Oh no.
If you’ve ever flown a helicopter, you’d understand.

I admit, I’ have different tastes…but to me, few aircraft are as fun as a classic Bell 47.

I agree with you J Boyle, only ever had a ride once in a RAF Sioux(Agusta Bell 47) at RAF Ternhill in 1971 after being part of a team that had done a Minor inspection and somebody from the servicing team had to go on the first flight to handle the clipboard, pen and stopwatch! My main job was to keep watch for the pesky macines that could and did go any which way. After noting different engine revs at certain altitudes and attitudes came the piece de resistance. The auto rotation test . Reduce revs, pilot says start stop watch and down we go. A funny feeling that I have never experienced since as we dropped down with the rotors windmilling until the autorotation took effect and we landed with very little effect, and the stopwatch stopped and time taken noted. Pilot confirms the Sioux is ok for flight and we takeoff for Ternhill. Ray
If you want to learn more about the first succesful civil helicopter go to http//www.arthuryoung.com/maker.html

Bergamaschi C-1/ C-2 some facts!

‘The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Aircraft’ mentions on page 619 that the Bergarmo flying school in Italy decided in the mid 1920s to make its own design of trainers for its own and others use. A new company, Cantieri Aeronautici Bergamaschi, was established to develop and produce these aircraft. Of then convential wood and fabric construction, the Bergamaschi C-1 was an unequal span bi-plane. Only the lower wing incorporated any dihedral, and ailerons were installed only on the upper wing. The fuselage structure included an open cockpit for the pilot, just aft of the upper wing trailing edge, and landing gear was of fixed tailskid type. Power was provided by a Hipano- Suiza inline engine with a frontal radiator installation. A generally similar aircraft differing only by having two seat accomadation had the designation Bergmaschi C-2.
Specification for the C-2 is as follows-
Type: two seat light trainer. Powerplant: one 150 hp(112 kW) Hispano- Suiza 6Pa inline piston engine. Performance: maximum speed 117 mph (188 km/h) minimum speed 53 mph (85 km/h) : endurance 1 hour 30 minutes. Weights: empty 1,603 lb (727 kg); maximum takeoff 2,088 lb (947 kg) Dimensions: span 31 ft 6 in. (9.60 m) length 22 ft 8.5 in. (6.92 m) ; height 9 ft 1.5 in (2.78 m).
There are no photos provided. Hope this info. gives you some help. Ray

My source of inimitable info. ‘The Illustrated Encyclopaedia Of Aircraft’ tells me that the Liore-et-Olivier H27 was built as a long range mail carrier in competition with the Latecoere 380. The H27 was exhibited at the 1930 Paris Salon de Aeronautique. It was a cantilever high wing monoplane flying boat, powered by four engines carried over the wings in tandem pairs, but major changes in the basic requirment meant that the rebuilt H-27 did not fly until 1934. Powered by four 650-hp (485-kW) Hispano -Suiza 12 Nbr engines, the H-27 was abandoned when the metal skins of the hull developed ripples during flight tests.:eek:

Helicopter days Part one

What a great thread:D You can guess from my user name where my interest lies. After 3 years on the Lightning at Wattisham (hydraulic bay,tyres and external fuel tank servicing) I got to pick my final posting , RAF Ternhill the Central Flying School, Rotary wing squadron! First on the rotbox Whirlwind ,Major and Minor servicing where I had my first helicopter flight when I was the man with the clipboard on a first flight after a service. My main instruction from the pilot was to keep a good lookout for other choppers the sky seemed full of the go anyway machines. The autorotation test was an unusual experience keeping my eyes on a stopwatch and outside at the same time. Then we returned to base and I changed places with a student. The machine was airworthy and starting to earn its keep. Then I moved onto the love of my life. The Sioux. more to follow later. Super Sioux

If the bookprice is right (£644) its way out of my price range.:eek:

Paul E Richter is he the man?

Have found the above early pilot and mechanic uttered these words according to the website http://www.paulrichtertwalegend.com/

Was this Freds mother?:D

Hi there,

Would anyone here happen to know the squadron code letter that was worn on Fairey Firefly Mk. 1 DT979 of of No. 1772 Naval Air Squadron, from HMS Indefatigable, when it was lost in action over Japan on the 10th of August 1945, with Sub Lt (A) Thomas Chalmers Glen McBride RNZNVR as the Observer? He was the last New Zealander killed in air operations in WWII..

Some more info. concerning the day of the incident, the pilot was S/LT Roberts snd the aircraft was shot down in flames by Jap. AA at the airfield of Koriyama which they had strafed after escorting Avengers on a mission. Of interest is the fact that on the same day a 1772 Sqdn. Firefly was shotdown by naval AA fire and the two crew who were New Zealanders Sub/Lt O’Neil and Observer Sub/Lt Darby bailed out and were taken prisoner by the Japs and returned to their ship in Tokyo Bay after the surrender. Were they the last New Zealander aircrew to be taken POW? Details from ‘Fairey Firefly the operational record’ by W. Harrison published by Airlife 1992.