WP I photographed at Barton (on the day of the Varsity crash) and BZ I took 3 years ago at Geraldine.

John

Geof
I just checked through the part work but the “86” isn’t covered in it, it only appears in the Vol III Part one of the hardback issue. There are 21 pages but how much is truly relevant to the construction of one of your masterpieces is difficult to say as a lot deals with lubrication and adjustment of internal components. I would be happy to copy some of the data.

John

Great shots, evocative of the 50’s. I’ve flown in a Marathon and there was one in the static park at my first airshow at RAF Newton. And yes the Auster is a Plus D.

John

It looks very Beechcraft looking, possibly a SNB-2.

I am just going by the same type of windshield glass.

I have references that show Mexico had Beechcrafts C45’s.

Yes, “I am ready for the shooting down”

Brian.

A couple of points. The main legs are not forked as on the Model 18 and the wing appears much thicker than the “18” also the firewalls are further forwards on the “18”. The “Funny” gives me the appearance of having had longer engines, ie the Ranger and the nacelles seem very close in to the fuselage. The only thing in my opinion that suggests Beech is the fin leading edge. Note also the curved fillet at the wing T/e root, not Beech. Just tuppence worth. But what about the plane in the forground, at first I thought Vought Corsair.

John

The Avro Rota at Duxford has a signboard with a bit of info. IIRC, there’s material on the C-30 Rotas’ use in the role in the IWM and RAFM archives.

You might PM Radar Archive; he doesn’t come very often these days, but can be contacted…

HTH

The Rota would be an excellent vehicle for Radar calibration because of it’s ability to loiter in one area and altitude. By obviously flying a pre set pattern sets could be very accurately calibrated. Similarly slow flying Hornets would serve as slow small weak (returns) targets with the advantage of comfortable communication for the calibration crew. Phillip Wills (of gliders and cigarette fame) flew a glider towed behind an Avro 504N for just such a purpose.

Just my tuppence.

John

Yes it was, I was just about to reply to that effect.

John

I’ve started to do some research into the Bristol F2B Fighter, and although i’ve got a few books specifically relating to the Biff and the Squadrons that flew them, i’m yet to seriously get into them, for the moment have just looked at photos. One thing i’ve noticed is that ‘Beefed up’ Biffs (ie with twin Lewis’ for the Observer, extra Lewis over the upper wing etc) seems to be exclusive to 22 Squadron.

Has anyone seen any photos or written evidence etc of other Squadrons doing so? If not, why not? In the 22 Squadron book ‘Pi in the Sky’ it mentions that although twin Lewis’ was very desirable, at 8000 feet due to oxygen starvation, the Observer wasn’t able to track aircraft fast enough with ‘Huntley and Palmer’ (a nickname for twin Lewis’), and at 16000 feet it became impossible for the Observer to move them at all.

I’d also be interested in anyones thoughts on the subject

When I was doing the planning for a Brisfit kit I was loaned the notes for W/c Harveys book and some letters. In these letters Harvey said that the overwing Lewis fitted to his F2B was only carried for one or two flights and quickly removed as unsatisfactory. I possit that the twin guns were again purely experimental on Bristols and were tried out by the same chap with an experimental bent.

Harvey also mentioned that the wind driven generator as fitted to the RAF Museum example would only be fitted if the op was Army Co-op.

Have you noticed that the RAFM Bristol prop is one of the rarer opposite rotation ones. (Falcons could drive in either direction depending on Mk.)

John

There is a 1:72 scale drawing in the “Book of Miles Aircraft” (Harboro)

This shows some hidden structure.

Of similar structure from the same stable is the Martlet of which there is an example flying or it’s forebear the Avro Baby which has a neat, simple cowling and the one in Australia would render all the gen you need.

John