Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Heater on January 08, 2010, 10:44:07 AM

Title: Antarctic's first plane found in ice
Post by: Heater on January 08, 2010, 10:44:07 AM

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/antarctics-first-plane-found-in-ice-1856789.html


Rare things happen once in a blue moon, and on New Year's Day a blue moon, coupled with an exceptionally low tide, uncovered a long-sought treasure in the frozen wastes of Antarctica: one of the world's earliest aeroplanes, entombed in ice for decades.

The plane – the first off the Vickers production line in Britain – was built in 1911, only eight years after the Wright brothers executed the first powered flight. It was taken to Antarctica by Douglas Mawson, the Australian explorer, but abandoned in 1914 after its engine seized up during attempts to use it as an "air tractor", or motorised sledge........ follow the link for the rest

Title: Re: Antarctic's first plane found in ice
Post by: Masherbrum on January 08, 2010, 10:52:21 AM

Good story. 

Title: Re: Antarctic's first plane found in ice
Post by: Grayeagle on January 11, 2010, 06:05:49 PM

I dunno .. is it a 'plane' if it has no wings?

-grin-

Title: Re: Antarctic's first plane found in ice
Post by: Ripsnort on January 11, 2010, 06:19:45 PM

Air tractor (pretty cool concept actually. Except for the roll cage  :lol )

There is a good link here with more pics, as recent as 1978: Aviation Forums (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/images/rep001_08_04_1912_750.jpg&imgrefurl=http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php%3Fp%3D1510573&usg=__E2LXR1W_eueFJI36Nsjj75TaljM=&h=475&w=750&sz=83&hl=en&start=5&um=1&tbnid=dqQIY5HTlgl4HM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=141&prev=/images%3Fq%3DFirst%2BVickers%2BAirplane%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bantarctic%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1R2PCTC_enUS356%26um%3D1)

(http://classic.ipy.org/start/images/uploads/Air_Tractor_Sledge.JPG)

(http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/_DAMl/image/17/120/aae_38249r.jpg)

(http://www.earlyaeroplanes.com/images/airtractor/Vickers.airtractor_a128128h.jpg)

Title: Re: Antarctic's first plane found in ice
Post by: PK1Mw on January 12, 2010, 09:47:51 AM

Amazing how after all these years it's still there in the shape its in. Unreal.

Title: Re: Antarctic's first plane found in ice
Post by: Grayeagle on January 12, 2010, 10:49:03 AM

*gasp* .. no ear protectors, no head cover, no parka .. o wait .. that's back when Men were Men and planes were .. well .. junk.

carry on :)

Title: Re: Antarctic's first plane found in ice
Post by: Ruler2 on January 12, 2010, 10:55:03 AM

Quote from: Grayeagle on January 12, 2010, 10:49:03 AM

*gasp* .. no ear protectors, no head cover, no parka .. o wait .. that's back when Men were Men and planes were .. well .. junk.

carry on :)

 :rofl :rofl :rofl