Trev Clark's Obscure Aviation History 🚁さんのイラストまとめ

Today's Saturday artwork features the brush of Wilf Hardy, normally better known for his illustrations in the weekly comic 'Look and Learn' (and others) in the 1970's.
Here Folland Gnats of 4 FTS fly amongst the mountains of Snowdonia, near their base at RAF Valley, in Anglesey.

The Cierva W.11 'Air Horse', an early British helicopter that employed three rotors, all driven by one Rolls Royce Merlin engine!
This unusual craft was a 'proof of concept' for a larger machine, but a fatal crash in 1950, (through metal fatigue) ended the project, immediately.

The Netherlands (traditionally neutral) was quickly overwhelmed by the German advance in 1940 🇳🇱
Their air force was largely made up of indigenous aircraft types, like the twin Fokker TV (designed as an "aerial cruiser") and Fokker D.XXI fighters, a poor adversary for the Me 109.

If I have posted this before, I apologise. However, there just might be someone who has not seen it before!😉
The majestic Short Shetland, a replacement for the Short Sunderland that arrived just a little too late in 1945. An attempt to make an airliner also failed to win favour.

The art of air radio navigation, explained (as ever!) by the wonderful art of L Ashwell-Wood in the Eagle comic. Why such a subject would be chosen for those 'air minded' teenagers, is to step back into a bygone age. Maybe 'gaming' would attract the same interest in today's kids?

OTD 51 years ago, a team of US Navy demolition divers were tasked with recovery and decontamination of the Apollo 11 command module (and crew!). The special suits were worn against Lunar bacteria and viral infections, today it seems we worried about the wrong planet! 😩

The 'unusual' Bell YFM-1 Airacuda, a twin engine 'bomber destroyer', designed to wreak havoc amongst a formation of heavy bombers. Each nacelle held a cannon and a gunner/loader. They went into very limited squadron service in 1940, but were retired before the US entered the war.

A very dramatic 1962 advert for Rolls Royce Avon jet engines! 😎

Saturday's artwork!
This rather splendid piece celebrates the flying side of life at RAF College Cranwell, in the early 1960's. A Vampire T11 and Jet Provost T3 carry a mock 'attack' on an unsuspecting Vickers Varsity. The artist is Anthony Cowland. @CranwellMuseum @RAFMUSEUM

The 'All-Purpose Plane', shouts the colour feature on the Short Sealand.
Despite its attractive looks, the Sealand amphibian only attracted a handful of customers. Ten aircraft did serve the in the Indian Navy, others were sold to oil companies and a wealthy Middle East client.