Wingscrubber From UK - England, joined Sep 2001, 835 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 years 2 months 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 2700 times:
Hello photographers,
I had a query and was wondering if some of you may be able to assist - I've been looking for a picture I saw on the internet somewhere a while back which was fascinating, but cannot find it again.
I thought perhaps if I described it, somebody might know which picture or aircraft it was that I saw.
It was a black-and-white picture of an aircraft probably from 1915-1920 era of a fairly large early russian multi-engined bi-plane civil aircraft along the lines of a Handley-Page W.8 or Vickers Vimy.
I thought it was an early Sikorsky, Tupolev or Illyushin, though it might not have been any of these - the distinguishing feature of the photo was that the aircraft appeared to have a rear open air balcony or viewing deck, with a single rear door allowing access from the enclosed 'greenhouse' cabin.
The photo depicted a man stood on the rear balcony in flight in the open air slipstream with no apparent safety measures such as a railing, crows nest or rope. The individual is just facing the camera and waving as it flew past at low level!
I thought it was an amazing find at the time, but didn't think to catalogue it or bookmark it...
I would appreciate it if anyone could tell me what aircraft this likely was, or better yet if you could find the picture!
Thanks!