R2OK!

Cherskiy · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:56 pm Post subject: Kraguj!

A friend has just bought an ex-Yugoslavian Air Force Soko Kraguj ground-attack aircraft (last used by the Bosnian armed forces against the Serbs in 1992). He wanted me to photograph it the other week, so a mutually acceptable spot up in the North Yorkshire Moors was agreed on.

There are only three flyable examples in the world. My friend hasn't got a display authorisation for it yet, so no aerobatics were possible, but the passes were just fine (and legal!).
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John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

He is certainly an aircraft enthusiast. Good photos Chersk!

The wings are a bit square Confused

Any reason why? Why has nobody copied the Spitfire?

Forgive the questions, I'm just plane ignorant. Laughing

John W

BDG · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 202

Chersky

Don't know whether you have seen this clip below? One of my dad's favourite clips for your collection Very Happy

not a jet but a classic Razz

Phil thought it was very good when I gave him the link a few years back.

(be warned contains bad language!!!) Wink

Hope John doesn't mod me Very Happy

it was his talk of spitfire's that put me in mind of it.

http://alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/Videos/ohmygodSpitfire%20pass.wmv

Very Nice photos of your friends plane how great to own a plane like that.

B XX

Lord Evan Elpuss · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 3417 Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land

Great picture Chersky, any chance of your mate bringing it to Popham on one of their event days? Next one is Jan 1st, weather permitting of course! I haven't seen one of those myself, but I have seen a couple of examples of another Yugoslav rarity over in Canada, have you heard of a UTVA 66? It looks similar to the early straight tailed Cessna 172s.

John, there is an aircraft that certainly seems to borrow heavily from the Spitfire. This is the Silence Twister: http://www.caa.co.uk/applicationmodules/ginfo/ginfo_photo.aspx?regmark=G-CDKJ&imgname=G-CDKJ002&imgtype=jpg
Maybe not so obvious from the side but the wings of the Emeraude also seems to be influenced by the Spitfire: http://www.caa.co.uk/applicationmodules/ginfo/ginfo_photo.aspx?regmark=G-BANW&imgname=G-BANW001&imgtype=jpg I've had a few rides in this one. Great fun.

BDG. Is that the Spitfire low pass that you sent me a year or two ago? Great clip. I think the reporter needed a change of undies after that!!
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Lord Evan Elpuss, Your ideal job is a Lumberjack.

Cherskiy · Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 10:02 am Post subject:

iknewdavidjacobsmum · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 336

Impessed as ever by the photo's. Now I have to ask, please bearing in mind I know nothing about aircraft, was it expensive to buy? On a scale of
Rolls Royce or Audi Coupe? Don't want to be too inquisitive.

Cherskiy · Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 4:50 pm Post subject:

The other flyable Krag in the UK is presently up for sale too, at around £28K. Don't know how much my friend paid for his - didn't ask. Smile

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Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
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Mark Mayhew · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 2897

Likewise fantastic pictures. Congratulations again Cherskiy.

BDG · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 202

Some unique photos of low flying from my Dad’s personal collection Very Happy

Can any of you name the aircraft?

My Grandfather is flying the plane above., any idea where?

Plus the decade they were taken in?

B XX

Lord Evan Elpuss · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 3417 Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land

I had to look it up in a reference book and according to British Military Aircraft Serials, E-8675 is an Airco DH-9A
The second one is a Vickers Victoria. No idea of location but they would be of first world war vintage, at least the DH9 is.
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Lord Evan Elpuss, Your ideal job is a Lumberjack.

iknewdavidjacobsmum · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 336

The other flyable Krag in the UK is presently up for sale too, at around £28K. Don't know how much my friend paid for his - didn't ask. :)

Thanks for that info, just curious, assumed it would be in the hundreds of K band.

Cherskiy · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 3:50 pm Post subject:

BDG · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 202

Hi Guys

Likewise been very busy. You two certainly know your planes Very Happy

It was Egypt, in the 1920's great old photos aren't they though? My grandfather and great uncle were both based there. I'll dig out a few more if you are interested?

B XX

Cherskiy · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 8:24 pm Post subject:

Cherskiy · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 8:33 pm Post subject:

Vickers Victoria Mk.III J7924:

Taken on charge by RAF 05/03/26; to Packing Depot Ascot; to Aircraft Depot Hinaidi (Baghdad, so presumed shipped in a crate); delivered to 70 Sqdn; destroyed in gale at Ur, 22/05/28.

So the photo was taken between March 1926 and May 1928.

Airco DH.9a E8675:

To Inland Area Aircraft Depot by November 1923; to Packing Depot Ascot; to Aircraft Depot Aboukir; delivered to 4 Flying Training School January 1926; used by 14 Sqdn May-October 1928; to 60 Sqdn; no further details.

Hope this fills in some of the history of the aircraft shown in the photos.
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Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
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BDG · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 202

Hi!

Blimey you know more about what my grand relatives were doing than I do. Very Happy

I will speak to my Dad later and see if I can get more precise information I know my Grandfather was in Egypt between 1926 and 1928! He was flying the DH9a in the photo.

Not sure who was flying the Vickers Victoria.

The photo below baffled my Dad for a long time

!

This one is a bit later 1934 I think and my Great Uncle thankfully walked away from it unharmed! Engine failure! Would have been ok on emergency landing only an irrigation ditch got in the way! It was taken were do you think?

B XX

Cherskiy · Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 3:25 pm Post subject:

Off the top of my head, it looks like a Hawker Audax, Hawker Hart, Hawker Hardy or Hawker Demon - all were pretty similar and without seeing the serial I can't be more exact. Harts and Audaxes were certainly used in the Middle East in the 1930s, and even into WW2.
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Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
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BDG · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 202

Ah yes but what is wrong with the first picture Cherksy? Wink

I've told LEE so no cheating Laughing

Cherskiy · Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 12:31 pm Post subject:

I don't think that the top and bottom of the photo are part of the same shot. The shadows on the buildings fall in a different direction to those on the Pyramids.
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Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
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BDG · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 202

No fooling you is there Very Happy

This is what my Dad says about it ....

Is this picture all that it appears to be? Two things are clear; in the background are the Pyramids at Giza. They are too well known to be mistaken. However, in the foreground is what is undoubtedly the buildings of the RAF’s No 4 FTS (Flying Training School). Hangars are there. and other photos that I have clearly show that the airfield begins in the bottom right space of the picture relative to the buildings.

But was No 4 FTS as near to the pyramids as it appears in this photograph? Digital pictures and picture manipulation had not been invented in the late 1920s when the FTS was in Egypt! But double printing of negatives was.

I have recently been told that this must be a faked picture. The Giza pyramids and No 4 FTS were many miles apart!