Wyvern conta props

I seem to recall that the main problem with the Wyvern was the huge props going into fine pitch when the mechanism failed (which they did). This left the pilot flying a very heavy aircraft with a massive airbrake upfront,with virtually no chance of retaining control during the resulting flare if force landed.It was probably the most dangerous of postwar production aircraft with regard to accident rate in relation to numbers built and hours flown.

Last one is also a Rollason version.All these Turbs Longshot be careful you do not get the viewers over excited they will want one !!!.
I always remember ‘Michaels’ warning to new Turb drivers in case they got carried away with low level ‘antics’ :- Be careful with the controls, if you spin in it will be like falling off a tall building in an orange crate !! finger tips and toes was all that was needed.

Turbulents

Nice shot of TKR Longshot,this was ‘crafted’ by a BEA engineer and finished to a superb standard. However it was not overpowered as it had a VW 1200 without the Porsche bits. The remedy was to ‘swop the block’ with a 1500 out of a VW Variant (plus h-comp pistons) and the cruise went from 55 to 85 !! and 2.2 galls per hour.
In this state it flew in the TC Turb Team,and led the Rollason machines until biting the dust at the Shoreham display in 74.
OTK was built by DH apprentices (the TK bit being in homage to the TK series of machines from DH)
REZ is as they came out of Croydon (production standard) with the ‘tweaked’ 1200. One of the ‘by products’ of the 1500 refit was the slight extra weight up front and consequent extra care required not to end up on ones nose whilst using the brakes.
Looks like CJ landing PMX !!!

Very Pistol Signal Lamp

The Very and Aldis really went with the ‘Runway van’ before radio, as to be effective the items have to in the area where the pilot is looking (ahead).
No doubt some one will be along to confirm that the RAF maintained this van service long after the ‘watch office’ became the ‘control tower’,as those buildings are rarely a substitute in a ‘landing incident’ due to their location,although a lamp is certainly still part of the ‘Tower’ set up.

When it comes to ‘wheels’; there are those who ‘Have’, those who ‘May’,those who ‘Will’, those who have ‘Not Yet’, and the ‘Never’ situation can be reserved for when you give up flying.
Nowadays it is an expensive incident for a war bird; Prop,shock load,and airframe repairs,but has to be balanced against the priviledge we all have to see these machines still fly.

The Turbulent

The Rollason machines had a certain ‘stamp’ on them. The original ones had a very light but powerful VW1200-1300 engine with Porsche cylinders with a ‘lawn mower’ type of hand starter mounted in the cockpit.With the optional sliding canopy and spats they were both nimble and had clean lines.The dominating instrument on the panel was a fullsize ‘Tiger Moth’ air driven T&S with a warning from Norman that ALL AIRCRAFT BITE FOOLS.Their classic flying qualities made them a dream for formation work; ‘Diamond Nine’ at Farnborough in 61 and the ‘Turb Team’ still perform decades later.
The CoA mod’s beefed up the spar but ruined the elevator feel,which did not need to be done.The early engines had an issue with fuel pump drives and crankshaft failures but when VW bought out the 1500 unit the Turb gained a reliable unit (with slight weight gain) plus ‘off the shelf parts from your local dealer’.
Turbs are flown with finger tips and toes, but handle like a dream and create a massive SMILE on your face.

War Lover

There was also the B17 fuselage that sat outside the old Terminal at Croydon for some time after the film was finished,what happend to that.

Film Remake’s

ANY Film is just entertainment, and has to appeal to a wide audience if it is to recoup the cost of shooting.
In the case of two of the classic’s:- RFTS,and the DB they had the advantage of being in black and white thereby being in accord with most of the still images of the period.In their day nobody could ‘rewind’ parts to check if the ‘rivets’ were correct or the camo was the correct shade,or the buildings were real,as it was the story and actors that carried the day.
Kenneth Moore and Richard Todd happened to be ‘right’ for the parts and were backed up by a script that worked well (Dont prod the AOC with your pipe Turner) , and Redgrave as Wallis being shocked by the looses got the message across.
The paying public who will decide whether a film succeeds or not are the jury as far as the studio’s are concerned,and if it means a few more aircraft get refurbished or just remembered then thats a bonus.The 1968 BOB effort was not a commercial success,but it certainly gave us a massive boost in airworthy machines that would have prob been lost by now.
As it happens ‘First Light’ was on again last night,and i always thought they missed one of the best bits when Geoff meets Roger Bushell,but even i cringe when they are seated in those LLoyd Loom ‘stacking’ version of the classic chairs which was a complete nonsense when there are plenty of period ones available.(how do they get the simple things so wrong).

Aviation Films

Reach for the Sky:- All of it, Genuine 11 Group airfield (Kenley) and lots of original buildings used.

Tora Tora Tora :- The re’enactment of Lt Welch and Taylors epic run (by cars) from Wheeler to Haleiwa dispersed strip direct to the two ‘running’ P40’s and subsequent ‘no checks ‘ scramble into combat,followed by superb action shots with compression streamers off the wing tips.Well shot sequence,and it really happened.

12 O’clock High :- All of it, but especially the runway shot with the ‘ghost starters’ winding up followed by the swaying grass.

B o B :- The Bouchon’s (109’s) strafing the ‘lame ducks’ and the simple shot of the Spitfire being pushed out of a Belfast shed.