Guess the plane

[Deskpilot]

Hindley Street is still famous, or should that be infamous, especially at night.

 

 

[willedoo]

This is an odd one - a one off prototype, circa 1939.

 

 

 

[red750]

Irbitis VEF I-16

 

 

[willedoo]

That's the one, Peter. Latvian designed and built, flew with Soviet markings after the Soviet occupation, then with German markings after the German invasion.

 

 

[red750]

Sorry Willie, I cheated. (Hehee). I used Google Image Search.

 

 

[willedoo]

And I erased the prefix lettering and everything.

 

Ok, how about this one - not overly successful either.

 

 

 

[red750]

I've found it, but I'll let someone else have a crack at it.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Look like an early thirties Nakajima.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

 

Irbitis VEF I-16

Neat machine, and a bit more suitable for building as a warbird replica than many fighters of that era.

 

 

[Marty_d]

Front end looks like a Polikarpov (sp?) but the rear end looks a bit spindly.

 

 

[red750]

And I erased the prefix lettering and everything.

Ok, how about this one - not overly successful either.

 

[ATTACH=full]44913[/ATTACH]

OK. It's been a cuppla hours. So here it is.

 

Grigorovich IP-4 (DG-53)

 

 

[willedoo]

Correct, Peter.

 

I think the IP-4 had four 45mm. cannons and the first prototype tried two 75mm. cannon. They say that's why the horizontal stabilizer is so high, to avoid the cannon gases.

 

Cheers, Willie.

 

 

[willedoo]

Enough of prototypes - this one was an operational warbird.

 

Apologies for the low resolution.

 

 

 

[red750]

OK I'm out. Beats me.

 

Looks very much like a Focke-Wulf Fw190, but the 190 doesnt have a bracing strut uder the tail.

 

 

[willedoo]

It's not Russian. Same company, post war, made some agricultural aircraft and light sports/trainers. Pre-war production was mainly fighters.

 

 

[willedoo]

Ok, no takers - it's a Romanian I.A.R.81. I think at some stage during the War I.A.R. also license built Messerschmitt Bf-109's.

 

 

[red750]

Interesting, Willie. When I googled I.A.R.81, I found your photo, only a mirror image. Funny the Image Search couldn't locate it. Looking at photos from other angles, it looks like the pilot could almost see the u/c under the wing.

 

 

[facthunter]

Engine running with no one in the cockpit? Nev.

 

 

[willedoo]

I'll have to fess up, Peter. I removed the markings and reversed the image to make it a bit trickier. So the image you found was the original.

 

Had a look at other photos, and I see what you mean about the undercarriage.

 

Cheers, Willie.

 

 

[facthunter]

What a cunning stunt. What willedoo next?

 

 

[Marty_d]

What a cunning stunt. What willedoo next?

He is a stunning... er... bloke.

 

 

[red750]

Don't know if this one's been shown before.

 

 

 

[Litespeed]

looks a lot like a Globe Swift- maybe a early prototype?

 

Tail is wrong shape and cowl a bit weird but?

 

 

[red750]

No, LS, it's not the Swift.

 

 

[red750]

Started out as a high performance (for it's time) two place retractable under one name. Taken over, upgraded to four place under a different name. This is the four place. Enough hints.