PhixerAll I can say guys is, if you want to see her fly get out your cheque books, there are big bills.
Not the least of which would be insurance.
Then there are fuel and other fluid costs OX38, OM15. All we consumed at a substantial rate just to keep pilots current, and pilots raises perhaps another issue.
No disrespect to Brian Grant who does a superb job (I pictured him at Kemble about 3 years ago whilst he was taking folk for spins in the splendid black Hunter T7 WV318) but he is no spring chicken and other comparative youngsters will need training on type.
When one has worked on these jets one appreciates the huge second line organisation in place to support them.
With a fleet of such aircraft the expense of dedicated wheel and tyre bay, hydraulics workshop, electrical repair facilities all of which would be used to service and test the multitude of actuators, electro-hydraulic valves, powered flying control components, undercarriage struts etc.
Then there is ground equipment of various types, wheel and main jacks, flying control rigging equipment, hydraulic test rigs, electrical power supplies (Vernon, Pet-Bow [Sp?]) and palouste air starters for line use.
For just one aircraft the expense could be too much. Now Yeovilton must have a bit of spare space now but I have no idea of what support still survives there. Would not being based there with the flight, but possibly semi-autonomous make sense as a start?
I am sure somebody will way in with the cons all too soon but if we do not start sensible discussion I see little likelihood of a resolution.
There are few naval aircraft of her era flying and it would be sad to see her grounded. From memory the longer an aircaft stays grounded the more trouble it is to get airworthy again.
I only wish I were fit enough to get actively involved.
PhixerLatest is that Cotswold District Council have served enforcement notice on Delta Jets and others calling for an end the ‘general flying’ from the site – watch this space!
Peanut:mad:
I am trying very hard not to swear on this one. I had a super reception from Delta a couple of years ago and took a few pics of The Black One (I’ll put one up here if interest), MissDemeanor was on site at the time.
I am appalled that one of the complainants is an ex-RAF pilot.
I recall that down at Lee-on-Solent we had complaints about running up the FRADU Hunters after dark, this in winter so not that late. A letter duley arrived which gave us a clue as to where this moaner lived. Next time we ran one up we pointed the aircraft in the appropriate direction and ‘accidently’ switched on the newly fitted Harley light.:dev2:
PhixerMaster and Commander was great. I’ve read all the books and found it outstanding and true to the novels.
True, he made changed the nationality of one ship…hardly wrecking the plot since the film was based on elements from several books.
I have read all the books, at least twice – second time during a long spell in hospital following a heart attack – and know the stories well. I was indicating that Weir wrecked the plot of the series as a whole, not the one book, ‘Master and Commander’ which had none of its story line in the film.
By calling it ‘Master and Commander : The Far Side of the World’ Weir has effectively undermined any future attempt at a proper run at these books.
I have an extended edition on DVD with extra’s including Weir’s justification for what he did, along the lines of ‘by the time you have shaken out the prose in the books there is not much of a story line’ – I beg to differ. Sure I am not a high flying film director but I still stand by my assertion.
Weir said that since the War of 1812 isn’t all that well known…except for the English burning Washington D.C. before losing another war with the U.S…. and since the overall theme of the series is Britain fighting France…that’s why he made the change.
Lame excuse in my opinion. So he ducked issues and that war remains obscure.
I have quite a library on the sailing navies of that period, many books on the 1812 War amongst them, including that early work by William James, and his other six volume history of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
Sorry, but I am still not impressed. Bit OT I guess so don’t intend to continue.
PhixerGot it waiting to hear
Tell him that I think he did a fine job on the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy – I have the full extended DVD set here – brilliant even though he departed from the book a bit. I don’t hold that against him.:D
Unlike Peter Weir’s mess that was ‘Master and Commander’ – that plot was totally wrecked. I guess American audiences would not have cared much for a British frigate knocking hell out of an American one so Weir took the easy way out and made the opposition French! Pah!:(
Phixer[QUOTE=Pete Truman;1104002]
My mum telephoned me halfway through the programme to tell me that she was stunned to see all the metal railings still in place! She assured me that by 1943 most if not all would have been long gone and turned into aeroplanes or tanks by then! I suppose she would know, she was around then!
It was wrought iron railings and front step furniture (boot scrapers) that were chopped off and stored for future use. I remember walks across Gloucester in my childhood through the park with all the stumps sticking out of boundary walls.
I don’t think this iron was ever used as the effort in re-smelting the poor quality material wasn’t worth the fuel or time and there was no shortage of steel.
Phixer… and, evidently, the senior officer in the military overseeing the whole thing was a lowly Captain in the Navy!
Andy Saunders
Not only that a naval officer with a ‘tash. Gadzooks! Don’t these media types know yet that in the RN it is a full set or nowt!
Now WRT yon bouncing bomb -the type that broke up was it not spherical in shape the problems of manufacture of which led to the cylindrical form used in further tests and for real?
As others have remarked, frightful plot with much hammy acting Kitchen aside. That was a real ‘funny walk’ by that driver of his early on, John Clease would have been pleased.:D
PhixerWith the T22, does anyone know if the PR cameras etc were left or removed on conversion? Bex
Well the ones I mixed with had the cameras removed, it was in the camera bay that we fitted the radio boxes which was a part of the TI fits we were doing.
Whilst working in that bay on one aircraft I discovered a cracker of a SNAFU, a pinky (radio mech) had tie-wrapped looms to the flying control push-pull rods that ran through the bay. Should have seen his supervisor’s face when I told him.
PhixerPhixer/Bex,
All of the T22s were former PR7s.
My vague recollections come from the fact that we discovered detailed differences when putting electrical connectors into the aft pressure bulkhead. Indeed I found it necessary to take a trip on the Clipper (Sea Devon or Heron) from Lee-on-Solent to Yeovilton to visit FRADU and check out the others on strength slated for the installations in question. We came across a similar issue with the Hunter GA11s but that as they say is another story.
I do recall being informed that PR7s did come from differing previous marks. That was the suggestion not that T22s were not previously anything but PR7s.
Phixer1) 1.6x is crop factor not really a focal length multiplier. http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/dslr-mag.shtml
Quite correct see also:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/dslr-mag.shtml
Further the multiplying factor quoted e.g. 1.6 (or in my case 1.5) is a ball park figure. The true figure can be obtained by checking the sensor size, calculating the diagonal (good ol’ Pythagoras) and then dividing that into the 35mm diagonal which is calculated using Pythagoras and the dimensions 24mm and 36mm. In my case this works out to 1.53, i.e. not quite 1.5.
PhixerHi Les B and all
Ref. your last message, my records indicate that most canberras were 65ft 6inches long except Pr3s,7sand 9s which were 65ft 8inches long. Anyone want to argue over 2 inches? Not me I’m 72 now!
Paddy R
Now I have not seen any dimensions for the T22 but I would think that the Blue Parrot (Bucc’) nose jobe would have given it slightly more length than the PR7 from which it was converted.
Now I happened to do some TI’s (trial installations) on a few of these on a Naval unit [1] and I was under the impression that not all the T22s that passed through us were conversions from PR7. Either that or some of the PR7s converted to T22 had been converted to PR7 from something else before that later conversion to T22. It was awhile a go now and the memory is hazy.
[1] I have a photo’ around here somewhere of a prop’ (cardboard) attached to the bullet on one engine of a T22with a colleague on the spine ‘winding’ a monstrous toy-shaped clockwork key, also made of card.:D :diablo:
PhixerGuys,
Now I have blown it and got a 70-300 lens and it doesn’t all fit any more! I have looked about for a bag or rucksack to carry the gear in but would like to know what others have to carry their gear in, why they chose it and how they find it. Any help or advice gratefully accepted. I’m not sure whether to go for a rucksack or a top-loading bag.Thanks!
He! He! I know the feeling.:D
Since going digital I have had to change plans.
I have collected a range of Lowepro bags over recent years as one size does not suit all occasions.
These include the then largest Toploader for a Dynax 7 + VC grip with Sigma 50-500mm attached and worked (by using magic double sided Velcro strip cut off a roll – from CPC) attachments for 4 lens pouches, a film organiser bag above poches one side and an accessory bag above lens pouches on the other side. In the main body of the bag was space for a 5600HS D flash gun, Stofen, Flash/lightmeter and Data Saver. This can be heavy.
Because of back-trouble I used a large Lowepro belt, with useful loops for pouches and a shoulder harness.
I have other smaller Toploaders for an old X700 setup with zoom, macro and teleconverters in lens pouches each side. Unfortunately this Toploader (700 IIRC) will not take my Dynax 7D + VC grip so purchased a small Lowepro shoulder bag which despite its compact size takes the Dynax 7D + VC grip (on its side across center) which allows 2 lens sized bays each side in which I fit a 24-100mm, 75-300mm, 17-35mm and a 5600HS D flash and Stofen. Spare camera batteries fit under the 17-35mm and Compact Flash cards in a pouch along the front. I have managed, with that magic Velcro strip, to attach a pouch for Flash/lightmeter + lens cleaning kit and another for a Sony Alpha. Two cases each containing 6 x AA and 4 x AAA (for mini torch) rechargeable (I now use Ansmann batteries and a versatile range of chargers – see: http://www.ansmann.de/cms/index.php?L=en) can be found space in this assemblage.
The pouches used above came with a VLarge Lowepro shoulder bag which can, with lens and other pouches attached, hold most of the kit I would care to take. Unfortunately, due to back and heart trouble I can only lug this around if I have a helpful grip.;)
I just love the variety of Lowepro, get hold of one of their product catalogues, which detail sizes, if you can but it does help to make sure you can try some configurations before parting with hard cash – this means using a camera dealer you may have cultivated with patronage. I find this much better than going for the cheapest option by buying mail order or net. Besides, with a good relationship dealers can be accommodating on price etc.
PhixerAndy,
I doubt even Gwen realises just how widely he was known and admired.Thanks
Going by his reception at Tangmere in 03 and how protective Gwen was of him I think she has an inkling.
One of the museum staff mentioned how protective she was.
PhixerBill Waterton (Javelin test pilot) said in his book, ‘The Quick and the Dead’, that he had outmanoeuvered the 110 in mock combat at 35000ft.
Ah! But then a Sea Vixen and a Javelin both tooled up with 2 brace of Firestreaks a different matter I would think. Mark that the Sea Vixen had more powerful engines than the DH110 and even the Javelin dry.
PhixerEndurance was on her last patrol when the invasion began – obviously events changed that.
I can recomend a read of Captain Nick Barker’s book ‘Beyond Endurance” for filling in some detail.
Also, having just finished Vulcan 607 I have to say that it was a very good read but suffered from a few errors here and there. One repeated (found in at least two places) error is, if my other sources are correct, that the Vulcan was designed with a one man cockpit. I believe this is far from the case.
Also the Vulcan prototype VX770 first took to the air powered by early versions of the RR Avon (RA.3 I think) was then powered briefly by Sapphires before being fitted with early Olympus (not much in common with Concorde engines other than name IMHO) as intended.
I have nothing but admiration for the courage of the crews who flew all missions connected with Black Buck and also the fortitude and adaptability of the ground engineers without which the aircrew could have done nothing. But I am with Sharkey Ward, and others, who doubt the military value of these raids.
If the FAA had not suffered such drastic pruning, partly as the result of Air Staff lobbying and disinformation (distorted maps of some areas of the world) in the corridors of power (I still have a snip of the Sunday Times about 10 years ago where a serving RAF officer was making a case against new carriers with a letter title ‘Leviathans that Eat Our Wealth’ – so they were still at it then), then there would have been no need. Phantoms on CAP (and even strike) and Bucc’s for strike could have easily taken on the Argentine air arms and put that runway out of action. Also the biggest hole, in fleet AEW radar coverage would have been plugged.
To be sure some will argue that the SHAR could perform deck operations in seas that would have caused conventional carrier aircraft problems. However, this would be to ignore the seemingly suicidal launches of Swordfish etc during WW2 in heaving seas. When needs must, operating parameters are stretched to accomodate.
But then of course I am biased.:D
PhixerHas it been mentioned on the TV News…
There was a tribute piece on BBC South Today Tuesday evening. The following is a link which will provide a link to a clip from the BBC reportage, see panel on the right of window.
http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?tab=all&go=homepage&scope=all&q=Neville+Duke
Note how the interviewer of Alan Jones of Solent Sky stumbles with ‘tell us a story’ when he interrupts Alan Jones who clearly started the story without the presenter being able to strictly follow the script.
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