Vimy Atlantic attempt

An Ill Assorted Pair.

Hi all
I have in my possession the 1969 RAF year book and it contains an article called “An Ill Assorted Pair”, about the 1919 Alcock and Brown Atlantic flight.

This article is in my opinion the best short magazine article on any aviation subject I’ve ever read.
I see it was penned by a Stan Edwards. Does anyone know anything about Mr Edwards? Who he was or if he’s still with us?

I was reminded of the piece by the threads about the current attempt.
I’ve just re-read it and it seems as fresh today as when it was written–for the fiftieth aniversary of the flight.
Cheers
Andy

We may need a bigger ladder, a Vimy might even present a challenge to Andrew-O.

Rob

If you need someone to hold your ladder…..

Got to see the Vimy in Toronto last night and the engines sound great. Very throaty. It will receive some engine work at TO as well as some camera gear being installed before it flies over to St. Johns. See the thread I posted with the photos from last night.

Eric

Thanks Rob !

It’s got Orenda engines in it now. They sound a whole lot better than when it had the BMWs revving at abbout 6000 rpm

Steady on, Nosedive – it’s hard enough cleaning the Anson, let alone a bloody Vimy! 😀

Does anybody know what the future holds for it as and when it reaches its destination, I remember reading that it might be up for sale (from @eroplane monthly I think :confused: )

Might it be something that the Shuttleworth Collection would be interested in acquiring?

What engines are in it now? Last I heard BMW got cold feet over product liability or similar and wouldn’t support them.

Got a chance to see the Vimy and speak with the crew when they stopped in Oshkosh yesterday. They are doing it purely with sextant, compass & drift meter. No GPS back up. Curiously we’ll all be able to watch the live feed on the internet and have a much better understanding of where they are than the crew.

Yes,and no GPS! They are doing it the way of the period–sextant and compass!
Surely there will be a back up,in case the winds aren’t as forecast?

That Vimy has sure done some travelling since 1994!

It seems that they have permission to land on the Golf Course at Clifden, near to the bog where the first flight returned to earth.

What an incredible flight to attempt in an 80 year old design, I cannot think of anything to compare. Even the WW11 era bombers and fighters that have flown the Atlantic in recent times have done it by the northern route, with relatively short hops.
Mustn’t forget Maurice Kirk, who has done some huge ocean flights in his Cub.

Does anybody know what the future holds for it as and when it reaches its destination, I remember reading that it might be up for sale (from @eroplane monthly I think :confused: )

Well, seeing as I’m in Ireland, as soon as I hear they’ve taken off for the crossing I’ll head for a certain patch of County Clare and await the sticky landing!

The attempt to cross the North Atlantic in the replica Vickers Vimy is due to start in the next month. The aircraft is making its way in stages across the US to be in position in Newfoundland by June 1st. There it will wait for suitable weather. See:- http://www.vimy.org/home.html
mmitch.

MM,
thanks for the link.
I was only talking to someone about the Vimy, this very morning.
I hope they succeeed and we’ll see the aircraft and crew here, safe and in one piece.
Good stuff.
Andy