VISIT TO EUROPE - UNITED KINGDOM - IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM DUXFORD - AIR WARFARE - II

CHAPPIDI ABHIRATH REDDY,
C/O COL GKS REDDY,

Secunderabad - 500 015.

Imperial War Museum Duxford

          Imperial War Museum Duxford is a branch of the Imperial War Museum near Duxford in Cambridgeshire, England. Britain's largest aviation museum, Duxford houses the museum's large exhibits, including nearly 200 aircraft, military vehicles, artillery and minor naval vessels in seven main exhibition buildings. The site also provides storage space for the museum's other collections of material such as film, photographs, documents, books and artefacts. The site accommodates several British Army regimental museums, including those of the Parachute Regiment(named Airborne Assault) and the Royal Anglian Regiment.

          Based on the historic Duxford Aerodrome, the site was originally operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the First World War. During theSecond World War Duxford played a prominent role during the Battle of Britain and was later used by United States Army Air Forces fighter units in support of the daylight bombing of Germany. Duxford remained an active RAF airfield until 1961. After the Ministry of Defence declared the site surplus to requirements in 1969 the Imperial War Museum received permission to use part of the site for storage. The entirety of the site was transferred to the museum in February 1976.

          Visited Imperial War Museum, Duxford on Tuesday 08 Oct 2013, along with my elder daughter Jahnavi Reddy. We started the day with a visit to Air Warfare Section, after which we visited Land Warfare Section


Air Warfare Section - II

Spad S-13 (AC with Red Propeller) - French Fighter 

used by the US Air Service in WW I

A closer view of Spad S-13

Boeing Stearman PT-17 Trainer - American Dual control primary trainer 

which first flew in 1933. More Stearmans were produced in North America 

than any other biplane. A total of  6110 trainer variants were produced

A closer view of Boeing PT-17 Trainer

American Grumman TBM- 3 Avenger (Displayed above) - Standard US 

Navy carrier based Torpedo Bomber, in service from Mid 1942

A closer view of TBM- Torpedo Bomber

Lockheed SR - 71A Blackbird - US Strategic Reconnaissance Aircraft in USAF 

Service from 1968 - 1997. It is the highest flying and fastest manned Jet aircraft 

Bell UH-1 Huey Helicopter - Famous 'Work Horse' Helicopter of the Vietnam War 

Republic P 47-D Thunderbolt - One of the leading American 

Fighters of WW II, in service from 1943

Soviet SA-2 Surface to Air Missile (SAM-2) - Long serving Soviet 

Designed Anti Aircraft Missile, supplied to many countries 

worldwide. It is mounted on Zil 131 Tractor Transporter

North American F-100D Super Sabre - The worlds first supersonic Fighter. 

Served with the USAF from 1954 and was extensively used during Vietnam War

Supermarine Spitfire - The Supermarine Spitfire is perhaps the most famous 

British Aircraft ever built. No 19 Squadron was the first RAF unit to 

operate the Spitfires from this very hanger at Duxford

Cierva C30A Autogiro - Autogiro used by the RAF to check the Radar Settings during 

WW II. Autogiro have Rotors instead of Wings, unlike Helicopter Rotors, these are 

not powered. The Rotor spins round as the Autogiro is driven forward by its piston 

engine propeller and gives lift like a wing. However autogiro cannot hover like a helicopter

A closer view of an autogiro

Bristol Bloodhound Mark -I - This British Surface to Air Guided Missile was used 

by the RAF for high level, long range defence against Soviet Bombers

Hawker Hurricane Mark II B - The main WW II

 British Fighter in the Battle of Britain

Bristol Bloodhound Mark 2 - This anti-aircraft Guided Missile was

 part of Britain's Air Defense System from 1958 to 1991

Supermarine Spitfire Mark I - This Spitfire Mark I aircraft crash landed in 

France in 1940. The Pilot Peter Cazenove was taken prisoner by the Germans

Hawker Nimrod II - The manufacture of this aircraft was completed on 

05 Sep 1934. Was sent to the Packing depot at RAF Sealand on 07 Oct 1936. 

Served from 1936 to 1938 during which it suffered two landing accidents

Hawker Hurricane II B - Entered RAF Service in 1937 and shared 

with the Spitfire Fighter Command Victory in the Battle of Britain

Westland Seaking HAS 6 - This Seaking was a long range, all weather, 

search and strike helicopter, designed to find and destroy enemy submarines.

 HAS stands for Helicopter Anti Submarine.

Hawker Sea Hawk FB 5 - British single seat Naval Fighter Bomber. 

In service with Royal Navy from 1953 to 1960

Some WW II Fighter Aircraft Still Flying at Duxford

          Some WW II Fighter Aircraft being maintained at Duxford Flying Club, which are privately owned by individual members and maintained by aircraft maintenance company on contract basis. The aircraft had served with Air Forces of various countries during WW II.

Ex RAF Aircraft of WW II still Flying

Ex Luftwaffe Aircraft of WW II still Flying at Duxford

A French Air force Aircraft of WW II still Flying at Duxford

A Japanese Fighter of WW II - A survivor of the Japanese attack on Pearl 

Harbour on 07 Dec 1941. This is the World's oldest airworthy fighter aircraft

 Note:- The information about the places visited has been Extracted from Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia 

VISIT TO EUROPE - SWITZERLAND - LUZERN (LUCERNE) - I

CHAPPIDI ABHIRATH REDDY
C/O COL GKS REDDY

Secunderabad - 500015

          Lucerne (/ˌluːˈsɜrn/; German: Luzern, [luˈtsɛrn] ( listen); French: Lucerne, [lysɛʁn]; Italian: Lucerna, [luˈtʃɛrna]; Romansh: Lucerna; Lucerne Swiss-German: Lozärn) is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and a nexus of transportation, telecommunications, and government of this region. The city's urban area consists of 17 cities and towns located in three different cantons with an overall population of about 250,000 people.

          Due to its location on the shore of Lake Lucerne (der Vierwaldstättersee), within sight of Mount Pilatus and Rigi in the Swiss Alps, Lucerne has long been a destination for tourists. One of the city's famous landmarks is the Chapel Bridge (Kapell brücke), a wooden bridge first erected in the 14th century.

          Visited Luzern on 27 Sep 2013, after visiting Wilderswill, Interlaken, Jung Frau Joch and Schynige Platte on 25 and 26 Sep 2013. We started from Interlaken by train at 0700h and reached Luzern by about 1030h or so.

The elbow rest at every window of the Train had the map of the entire 

area from start point of the train to the destination, to make it easier 

for the tourists to know the area and the progress of the journey

A view of the area outside Alpnach Dorf Railway Station on way to Luzern

A view of a Swiss Village enroute to Luzern

On arrival at Luzern Railway Station

Entry / Exit Gateway of Luzern Railway Station

A view of Luzern Lake

Head Post Office Luzern

Chapel Bridge, Luzern

          The Chapel Bridge (German: Kapellbrücke) is a covered wooden footbridge spanning diagonally across the Reuss River in the city of Lucernein central Switzerland. Named after the nearby St. Peter's Chapel, the bridge is unique since it contains a number of interior paintings dating back to the 17th century, although many of them were destroyed along with most of the centuries old bridge in a 1993 fire. Subsequently restored, the Kapellbrücke is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe, as well as the world's oldest surviving truss bridge. It serves as the city's symbol and as one of Switzerland's main tourist attractions.

A view of Chapel Bridge Luzern

 view of the Chapel Bridge and the Existing watch Tower of the 

old City Fort Wall near the southern Bank of the River

Another view of the Chapel Bridge and the Old Watch Tower

A close view of Chapel Bridge with its well maintained 

and beautiful Flower plants

Another close view of Chapel Bridge

The Jesuit Church Luzern

The Burgertor Luzern

New Town Hall Luzern

A view of Spreuer Bridge on River Reuss, Luzern

History Museum Luzern

Nature Museum Luzern

A view of Reuss River and Jesuit Church from Spreuer Bridge, Luzern

A view of Spreuer Bridge from its Entrance

Musegg Wall - Ramparts around Old Luzern Town

          Musegg Wall: A part of the old rampart walls built in 1386. Wall almost entirely intact. Three towers are open to the public: Schirmer, Zyt, and Maennli. The oldest city clock built by Hans Luter in 1535 is on the Zyt tower. This clock is privileged to chime every hour one minute before all the other clocks.

A hut near the In / Out Gate of the Musegg Wall Fortifications around Old 

Town, Luzern. The walls of the Hut were constructed in the year 1689

In / Out Gate with watch Towers Across Musegg Wall Ramparts, Luzern

A close view of the Watch Tower and the Gate

The Musegg Wall and the Tower as seen from Outside

A Closer view of the Musegg Wall and the Tower from outside

The New Luzern Town outside Musegg Wall

A close view of the Musegg Wall Tower

The 700 year old Musegg Wall, the portions of which are completely intact

A close view of the Musegg Wall and the Towers. The Zyt 

Tower with the oldest City Clock is on the Right

A local Breed cow of Switzerland, lazing at a farm in Luzern

A close view of the cow

Note:- The information about the places visited has been Extracted from Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia.