Without water the Harrier cannot hover. The F-35B is not so limited. Period.

Yes it can.

With the newer Mk107 Pegasus engines, the aircraft is only carrying the water as ballast, and with the later GR9/9a mods, provision is installed for ballast weights to be added when the aircraft is using 107 engines. Even the Mk105 engined aircraft can hover without water, however, the engines will be operating slightly over their usual JPT limit. With water selected in the Harrier, it also raises the DECS top JPT limit, and allows the engine to run hotter. During the course of the Harrier display, the water usually runs out mid way through the ‘reversing’ hover sequence, and is compensated for with more throttle input. Throughout the ‘nodding’ manouvers, the aircraft is hovering without water. As I mentioned previously though, the Mk107 engined aircraft can do all of this completely without the need for water at all.

The Water injection system on the Harrier is used primarily for cooling the turbine and allowing more fuel to be pumped in, and not an increase in air density and Mass Flow as has previously been suggested. There are injectors placed in the combustion chambers, and also just upstream of the HP turbine, in order to keep the turbines operating at optimum temperature, while more fuel is automatically added to compensate for this, thus allowing more fuel to be burnt, thus producing more thrust.

Just throwing a few facts into the discussion there!!

Flipflopman (Harrier Airframe/Propulsion engineer)

It would be a shame to see B.2A XJ824 broken up.:confused:

Without meaning to be pedantic, there is no such thing as a B2a. This is somewhat of an urban myth spread around after the Vulcan fleet recieved 301 engines, It was never an official designation, and does not appear in any of the official Vulcan Air Publications.

Sorry for being a k**b, but that’s a little pet issue with me. 😀 I know I’m a loser!!

Flipflopman

:rolleyes:

Before everyone starts to actually pop all of the veins in their forehead at this ‘ridiculous and appaling outrage!!’

Can I point out to you all, that this £120k figure that has you all up in arms, and in an incandescant rage, has no factual basis, and is a figure pulled from the ether by ZRX61, from

a post I read a while back…

Oh really?

Perhaps if you could come up with any actual evidence of this post, and further, any evidence of the “apparent” salary of £120,000 paid to Robert Pleming, then I could perhaps explain your ire. As it goes, it seems to me that yet again the more vocal members of Key have whipped theirselves up into an outraged frenzy over nothing more than an ungrounded and frankly ridiculous rumour.

For the record, I do not know Dr Plemings exact salary details, however, neither do any of you, so perhaps it would all be wise to calm down a little, and concentrate on the fact that there will be a flying Vulcan at the Farnborough Air Show this weekend, for the first time in 16 years.

Flipflopman

As has been posted here by others, it is indeed the front spar Mod 2429 that is outstanding, however this is scheduled to take place during one of the forthcoming winter sevices.

As goes FI, she will be far lighter on the fatigue than some may think, even during her display years, she only consumed FI at a rate of 3 – 4 units per year. After recieving Mod 2429, she will have in the region of 70 FI units remaining, so as you can see, fatigue is not really a major issue with the aircraft.

Engines, however, are a different story, with their revised lifing schedule of 1200 cycles. A cycle is considered to be one excursion from Idle – Max – Idle. There are calculations for partial cycles, however, these are not something I know off the top of my head!! However, this illustrates the fact that it will be the engine life that dictates XH558’s future on the circuit, as once these cycles are gone, there is no option to re-life or rebuild the engines, so 558 will be grounded. To this end, the engines will be cycled through the airframe at 50 hr intervals, to ensure that usage and wear is spread evenly throughout the 8 spare engines that TVOC have.

Hope that answers a few questions.

Flipflopman

Flipflopman,
It’s a common pattern which is also on my Meteor wheels.
If someone can find a size and we can relate that to a particular aircraft that might get us a little further forward.
Otherwise, I’m not doubting your experience and expertise FFman.

Anon

No worries mate, apologies if my post seemed a little snippy.

Just to help s little with the ident, here are a couple of pictures of XH558’s flight wheels, with brand new tyres fitted.

Nosewheel

Mainwheels

Hope that helps a bit.

Flipflopman

Peter,

The data plate won’t give you the serial number unfortunately. It will give you the Mod state, and the date of manufacture, and also the manufacturers details, but sadly no serial number.

You may however, find it painted on the lower forward edge of the door, as this was common practise on Vulcans, as an ident. If there is any paint left, or metal for that matter!!

Flipflopman

Ah, definitely some Vulcan relics there!!

Pic 1 – Vulcan Main U/C door
Pic 2 – Vulcan Main U/C door
Pic 3 – Red Steer and Hyd System pressurisation panel.
Pic 4 – Section of Radome, and radome latch.
Pic 5 – Section of Radome, and radome latch.
Pic 6 – Nosewheel
Pic 7 – Nose U/C and Nose U/C door Hyd distrubution block, with flexi hose connections
Pic 8 – Selection of Plugs, Fuel tank items, and a Fuel System Sequence timer.

How sad am I?!!?!? 😀

Flipflopman

Probably won’t help all that much with identifying the actual tail number, but if you post it up, I’ll try to help with the identification.

Vulcan part numbers begin with a 26DC prefix, so that may be a start.

Cheers,

Flipflopman