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Post by corsair67 on Sept 13, 2006 14:09:07 GMT 12
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Post by Kereru on Sept 13, 2006 14:53:02 GMT 12
This Colin likes that one too. Very nice with the cloud effect in the back ground. That same photographer has some nice shots and I like this one too of a plane destined never to enter service. www.airliners.net/open.file/0747978/L/Is that snow in the back ground and the chase plane is? A Meteor? |
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Post by phil82 on Sept 13, 2006 15:30:44 GMT 12
Ahhhhhh, the Valiant, and the less Valiant TSR2, both doomed to a very short life! That Meteor, is still flying I believe, with Martin Baker!
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Post by corsair67 on Sept 13, 2006 15:47:50 GMT 12
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Post by phil82 on Sept 13, 2006 16:16:14 GMT 12
I spent th last 18 months of my RAF time with Victors; not so much with the Lightning, but still a very impressive vertical climber. At certain weights it had more thrust than weight!
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Post by Bruce on Sept 13, 2006 17:50:08 GMT 12
as they say "When does a Lightning go fuel critical? - On start up"
love the TSR2 - if they had been given the freedom to iron out the snags it would have been a quantum leap ahead of anything else at the time. A classic example of beurocrats and politicians making dumb decisions for political gain (sound familiar...)
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Post by phil82 on Sept 13, 2006 20:18:21 GMT 12
Dunno about that Bruce. The handling of the project was spineless and political, BUT, and it is a big but, the TSR2 was light years and megabucks away from being an operational aircraft. As designed, the TSR2 would have been far superior to anything else, including the F111 and the Tornado, which didn't come along until 15 years later. The compound the cock-up of the cancellation, the Brits ordered 50 F111s, but had to pay cancelation fees when they decide to cancel.
Incidentally, the RAAF was very interested in the TSR2, but bought the much more expensive F111, but didn't get it until ten years after it was ordered!
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Post by turboNZ on Sept 14, 2006 9:26:35 GMT 12
Nice pics, the Victor has quite a majestic shape, but wouldn't look out of place on a "Thunderbirds" set !!
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Post by phil82 on Sept 14, 2006 13:28:51 GMT 12
My first meeting with a Victor, as written in another draft!
" Well, I'm cold and wet, it's pitch black apart from the snow in the headlights and around the runway lights. In the distance there is the occasional shape of other Victors on the pans and the orange lighting, otherwise it's as black as. The squawk box announces "Landing and Streaming" which means a Victor is about to land and stream his parachute, but as I am at the runway turn off point I can't see him at all! Then suddenly there appears this huge white aircraft, and conversation goes out the window because the noise is horrendous, even with ear defenders on. He turns off the runway and stops, waiting for us to do our thing, which is to check the wheels for brake fires. So we plug into the aircraft to talk to the Captain, tell him the wheels are chocked and to release the brakes, then it's off under the screaming monster to check both main bogies, sixteen wheels in all. All of a sudden the cold, the wet, the darkness just disappear from your mind as you become very aware that there is good chance of you cracking your head open on one of the many projections, and whatever I do, I must avoid the intakes and jet-blast. Funnily enough I'm wondering where this aircraft has been for the last eight hours! Up near Murmansk I shouldn't wonder, because that's what they do, and this one is nuclear armed. I hope it doesn't go off while I'm under here! Still the brakes are hot, but that's normal, so a quick thumbs up to the guy on the intercom, before I realise he can't see me through the snow, so I have to move up and tap him on the shoulder. Then the OK to the Captain, and we run out of the away because there are two more aircraft behind him to land. The pilot winds the mighty engines up, and gradually pulls away. I see the squadron guys have come out in a Landrover to lead him in because I doubt he can see much from there!. Then it's back to the next aircraft. The chute guys can't get off the runway fast enough, so they just drag it off and wait for the last aircraft, then when he's safely on hs way, the Tower says we can pack it in for the night. It seem like I've been out here for hours, but all three aircraft were down and parked within 15 minutes. So off around the peri-track, very slowly, because the snow has turned everything into a featureless wilderness. Ther are no reference points, and I can no longer see the hangars or any lights. Snow has a tunnel effect when you're driving into it, so best stop I think and call the Tower, and they quickly point you in the right direction until you see something which is hopefully not a parked aircaft. Getting into the Airmans" Mess for a duty meal and it's like lunchtime; full of wet people hoeing into plates of chips with tinned corned beef, and all ofa sudden there's a feeling of relief. First night out and I didn't put a foot wrong!"
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Post by turboNZ on Sept 14, 2006 14:07:17 GMT 12
Fascinating stuff, Phil.
Thanks !!!!
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