Well thanks for all the fab photos and comment, a dream indeed for TSR 2 at Cockpitfest – If all my contacts pooled their resources who knows what may be possible so dream on!

Anyway, back to my suits question. They must have been manufactured by P. Frankenstein & Son Birkenhead ? and there must be one hanging up in a closet somewhere?

We live in hope…………..

Frankenstein were not the only manufacturers of pressure suits, this one was made for the Canberra high altitude trials by Baxter Woodhouse and Taylor

Great photos, do you have any more?

Can you imagine what it must have been like trying to fly anything wearing kit like that, let alone a supersonic complex Jet!

Cheers, Scott.

Yes, 72 to be precise, I was given them by BWT while researching for information on WK163’s world altitude record attempt. The company, as is now, seem to have little interest in their past aviation history.

It should be explained aswel, that the three plumes of smoke that you see are from the same cartridge as it expels the waste from the charge through three exhaust outlets, not all three cartridges letting go simultaneously!!

Some engines require two cartridges for a cold start, one to churn the motor over and another to get it to sustaining and ingnition speed, the press button starter switches often having a clockwork timer mechanism built in to prevent accidental firing of carts too close to each other.

Normal procedure is start port engine first, if that fails to reach self sustaining speed, 1100RPM, or a rise in JPT above 630C then shut down immediately, HP **** and master start off. When the engine has stopped turning and the starter button has re set a further start can be attempted. There are several causes for starter failure but a cold cartridge is often the cause and Canberra squadron crew rooms in the winter usually had starter carts sitting on radiators to get them warm, long before the advent of Elf n’ safety!

Hanningfield Metals around 1995

Possibly Miles-Percival in the aircraft manufacturers parts list PAC and PPA is near to PA/ PD. 17G could be balloon

It was still being used in the mid to late 60’s certainly in Bomber command

VTTS said they looked at both Canberras and chose WK163 as she is dual control?

WK163 is NOT dual control, it has a pilot, navigator, and in its research role, a specialist operator

Most likely AV Roe facility at Langar Notts, many Lincolns were stored there and still visable from the Grantham Nottingham railway line in the early 1960’s