Link Trainer – need advice

Hi James,

Yes that’s a D4 complete with the factory supplied desk.

There are a few small differences with the blue being a lighter shade than I remember and my version has a spectacle control rather than stick as shown.

They can be identified from the earlier ANT and C versions by the lack of stub wings and tail feathers.

Two main variants were produced by Link Singer

D4 based on piston engined Provost
D4 Mk 2 based on Jet Provost

The version I was most usually on was the piston version. Strathallan had a D4 (not sure of the mark) wrapped on top of the offices and East Fortune had 5 in various states of strip (a couple of piston variants and a couple of jet variants.

Regards
Ross

That last pic is how I remember seeing them. I’ve never yet seen any of the perspex canopy ones, all I’ve seen are the ones with the solid white canopy. Any that had the rudimetary wings and tail fitted always seemed to have them in the same colour as the canopy.

A13-xx ‘cos you can’t crash them.

The RAAF Museum has a very original example on show, which is complete with table, crab, and generator for the bellows. I’m told it is workable.

They were given the A13- series number as they couldn’t crash and burn, although I believe one (abroad in another service – USAAC?) was tipped over somewhere…

http://www.raaf.gov.au/raafmuseum/exhibitions/train_dis.htm#simulators

I could get a batch of photos from the public viewing area if you want, next Tuesday. Let me know.

How the colours relate to RAF schemes I don’t know. One could assume (always a risk) that the RAAF scheme mirrored the RAF one, as they did in so many ways in the 30s. I’d feel reasonably certain that the manufacturer supplied equipment was in one scheme, as outlined by Ross.

Didn’t Aeroclub do a kit of one? If not, they should – eh, JohnAeroclub? 😀

Cheers

The one we have, and are lead to believe is an RAF one, is overall blue.

I know;) We are planning some road trips (XL319 tour or Newcastle College business trips) so we may yet arrange to visit.

The Link is at Boscombe Down

😀 I would come down, but sadly your website does not have an address…..:D .

Seriously, because of the distance from Sunderland to anywhere else, we would have to make a weekend of it, so for now, field trips are limited to a couple of hours travelling (even Bruntingthorpe and Derby were a push in a single day).

Our link has been painted a rather offensive blue, and it has to be done right while we have the motivation and opportunity. I’ll post some pics over on the NEAM updates thread later tonight.

Thanks for your efforts so far.

LL

blue….come and see it!

NEAM are restoring their Link Trainer (C3 varient or similar). Were there any standard colour schemes used by the RAF for this type of Link? Same with the map table – were they purpose built tables, natural wood or painted?

Does anyone have a good colour picture that they would be able to post?

I’ve tried Googling them and only get USAF ones, or a single while RAF one. We have nothing in the archives of any use for this exhibit.

Thanks in advance. (as always)

LL

There are two in Svedinos Museum in Sweden, and one in the museum at Langley, near Vancouver, as pictured here.

Hi LL,

In the 70s I worked on a D4.

Pedestal and Bellows – matt black crinkle finish
Fuselage – Dark Blue all over
Sliding cover – natural off white
Desk and overhead – Olive drab semi gloss (may have been gloss as it was not polished for yonks)
Local area map under glass on top of matt black desk top.
Crab – matt black crinkle finish

On the desk
Large metal construction about 6′ by 4′
Cupboards below on left and right with centre knee well
Recess ontop with full size glass plate covering local map
Set of three instrument repeaters on angled bezel box
Round tube frame to form overhead gantry for beam equipment and umbilical for crab.

Regards
Ross

1349 Woking Sqn ATC had a fully operative Link in the late 70’s which matched the above description perfectly. As stated, the map/crab table was a large purpose built metal unit from the original manufacturer and contained all the necessay switches etc plus a couple of crank handles for applying prevailing wind direction (and wind speed IIRC). Spent many happy hours “flying” in that Link in my “yoof”.

Paul F

This was taken at Newark earlier this year, looking down from their Phantom sim / cockpit

The canopy seems to be silver and the base unit black – I hope that it helps. You could contact them to check the details they have a major training theme running through the collection!

http://www.newarkairmuseum.org/

Great, Cheers guys. Keep going with pics if possible, the more info we have, the better…:D

The one at Newark is blue and yellow – you can just make it out in the Phantom cockpit picture on their website…

http://www.newarkairmuseum.org/location.htm

Top left of the main picture! From memory their plotting table is matt dark green.

They also have another unit under restoration at the moment, not sure what colour it will be when finished.

Hi LL,

In the 70s I worked on a D4.

Pedestal and Bellows – matt black crinkle finish
Fuselage – Dark Blue all over
Sliding cover – natural off white
Desk and overhead – Olive drab semi gloss (may have been gloss as it was not polished for yonks)
Local area map under glass on top of matt black desk top.
Crab – matt black crinkle finish

On the desk
Large metal construction about 6′ by 4′
Cupboards below on left and right with centre knee well
Recess ontop with full size glass plate covering local map
Set of three instrument repeaters on angled bezel box
Round tube frame to form overhead gantry for beam equipment and umbilical for crab.

Regards
Ross

The ones I’ve seen were all medium blue fuselage and white blind flying canopy.

link trainer

I had the good fortune to service a link trainer c1965/66 at RAF Oakington,photos somewhere at my daughters in England!The colour of the actual moving part was a medium blue.The table was a purpose built(IE came from the maker)and was dark green.It will take me a while to get the negs as I am in Russia right now but sometime in the new year may get you copy!

Search and Rescue simulator? 😀

The Link Trainer at MAM is painted yellow. This could be a whim though as it used to be blue. :rolleyes:

.

We have 2 of these, one is white as can be seen below, the other is in deep store and I haven’t seen it for years and cant remember what colour it is, I am certain it is not white.

I will try and get a look at it in the next few days and some better photos

At a guess I would say they were blue with yellow wings

These may help

http://files.asme.org/ASMEORG/Communities/History/Landmarks/5585.pdf

http://www.starksravings.com/linktrainer/linktrainer.htm