Hi Cees

There seemed to be a number of potential rare projects gathering momentum in the late 80’s/90’s, many of which were as a result of recoveries:

Me.110 – Germany – to static
JU.87 Stuka – German – to static
Battle – Belguim – to static
Fw.189 – Flying Heritage? – under rebuild to airworthy.
Fw.190 x 2 – Flying Heritage/White One foundation – under rebuild to airworthy.
Sturmovik – Tempest Two – static
Tempest II – Tempest Two – ?
Yak 1 – HAC, East Sussex – under rebuild to airworthy
Halifax – Tenton, Canada – static
Mosquito FB26 – NZ – under rebuild to airworthy
Fiat CR42 – under rebuild to airworthy
Me.109 – several to airworthy
Beaufighter – under rebuild to airworthy

So in brief, we have been spoilt by the variety of the few types I can think of here…. and that’s just the WW2 stuff.

I found some IFF sockets for the vampire Mk5 and Hornet cockpits – very pleased! 🙂

Its great bumping into many well known faces at Whitwick being very central in th UK, which makes this event more worth the while over flea-bay any day. I’m looking forward to next years already.

Hi John

You will be pleased to hear this Harrier T4N still exists. It can be found at the Norwich Aircraft Museum, and is owned by a friend of mine Dan Lander.

Being a trainer it had two columns, so maybe the front is a different design to the rear?

I’ll put you in touch.

….oh, and by the way it currently doesn’t have either columns!

[QUOTE=RPSmith;1318743]I think it’s a long time since the Land Speed Record was held by a “vehicle” with driven wheels. Would it be technically possible (transmission units etc) at over 1000mph?QUOTE]

I don’t think so. You hit a “barrier” in the physical strength of the rotating components, and how much force they can transmit, especially the wheels. You could look at it as the difference between propellor and jet driven aircraft for comparison, and their respective speeds.

It will be interesting to see if the wheel design can be improved to withstand the centrifugal forces imposed on them? I have read the Thrust SSC book, and this seems to have been a big limiting factor in their maximum rotational speed. Also, the previous SSC steered with its rear wheels, because steering the front wheels that are turning at high RPM will create high gyroscopic forces, that would make the car directionally unstable to say the least. I wonder if this new one will be rear steering also?

These LSR vehicles are more an excercise in stable aerodynamics and control systems these days. Richard noble is behind it again, so its likely to get the best out of British engineering against all odds!

Very well done to all

Hello Rogier

Sorry, the ORB is an abbreviation for Operational Record Book. My copy from 247 covers the vampire era only, and was passed to me from a vampire historian. I am told most ORB’s should be available from the National Archives at Kew, or maybe with the Department of Research at RAF Hendon?

“It must have been an unpleasant flight back to Linton-on-Ouse if they did.” – Indeed.

I’m going to get copies of these Hornet squadron ORB’s in the future, but if you find a copy of the “Hornet File” from Air Britain, it gives a good account of the Hornets in service. Unfortunately the vampire crash is not mentioned though.

247 Squadron Operational Record Book extract.

Hello all

As promised, here is the ORB extract from 247 in June 1949, however there is no actual date for the crash:

“JUNE.
OPERATIONS.
All operations, this month, have been overshadowed by the tragic loss of the Commanding Officer, Sqn Ldr A R T Beddow, DFC, who, whilst chasing Hornets at low level in the Ipswich area, struck a house and was killed instantly. This was an Officer who the Royal Air Force could not afford to lose, and his loss will be felt by all who knew him.”

His funeral was held at Odiham Church on the 5th July 1949.

The UK based Hornet squadrons were 19, 41, 64, and 65, so a check on their ORB’s may produce an exact date?

Hope this is of interest,

Hi Cees

the mosquito drop tanks do have a moulded ply construction, but as for their metal parts I don’t know.