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Post by Mustang51 on Mar 6, 2014 8:14:11 GMT 12
Well, I loved it. That Boxkite was magic and hardly a sound escaped the crowd when Boris flew it on the Sunday. As a commemoration event the package worked well. Perhaps a few more significant WW.I types would have been great and something more from inter-war period ( OMG a flying Demon) but again, there are limitations. To see the workmanship on the Boxkite and having been given the real background behind it made it all the better when it flew majestically past. Spoke with the test pilot as well and he indicated that after one circuit of 6/7 minutes he stated that he was exhausted. Gives pause to the effort required way back when it flew for much, much longer. My cup was full both days and an added bonus of meeting up with many whom I had not seen in a while.......... bit more blue sky would have been great for the photog guys.....Last Word on the new camo bags from a guy in the Officers Mess - "Now we're in blue we can't blame it on the Army...."
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Post by ErrolC on Mar 6, 2014 10:33:35 GMT 12
One amusing thing happened on Friday. Grant McHerron and I were in the hangar that the Boxkite (and some other RAAF Museum aircraft) are in. We were sort-of killing time, as the testing of the PA system meant it was not practical to do an interveiw with the Boxkite builders. The testing had been going on a while, so we had a good look at the BE.2a, Mossie etc. After a bit, I noticed something.
Me: Hey Grant, that's Visscher on the PA!
Grant What? So it is!
Me: They are playing a PCDU (Plane Crazy Down Under podcast) ep!
Grant: I must find out who is doing that, and shake their hand.
Grant later found the roadie doing the setup. They had searched for aviation content to use for sound check, and found the podcast. At least one new listener!
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Post by nuuumannn on Mar 6, 2014 15:35:38 GMT 12
Yep, it sure is. The emu was painted on aircraft of the AFC Training Wing. D4170 was initially at Minchinhampton, then Leighterton, where it was involved in a mid air collision during combat training with a Camel in August 1918, both the Pup's and Camel's pilots were killed.
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Post by nuuumannn on Mar 6, 2014 15:40:27 GMT 12
Bearing all that in mind, James, is the RAAF going to hold its own airshow and commemmorative events?
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Post by JDK on Mar 6, 2014 18:27:34 GMT 12
Thanks for the Pup data!
That was the RAAF airshow and main commemorative event.
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Post by ErrolC on Mar 6, 2014 21:04:06 GMT 12
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Post by Mark Griffin on Mar 6, 2014 21:36:57 GMT 12
Nerves of steel to get into something like this and take it off the ground
Those guys must of had a good whiskey before and after the flight.
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Post by the_flying_surfer on Mar 6, 2014 23:11:02 GMT 12
JBAC = Air Traffic Control, ground based, civvy type control. JTAC is not purely the domain.of the JBAC.
ACO = What used to be a navigator, operates in super Hornet or AP3C (soon to be P8), or if streamed to the Air Battle Manager stream, the E8 Wedgetail.
Very different roles, and some good natured rivalry exists between the two units (School of Air Traffic Control and School of Air Warfare) who both reside at RAAF Base East Sale.
The Kiwis in zoom bags at Point Cook are currently undergoing their ACO training before they return to NZ for postings to either 5SQN or 40 SQN.
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Post by JDK on Mar 6, 2014 23:48:16 GMT 12
Nerves of steel to get into something like this and take it off the ground It's easy to think so, today, but no more so than anyone operating at the operational cutting edge of the military in reality. They would've seen the risks of flying as very similar to that of being a cavalry officer. Horses were more dangerous than Boxkites, and I suspect Deps. Some flights, definitely. And as we well know, the attitude to drink and work and machinery was very different then to today. But overall, they just did the job. Good points. Regards, |
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WillM
Flying Officer
Posts: 56 
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Post by WillM on Mar 7, 2014 19:32:04 GMT 12
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WillM
Flying Officer
Posts: 56
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Post by WillM on Mar 7, 2014 19:46:07 GMT 12
Btw, are any of you guys that were there entering the photography comp?
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Post by JDK on Mar 7, 2014 20:09:48 GMT 12
I'm not, I don't qualify.
Some nice stuff there.
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Post by ErrolC on Mar 8, 2014 14:42:07 GMT 12
I don't qualify for the comp either (Media Pass, for PCDU) More from the RAAF Museum restoration hangar, mainly on the Friday. Click through for more on Flickr.  BE.2a Replica by errolgc, on Flickr  BE.2a Replica by errolgc, on Flickr  Central Flying School tails by errolgc, on Flickr  Boxkite Replica by errolgc, on Flickr  Boxkite seating by errolgc, on Flickr  Boxkite rear by errolgc, on Flickr  Boxkite wing controls by errolgc, on Flickr  Boxkite thoughts by errolgc, on Flickr |
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Post by nuuumannn on Mar 8, 2014 15:05:20 GMT 12
Lovely detailed photos, Errol; man, the pre-flight on that Boxkite must take an age removing all those "Remove Before Flight" tags. The Deperdussin was quite the machine for its day; it looks modern compared with the Boxkite and B.E.
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Post by ErrolC on Mar 15, 2014 16:28:11 GMT 12
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Post by oj on Apr 13, 2014 22:02:48 GMT 12
So are we saying that they were advanced enough in ground/flight safety that they used Remove Before Flight tags and had several system locks?
Or is this a concession to our modern needs?
These tags might have been one of the first things the S&S trade ever made Dave?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 13, 2014 23:20:16 GMT 12
S&S trade did not exist in the RNZAF till 1949. Before that it was several separate trades - Fabric Worker, Safety Equipment Worker, Rigger and others combined to become Safety and Surface.
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Post by ErrolC on Apr 16, 2014 13:19:43 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 16, 2014 14:51:05 GMT 12
Great stuff. That Cadet is lovely.
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Post by ErrolC on Apr 18, 2014 11:44:51 GMT 12
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