Ptrjong From Netherlands, joined Mar 2005, 3769 posts, RR: 20 Posted (4 years 5 months 3 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 3730 times:
Hi all,
Sorry for abusing the title of 2H4/Jason's quiz game but I am much impressed by its participants' ability to recognize aircraft from pictures of obscure parts, and I'm hoping you could help out with an old aircraft, part of a monument I stumbled upon in Bukittinggi, Sumatra three years ago, and that nobody has been able to identify so far:
It's portraying an Avro Anson, and when I was there I didn't really doubt that it was - I certainly thought it was a genuine WW II era aircraft with fake engines. The fuselage seems too deep for an Anson, though, except for a late model metal fuselage Anson, and the wingtips are odd. Other people have said it seemed to be a smaller aircraft, perhaps a Piper light twin, disguised as an Anson, or even a complete fake with no original aircraft parts. However, based on Google Earth I think the fuselage is about 12 metres long, which is about right for an Anson, and I don't think a complete fake would have static dischargers. So my personal guess is a poorly restored Anson wreck, but I'm very curious what your trained eyes may be seeing.
Thanks
Peter
The only difference between me and a madman is that I am not mad (Salvador Dali)
2H4 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8950 posts, RR: 62 Reply 1, posted (4 years 5 months 3 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 3688 times:
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I don't doubt it's an Anson. The landing gear is not only unique, but also seems to match pretty well. Also, the Anson in this shot shares the same rear door (but not window) shape:
My guess? Any odd details of the one in Bukittinggi can be chalked up to the British fondness for producing seemingly endless examples of slightly different sub-variants.
And don't worry about abusing the thread title. It doesn't concern me at all. It just might, however, produce some coffee-covered keyboards as "Identify This" contestants browse the forum during their morning routine.
Oly720man From United Kingdom, joined May 2004, 6184 posts, RR: 11 Reply 3, posted (4 years 5 months 3 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 3551 times:
Looking at this, RI-003 was carried by a Stinson Sentinel that crashed in July 1948 and the (original) Anson was RI-004. The aircraft that crashed with Perkanadusum on board was an Australian Anson registered VH-BDY - which might, or not, have been RI-003 given other links that have this as an Anson as well.
Ptrjong From Netherlands, joined Mar 2005, 3769 posts, RR: 20 Reply 4, posted (4 years 5 months 2 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 3274 times:
Thanks guys. Some knowledgeable people have really doubted it was an Anson, but maybe they were fooled into thinking it's a smaller aircraft by the statues, which seem to be larger than life.
Quoting Aviopic (Reply 2): Peter, think it is an Anson 1 or Mk.1 which had different windows compared to the 652.
Willem, the roof above the windows seems to be a little high for an Anson I.
Quoting 2H4 (Reply 1): My guess? Any odd details of the one in Bukittinggi can be chalked up to the British fondness for producing seemingly endless examples of slightly different sub-variants.
I googled that aircraft, VH-BAF, and found a website describing how many Ansons underwent modifications in Australia after the war. Some got metal wings and all. So that could also explain any odd details. It's quite plausible that this one comes from Australia.
You're right, the Anson that this airframe is portraying may or may not have carried 'RI-003'.
This one is certainly not the real, airframe but if you're interested in the historical background, this document may be of interest to you. http://nei.adf-serials.com/indonesian-aviation-1945-50.pdf
The killed pilot's name was Halim Pedanakusuma. I believe he was originally trained by the Dutch Navy. The military airfield in Jakarta, Halim, is named after him.
Peter
The only difference between me and a madman is that I am not mad (Salvador Dali)
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