I came across these pictures taken at Boscombe Down in the early 1950’s, includes the Fairey FD1, Hunters, Cygnet G-AFVR, Vulcan canopy release trials and Hastings TE583 during Sapphire engine trials.
http://www.stilltimecollection.co.uk/detail/43540-tpt-military-air-raf-boscombe-down-handley-page-hastings-rolls-royce-jet-engines.html
Richard
By: exmpa - 14th October 2013 at 11:59
Blimey, that was an extravagant measure, mounting a whole Varsity fuselage in a rig just to test the rear door escape.
Not if you ever had to contemplate using it! The escape hatch was quite a narrow aperture and not the easiest thing from which to make a clean exit if the aircraft was not in reasonably stable flight. However we were told that the chances of survival were considerably better than risking a close encounter with the tailplane when using the rear door.
exmpa
By: davecurnock - 14th October 2013 at 09:07
[QUOTE=DaveF68;2077230]Interesting – a lot of them are ‘official’ photos (Tigercat for example) which does make you wonder about their ‘right’ to sell copies.
This is quite common, it happens with major image libraries. Although many images are in the ‘public domain’ they charge a fee for supplying a print (this comes without their watermark).
A bit naughty – after all, how did they come by the image in the first place?
By: pogno - 14th October 2013 at 08:34
Its not the rear door the crew were jumping from, if you look you can see the forward hatch below the cockpit open. The trial would see dummies and then live volunteers jumping from the hatch and hopefully clearing the ventral bulge when they were hit by the airflow provided by the Blower tunnel before they landed in the net below the fuselage. Cameras at the side would record the jumps and staff at Boscombe would analyise the film to pronounce the method safe or suggest modifications to make it so.
Thanks, I didnt realise the Varsity had an escape door there. I wonder if the fuselage ever got reunited with its missing bits.
The pic of the FD2 blower test posted by Aeronut is interesting.
Richard
By: Arabella-Cox - 14th October 2013 at 06:53
Varsity fuselage in a rig just to test the rear door escape
Its not the rear door the crew were jumping from, if you look you can see the forward hatch below the cockpit open. The trial would see dummies and then live volunteers jumping from the hatch and hopefully clearing the ventral bulge when they were hit by the airflow provided by the Blower tunnel before they landed in the net below the fuselage. Cameras at the side would record the jumps and staff at Boscombe would analyise the film to pronounce the method safe or suggest modifications to make it so.
By: DaveF68 - 13th October 2013 at 23:07
Here’s a rarity – VG919, Morane Saulnier 500 (French Built Fi156)
By: pogno - 13th October 2013 at 22:51
Blimey, that was an extravagant measure, mounting a whole Varsity fuselage in a rig just to test the rear door escape.
And the Sapphire Hastings apparantly cruised happily on the power of one jet alone, with a bit of trim no doubt.
Richard
By: DaveF68 - 13th October 2013 at 22:30
Interesting – a lot of them are ‘official’ photos (Tigercat for example) which does make you wonder about their ‘right’ to sell copies.
Interesting shots of Tempest NV922 labelled as a Typhoon!
By: Arabella-Cox - 13th October 2013 at 22:21
More Blower tunnel madness.
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Vulcan rear crew escape trials.
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Varsity crew escape trial
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You’ll never get the record like that.
BTW the Saphire Hastings was used for some early live trials into the Victor crew escape.
By: Rocketeer - 13th October 2013 at 21:54
Nice shots – that is inside the Weighbridge Hangar – the big grey hangar you see on your left as you come over the Beacon Hill on the A303 (heading West). The Vulcan Canopy trials are by the Blower Tunnel (powered by 4 x Merlins and still around)
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October 13, 2013 at 8:21 pm