces during all major conflicts between 1936 and 1942!! Here, under the Chinese and Japanese (captured material) Colors!!
Description: The Vought V-173 "Flying Pancake" designed by Charles H. Zimmerman was an American experimental test aircraft built as part of the Vought XF5U "Flying Flapjack" World War II United States Navy fighter aircraft program.
Both aircraft featured an unorthodox "all-wing" design consisting of a flat, somewhat disk-shaped body (hence its name) serving as the lifting surface. Two piston engines buried in the body drove propellers located on the leading edge at the wingtips.
Ref: SPE72234
Created: 01/28/2012
BOULTON & PAUL BALLIOL T.2
Description: The Boulton Paul Balliol and Sea Balliol were monoplane military advanced trainer aircraft built for the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA) by Boulton Paul Aircraft. Developed in the late 1940s the Balliol was designed to replace the North American Harvard trainer and used the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, with the Sea Balliol a naval version for deck landing training. First operationnal flight: 1950