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RPSmith

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Viewing 15 posts - 2,356 through 2,370 (of 2,488 total)
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  • June 10, 2005 at 4:54 pm in reply to: Short Shamrock Transatlantic attempt #1347279
    RPSmith
    Participant

    The picture reproduced below appears elsewhere on the forum as an aside. It depicts the Short Shamrock, a Shirl modified for an ultimately failed attempt at a transatlantic crossing. I know nothing about it other than that. Can anyone fill in the details? It has become a bone of contention with someone insisting that it is the Sopwith Atlantic, which it clearly is not.

    http://img85.echo.cx/img85/8304/handsprop7kn.jpg

    Staged photo???

    there appears to be no one in the cockpit

    I suppose there could be a second cockpit , or the switches are so low down the pilot has temporarily disappeared from view.

    Agree – nice thread.

    Roger Smith.

    June 10, 2005 at 4:36 pm in reply to: One that's been bugging me for a while now, who was the FIRST to fly. #1347297
    RPSmith
    Participant

    Having read Seth Shulman’s “Unlocking The Sky” about Glenn Curtis and his battle with the Wright Brothers and, more recently, “Men, Women And 10,000 Kites” (the memoirs of Gabriel Voisin) I am doubting more and more the claim of the Wrights to have flown the first controllable aeroplane.

    Voisin devotes the whole final chapter “one of aviation’s biggest hoaxes” of his book to his belief that the aeroplane was invented and developed by the French.

    From Shulman’s tome I believe that the Wright’s did more harm than good to aviation with their constant patent claims. Look at the fact that come the Great War several European nations had aircraft industries that could produce useable aeroplane, the USA did not.

    Roger Smith.

    June 9, 2005 at 12:14 pm in reply to: Vimy Retirement Plans #1349556
    RPSmith
    Participant

    As for museum Vimys, there are three. The Science Museum Alcock and Brown one, the England/Australia one in Oz (the original G-EAOU) and the replica in the RAF Museum. When this goes into the NASM whole future generations will learn that the first person to cross the Atlantic by air, non stop was not Lindbergh, as many of them believe, and that there may have been some aviation going on outside the US in the 1920s and 1930s.

    I agree too! Similarly with my comments some weeks ago about displaying a Meteor in the US – the Yanks didn’t invent or do everything first!

    Roger Smith.

    June 9, 2005 at 12:02 pm in reply to: Old photo – help appreciated #1349559
    RPSmith
    Participant

    So has this raised a further query – was it known that the Spanish had at least one Parnall Panther. Unfortunately my library doesn’t include Putnam’s “Parnall Aircraft” so I can’t check.

    The panther was a most unusual design – the rear fuselage hinged sideways to facilitate stowage on board ship.

    Roger Smith.

    June 9, 2005 at 11:43 am in reply to: Former Peter Arnold projects, any news? #1349567
    RPSmith
    Participant

    Stratofortress?

    Will need a bigger shed though.

    Roger Smith.

    June 9, 2005 at 11:01 am in reply to: Mustang returns to Twinwood Farm Airfield #1349722
    RPSmith
    Participant

    Just out of curiousity ( and perhaps showing my ignorance) do any ex-RAF Mustangs survive and/or are there any preserved with RAF markings?

    Roger Smith.

    June 9, 2005 at 10:52 am in reply to: Forgive me, I live way out in the colony's, What is this aircraft. #1349729
    RPSmith
    Participant

    [QUOTE=Papa Lima]
    Donated to the Historic Aircraft Museum, Sydney, Australia.
    Became G-ASXX and flown back to England
    QUOTE]

    Don’t forget the Historic Aircraft Preservation Society (Biggin Hill) who actually got her back to the UK, and then Reflectaire at Lavenham, Hullavington and Blackpool.

    There was a reunion recently at East Kirby of people involved in the aircraft early life in the UK as a preserved airframe.

    Roger Smith.

    May 30, 2005 at 12:20 am in reply to: Chrislea Skyjeep loses prop in flight 25/05/05 #1369127
    RPSmith
    Participant

    It’s not Southam, it was at Stoneythorpe Hall 😉

    Stoneythorpe Hall IS at Southam – If I’d put Stoneythorpe Hall no-one would have had a clue where it was (except you)

    Roger Smith.

    May 29, 2005 at 1:03 am in reply to: Identify this Packard Engine? #1370583
    RPSmith
    Participant

    Weren’t the Meteor tanks engines built in the UK..?

    It was the Meteor tank engine production facility that Rolls Royce exchanged for the Rover jet engine facility at Barnoldswick thus entering RR into the jet age.

    Roger Smith,

    May 29, 2005 at 12:58 am in reply to: Duxfords Varsity #1370591
    RPSmith
    Participant

    looks like they’ve done a fair job so far. Greg

    They’ve sewn it together well – can hardly see the join!
    Roger Smith.

    May 28, 2005 at 4:13 pm in reply to: Chrislea Skyjeep loses prop in flight 25/05/05 #1371027
    RPSmith
    Participant

    It states it is the only one,but I believe there is another,G-AKUW? Or is that a slightly different model?

    ‘KUW is a Super Ace but both are designated Chrislea CH.3. They look very similar but there are differences.

    Roger Smith.

    May 26, 2005 at 6:33 pm in reply to: Duxfords Varsity #1374297
    RPSmith
    Participant

    I know Brooklands has both a Varsity and Valetta, thought theres was unique though. Would look great together in Hangar one

    I believe that Brooklands have a long term plan to put Viking, Varsity, Viscount, Merchantman, VC10 together in one building along with their BAC 1-11 and Concorde – have thy got a Valetta?.

    A candidate for location of the Vimy replica?

    Roger Smith.

    May 22, 2005 at 4:52 pm in reply to: "ACME" Quiz #1382973
    RPSmith
    Participant

    I think it’s a paperweight off the adjutant’s desk.

    Roger Smith.

    May 22, 2005 at 4:20 pm in reply to: Preservation Pioneer Peter Thomas RIP #1383000
    RPSmith
    Participant

    Peter Thomas

    Seeing, and going into, the Sunderland at Pembroke Dock when a child was probably my first contact with aircraft preservation. A few years later visits in the early 1960s to Skyfame at Staverton (and Shuttleworth) started a life-long passion in me.

    Peter Thomas had his detractors and it was sad that Skyfame Museum eventually failed. However I feel we owe the man a great debt of gratitude – not just for the aircraft he saved but also for his drive that was so influential in the sparking off of the British aircraft preservation movement.

    RIP

    Roger Smith.

    May 21, 2005 at 5:42 pm in reply to: To build an aeroplane – any suggestions? #1383972
    RPSmith
    Participant

    It’s the “plans available” bit that is difficult.

    Something from the Lympne trials, DH70 Tiger Moth, TK4, Westland Widgeon (not fully extinct though),

    Roger Smith.

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