Prince Cantagazene(spelling?)

[time expired]

Does any out there remember an aerobatic pilot who
performed on the airshow curcuit in the late 50s?.He
flew a Bücker Jungmeister and was reputed to be
a Romainian prince.Does anyone know more?.
Regards

[Brian Abraham]

time expired, a google for Constantin "Bâzu" Cantacuzino will bring up a number of sites. The following should get you started. Sounds like he was one of lifes characters.
http://www.elknet.pl/acestory/cantacuzino/cantacuzino.htm
http://www.sihss.se/PrinceCantacuzinobiography.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantin_Cantacuzino_(aviator)

[av8boy]

The second link takes you to this:
http://www.sihss.se/WorldChamp1933ROMANIAnr3fromleft.JPG

which I could have sworn was a shot of the Winnipeg tower guys in the parking lot last Wednesday. #4 from the left appears to be looking for his mate's "puck." Trainee at far right appears a little skittish... :hmm:

[aviate1138]

There was/is, somewhere, a photo of the noble Prince inverted in a Bucker Jungmann? with the tip of his fin skimming a smooth lake in Switzerland/Italy?
His scarf is flapping behind his head IIRC.
Black and white pic from what looked like a box brownie! Circa 1937/8
I do hope someone has a copy? :)
Aviate1138
Maybe he had an aerial on top of the fin to make the wash and give him the chance to pitch up/climb away/recover!!!

[Speedbird48]

Aviate1138,

I saw him perform at Denham, UK, when I was a lot younger. "VERY" spectacular, and the siren, fitted between the gear legs, did wonders for the local aerodrome hating neighbours!!

[Atcham Tower]

Bazu (Buzz but a childhood name, not a reference to his later activities, although very appropriate) was the top-scoring Romanian fighter pilot in WW2.
56 kills, I believe, including Red Air Force, Luftwaffe and USAAF. Romania's war was somewhat complicated! I saw him perform at the Woodvale Air Show in 1957, a never to be forgotten experience for a young lad. I have, in fact, written a fairly comprehensive article about him for a forthcoming NW historic aviation mag. Most of my sources are translations from French sources.

[DaveW]

There was/is, somewhere, a photo of the noble Prince inverted in a Bucker Jungmann? with the tip of his fin skimming a smooth lake in Switzerland/Italy?
That's likely a different showman you're thinking of, aviate. Annette Carson's excellent history of aerobatics, "Flight Fantastic", has this picture of Fred Nicole cutting a swathe across the Bay of Cannes in a Bucker Jungmeister, 1951. She says that he repeated the feat "many times, with perfect accuracy".
http://www.atsx91.dsl.pipex.com/Misc/Fred_Nicole_small.jpg