and they still haven’t got a Meteor!

Roger Smith.

I don’t think the Hillman Imp engine was based on a Coventry Climax water pump and certainly not their racing engines. The Imp engine was largely cast aluminium and therefore quite a light unit – no doubt one of the reasons it was chosen for this project.

Roger Smith.

Let’s not forget there were two principal parts of Alex Henshaw’s fabulous aviation career.

As well as his pre-war period setting/breaking records he also was in charge of flight testing at Castle Bromwich where Vickers Armstrong were churning out Spitfires and Lancasters for the RAF.

Having said that I believe that the Science Museum ought to have been the most suitable repository for his papers and a Mew Gull. Like others have said I feel uncomfortable with the RAF Museum acquiring/displaying non-military aircraft (excepting the British Airways collection at Cosford).

But, to an outsider, the RAFM appear to have a positive (one could say agressive) attitude to expansion and the Science Museum do not.

Percival Mew Gull G-AEXF is, surely, one of the most important individual British civil aircraft – certainly amongst those that have survived. It (the “real” ‘EXF) would sit (or hang) equally with the Vimy and Moth at South Kensington. A new-build replica could do the flying.

Roger Smith.

By coincidence, was that XM172 in the background of someone being interviewed included in the Best Ever Bomber (or whatever) on Five this evening (how could they rate the B-17 better than a Lancaster just because the latter didn’t have a belly turret?)

Roger Smith.

Fascinating.

My guess is that both bars (of one set) move back or forward for climb or descend and one moves forward and the other back for roll. So, for example, for a climbing turn both bars would move back but one more than the other?

Big problem that any control movements have to be carried out with both hands.

Roger Smith

Captain Scarlet? Sorry, confused the heck out of me!

I think you are to young – lets see if anyone else is in line with my sense of humour!

Roger Smith.

Haven’t seen the Hind yet. Was Captain Scarlet with it?

Roger Smith.