This bought back happy memories.
Mark
By: pagen01 - 20th February 2011 at 10:45
Excellent shots, must have been a great thing to able to learn on in the ATC!
Your above post is a sharp reminder that most news of this aircraft seems about ten years old now, I take it is still very much alive and well?
Just noticed aswel that the airstrip seems to terminate as a cliff on the mountain side, wonderfull looking place though.
By: lauriebe - 20th February 2011 at 01:50
Attached below are some of the last photos that I took of VP441 outside our ATC Sqn HQ in Ernesettle, Plymouth.
They were taken in mid-January 1964 as she was being recovered by a team from the RN. As is evident in the photos, she had suffered a great deal at the hands of some mindless local vandals. We were sorry to lose her but glad that she was to be preserved.
That was the last time that I saw this aircraft until I visited Ezells facility at Breckenridge, Texas, in May 2001.
By: galdri - 19th February 2011 at 21:52
Forget the Seafire, however nice she is!!! I would really, really like a private place like that :eek::D
By: bazv - 19th February 2011 at 19:47
In other words – not very much! 😉
Crosswind/gusts ? 😉
By: Mark V - 19th February 2011 at 18:12
On landing…once the throttle is at idle then I would imagine that the 47 would swing as readily as any other spit/seafire.
In other words – not very much! 😉
By: Robert Whitton - 19th February 2011 at 18:10
I think the airfield wins over the Seafire!
By: Mark12 - 19th February 2011 at 17:11
With a contra-prop any swing would be unlikely as long as the wind was directly down the runway. In Bob LeBlancs photo there will be lots of people swinging their golf clubs. Now thats dangerous!
What a fantastic airstrip (and Seafire). What would you prefer the Seafire or the airstrip?
Well actually it is a private runway down the side of a private and personal 18 hole golf course…with its own full size Stone Henge.
No conflict of golfers and aviators. 🙂
By: bazv - 19th February 2011 at 16:37
With a contra-prop any swing would be unlikely as long as the wind was directly down the runway. In Bob LeBlancs photo there will be lots of people swinging their golf clubs. Now thats dangerous!
What a fantastic airstrip (and Seafire). What would you prefer the Seafire or the airstrip?
On landing…once the throttle is at idle then I would imagine that the 47 would swing as readily as any other spit/seafire.
The contra props may make it a little less ‘swingy’ on take off though !!
By: bazv - 19th February 2011 at 16:35
It might be just cautious landing technique given the location/close surrounds of/to the runway,I guess doing a ‘wheeler’ gives better vis/directional control a little longer than doing a 3 pointer .
Or does the heavier propeller unit make a 3 pointer difficult perhaps ??
I am sure Mark 12 will have the answer
rgds baz
By: Robert Whitton - 19th February 2011 at 16:33
With a contra-prop any swing would be unlikely as long as the wind was directly down the runway. In Bob LeBlancs photo there will be lots of people swinging their golf clubs. Now thats dangerous!
What a fantastic airstrip (and Seafire). What would you prefer the Seafire or the airstrip?
By: Seafuryfan - 19th February 2011 at 15:49
Stunning. The landing technique was interesting in that it was a long two-wheeler, unlike the three pointers more commonly seen.
Any particular reason for this, anyone, or was it just a plain fast landing?
By: pagen01 - 19th February 2011 at 14:43
SX154
Thanks Mk.12!
By: Mark12 - 19th February 2011 at 14:31
Lovely stuff Peter 😀
But you wouldnt want to swing off that rwy would you ?
No you wouldn’t. 🙂
Image :-Bob LeBlanc
By: DocStirling - 19th February 2011 at 13:31
What an amazing sight and sound – beautiful aircraft in a stunning location. It almost looks unreal. I have an rc simulation that uses photorealistic backgrounds, and this almost could be one of them, it is just perfect!
ds
By: Mark12 - 19th February 2011 at 13:06
Thanks Lauriebe, I would think he knew it nearer the mid ’60s time than the late ’50s.
I have seen pics of it at Culdrose in essentially the colours it’s in now, so guessing just post restoration, I might have asked this before but do you know the identity of the single prop Seafire that was displayed on a pole at Culdrose?
SX154
By: bazv - 19th February 2011 at 09:52
Lovely stuff Peter 😀
But you wouldnt want to swing off that rwy would you ?
By: pagen01 - 19th February 2011 at 09:47
Thanks Lauriebe, I would think he knew it nearer the mid ’60s time than the late ’50s.
I have seen pics of it at Culdrose in essentially the colours it’s in now, so guessing just post restoration, I might have asked this before but do you know the identity of the single prop Seafire that was displayed on a pole at Culdrose?
By: lauriebe - 19th February 2011 at 02:03
Pagen01, yes, this aeroplane was allocated to my old ATC Sqn, 335 (2nd Plymouth), as a training airframe in 1958. It fitted in between two of our wooden training huts with the wings folded.
Had it not been able to fit in that space, it would have been scrapped by the Royal Naval Engineering College at Manadon, Crownhill, Plymouth. It remained with us until mid-January 1964 when it was recovered to RNAS Culdrose for restoration to static standard.
By: pagen01 - 18th February 2011 at 20:19
Fantastic looking machine and ultimate inline piston fighter* IMO.
The FAA knew how to make Eagles from Turkeys!
Did this one spend time at a Plymouth ATC, a friend of mine reckoned used to clamber around in one and thinks this is it?
Oh to be in the position to have that beautiful bit of land, a runway on it, and a ’47 to fly from it – could it get any better, that last shot really conveys that feeling 🙂
*today, other days it can be the Hornet!
By: D1566 - 18th February 2011 at 20:11
Spectacular and Beautiful, bizarre strobe effect with the contra-prop!
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February 16, 2011 at 8:02 pm