Well I don’t know that the splines on the propeller shaft would be the same for the Centaurus and the R-3350 engines (unless there was some allied wartime standardisation?) so at the very least a new spider would need to be designed and manufactured (and probably certified). None of this would be quick, easy or cheap.

Besides why would you want to change the Centaurus in a sea Fury? There may be anecdotal evidence that the Centaurus is unreliable but I think the R-3350 was originally fitted by those who wanted to air-race the Sea Fury in the US and the supplies of parts were more plentiful and there had been more work done on the R-3350 to increase the power output.

I know most people admire the ‘look’ of an aircraft but to my mind the engine is as important as any other aspect of a vintage aircraft, possibly even the most important aspect because the engine turns it from a sculpture into an aircraft. If you want to separate the authenticity of airframe and engine fine, but ask yourself this:

If there were a problem with the airframe of a Spitfire, would you be happy to replace that airframe with that from a Balliol to keep the Merlin engine flying?

The Centaurus is also a very important aero-engine historically. Britain was the only country to produce large numbers of sleeve-valve engines and to use them successfully. The manufacture of these Bristol engines is a story of dogged determination and engineering excellence that shouldn’t be forgotten, and that should be a lesson for anybody today.

There are very few chances to see a sleeve-valve engine powered aircraft flying but those chances are getting better in the UK. I’m sure the RNHF will sort out the problems with their Sea Fury Centaurus engines and we will once again see these beautiful aircraft in our skies as a tribute to all those that designed, built, maintained and flew them.

…when it comes to judging attractiveness men (surprise,surprise) tend to go for the conventional busty blonde…

I’m sick of all this stereotyping! 😡 You know, we’re not all shallow…..I actually prefer busty brunettes! :diablo:

He was forced to sell to pay off the leaches, sorry lawyers.

They are happy now, they have his money and he’s dead.

I’m not sure you can really blame the lawyers. ‘Michael Jackson ©’ was a multi-billion dollar industry and, like any large corporation, would have spent millions on legal representation. Of course Jackson was also forced to defend himself in criminal proceedings too.

I don’t know how accurate the figures are but it has been reported that Jackson spent $20 – $30 million more than he was earning every year and in 2006 borrowed $200 million against the back-catalogue of Beatles’ recordings he owned.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if ‘Neverland’ was developed into a revenue generating shrine.

The man may be dead but ‘Michael Jackson ©’ will go on making money for somebody, including many lawyers.

It is a pity that Jackson sold his Neverland Ranch as it would make an ideal focus for his many fans; like Graceland for Elvis.

Except, according to this comprehensive (but disputed!) post, his album (and total record) sales are grossly inflated:

http://www.maximum-jackson.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=6377

The total of 237,180,872 (accurate to one digit!) albums sold would never reach the moon…..no matter how you stacked them! :rolleyes:

You’re assuming that they’re being stacked flat, one on top of another.

Good point!

Possibly they would reach ‘house-of-cards’ fashion…..but that would be tricky…

…because stacking 750 million albums on top of each other is easy! :rolleyes:

Fact is, if every copy of Michael Jackson’s albums were stacked on one pile, it reached as high as the moon!

No, not a fact at all; assuming Michael Jackson sold 750 million albums they would each need to be about 50cm thick to reach the moon when stacked in one pile.

Not sure about total record sales…..that pile possibly would reach the moon! 😀

…the contrast between the remarkably poor and gappy preservation of Britain’s 20th century maritime heritage as against the breadth of the aviation sector’s success is notable. A preservable carrier, the last British survivor, went to India for scrap; a major destroyer(?) type languishes in Egyptian ownership due to funding shortfall, and several historic W.W.II era ships scrapped within sight of preservation in the 1950s and 60s. (The fact that the Windermere Steamboat Museum remains closed is something I find sad and remarkable.) Bridging the gap, the lack of a single airworthy British designed maritime aircraft anywhere in the world is shameful (unless you know different).

However, otherwise very poor for a ‘maritime nation’.

Yes, a preserved aircraft-carrier would be nice, since Britain almost unbelievably scrapped every single battleship, and there is still one last chance with HMS Hermes (INS Viraat), laid down during D-Day(!), when the Indian Navy have finished with her. On past experience I won’t hold my breath…..despite her long and glorious history!

You forgot to mention the sad closure of the Warship Preservation Trust at Birkenhead, Falklands veterans HMS Plymouth and HMS Onyx plus the unique U-534, sunk by a Costal Command Liberator, and raised from the seabed in 1993.

By the way this is how it is intended to display U-534! 😡

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Zz212007uboat3.jpg

On the brighter side Britain has much to be thankful for; HMS Warrior, HMS Victory, HMS Belfast, HMS Cavalier (and Chatham Dockyard), SS Great Britain (a miracle; it can be done, and its benefactor saved the Vulcan too), Cutty Sark, HMS Gannet, HMS Plymouth and hoping there is still a chance for HMS Whimbrel.

I still hope to see a Walrus flying in British skies…..or even just floating in British waters.

Well off-topic, sorry. 😮