Aviation Relics

[Guest ericthered1975]

No doubt the Second World War definitely marked the use of aircraft as weapons of war. The link below provides a collection of images, many of them colorful and rare, taken during the conflict, at different times and in different operating theaters and showing details often dramatic, of the aviation during WW2. I hope you enjoy.

 

http://aviacaoemfloripa.blogspot.com.br/2011/02/reliquias-da-aviacao.html

 

Eric

 

 

[Geoff13]

Yep you have come to the right place here if you are looking for aviation relics.

 

 

[kaz3g]

I think the many thousands of Turks who lost their lives to the AFC's Cooper bombs and Lewis machine guns in Egypt and Mesopotamia would tell you aircraft were pretty effective weapons of war in the War to end all Wars.

 

Probably the best history written of the AFC is Fire in the Sky by Michael Molkentin. It documents the skill and the bravery of the Australians, always flying older machines than their British counterparts but achieving a great deal more for every flying member.

 

Nine miles of dead: 21 September 1918

 

As the sun rose, the pair of Bristols flew over Balata and followed the narrow track that wound precariously along cliffs above the Wady Beidan, then along the Wadi Fara and, finally, to a rough track heading northeast to the only Jordan River crossing not occupied by British cavalry. They found 'the whole length of the road jammed tight with troops, motor transports, gun carriages and horse transports, all of which were moving at a snail's pace....they dropped their bombs on the narrowest sections of the road at each end creating a traffic jam on a one way street'. The pilots roared in low, firing their forward Vickers before pulling up sharply to allow their observers to open up with their Lewis guns at the rear. They had little chance of escape... Other squadrons joined in...for two days it went on.

 

It had been little less than butchery. I can think of no other way to convey the dreadfulness of this action.'

 

Kaz

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Yep you have come to the right place here if you are looking for aviation relics.

Geoff, . . .you're too quick on the draw mate ! . . .you definitely beat me to that one, and I'm only 65 tomorrow,. . .but have been a relic for quite some time. . .so the missus reckons anyhow. . .

 

( PS . . .I'll post my present wish-list later )

 

 

[Phil Perry]

I think the many thousands of Turks who lost their lives to the AFC's Cooper bombs and Lewis machine guns in Egypt and Mesopotamia would tell you aircraft were pretty effective weapons of war in the War to end all Wars.'It had been little less than butchery. I can think of no other way to convey the dreadfulness of this action.' Kaz

Fast forward a few years Kaz,. . . I read a report with pictures, by an Australian journalist, following the Iraqui army fleeing from Kuwait after gulf war Mk1,. . . . the phrase above was almost identical when used to describe what happened on the highway out of Kuwait City.

 

Some coalition aircraft penned in a whole column of Iraquis, fleeing with everything they could carry; by blocking the road at both ends, the whole lot were then repeatedly bombed napalmed and strafed until there was no one left alive . . the pictures were horrendous. I forget the headcount, but it was even described in the American domestic press as being "Slaughter, and tantamount to murder"

 

The UK press reported this as "An unashamed act of revenge, on a beaten and fleeing army. . ." I believe the reason that Swartzkopf was stopped just 60 miles from Baghdad that time was simply due to world condmnation of that ONE particular act. . . . End of round one. . . . .Round Two, well,. . .that was cooked up by Bush and Blair as we all now know. . . . . and look what a mess they've created for the rest of the world,. . .but that's another story.

 

This sort of thing happens in wars. . . and the better the technology,. . . .the worse it becomes. . . .

 

 

[Geoff13]

I think the many thousands of Turks who lost their lives to the AFC's Cooper bombs and Lewis machine guns in Egypt and Mesopotamia would tell you aircraft were pretty effective weapons of war in the War to end all Wars.Probably the best history written of the AFC is Fire in the Sky by Michael Molkentin. It documents the skill and the bravery of the Australians, always flying older machines than their British counterparts but achieving a great deal more for every flying member.

 

Nine miles of dead: 21 September 1918

 

As the sun rose, the pair of Bristols flew over Balata and followed the narrow track that wound precariously along cliffs above the Wady Beidan, then along the Wadi Fara and, finally, to a rough track heading northeast to the only Jordan River crossing not occupied by British cavalry. They found 'the whole length of the road jammed tight with troops, motor transports, gun carriages and horse transports, all of which were moving at a snail's pace....they dropped their bombs on the narrowest sections of the road at each end creating a traffic jam on a one way street'. The pilots roared in low, firing their forward Vickers before pulling up sharply to allow their observers to open up with their Lewis guns at the rear. They had little chance of escape... Other squadrons joined in...for two days it went on.

 

It had been little less than butchery. I can think of no other way to convey the dreadfulness of this action.'

 

Kaz

So true Kaz. War is a special kind of hell, dreamed up by politicians whose precious shiny ar**es will never see it , nor will most of their protected families. They send young brave men to die and then wash their hands of the relics that come home.

 

As for the comment "The war to end all Wars" Just another term to to brainwash the great unwashed, Australians apart from about 5 years have been on active service ever since 1939.

 

 

[Methusala]

"The road to Basra" will live in infamy as will the assault on the population of Fallujah. I know that its all war but bloody hell!...