This is in the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, funded by Peter Jackson, Whom I believe also lent many of his FX guys, which is why these dioramas look so good. The first pic for instance is an Eitrich Taube. An actual flying replica of one. Check out the observer have a crack at the enemy with his bolt action rifle!
Second pic is of a Kiwi fighter ace. His story:
A diorama depicting Kiwi ace Lieutenant Keith Logan 'Grid' Caldwell. The story:
During September 1918 while attacking German aircraft late in the day at about 7,000 feet over the Cambrai sector, Caldwell and fellow 74 Squadron member Carlin, collided badly, damaging Carlin's tail and Caldwell's wings. Carlin managed to land safely behind the lines but Caldwell's SE5a went into a dive. After the aircraft had lost about 2,000 ft the dive gradually developed into a right-handed semi-flat spin. Caldwell climbed out of the cockpit as if preparing to jump (although he did not have a parachute*) when he realised that by placing his left foot on the lower port mainplane and, grasping the port centre-section strut with his left hand he was able to stabilise his aircraft, flying it with his right hand and foot. He deduced that if he could manage to balance the damaged machine for long enough in this manner, he may just be able to reach the ground with enough control to survive the ordeal. Displaying considerable skill and resource, Caldwell succeeded in guiding his crippled aircraft so that it barely cleared the front line trenches and, just as it was about to crash, he jumped off and turned a few somersaults on the ground. He then stood up, brushed himself off and walked to the nearest trench asking to use the telephone. Some reports indicate that Caldwell "Took charge of the drinking" while he awaited the arrival of the tender that would take him back to his airfield. On returning to base, Caldwell enjoyed a good night's sleep before setting off on a dawn patrol the following morning. Only on return from that mission did he lodge his report of the dramatic events of the day before!
*Note: The option of 'baling out' to descend to the ground by parachute was not available to members of the Royal Flying Corps. British authorities would not issue such equipment fearing that pilots would use them unnecessarily and potentially waste valuable aeroplanes. Pilots of the RFC whose aircraft were damaged had to face the fact that they would plunge to their deaths. The pilots of aircraft which caught fire were often seen to jump from their machines despite the lack of parachute. The German Air Service did allow their aviators to wear parachutes if they wanted to.
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Topic: I've been everywhere man... (Read 7086 times)
