I think 37 is an extremely good L/D – indeed it’s only really the top sailplanes that get over 50.
Off the top of my head, I’d also be supprised if most airliners exceed the 10-12 range. The trend to large diameter (hence drag area) fan engines would be a major issue to L/D.

I said ‘calm’, rather than in a panicing due to circumstances. From the nature of the transmission, it wasn’t anything different to any other transmission. Any experienced morse operator will send rapidly.

Steve

Point taken – but I wasn’t trying to imply any ‘panicing’, merely that the crew (the w/op in particular) was busy. The receiver on the ground would also be an experienced w/op and I felt that in order for him to comment that it was ‘rapid’ meant faster than the norm. he would be used to as an experienced w/op. I guess we don’t really know enough about the circumstances to conclude anything from the speed – Stardust’s w/op might just have been quick on the key in general.

The radio operator must have been in a calm radio conversation with the ground

Not so sure on the ‘calm’ aspect – the report was that the message was sent ‘rapidly’, although ‘STENDEC’ was repeated indentically twice more by the receiver’s request. I speculate that the ‘rapid’ transmission indicates a busy w/op & aircrew, probably preparing to descend from cruise – albeit tragically too soon as events would tell.

I agree that the exact repetition of ‘STENDEC’, three times must exclude hypoxia. STENDEC obviously meant something to the w/op and he must have thought the meaning obvious to the receiver or some brief elaboration would have been forthcoming. Very strange though is that it was repeated TWICE to a querying receiver but no qualifying elaboration – however brief – was forthcoming.

To me I speculate the w/op was a) compos mentis, b) seems very busy at the time, and c) confident that the receiver would understand STENDEC.

Just my 2 cents.

In the care of the guys at Elvington. Not seen it myself – cue to get over there and take a closer look.
Nice to be on track with this thread.

Unfortunately – was looking pretty corroded during it’s last days at Sandtoft. Visited quite often and checked it out.
This piccie was taken Sept 04

Yes – are they Anson’s ?
I believe some were built in Canada.

Not really a scrap yard, but here are some shots taken a year or so back of the Sandtoft B-25, Lincoln/Lancaster parts.
It’s a crying shame they’re in such condition. 🙁

BA has put a lot into aircraft preservation in the past but is now in a financial crisis and to survive has to suspend all non-essential expenditure.

Shame shareholder dividends don’t come under ‘non-essential expenditure’.
BA is typical of large floated corporations. Shareprice & dividends are ‘gods’ and s*d anything else.