I’m sure its a given the engine will be thoroughly inspected, but given the wooden blades sheer off the way they do I would imagine the potential for engine damage is minimal with “that incident”. Certainly you wouldn’t want to go into combat with anything that fragile, or for that matter fly a public display.

Perhaps the only way is to use R2600 Wright Cyclone engines and fly it in NZ or Aus

DB 606 or 610 Double engine.

Blue Robin. The first thing I would ask before you read Bomber Command by Max Hastings is have you read any other accounts of the Bomber war? The reason I ask is almost all books written before about 2000 get a lot wrong on the political and strategic reasoning behind some operations. In particular the account of the political situation post December 1944 is not covered accurately at all, and as others state Hastings put nearly everything on Harris when he was following orders and was often at odd with some of the raids he was asked to do. I read the Martin Middlebrook books first which are accurate operational accounts allowing you to gauge the level at which Hastings has researched his work. I also recommend reading Dresden by Frederick Taylor, which sets the record straight on what happened that night. You will be surprised by what you read in this book.

Then when you read the Hastings book you see where he has perhaps glossed over critical details that explain certain decisions and where he is just plain inaccurate. Hastings I think brings his 70’s hindsight to bear on everything Harris did without trying to understand the mood of the Day. For me it has never been properly stressed that the combined Bomber offensive was more than just a few bombers bombing Germany day and night. There was the political war, the technological war, the industrial production war and all manner of support operations every night whether the bombers went out or not. And the Mosquito bomber units that often flew 2 missions per night in grossly overloaded aircraft get scant coverage, not to mention 100 support group. There was a lot more to Harris’ Job than he is given much credit for, and mistakes by subordinates he took on the chin and supported like a good boss. It’s a pity his bosses could not have reciprocated.

Bomber Harris by Henry Probert first published 2001 is the best account of Harris that I have read. Remember it is said of history that it is not until everyone is long dead that we get to the truth. I feel that the definitive work on bomber command is yet to emerge and when it does it will need to be 2 or three volumes with perhaps 2 book sized appendixes.

I don’t believe it was the finish on the sleeves that was the major problem, it was distortion. All sorts of materials were tried and it was only when Bristol were instructed to reveal their methods the problem was solved. Bristol sleeves were machined from centrifugal castings which were very stable. When Napier switched to the same the reliability was transformed.
I was told some years ago that Sabre sleeves were made by GKN in Chesterfield and have no reason to doubt it.

Sabre sleeves were finally made from nitrided austenitic forgings and machine tools (sunstrand centreless grinders) were diverted from the new P&W plant in Kansas that was to make the R-2800 C. This gives an indication of the importance politically that was attached to the Sabre. So not only was Bristol beaten into submission but also the Americans.

But I repeat from above that there were many issues of assembly to overcome, and then of miss adjustment in service by fitters. By 1944 the engine was out of the woods and able to deliver its phenomenal power just as reliably as any other allied engine. A family friend now sadly passed away flew Typhoons and flew 60 missions from the beachhead in the same aircraft without an abort. But he was an exception pilot, and hated anyone else flying his aircraft. He never rated any of the piston powered aircraft as reliable, and was more than happy when the jet came along.

A production Sabre passed a 100 hour type test at 2500hp towards the end of the war, and the engines that went into the Tempest 6 were type tested at 3500hp. Finally a version with ADI was run at 4000hp. These power outputs were from std production engines rated at between 2500 and 3000 in service. These power outputs have never been matched by any other production piston engine.

The fastest Fury was powered by a Sabre, it was significantly faster than the Centaurus powered Sea Fury. By comparison with the woes that Wright Aeronautical suffered with the R-3350, the Sabre was a model of reliability.

I’ll give it one last go to try and get the point across.

It’s really quite simple to understand, the main applicable radiation regulations have been enshrined in Acts of Parliament for nearly 19 years so it is Law – also remember that successful prosecutions have been made in the museum sector!

Some cracking updates of a great aviation venue!!

I take you point completely. That is not the point of my comments. Its not about those that are just following their orders or the rules. There is an absurdity surrounding anything to do with radiation that is almost to the level of parody. It like the idiotic rules that EON have that prevents a engineer from standing 18 inches off the ground to service my kitchen boiler. Yes there are HS rules about working off the ground, but EON don’t trust their own engineers to make the risk assessment anymore, so there are just not allowed to do it. This is my point.

Does the HSE have specific rules for dealing with WW11 instruments as plenty of people would I am sure wish to see them.

As someone who has looked into these thing for other reasons I can guarantee the HSE has no rules for WWII instruments and that what we see are the ludicrous interpretation of the misguided precautionary principle. We see this stupidity all around us every day with hi-vis clothing and hard hats mandatory even though the public are in the same place, EON not able to service my gas boiler because the engineer needed to be 18 inches off the ground I kid you not. Its not the HSE, its plain stupidity and ridiculousness.

All it is leading to is a population incapable of judging risk, and ultimately we are past the point of reducing risk and accidents to a point where people expect no risk or danger in anything they do and so don’t see danger as we once did. And as a result we see a new bread of idiot emerging into the world.