The Glasshouse Gallery

[Romantic Technofreak]

It seems quite impossible for me to start a discussion about observers. They are too close to each other, and unfortunately the whole concept became obsolete during WWII. So I suggest, enjoy observing those observers and add some more if you know some!

Arado Ar 198 (I allow myself to quote a German souce): http://www.luftarchiv.de/flugzeuge/arado/ar198.htm

Blohm + Voss BV 141: http://www.geocities.com/asymmetrics/bv.htm. Also enjoy the other BV asymmetric designs!

Caproni Ca. 311/313 (here in Swedish colours): http://www.avrosys.nu/aircraft/Bomb/156B16.htm

Curtiss O-52: http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/modern_flight/mf16.htm

DAR 10A Bekas: http://www.geocities.com/bulgarian_aviation/bgplanes/dar10.htm

Dewoitine D-720: http://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=321&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=423

Focke-Wulf FW 189: http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/fw189.html

Honved: http://home.mit.bme.hu/~tade/ac-pict/Hung-AF/pre-1945/Developments/honved.jpg

IAR 39 (best picture I found, site sorrily in Japanese): http://www103.sakura.ne.jp/~key/world/w_iar39.htm

Koolhoven F.K. 52: http://www.squadron.com/old/fk52/fk52review.html

Letov S.50 (please scroll to the bottom of the page): http://www.luftwaffe-experten.co.uk/letov.html

L.W.S. 3 Mewa (don´t scroll down, and don´t add an ´1´ to the Mewa´s ´3´, otherwise you risk another "citrus"-infection!:D): http://www.republika.pl/awiacja/lws.htm#LWS-3

North American O-47: http://www.boeing.com/history/bna/o47.htm. Again, in flight, and another O-52 picture: http://www.usaaf.net/has/jops/O47_O52.htm

Stinson O-49 (same source like above, here together with Ryan O-51): http://www.usaaf.net/has/jops/O49_O51.htm

Westland Lysander: http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/westland-lysander-iii.htm

[GregP]

Nice list Romantic Technofreak.

You might check out the Douglas O-46 of 1936 vintage. It was a nice aircraft but, for WWII, it was too slow and heavy to outrun or outmaneuver enemy pursuit planes, too heavy to operate from small, unprepared fields, and too big to hide under trees.

Altogether, it was a dismal failure as far as WWII was concerned, but filled a specification conceived in the early 1930's quite well.

[GregP]

You might also check out the Dewoitine D-730 and 731 for seaplane recon. Interestingly enough, they were low-wing floatplanes, but never made it past the prototype stage.

[GregP]

For my money, the best observation plane used in WWII was the Nakajima C6N Saiun (Allied Code Name Myrt). It was fast at 610 kph and carried 2300 kg of payload including fuel, oil, petrol ,and some small bit of ammunition for the single MG in the rear.

Aside from insufficient defensive armament, it was definitely the class observation plane of WWII, and probably would have lent itself well to other, more aggressive roles.

[Romantic Technofreak]

Yes, I forgot the O-46. In my head, I mistook it with the O-43 and this one for me was not "glassy" enough. See the link for satisfaction:

http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/modern_flight/mf17.htm

I especially like the USAAF pre-war "camouflage" varnish. But "too big to hide under a tree" depends on the tree, don´t you think so?:)

The Dewoitines are not in my list because I intended to include only landplanes designed for close cooperation with the army. But there is another, important Frechman I missed. A little much powerful for an observer, but the Caproni Ca. 313 is not much less. See this one:

http://www.aviafrance.com/1361.htm

Obviously designed to fill the gap between O-46 and Bf 110.

Did you know that there was not only a "Flying Boxcar", but also a "Flying Box"? This one here (better to be seen on the drawing than on the photo):

http://www.histaviation.com/Siebel_Si_201.html

Belongs more to the linker department, lost competition against the Fieseler Storch. But the outlook must have been great!

The Nakajima Saiun was designed as carrier-based long-range reconnoisater. Only problem was that Japan nearly had no carriers any more when the Saiun was introduced. Of course, you can use it over land too. But what do you do with a range of 5.000 km? Start in Shanghai, observe over Chungking and look what is in Chiang Kai-sheks tea cup?:)Sorry, can´t stop kidding!

[Jez]

I presume you are talking recon/spotters?

How about the US L4 Grasshopper: http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/pipercub.html

Or the Polish RWD-8: http://homepage.iprolink.ch/~gujski/L/Samoloty/rwd/index-en.html

http://home.mit.bme.hu/~tade/pages/evak1.htm

Polikarpov P02 (U2): http://www.hans-egebo.dk/Polikarpof.htm

Fieseler Storch: http://www.piteraq.dk/flight/storch.html

Lublin R-XIIID: http://wio.ru/polska/pol.htm

PZL P-IIc: http://wio.ru/polska/pol.htm

Even the Flettner FL282 could be included - the first operational helicopter: http://www.germanvtol.com/flettnerfolder/fl282.html

[Corsarius]

quote:
http://www.histaviation.com/Siebel_Si_201.html

Belongs more to the linker department, lost competition against the Fieseler Storch. But the outlook must have been great!


Good Grief!! World War Two is still alive!!! Check out this link for the "Seabird Seeker" (even SOUNDS like 'seibel'!!!)

http://www.utility-aircraft.com/planes/seabird.htm

Open both links, then compare the pictures. I think they will surprise you!

[Romantic Technofreak]

"Don´t throw bombs when you sit in the glasshouse":)

Dear Jez, you are right, this thread is about short-range reconnoisaters. But they also should be tighed together by a special very glassy design, so the airplane itself and its role become very transparent. Your list, sorry to say that, contains airplanes that either don´t show this design charateristic or you need some fantasy to say they should be included (I have to admit the limits are flowing, but for me the Lysander and the O-46 are much more glassy than e.g. the Storch). Seeing it this way, your most glassy contribution is the mentioning of Andrzej Glass!:D

[Ricky]

Sorry Technofreak, but surely the Storch is hugely glassy?
It has that unique bulged-out cockpit, giving it extremely good visability straight down, as well as a break in the wing for the cockpit, giving good views upwards as well.

[Romantic Technofreak]

Surely, Ricky, but I already said the limits are flowing, and I saw the Storch more as a linker than an observer. Indeed, it was both.