American Air Museum

Oh no.
If you’ve ever flown a helicopter, you’d understand.

.

Not flown one, but my first ever flight was in a chopper out of Waddington – cost 3 weeks paper round and well worth it! Loved it!

Oh no.
If you’ve ever flown a helicopter, you’d understand.

I admit, I’ have different tastes…but to me, few aircraft are as fun as a classic Bell 47.

I agree with you J Boyle, only ever had a ride once in a RAF Sioux(Agusta Bell 47) at RAF Ternhill in 1971 after being part of a team that had done a Minor inspection and somebody from the servicing team had to go on the first flight to handle the clipboard, pen and stopwatch! My main job was to keep watch for the pesky macines that could and did go any which way. After noting different engine revs at certain altitudes and attitudes came the piece de resistance. The auto rotation test . Reduce revs, pilot says start stop watch and down we go. A funny feeling that I have never experienced since as we dropped down with the rotors windmilling until the autorotation took effect and we landed with very little effect, and the stopwatch stopped and time taken noted. Pilot confirms the Sioux is ok for flight and we takeoff for Ternhill. Ray
If you want to learn more about the first succesful civil helicopter go to http//www.arthuryoung.com/maker.html

Carn’t you guys just go and buy some ‘F’s off the shelf !

Tony,
Yes. Lots of Mk4 meetings here and Ridley Park.

J Boyle – never tried a Bell 47 (or any piston helicopter) but always keen to try a classic if the wings go round or not!!

Isn’t that an oxymoron?;)

Oh no.
If you’ve ever flown a helicopter, you’d understand.

I admit, I’ have different tastes…but to me, few aircraft are as fun as a classic Bell 47.

I am wondering if I know you Evalu8ter!?

Moggy,
I prefer to call it ‘vibrating with style’!

I enjoy a secret love of planks, as long as they have a propeller and can turn upside down….

Tony,
Gosh – after all that time in Philly I had a senior moment – of course 718 is going to be a Mk4, though I hope to hear of the first hop (or clatter!!) of a Mk6 soon.

Charlie,
Banter makes the world go round – as does a tail rotor failure! I agree, it’s hard for a helicopter to have Charisma; the Chinook probably does.

Now an F101A/C in Robin Olds’ markings would be a wonderful exhibit. As a tangible link between the US and UK, he’s hard to better (WW2 P38/P51 based in the UK, OC 1 Sqn and CO of the 81st TFW at Bentwaters. An ace in one war and nearly in another….

[QUOTE=Evalu8ter;1987751
Yet Lightnings, Phantoms and F3s clutter up museums all over the place…..[/QUOTE]

Ah, but they all do have charisma.:D

Yes , of course choppers have a role to play but ever since Farnborough visits in the fifties and thereafter they have just never done anything for me. I have no idea why. Hence my tongue-in-the-cheek gibes.:)

Moderator or not, in this case Moggy you are just being a troll!!

You should know that my dislike for all things clattery is long-running and consistent.

I’ll grant you they are quite useful. But you really can’t call it ‘flight’

Moggy

(If I catch myself trolling I’ll give myself some infraction points)

The IWM were offered an F-14 some years back, but turned it down due to the type’s lack of relevance to the UK. I believe it was then offered to Newark, who also turned it down.

I hope TwinOtter sees the thread and picks this point up, I am not speaking for Newark but I understood that there was an offer for an F-14, but it was buyer collect, ship, decommission, take to pieces and build again – at a massive cost.

Newark is an excellent museum, I had the pleasure of some “Up close and personal” viewings a couple of years ago, TwinOtter let me get under the Viggen etc, and bought me tea and biscuits!

Had it been possible and affordable, an F-14 (a long long sought after aircraft for me….) would be there, but alas….. 🙁

Moderator or not, in this case Moggy you are just being a troll!!

Granted, my love is more for FW, but I have a special spot for Chinooks, esp BN. Evalu8ter old chap – she wont become a Mk6 ..Mk6s are new build.
Joking aside, the sight of a Chinook when you are injured or need picking up must be a godsend. A soldier being moved around Afghanistan in a Chinook must be better/safer than in a vehicle. Cannot do that with a FW!
737s are good as are C130s but they can only rival, not exceed the benefit/contribution Chinooks have made.

… more DFCs awarded to Chinook pilots than anyone else the last 20 years

I’d expect one for climbing into the thing

Nice photo though Moggy….

Cheers. I make no pretence to be a photographer, but last year I bought a little ‘Travelzoom’, a Panasonic TZ30. More as a visual diary than anything else.

It has quite a range of controls, and what they call an “intelligent auto”. But it’s small enough to always travel with me.

No time for fiddling when I saw the Apache, just switch on point and shoot. The scene was quite heavily backlit. Blow me if “intelligent auto” didn’t select some program within the camera that took several exposures then ‘processed’ the best shot from those (Not sure if it comped more than one frame or not)

So all credit to the camera, none to me.

Moggy

Probably is an oxymoron, a bit like ‘cold war RAF AD aircraft with a meaningful combat history…..’

Yet Lightnings, Phantoms and F3s clutter up museums all over the place…..

Helicopters with charisma

Isn’t that an oxymoron?;)

Come on Moggy, there are some helicopters worthy of mention. Helicopters with charisma and history. Namely the Wessex and Huey. Wessex. The exploits in the Falklands surely gives it a place at Duxford. Huey for it’s exploits in Vietnam. Both underrated and charismatic little helicopters.

They shouldn’t be cluttering up a proper airfield though.
Moggy

Moggy, I know you’re just being difficult. 😀

As far as US helicopters with a UK link, the HH/MH-53s come to mind. Not only were the rescue/Special Operations aircraft at Woodbridge for a long time, they did very useful work in providing long range rescue work in the North Atlantic. The 1989 rescue of a ships crew some 400 miles west or Ireland, (the MS Yarrowonga) comes to mind.The trouble is, it’s very large. :0

As far as a VooDoo for the AAM…good luck finding a single seat variant to represent the F-101A/Cs based with the 81st TFW.
However, their earlier aircraft, a F-84F, would be easy to obtain and would look good in colorful 1950s 81st colours.
Sadly, many of the preserved examples in North America are in Vietnam-era camoflage, which ignores the bulk of their servive lives.

I do have something (small) I’d like to donate to the AAM…a good contact would be welcome. Please send a PM.Thanks.

Tony,

Not just more useful but more DFCs awarded to Chinook pilots than anyone else the last 20 years, and truly the symbol of the UK’s involvement in Afghanistan. It’s now an iconic aircraft.

5 won by pilots of ‘718 alone if I recall, if you stretch it to include the Falklands

Nice photo though Moggy….

Since moving down to the South West, that’s all I get to see now. Lynx, Merlins and Chinooks aplenty…and boring Easy Jet Airbuses and Thompson Boeings flying into Bristol. All a bit yawn making really!

And as for historics…forget it! 😀

Oh how I miss East Anglia!

Regards;
Steve

The “Lynx Display Dance” is when you head for the portaloo!!:diablo:

Caught this one skulking in the woods earlier in the week

Moggy