Page 23 – Key Publishing

LesB

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March 6, 2006 at 1:02 am in reply to: BBC News 24 this afternoon #1358956

LesB
Participant

The Beeb had enough funds to put a helicopter in the air to film the Spits, pretty good coverage I thought. All in all the beeb did a fair job of the event in film terms including a mini-cam in the cockpit with Alex. Seriously lost out in reportage though. The bloke either hadn’t been briefed or didn’t bother to read his briefing notes too closely. And that woman on the sea-front . . . . Both obviously had been told to “Keep talking. No dead-air”.

But, some stunning shots of five Spitfires doing a formation routine over Southampton.

What did the programme lack? It lacked Raymond Baxter. 😉

.

March 5, 2006 at 8:39 pm in reply to: BBC News 24 this afternoon #1359528

LesB
Participant

Missing man formation as they passed over Eastleigh was a nice touch.

Wasn’t a ‘missing man’, was the leader peeling out to land first and let the remainder do their fly-bys. In a ‘missing man’ flypast it’s usually the No 2 that pulls up and out, not the leader.

March 3, 2006 at 8:33 pm in reply to: MAM's Gannet #1361955

LesB
Participant

PapaLima
Access to cockpits is pretty much only granted I believe if you have a guided tour. I know MAM, and other museums, are twitchy about this with regard to high-sided airframes like the Gannet ever since that Concorde incident at Filton. Best bet is to ask when you get there but don’t be disappointed if there is no one to ‘guide’ you. Even better I reckon would be to e-mail them prior to a visit and ask then. Or do as I do, go there frequently enough to be there when a cockpit canopy is opened for other work. But be aware of H&S conditions and constraints on a museum, be sympathetic if politely refused.

At MAM, most cockpits are accessible to view through the canopy. This is because the museum has constructed robust steps for some aircraft for the public’s viewing pleasure (as they say). This is pretty enlightened if you ask me.

Roger
I believe all missing insts have now been identified. Not party to whether they’ll be fitted or not.

rlangham
Don’t really know what’s next for a paint-job. I see them working on the Argosy and that will maybe get a coat this summer but it’s a big job for volunteeers only. But I did see a couple of blokes working on the wings of the F-104, so maybe . . . 😉

Thanks for the compliments everybody, I’m sure MAM appreciates them. Tell you what, why not go to their website and mail them with your sentiments.

😉

February 28, 2006 at 4:30 pm in reply to: Approving Junk. #1366467

LesB
Participant

Totally agree with alertken.

The Bassett was also a case in point. Spec’ed to carry a V bomber crew to far-flung dispersals it was fitted with a set of hydraulicaly operated entrance steps. These were hugely complicated, heavy and folded up like a bit of origami. They weighed a ton, were always breaking down, and had to be totally removed to gain access to the everyday radio and nav kit located in the same compartment. When replaced, it was the devil’s own job to get them to fold up correctly and neatly again within the book params (could take up to a day to sort them out). And then, a Decca rolling map system was fitted with the black boxes housed in the nose crowding out the space for the hyd reservoir and other daily use stuff. And then (again) it was found that with all this weight plus a V crew (and kit) aboard, the damn thing couldn’t taxi on grass! Resoultion – chop the tips off the props to give ground clearance. Result – Bassett couldn’t get up enough power to take off in intended role. Endgame – Bassetts were moved sideways to Comms Sqns and flown as taxis for the airships and the like.

My last sqn was 26 sqn at Wyton, Bassetts and Devons. The Devon was by far the better aircraft.

😉

February 24, 2006 at 12:54 am in reply to: Gannet XA508 #1372600

LesB
Participant

Roger
Don’t know is the short answer, my query is purely out of my own interest. I guess MAM is pursuing that avenue but I thought I’d ask here anyway as the chaps may know and like to answer as well (and maybe answer quicker :rolleyes: ).

.

February 21, 2006 at 1:10 pm in reply to: Canberra PR9's #1376332

LesB
Participant

OK on that fatnav. Was mostly a B(I)8 & B.6R man myself with only line-type servicing knowledge of the 9s. I did recall though that their performace was constrained. 😉

Still, would be an experience to see one do its stuff unconstrained again. Recall the way 58Sqn at Wyton in the early 60s used to use them in the ‘old’ days when we had a proper Air Force. :rolleyes:

February 21, 2006 at 11:26 am in reply to: Canberra PR9's #1376369

LesB
Participant

Be good to see a PR9 blasting round the skys, pity that it couldnt last the whole season!

Just a thought . . .

As the 9 will not be flying much after Waddo (or IAT), maybe the pilot will be allowed to use more than 80% power on take off. I’ve seen 9s in their early days take off under the full power of their Avon 206s and it is just as, if not more than, impressive as the Lightning used to be – same donks of course but no re-heat.

The 9s of the various PR sqns used to frequently stage singly though Gan when I was there. Seeing a 9 at full chat do a fly-by at ******-all feet is not something you forget. Watched one coming in over the ocean once leaving a wake. But rotating and straight up was awesome, especially as, unlike the Frightning, a 9 would have plenty of fuel left at the top. :rolleyes:

.

February 21, 2006 at 10:35 am in reply to: Canberra PR9's #1376407

LesB
Participant

The Waddo appearance is more of a tribute because there is going to be a large gathering of ex-Canberra blokes there. This includes an invite to all squadrons who used to fly the Canberra to bring, if they can, one or two of their current aircraft. The Canberra Assoc will be there of course with its usual tented enclosure on the crowd line (on the Sunday) but there will also be a VIPish marquee on both days I believe for the expected crowds of ex-Can people. Methinks this will mostly be for VIP ex- and current aircrew though. I know it is certainly hoped that AA and Classic Flight can show up with the T.4 and B.6 – that would be good.

The RIAT appearance is probably going to be the last service Canberra display, anyway, the 39 Sqn blokes understandably want to go to the party there. :rolleyes:

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February 18, 2006 at 12:35 am in reply to: Canberra PR9's #1379451

LesB
Participant

So Air Atlantique can I read anything into your last post?!!

Certainly. They do survey work.

February 17, 2006 at 8:09 am in reply to: NASA's B-52B Retires #1382351

LesB
Participant

I hate to be too literal..but there are no X-15 “Gate Guards” stuck on poles! The two survivors are on display at the NMUSAF and the NASM.

Could you tell us what this is then?

February 4, 2006 at 5:27 pm in reply to: Gannet XA308 – MAM #1401135

LesB
Participant

WOW that’s the first time I’ve managed to post a pic!!!
RPS

Good one! Now all things are possible. 😉

Thanks for the pic. As you say, difficult to tell actual colour but it does look silver(ish).

bms44
Thanks for the gen, you obviously know your aircraft. Now if it were a Canberra . . . :rolleyes:

.

February 4, 2006 at 1:12 am in reply to: Gannet XA308 – MAM #1401685

LesB
Participant

OK RP. Bow to your experience there. I did say I was an interested bystander though, not a MAM expert. It’s just that I like the place and the people there. They also make a rather good tuna sandwich . . . 😉

.

February 4, 2006 at 12:40 am in reply to: Cosford update #1401712

LesB
Participant

wildcat
That’s one in a row! Good one, that’s the airframe I meant. Damned shame really as it is still sitting in the back of that NZ museum in bits just as it was transported out there 13 years ago. 😡

badger
Don’t recognise Canberra BI 111346 as any make of Canberra. But I guess you got there in the end. Good one. (Bit of a pre-occupation with V bombers though. You can get pills for that now 😉 )

Albert
Thought it would be either you or DavidB that brought that one up. The “B(I)8” at Newark, WV787, is actually a B.2 with a B(I)8 hybrid nose fitted. This purely to accomodate a T.22 radome as an aerodynamic test-bed. WV787, although on RAF charge until May 1953, never actually flew with the RAF’s Strike Squadrons either when it was a B.2 or as a hybrid B(I)8. However, you missed calling me out on XM246. This is a full airframe B(I)8 resident at the museum at Hermaskeil in Germany – the only full B(I)8 in Europe! Also, there is the cockpit of XM279 at Flixton and the decaying, burnt-out wreck of WT339 at RAF Barkston Heath.

If nothing else, I do know B(I)8s . . . 😉

.

February 3, 2006 at 11:00 pm in reply to: Cosford update #1401904

LesB
Participant

Sorry Les my mistake, the valiant was not Cosfords fault It was due to be rebuilt in September but due to the RAF team being sent elsewere the job was delayed.

Not that one either squire. The airframe I mean was shipped out by Cosford in 1993 when they found they could get a better price for it than that they were offered by a scapmerchant they had nominated to take it.

.

February 3, 2006 at 8:44 pm in reply to: Cosford update #1402128

LesB
Participant

badger617
If you mean the Vulcan, that airframe . . .

No. I wrote “one of the RAF’s unsung nuclear bombers”. Somehow I doubt the Vulcan fits this description.

Albert
What should they do, stick it outside and ignore it

Yes. This is the case with dozens of other “donated” USAF airframes in the country.

.
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