Empire of the clouds

On the point (above) re the current UK Aerospace Industry, I think we should factor in successful businesses such as Astrium (featured on “How to build…a satellite” on TV last week). Based in Stevenage and Portsmouth, they are apparently very much the cutting-edge of satellite technology (and are set to benefit from increased Govt R&D funding for satellite mapping, according to today’s BBC website news reports). And yet until last week and a chance conversation with an employee I had not heared of them!

I got the hardback for £3.99 in The Works a couple of months ago.

Loved it. Despite the massive age difference between myself and the author, I could completely relate to what he saw and felt growing up. It only confirms what my friend have always told me – I should have been born 50 years earlier!

Can’t recommend this book enough. I was itching to learn more about Britains post-war aviation industry, and this scratched the itch perfectly.

The hard-back, with Vulcan (carrying Skybolt, perhaps?) on the front, is currently going for £6.50 in the National Archives shop, in Kew.

eb is spot on. Aero has no distinctive claim to privilege (i.e to our taxes) and must earn its place in the sun. It has no more inherent rights than did, say Massey Ferguson tractors (which were also tax-subsidised). Bauxite, turned into a product with a finite life cycle. Nothing special. There has been no decline. Only a refusal by Govts. to squander our taxes on nonsenses. The resources presently deployed by UK-Aero are earning more for us, at lower subsidy (in real, diluted money) than did the larger employment-Aero of, say 1949. Go to the Farnborough Show book and marvel at the range of prototypes, each milch-cow for a hefty design team. Then look at how many were sold, at market, for money. Few.

This book actually addresses test pilots’ exploits, often in overcoming design/construction shortcomings. Its mutterings about a golden yesteryear are exactly that: mutterings. Today I met a Javelin pilot and commiserated with him. Quite so, he said. We read up on Kamikazes and despaired. They had half a chance of doing some good. We knew we had none. Yet, largely US-funded, we deployed 428 Harmonious Dragmasters. Useless. There was no golden yesteryear.

The original paperback is currently 2.99 in my local branch of ‘The Works’.

BTW anyone noticed the mistake in that edition on the caption to the photo showing two Buccs? It says Bucc S1s when in fact you can see by the intake sizes it’s actually an S1 and an S2.

yes I will be getting out more when the better weather arrives.

What was the last all British fighter produced…the SHar and that retired a good few years ago. Britain may be involved in a lot of stuff but we’re not exactly self sufficient any more, not like Sweden.

Compared to what we did have I think the view of the decline of British aviation is justifiable.

GrahamSimons,

“…sad inevitable decline of the UK’s aviation industry…”

“…bean counters really sell us down the river…”

PeterVerney,

“..sold down the river…”

For goodness sake what is wrong with you people? The UK has the second largest aerospace industry on the face of the planet, by whichever method you care to count it. The US is by far the largest and it is inevitable that the Chinese and Indian industries will eventually overtake the UK after all they are vast countries with 1.2 Billion people!

How on earth could things have been any better? Do you seriously believe that the UK could have sustained an aerospace industry larger than that of the US? These companies exist and existed for one reason and one reason only, to make a profit for their shareholders. This they do remarkably well.

The UK has an enormous spread of industrial and design involvement across a huge spectrum of the industry, from Eurofighter Typhoon (37.5% British by manufacture, 90% British by concept and design) 60% of the A380, 25% of the F-35, Learjet fuselage and empennage manufacture, C Series wing design and build, the most successful ejection seat maker in the world, the 2nd largest engine manufacturer in the world, satellite manufacture and assembly, to still manufacturing the 125 airframes for Beech Hawker,
just to pick out some activities of a few of the major companies.
On the smaller company front the UK is even more successful, it has more SME (small to medium enterprises) in aerospace than France, Germany and Italy combined!

In Waterstones yesterday and the paperback was £9.99 and 25% off, the large hardback was £25.

For anyone who isn’t already sold on James Hamilton-Paterson’s excellent book there’s a good review on

http://londongrip.co.uk/2011/09/book-review-lost-empire/

“I know my place” Ronnie Corbett.

Roger Smith.

Bomb door(s)???? Well that’s artistic licence for you…….

I saw the Vulcan cover edition for sale at a book store at LHR.
They might be at regular book stores at bargain prices.

I’ve also recently bought it and dipped into it; it’s superb, and also deeply sad.

Also, Aircrew member depicted is wearing the later “green stuff” with (looks like to me) 52′ pattern Boots?

Forgot to mention the politicians—–shooting is too good for them.

Regardless which edition you have, it is a must read for my generation. Sold down the river sums it up precisely, all bankers and bean counters should be shot on sight.

Vulcan?… wot Vulcan?

No, while it is an atmospheric painting that captures the spirit of the Vulcan quite well, the artist has painted the bomb-doors both open and closed!

Here we have it. Maybe not the best depiction of a bomb bay door ever.

It isn’t a store…..it’s the bomb-doors! 😉