Your Today in Pictures...

[Graham Ritchie]

I have never seen "South Seas Adventure" but I did watch the trailer on you-tube yesterday, now what caught my eye was the following stills I took from the computer screen.

If you look at the above photo of the Auster, take note the "red engine cowling" marking, now from the trailer below, the "Auster" cowling is in shot in the following two photos, The mounted Cinerama camera on the Auster right wing captures some very impressive images.

[Graham Ritchie]

A few years ago Ed I came across this you-tube video completely made in "fun" but does show how they were good times. They even used some of mine with me at the start of it . I should add it finishes with a picture of Harry Wigley the man who started it all

[Graham Ritchie]

I think Ed about the same, one thing about aircraft though, is to "always" have somebody to watch your wing tips and tail for you in , that's a must in a hanger you don't move without it. The ATP as an example had only a couple of feet to spare at the wing tips. The chap who wrote my above reference, once asked me to bring in the ATP into the hanger during our Christmas break up. As I towed it into the hanger, Allan was standing at the far end on the centre line, with our large home made spit going round and round behind him, a beer in one hand, watching the aircraft "very carefully" I should add, with the other hand and giving me the thumbs up. I wish I had a camera with me that day, it was quite a sight .

Here is a interesting bit of history, way back in 1957 the company was involved in the making the Cinerama "South Seas Adventure" with both the person who started the company and other pilots, and after a bit of testing, were to mount the Cinerama camera on one wing the batteries on the other, plus it was said the cameraman who was 16 stone all into a single engine Auster. The Cinerama camera shot between the the Anzac Peaks which is now known as the Cinerama Gap in the film ever since.

If there was ever a photo to make one cringe, its this one of that Auster.

[Ed Gordon]

Graham, Having struggled to back up several trailers into my narrow driveway, I am impressed with the maneuvering of the plane backwards into the hanger. I was wondering if maneuvering of a plane is easier or harder than backing up a two wheel trailer with short tongue.

[Graham Ritchie]

Hi Ed

Thanks for the link, a very interesting read. I came across this excellent photo of times long gone of a Mt Cook DC3 from the internet. The DC3 like the later HS748 were both well suited for rough strips, built like tanks, they could go anywhere. I think that's why "Air North" in the Yukon continued to use the 748 until recently.

One of the interesting things about the internet was a photo I came across just the other day. I was asked to try out a ATP on a airbridge the company was thinking of buying at the time. The photographer had taken one of me towing it back to the hanger and gave me a copy, but I never new of the one taken at the airbridge itself.





Instead of the ATP they decided on the ATR72 instead, I think "Air North" have now retired there HS748 in favour of the ATR72 "the plastic fantastic" our nickname for it at the time an aircraft I think, not a patch on the HS748 "the flying brick" as we often called it.


My departing reference, it was the end of an era for all of us but in saying that we still keep in touch.

I just a look at you-tube hard to believe this old bit of video I took back then has had 10.000 views

[Ed Gordon]

In the Seattle Museum of Flight we have a DC3 that was built in 1940 and continued to fly until the early 1980's.

Following the success of the DC-2, newly formed American Airlines approached the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1934 about a new design, one that would combine the speed, reliability, and profitability of the DC-2 with the comfort of the sleeping berth-equipped Curtiss Condor biplane. First envisioned as a simple enlargement of the DC-2, Douglas engineers quickly realized the new airplane would need to be significantly redesigned. The fuselage became longer and wider with rounded sides, the wings and tail surfaces were enlarged and strengthened, the nose section and landing gear were modified, and new, more powerful Wright engines were installed. Despite superficial similarity to the DC-2, the DC-3 eventually shared less than 10 percent of parts with its predecessor. The first versions of the new DC-3, called Douglas Sleeper Transports, began service with American Airlines in 1936. It would become one of the most successful aircraft in history.

The efficient DC-3 enabled profitability and profound growth of civil air transport in the United States and worldwide. The sleeper configuration was soon joined by day transport versions, typically carrying 21 passengers. Other versions and engine choices were introduced. By 1941, DC-3s represented 80% of the U.S. airline fleet, with similar international success. During World War II, the DC-3 design was adapted for troop carrier and cargo duty, designated the C-47. It was a major contributor to the Allied global war effort. Douglas built a total of 10,654 of the rugged and reliable planes, with about 2,500 more produced by others under license. Many are still flying today.

The Museum's DC-3 was built in 1940 for American Airlines, delivered as NC15591. It was acquired by Transcontinental & Western Airlines (TWA) in 1942 and operated by TWA and others under lease through 1952. During this period, it appears to have been converted to a cargo configuration. It was briefly owned by Union Steel & Wrecking in 1953, then converted back to an airliner with performance enhancements such as wing root fillets, extended range fuel tanks, and passenger oxygen outlets. The refreshed aircraft was purchased by Ozark Airlines in 1954 and reregistered as N138D in 1957. The aircraft was traded to Fairchild-Hiller in 1966, and later owned by a series of Las Vegas-based sightseeing/charter operators, last acquired by Royal West in 1980.

After a career of over 63,000 flight hours, the DC-3 was purchased by The Museum of Flight in 1987. It now wears the livery of Alaska Airlines, which operated many DC-3s and C-47s after World War II.

Source: https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/douglas-dc-3

[Graham Ritchie]

Going through old photographic magazines at the Ferrymead Heritage Park just lately I came across one called "The Ink Spot" which I assume in its day was the staff magazine for the "Christchurch Star" One article that did catch my eye was the DC3 in the photo that belonged to Mt Cook Airlines, although when I started with that company the DC3 were well and truly gone.

Anyway, I though I must post this to the Company Facebook page, I was surprised at the response there was quite a bit from former staff to the present day Air New Zealand ATR72 pilots, who back in the DC3 days family members had flown them. The internet has certainly given folk the chance to look back to different times.

[Steve Klare]

Here's something pretty rare here in the USA: a film projector available in a thrift shop or any kind of used-stuff sale. We hear tales of films and machines in thrift shops and boot sales in the UK quite commonly, but it's rare to never here. I actually got a really ancient Keystone a couple of years ago because our friends moved into a bigger house and the former owners had abandoned it in a corner of the attic. ("Who wants that?!")

I thought I saw one out at the curb on garbage day once: turned out to be a sewing machine, but it wouldn't have surprised me! I see so many tripod screens out for garbage I've kept on driving for years now. (There came a day when several were out in MY garbage!)

-but we were at this big local thrift-store a few weeks ago and there this GAF silent machine was for $19.99 among the VCRs, about a thousand computer-less monitors and old cheapy stereos!

I have to admit I felt a twinge of desire for this thing: my very first 8mm experience as a little kid was because a neighbor shot home-movies and had a machine just like this GAF. I decided it didn't do anything that at least one of the machines I already have doesn't do much better, and just maybe if I left it there somebody else would start their own 8mm adventure and just maybe show up here some day!

As of last weekend, we were there again and I checked: looks like whatever that adventure is, it has begun!

[Steve Klare]

Wellll....

The Christmas tree came down last weekend...

-Next:
.

(It was fun while it lasted!)

[Ed Gordon]

That's fantastic Ed, that's the kind of place you could spend quite a bit of time in. One aspect of a visit I like to Penny Lane, is the staff they employ, always helpful and knowledge, and if not to busy a quick friendly chat.

It is a not-for-profit organization staffed by film freaks. There is some interesting content online at https://blog.scarecrow.com/ and you can search their online catalog.

[Graham Ritchie]

That's fantastic Ed, that's the kind of place you could spend quite a bit of time in. One aspect of a visit I like to Penny Lane, is the staff they employ, always helpful and knowledge, and if not to busy a quick friendly chat.

[Ed Gordon]

Graham, that is a great resource to have! In my area we are fortunate enough to have Scarecrow Video.

From its passionate founder George Latsios and former owners Carl Tostevin & Mickey McDonough to its new status as a non-profit archive, Scarecrow has existed with one vision: to bring people and film together. It began with a few hundred tapes in the back of a record store, and for more than 30 years its devoted caretakers have gradually accumulated the largest independently owned video and physical media library in the country, currently boasting over 145,000 titles. We have also been a hub in the local film scene, providing a knowledgeable and passionate staff to offer all who visit Scarecrow a unique experience. This passion for film has rippled out into the greater Puget Sound community as Scarecrow devotedly supports local film organizations, promotes film screenings, and brings filmmakers from all walks of life into town.

The internet, video-on-demand, and high-definition formats have changed the landscape, offering greater access to all forms of entertainment. Our focus is to complement those changes in ways only we can by providing access to not only what is available from mainstream sources, but to rare, out-of-print, and foreign and independent films, many of which are available nowhere else. As Scarecrow moves forward into its next chapter, we are developing new and innovative ways to engage with the community and continue to be a vital part of Seattle.

The pandemic hit them hard and I have not had the chance to visit them in awhile. I plan to restart my visits to their "two for one" Wednesdays soon.

[Graham Ritchie]

Apart from Muffin Break I usually call in here weekly all the DVDs and blu-ray are second hand, having been checked before going on the shelf. This is where you can pick up some neat titles like eg "Bad News Bears" The record side is really good, plenty of stock coming and going "Penny Lane" is the only store doing this so I like to support it.

Here are a couple of photos from there own web site

[Joerg Polzfusz]

This place in Kaiserslautern is a little bit irritating for drivers as the football team looks relatively real from the distance and/or at night.

[John Burgess]

The first snow this year!