Indeed, a very remarkable pilot and aviation icon, still continuing flying to a very advanced age, I don’t think that many 80 year+ pilots have broke the sound barrier, respect! 

However, the first person to break the sound barrier could very well have been British, had the Americans not ‘borrowed’ (is stolen too strong?), the ideas from the Miles M.52 project!  Strange that the X-1 bares an uncanny resemblance to the M.52 don’t you think?

December 7th, Hmmm… that date rings a bell too!

Blue skies Col. Yeager.

GYD

TA,

I also follow your views of how the forum has ‘changed’ and the ‘goolie’ Key have fostered but, I feel that a lot of individuals have left as a matter of precocious, teddy throwing, dummy spitting principles because, they did not have the patience to let ‘Key’ try and sort it out!  (Given that now, it has subsequently improved since the initial abomination 12 months ago, we are not too far from the old system – ish).

Key are providing this service free of charge, it is the only platform that does actually cater for a very eclectic field of varied interests within historic aviation.  

Where has everyone (i.e. the precocious, teddy throwing, dummy spitting individuals and dare I say it, ‘prima-donnas’) gone to? 

I haven’t found another ‘similar’ web forum that has the same centralised and concise (but, now sadly limited) expertise of historical aircraft, systems, organisations and generic aviation knowledge that was a corner stone of this forum – from across the globe!   

Have the other Key forum areas, (i.e. modern, photography, civil etc.) suffered from the same vitriol and whinging of their ‘experts’ and subsequent migration???

In the end, it is the people who wish to contribute to the forum, as they create the atmosphere and the content but, everyone in the end has a choice to engage or, not so, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth!

GYD 

Love that Savage yoke Nick, an odd aircraft and not very many built I suppose? 

I also agree with your thoughts regarding the ‘products’ advertised on that well known auction site, some people need to take a reality pill and accept that just because that it is from an aircraft it must be ‘rare’ and ‘highly sought after’ hence: ‘Spitfire, Hurricane, Lancaster etc. in their titles, it’s not worth thousands!  I’m fed up of advising sellers that the AH 8400 was fitted to many other aircraft than the Spitfire and if it is in ‘un-issued’ boxed condition, well!

However, I detract from my main theme.  I have recently obtained a very nice ‘Dunlop’ control handle, broadly based on the common AC 10300 example however, it has had the ‘normal’ gun firing trigger switch replaced with a non-retractable single action trigger and the right hand upper button has been replaced with a four position ‘trim’ switch and also the addition of a mid, side mounted push button.  Looking closely at the area where the brake lever would be attached, it shows no wear of one such being fitted.  Aircraft with rudder pedal brakes perhaps??

Unfortunately, it doesn’t have that vital little data plate with the Dunlop drawing number and perhaps, more importantly a date of issue.  It may be possibly a one off but, someone might know what it is?   

It originally came from a well known test and research establishment very near to Stonehenge.  I have trawled the obvious ‘google’ images to no avail, does anyone have any ideas to its intended use/fitment? 

All thoughts greatly received.

Martyn

GYD

Hi Nicko,

That ‘bracket’ is actually a weight, I have only ever seen it fitted on Firefly handles? 

For your info, the Sea Fury also uses the Dunlop Mk2 ring handle like the Gannet too.

Martyn

GYD

Look fairly like De-havilland like to me, Mozzie?  I’d give you 3 quid for them !  : )

GYD

Hi FarlamAirframes,

The ‘hooded switch’ is indeed from a Sea Vixen, it is a right hand throttle handle. 

GYD 

Hi Martyn,

It is both, as it would been fitted to the whole Lightning fleet as the modification state dictated.  If Rich knows that his column came directly from a Saudi F-53 that’s great however, because it was also fitted to the F3, T4 and F6 too, without provenance, it could be any of them!  

The fact the AC63+++ numbers don’t appear on the RAF aircraft listing leads me to their export use either, Saudi or, Kuwait but, remember the initial Saudi F-Mk 52’s were ex-RAF Mk2’s and the T-Mk54’s ex- T-Mk4’s so, they will probably have their original ‘RAF’ handles.  The only other ‘odd ball’ is the T-Mk 55 which was only used for export.  I do have a good picture of the cockpit of a Kuwaiti T-55 alas, the handles have been cut off!!!

GYD