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Old Aircraft Over Birmingham May 2013

C

csmith604

master brummie
Does anybody know what the plane was that just flew over Birmingham, Sunday 5.5.2013 approx 3.45pm, it looked like it was from WW11. I wish I had known earlier and got my camera ready it was beautiful!!

Thanks, Chris
 
Looks like the B. of B. Memorial Flight Dakota DC3 to me, with D-Day markings.

Chris
 
Yes, Id say a DC 3. We used to get many vintage & classic aircraft fly over my house when the old Coventry Air Displays were on. Occasionally we get them en route to Cosford. The B 17 Flying Fortress used to be a regular, as did some Sopwith Biplanes. No longer tho'.
 
It looks as though it had been displaying at the Abingdon Air Show earlier today. Probably on its way back to Lincolnshire although it might have been doing a fly past elsewhere as well. It sounds as though it made its mark on Birmingham residents anyway!

Was it flying roughly south to north?

Chris
 
I am afraid I did swear this afternoon as this plane went right over our house and I hadn't got my b....y camera at the ready. We live in Great Barr.. The annoying thing is that Pete had heard Wednesbury mentioned but never dreamed it would fly right over our roof top. Mind you I jumped out of my skin when I heard the noise. Well clicked Vicki. Jean.
 
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That's a Douglas DC3 alright, called a Dakota by the British (but not by the Americans), a wonderful a/c, we had one on our Lancaster squadron (82PR) around 1950 in Africa and although the pay load was supposed to be 5,000 lb we would frequently put up to 7,000 lb on, to save 2 journeys and still got airborne (albeit a longer run required). I was aboard as a wireless operator. that pic brings back happy memories of over 60 years ago. Thanks. Eric
 
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Smashing pic of The Aircraft ..... It came over our house twice and it got me a bit worried as it was rather low and loud ...I thought it was in trouble and looking for somewhere to land.
 
Re WW11 aircraft, There is a small museum in Nanton, Aberta with an operational Lancaster Bomber. All of the restoration work to date has been done by volunteers from around the town. Whenever the weather permits it is rolled out of the hangar and engines are started. Also a memorial to bomber command. Hold onto your hats and come see!

SR from Edmonton and Barb from Nanton
 
I believe Canada has the only other actual flying Lancaster besides the memorial flight 'Lanc' (has they were fondly known)
 
The Douglas DC-3 (Dakota) used to be a very common sight in the skies over Elmdon in the 1950's and 60's...
 
do any of our aircraft 'buffs' know where/when it gained the name Dakota, I do not think it was from the manufacturers Douglas in the U.S. Eric
 
Hi Folk,
If You Google "BBMF The Dakota" it gives a lot of details. I am very fortunate living were I do, I see The BBMF very often as RAF Coningsby is only a few minutes drive where they are based.


Regards Reg
 
Small point - the aircraft we call Dakota was known by the Americans as DC3 for commercial use, and the C47 Skytrain for military use. There's a C47 at Cosford, much bigger than you'd think when you get close up. The first modern passenger aircraft when it was introduced in the 1930's. There are apparently quite a few still flying today in various parts of the world.

G
 
cookie273uk said:
do any of our aircraft 'buffs' know where/when it gained the name Dakota, I do not think it was from the manufacturers Douglas in the U.S. Eric
Click to expand...

Thanks for that question, Eric - one learns something new every day!

So..... Wiikipedia tells us:
C-47s (approx. 2,000 received under lend-lease) in British and Commonwealth service took the name Dakota, from the acronym "DACoTA" for Douglas Aircraft Company Transport Aircraft

Chris
 
Carrying on with Big Gee's point, the DC3 evolved from the DC1 and the DC2, both smaller all-metal aircraft in airline service and carrying 12 and 14 passengers, respectively, from 1934 until the 1940s and superseded by the larger and immensely successful DC3 in the late 1930s.

Here is a (very uninteresting!) image taken by my father during a flight within the USA most probably in 1938 (but just conceivably in 1935). If it was 1938 it COULD be a DC3 but I was always led to believe it was a DC2)

Chris
 

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Thanks ChrisM, have flew in them many times around 1950 and have always wondered where the name originated, thought it was named after a place like the Lancaster!!! You live and learn. That pic y the way is certainly a DC3 if my 82 year old memory serves me well, Eric
 
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