OP
SportySpiceFan
Member
not myself, but my brother has got 3 marvellous WW2 Luftwaffe pilots... together with a Spitfire pilot of the Battle of Britain, and a B-17 waist gunner. Will ask him permission for some pics
Full sized, re-created military aviators.
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not myself, but my brother has got 3 marvellous WW2 Luftwaffe pilots... together with a Spitfire pilot of the Battle of Britain, and a B-17 waist gunner. Will ask him permission for some pics
sigp220.45
US Veteran
OP
SportySpiceFan
Member
That is a very interesting and informative display you've curated, and must represent countless hours of passionate effort. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Would I be mistaken in thinking you've also acquired a collectable item or two from the Spice Girls also?
Ahhhh... in fact, true collectable items of the Fab Five I do not have. Still today Mel "Sporty" Chisholm is my favorite singer out of them, and the one with a GREAT, great indeed solo career.
At her concerts there is something unique in the air... perfect voice + heart-melting smile + muscular body + huge songs = the PERFECT singer.
FANTASTIC and UNIQUE Mel, I'll marry you in another life... that's for sure.
Thanx for the appreciation. Franco.
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OP
SportySpiceFan
Member
Rather the opposite, I thank YOU so much for your appreciation. And yes, you're right !!!! Never paid attention to this before.
OP
SportySpiceFan
Member
Hello 03hemi - among the pilots I do not have anymore, there was a Navy Panther pilot as well!!
Given away some three years ago... maybe not the best-looking one (some faults here and there, and not complete though) but, many hours work in repairing and airbrushing the manneqquin.
Thanx for the great photo!! Franco.
OP
SportySpiceFan
Member
here a couple high-altitude pilots from China Air Force. The 'green' one from about 1985-86, the 'orange' guy from recent times.
Not too hard to get the items in these instances, rather a hard and lenghty job in adapting the mannequinns to them.
Not too hard to get the items in these instances, rather a hard and lenghty job in adapting the mannequinns to them.
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Luftwaffe pilots did not carry Lugers. Ever.
They carried .32ACP pocket sized pistols of various descriptions.
OP
SportySpiceFan
Member
some unusual and (for once...) colorful Partial Pressure suits, for stratospheric intercept mission.
In this instance, from Polish Air Force.
In this instance, from Polish Air Force.
One meets the most interesting people on the S&W Forum!
Thanks for sharing your collection with us, Sporty/Franco. A most unusual and intriguing hobby!
Thanks for sharing your collection with us, Sporty/Franco. A most unusual and intriguing hobby!
sigp220.45
US Veteran
Very cool thing to do, buddy. Go Air Force.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
What sig said!
What sig said!
Franco, I am in awe of what you have accomplished. Trying to imagine the time, effort, horse trading and research (especially without the internet) you have put into this is truly beyond my capabilities.
Bravissimo!
Bravissimo!
Kernel Crittenden
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
The Foxbat could actually fly higher that an SR-71, over 120,000 ft. The SR-71 was good to 85,000, but rarely had reason to go above 70,000 for most missions. In comparison, X-15's were zooming to 350,000 feet and above, but they were rocket powered.
Franco,
Your collection is amazing. I can't imagine the time it would take to research and collect all the items. Many times gun collectors think about how much space it takes to store our collections of guns, leather, grips, etc., Franco must have a warehouse!! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Larry
Your collection is amazing. I can't imagine the time it would take to research and collect all the items. Many times gun collectors think about how much space it takes to store our collections of guns, leather, grips, etc., Franco must have a warehouse!!
Thanks for sharing it with us.Larry
OP
SportySpiceFan
Member
@Rustyt1953 and Boykinlp,
thanx so much for your appreciation!! Yes It has been a lenghty matter, the first completed character (a generic US Air Force fighter pilot of modern period, say a F-15 pilot) I've assembled in late 1992, the last one (a polish MiG-21 'bis' pilot) in early 2016.
In between, of course, years here and there of no-activity in this respect for many a reasons. In all I've assembled 18 pilots, mostly jet age, but currently the collection is down to less than half; four-five years ago a very serious, yet (luckily) temporary situation here at home had required me to try getting back as much money as possible.
So, many of them had to... fly away. Much regret of course, but couldn't do otherwise.
Will post some more. Here a brief list of some guys that were (sooner or later) in collection:
* P-38 pilot, 5th Air Force, 1944
* F6F pilot, USN carrier, early 1945.
* F-86E pilot, Korea 1953
* F9F pilot, USN, Korea 1953 (not longer here)
* F-104A pilot, 319th F.I.S. 1968, Homestead AFB (not longer here)
* F-4B pilot in Vietnam, USMC, Da Nang 1969 (not longer here)
* F-105 pilot in Vietnam, USAF, Korat RTAB, 1968
* MiG-21 pilot, East Germny Air Force, 1964-65 (not longer here)
* F-104G, Italian Air Force, 1963 (not longer here)
* F-104S, Italian Air Force, 1982
* F-16C pilot, Edwards AFB, 1988 (not longer here)
* Su-24 pilot, Russian Air Force, 2005
* MiG-25 pilot, Soviet Air Defence Forces, 1985
* SU-25 pilot, Ukrainian Air Force, 2000 (not longer here)
* MiG-21 pilot, Poland Air Force, 1990
* F-10 pilot, China People's Air Force, 2010.
thanx so much for your appreciation!! Yes It has been a lenghty matter, the first completed character (a generic US Air Force fighter pilot of modern period, say a F-15 pilot) I've assembled in late 1992, the last one (a polish MiG-21 'bis' pilot) in early 2016.
In between, of course, years here and there of no-activity in this respect for many a reasons. In all I've assembled 18 pilots, mostly jet age, but currently the collection is down to less than half; four-five years ago a very serious, yet (luckily) temporary situation here at home had required me to try getting back as much money as possible.
So, many of them had to... fly away. Much regret of course, but couldn't do otherwise.
Will post some more. Here a brief list of some guys that were (sooner or later) in collection:
* P-38 pilot, 5th Air Force, 1944
* F6F pilot, USN carrier, early 1945.
* F-86E pilot, Korea 1953
* F9F pilot, USN, Korea 1953 (not longer here)
* F-104A pilot, 319th F.I.S. 1968, Homestead AFB (not longer here)
* F-4B pilot in Vietnam, USMC, Da Nang 1969 (not longer here)
* F-105 pilot in Vietnam, USAF, Korat RTAB, 1968
* MiG-21 pilot, East Germny Air Force, 1964-65 (not longer here)
* F-104G, Italian Air Force, 1963 (not longer here)
* F-104S, Italian Air Force, 1982
* F-16C pilot, Edwards AFB, 1988 (not longer here)
* Su-24 pilot, Russian Air Force, 2005
* MiG-25 pilot, Soviet Air Defence Forces, 1985
* SU-25 pilot, Ukrainian Air Force, 2000 (not longer here)
* MiG-21 pilot, Poland Air Force, 1990
* F-10 pilot, China People's Air Force, 2010.
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OP
SportySpiceFan
Member
Back again, here into the early '50s. This F-86E pilot is from the 334th F.I.S., Kimpo Airfield, Korea 1953.
Best item in my opinion is here the 100% original, untouched P-3 helmet, the very first US hard helmet to be in-factory fitted with this classic heavy, dark external visor. Horrendously difficult to find out in non-relic condition, in fact back then it took me three years to get one.
Temptation almost was about selling Charlotte or swapping her with the P-3, but luckily that didn't happen ah ah..
..in the end, the blonde has always been too kind and lovely in not sending me to sleep inside the greenhouse.
Back-pack parachute is the model B-15 with 28' C-9 canopy. 'Capewells' devices at the shoulders for quick-release of canopy in a emergency.
Not yet any auto-openings devices here in 1953, pilot still had to manually pull the D-handle. btw, a slice from an original C-9 canopy is here as pilot's neck scarf.
Anti-G pants are the G-3A pattern, standardized in springtime 1945 and more than a match for today's models... the CSU-13/BP currently used by NATO pilots, are just a very tad better than this. Incredible, perhaps.
Best item in my opinion is here the 100% original, untouched P-3 helmet, the very first US hard helmet to be in-factory fitted with this classic heavy, dark external visor. Horrendously difficult to find out in non-relic condition, in fact back then it took me three years to get one.
Temptation almost was about selling Charlotte or swapping her with the P-3, but luckily that didn't happen ah ah..
..in the end, the blonde has always been too kind and lovely in not sending me to sleep inside the greenhouse.
Back-pack parachute is the model B-15 with 28' C-9 canopy. 'Capewells' devices at the shoulders for quick-release of canopy in a emergency.
Not yet any auto-openings devices here in 1953, pilot still had to manually pull the D-handle. btw, a slice from an original C-9 canopy is here as pilot's neck scarf.
Anti-G pants are the G-3A pattern, standardized in springtime 1945 and more than a match for today's models... the CSU-13/BP currently used by NATO pilots, are just a very tad better than this. Incredible, perhaps.
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OP
SportySpiceFan
Member
One more shot at the G-3A, anti-'G' pants. Indeed a short inflation hose, comparing to later suits'.
Container for the C-2A life raft + accessories is hooked at parachute's lower rings.
Closer look at the emergency flashlight, and the left-side 'Capewell' device.
Life preserver is the B-5 model, only USAF - and also, USAAF since it first came into service at the end of 1944.. nothing less. There are many photos of AAF pilots wearing it in last months of WW2, and it stood virtually unchanged until the mid-'50s.
Container for the C-2A life raft + accessories is hooked at parachute's lower rings.
Closer look at the emergency flashlight, and the left-side 'Capewell' device.
Life preserver is the B-5 model, only USAF - and also, USAAF since it first came into service at the end of 1944.. nothing less. There are many photos of AAF pilots wearing it in last months of WW2, and it stood virtually unchanged until the mid-'50s.
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Texas Star
US Veteran
I think I read that NCOs on bomber crews had Lugers. Officers usually had small .32's like the Walther PP.
Fighter pilots preferred the .32's in part because the cockpits were cramped and the rigid Luger holster was bulky. Also, if they went down over the UK and could steal civilian clothes, the .32 was easier to conceal.
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