B.W. Turner Gallery

Douglas Dakota picking up a glider, Normandy; Second World W

Illustration showing a Douglas Dakota, C-47 Skytrain, swooping down with a hook trailing to pick up a Waco glider, Normandy, France, 1944. This system of launching and towing a glider was designed as a time-saving measure, so that tug aircraft, such as the Dakota, could pick up gliders without landing. This illustration was made by the Illustrated London News special artist, C.E. Turner using information supplied by the US Ninth Air Force

© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10219809

US Civil War observation balloon

US Civil War observation balloon, 19th century artwork. The balloon, near Gaines Mill, Virginia, USA, is being inflated by gas being piped through tubes from the containers at left. This balloon was designed by Professor Thaddeus S. C. Lowe (1831-1913), who is standing to the right of the balloon. The balloons used hydrogen gas, and were used in several battles, including the battle of Fair Oaks, Virginia, on 31 May 1861. Lowe had been designing and building balloons since the 1850s, and established the Union Army Balloon Corps to perform aerial reconnaissance during the US Civil War (1861-1865). Despite some successes, problems led to the Balloon Corps being disbanded in 1863. Based on a contemporary photograph, this artwork was published in Astra Castra (Hatton Turner, London, 1865)

© SHEILA TERRY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Foden D-type Steam Wagon RX1719 Early Bird

Foden D-type Steam Wagon reg. RX1719 Early Bird (msn 12852), built 1927, at Ferndown in dorset. (Foden Trucks was a British truck and bus manufacturing company which had its origins in Elworth near Sandbach in 1856). From auction catalogue: 1928 Foden Timber Tractor No. 12852 Reg No. RX 1719. D Type. Double crank compound. Three speed. Early Bird Foden D Type No. 12852 left the Sandbach works in March 1928. Delivered to Chawley Works Ltd, Chawley, Berks where it worked for a number of years before going to John Turner, Weston on the Green, Oxon; then to Lunnicks of Reading, where it had a crane fitted. In 1951 it was acquired by R C Wallis of Banghurst, Hants. After a brief spell with the well-known scrap merchant and engine dealer H Goodey of Twyford, Berks, the Foden passed into preservation, going to Jim Hutchens of Ferndown, Dorset, who named it Early Bird. In 1958 it returned to its native county going to Bob (robert) Adnams of Haversham, Berks who rode it extensively to local rallies where it often stood next to Gordon Howell with his very similar D Type Mighty Atom. Foden D Types, like their C Type wagon counterparts, were perhaps the final and most sophisticated development of the overtype steam engine. With their fast revving engines, often on roller bearings, running at high pressure, they were compact fast and powerful. Having Ackermann steering and quick reverse they were very manoeuvrable and with a rear mounted winch D Types were eminently suitable for timber work and thus were often termed timber tractors. Early Bird was purchased by John Keeley in 1973 for the sum of lb2,500. John continued to enjoy it for a number of years and was last taxed for the road in 2002, since when it has been dry stored. This is a fine example of an original D Type and presents a rare opportunity. There is a good quantity of history boiler paper work for inspection by interested parties. Date: 1959

© The Peter Butt Steam Collection / Mary Evans Picture Library