Let’s keep this thread going a bit longer – saw this at Green Bay, Wisconsin while on my 2003 Oshkosh visit. I was surprised, to say the least! I’d last seen her in service at Kings Cross when I was about 15 years old!

That surprised me, I didn’t know any A4s had fled the country. Was it permanent or just visiting?

On peening:

Recently rebuilding a “modern British aircraft” (its still under maintenance so best be vague here) we needed to replace a handful of bolts.

The drawing indicated to “Replace with an NASxxxx bolt” and then wait for it “cut the bolt until two threads are showing” (note the bolt in question comes in numerous lengths. “Install a self locking nut” great!, never seen one of those even so much as loosen but then the icing on the cake “peen to safety”.

Yes it has scarred me. One of many stories along the same lines. British designers must get sick of the many “dear god why?” questions ground engineers ask them 🙂

Too much beer to edit the quote, but the way that’s worded, you cut the bolt until two threads are showing and then fit a locknut. I assume only a qualified engineer would be doing the job and would know that’s ludicrous but that’s not what it says. Fit the locknut first, saw and then peen if you want to be over the top but if that’s really the way it’s specified it doesn’t work. With only two threads on the nut, it won’t reach the locking sytem.
Is it the ale or have I’ve missed something?

Despite spending may years flogging metals, I have never even heard of the aviation specs for bolts, etc. My experience was almost entirely commercial, not aerospace. However, I will add the following based on personal knowledge.
BSW/BSF taps, dies, spanners etc., are not a problem. British production cars were stil using these until well into the sixties. As a nation we seem resistant to change. I personally was making spring compressors using Whitworth studding (working for a company) in the early seventies. Even if nothing else has, the classic car movement has ensured the tools are still available.

American fittings are not direct subsitutes. I don’t know if one or two do actually fit but with diameter, pitch and angle to compare, there’s little likely to match.
Sir Joseph Whitworth is credited with inventing the first standard thread system, IIRC. I have no idea why this has stuck in my mind but I believe his threads were 55º and the majority of modern threads are 60º.

BSW/BSF spanners are not marked according to the distance accross flats like most other system’s, but by the thread size. A 1/4″BSW (3/16″BSF) is approaching 1/2″ AF. (I’m not going out to the garage to measure one at this time of night).

Am I cracking up or did I see one at Duxford a few weeks ago?

Revise that, I’m sure I saw one at Duxford a few weeks ago.

No idea about the JP but no problems with a Vampire.
I’m fairly sure Hatfield didn’t get it’s concrete runway until about 1949, ready for the Comet.

Hadn’t looked – but I’ve just noticed one went for £202 two days earlier!

I’m sure Bruce or Neilly would know for certain but I think TA634, now at London Colney, came from Liverpool.

Does the Gannet have completely independent powerplant to prop units too ?
ie able to fly on one engine and prop with other unit stopped & prop feathered?

Also how closely related were the “R” engines of the S-6 series to the Kestrel and Merlin ?
Apologies if this has already been discussed before, I am totally fascinated with the S Cup racers !! 🙂

Cheers
TNZ

The Gannet is powered by a Double Mamba. It is installed as one unit but is two separate engines and can fly on one.

The R was based on the Buzzard which was originally designed as a larger version of the Kestrel, at the same time as the Kestrel.

Later the R was the original basis for the Griffon although there were so many mods and revisions I doubt there was anything left of the R.

The Merlin was a clean sheet of paper design based on Kestrel, Buzzard(?) and R experience.