formation aerobatics

I’m with you Wyvernfan ,

Personally I can see no point in tight formation aerobatics in warbirds ,the pilots involved have proved their respective abilities as warbird pilots and I admire them for it, but where I marvelled at and enjoyed every second of the Breitling Fighters routines ,when the Mustang duo’s with their tighter formations started I just thought and still do that it was just an unneccessary risk

Steve

Centaurus

I was always under the impression that although the Centaurus was a very complex powerplant,it was also a very reliable unit that offered great performance.
It was obviously easier to maintain in service because there would have been plenty of new spares available for what were then relatively new units.
Indeed if neccessary I’m sure the units would have just been changed out completely if there was a rogue.
Thesedays however with the Centaurus being fifty odd years old and serviceable spare parts as rare as rocking horse ****, operation and maintenance has become a problem.
This leaves me wondering if The Fighter Collection have a reliable fix for the Centaurus with several Furies under their care.Their restoration of the ex RAF Museum Fury looks great,a lot of time and money invested in it not to have a reliable powerplant.
I would have thought someone must be able to overhaul them to a reliable condition safe for flight.

Steve

Sea Fury T.20….. Very Well Done !!

Just read the RNHF update,its great to see the 2 seater flying again,very well done to all involved with the reassembly and testing programme.

I’m sure I speak for many in wishing the Flight the very best of luck with all their aircraft in the future,

Steve

Skybolt,

Are you sure about it being 40 years ? I have Neils autograph from an airshow where he was displaying the Yak 11 G-AYAK. That must have been 1976-77 which would make it approximately 30 years.I’m 43 now and was a just about a teenager then !!!
Time flies and its scary how quickly,thanks for sharing your memories of Neil and Doug,it would be good to hear more on this thread if you have them please,

Steve

WG 655

A bargain at that price still only about £7-800,000 at current exchange rates !! lol just long term operation of the Centaurus to worry about really.

Any one seen the new Witty Wings model T20 Dragon of Cymru ? wondered if that colour scheme /markings are what it will be wearing when it flies again ??

Steve

It won’t happen !!

Last time I heard ,the RNHF policy was to operate their aircraft in as near to original condition as possible.
I remember Phil Shaw ,the then display pilot on VR.930 making a statement to that effect.
He went on to say that if the Centaurus engine couldn’t be operated satisfactorily then the aircraft would be grounded either until it could be made serviceable or permanently,definately no alternative engines.

Personally I feel the same about it,nothing sounds like a Centaurus and a Fury without one is just not on for Me !!

Steve

Merlin power in Suffolk

Merlin powered aircraft passed to the west of Lowestoft heading north at about 13.00 hrs ,flying at 1500ft at a guess.Didn’t get time to get the bins though.Did anyone else in the area spot who/what it was ?

Steve