This is in part a test post to see how well it works. As my photograph collection was in danger of being drastically trimmed down, I decided to give at least some of the photos an airing. A first impression is that this message will take up about half my allocated attachment space, but I will worry about that later.
As a student, I attended a couple of short courses at Cranfield c.1970 and was able to take some photographs.
The College had recently acquired three HP Jestreams (probably from the Handley Page Receivers) still in their grubby production line yellow – G-AXUM, G-AXUN, G-AXUI. The Basset and Twin Commanche were used for research, the type of which I am not aware. The Paris was used as a high-altitude classroom and the Hunter was used for aquaplaning research. The miscellaneous Cessnas, Auster, Pup etc, I have no idea what they were doing there. Notice the absence of health and safety notices and yellow handrails – those were the days. I am also impressed by the ancient tractor in the Hunter picture.
That covers the maintenance area. To follow later is some coverage of the Technical Collection and Outside.
By: waghorn41 - 12th May 2012 at 13:13
Interesting to read about the Jetstreams as I caught one in grubby primer at Sywell around the same time, G-AXUO.
By: waghorn41 - 12th May 2012 at 13:13
Interesting to read about the Jetstreams as I caught one in grubby primer at Sywell around the same time, G-AXUO.
By: EGTC - 11th May 2012 at 21:33
23 left, so must have gone over your house…if you were born then…:D
Ahh the days when 23 was 23L! I was born in 1984 😉 😀 hehe.
My nan may have seen it though!
By: EGTC - 11th May 2012 at 21:33
23 left, so must have gone over your house…if you were born then…:D
Ahh the days when 23 was 23L! I was born in 1984 😉 😀 hehe.
My nan may have seen it though!
By: pagen01 - 11th May 2012 at 17:36
Here’e Swift XF114 at Cranfield, http://picasaweb.google.com/ianmacfarlane10/19651966FilePhotographs#5081155226705139634
I seem to think that ‘Dizzy’ Adicott conducted the braking and aquaplaning trials?
By: pagen01 - 11th May 2012 at 17:36
Here’e Swift XF114 at Cranfield, http://picasaweb.google.com/ianmacfarlane10/19651966FilePhotographs#5081155226705139634
I seem to think that ‘Dizzy’ Adicott conducted the braking and aquaplaning trials?
By: Banupa - 11th May 2012 at 17:02
23 left, so must have gone over your house…if you were born then…:D
By: Banupa - 11th May 2012 at 17:02
23 left, so must have gone over your house…if you were born then…:D
By: EGTC - 11th May 2012 at 15:52
If the Swift was black, it was probably the one used in landing trials at Heathrow when I was a lad, playing football in my school field. It did several approaches and it was some years later that I learned it was being used to research the effects of snow and slush on runways, as a result of the Munich Ambassador crash. As I recall, the fights took place in the summer, so presumably ice and snow was imported? :confused:
Interesting! Considering you grew up not far from where I grew up, was it approaching runway 23?
By: EGTC - 11th May 2012 at 15:52
If the Swift was black, it was probably the one used in landing trials at Heathrow when I was a lad, playing football in my school field. It did several approaches and it was some years later that I learned it was being used to research the effects of snow and slush on runways, as a result of the Munich Ambassador crash. As I recall, the fights took place in the summer, so presumably ice and snow was imported? :confused:
Interesting! Considering you grew up not far from where I grew up, was it approaching runway 23?
By: Banupa - 11th May 2012 at 14:47
If the Swift was black, it was probably the one used in landing trials at Heathrow when I was a lad, playing football in my school field. It did several approaches and it was some years later that I learned it was being used to research the effects of snow and slush on runways, as a result of the Munich Ambassador crash. As I recall, the fights took place in the summer, so presumably ice and snow was imported? :confused:
By: Banupa - 11th May 2012 at 14:47
If the Swift was black, it was probably the one used in landing trials at Heathrow when I was a lad, playing football in my school field. It did several approaches and it was some years later that I learned it was being used to research the effects of snow and slush on runways, as a result of the Munich Ambassador crash. As I recall, the fights took place in the summer, so presumably ice and snow was imported? :confused:
By: avion ancien - 11th May 2012 at 12:19
There’s a picture of this airframe at Cranfield in 1960 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_545 (Note the Boulton-Paul P111 VT935 in the background…Cranfield acquired her in 1958, helping to date the picture of XA181)
Also in the background is what appears to be the fin of ex-BOAC Comet 1 G-ALYX, which is recorded as having been broken up at Farnborough in June 1955. Does anyone know the story behind its presence at Cranfield three years or more later?
By: avion ancien - 11th May 2012 at 12:19
There’s a picture of this airframe at Cranfield in 1960 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_545 (Note the Boulton-Paul P111 VT935 in the background…Cranfield acquired her in 1958, helping to date the picture of XA181)
Also in the background is what appears to be the fin of ex-BOAC Comet 1 G-ALYX, which is recorded as having been broken up at Farnborough in June 1955. Does anyone know the story behind its presence at Cranfield three years or more later?
By: l.garey - 11th May 2012 at 09:06
When I visited Cranfield in November 1962 the rear fuselage of Swift WK248was there, as well as the Supermarine 545 XA181. I didn’t see XF114 though.
By: l.garey - 11th May 2012 at 09:06
When I visited Cranfield in November 1962 the rear fuselage of Swift WK248was there, as well as the Supermarine 545 XA181. I didn’t see XF114 though.
By: Consul - 9th May 2012 at 17:53
The Swift was XF114 and survives as G-SWIF in store. It was all black when in use at Cranfield still then with military serial. It went for use as an ground instructional airframe at the college to Connah’s Quay, before being sold and going to Hurn for return to flight, but that project was abandoned.
Tim
By: Consul - 9th May 2012 at 17:53
The Swift was XF114 and survives as G-SWIF in store. It was all black when in use at Cranfield still then with military serial. It went for use as an ground instructional airframe at the college to Connah’s Quay, before being sold and going to Hurn for return to flight, but that project was abandoned.
Tim
By: HP111 - 9th May 2012 at 17:43
HP111
The “Swift” you refer to may well have been the never-completed Supermarine 545 (the so-called “Supersonic Swift” XA181. The Supermarine 545 project was cancelled in 1955, when XA181 was almost complete. The airframe was then acquired by Cranfield, but according to all reports, was largely scrapped in the mid-1960s. By 1967 only the wings survived
There’s a picture of this airframe at Cranfield in 1960 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_545 (Note the Boulton-Paul P111 VT935 in the background…Cranfield acquired her in 1958, helping to date the picture of XA181)
Did the “Swift” you refer to look anything like this perhaps…
…..
Or – since were are talking about 1970-71 – was the Swift in question a completely different airframe?
It was most likely a conventional Swift as it was used for running along the runway in aquaplannng trials. So I have read anyway. I don’t have any direct knowledge. In 1971 the tail unit of Swift WK248 was in the Display Collection, so that may have been a relic of the earlier craft.
By: HP111 - 9th May 2012 at 17:43
HP111
The “Swift” you refer to may well have been the never-completed Supermarine 545 (the so-called “Supersonic Swift” XA181. The Supermarine 545 project was cancelled in 1955, when XA181 was almost complete. The airframe was then acquired by Cranfield, but according to all reports, was largely scrapped in the mid-1960s. By 1967 only the wings survived
There’s a picture of this airframe at Cranfield in 1960 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_545 (Note the Boulton-Paul P111 VT935 in the background…Cranfield acquired her in 1958, helping to date the picture of XA181)
Did the “Swift” you refer to look anything like this perhaps…
…..
Or – since were are talking about 1970-71 – was the Swift in question a completely different airframe?
It was most likely a conventional Swift as it was used for running along the runway in aquaplannng trials. So I have read anyway. I don’t have any direct knowledge. In 1971 the tail unit of Swift WK248 was in the Display Collection, so that may have been a relic of the earlier craft.
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May 8, 2012 at 6:11 pm