Spitfire & Hurricane terrific footage

[RogMason]

Hey guys,
This is really great in-cockpit and air-ground footage of a Spitfire and Hurricane at an airshow.  Great concentration on behalf of the pilots


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqVW6NIGb-A

[Frank v B]

Great video.

Interesting watching the eyes of the Hurricane pilot during and after take-off.  He only spends about 10% of the time looking ahead.  The rest of the time looking at instruments, beside and behind him.  You can imagine how busy a pilot was if his life were on the line in aerial combat.

Still tough seeing a Hurricane in German markings.

Thanks for posting it Roger.

Frank

[RogMason]

Regarding the swastika's, Finland's Airforce used the swastika as their emblem when it was a good luck symbol (as did Heineken breweries in Holland - hic! :-).  Then the Nazis adopted it and everyone else quickly dropped it.

I believe this Hurricane was donated to the aviation society by a wealthy Finish donor (?) and it was already painted this way, so they left it as a historic record. Personally, I wish they'd change it, it doesn't look good.

I agree Frank, regarding the busy Hurricane pilot.  He was studying the instruments almost exclusively just after take off. It was said they must have eyes in the back of their heads and be looking all directions at once! And this was in peacetime!  During combat, I'm guessing that they mostly ignored the instruments and focussed on looking around and maneuvering the aeroplane?  Only shortly after take off and then after battle, would they think about the aircraft's health?  As long as it's still flying and there are no flames, then all is good!  A crazy life!  (For as long as it lasted).  :-(

[RogMason]

* Finnish airforce