Originally posted by duxfordhawk
I would say from what i have seen a Barrel roll is more dangerous than a loop and has been involved in many accidents including the Invader at Biggin,I don’t agree that Ray loops at low level but some pilots may do,Also the OFMC has a very good safety record sadly Mark was lost in a landing accident but the BBMF have had landing accidents too,notably Hurricane LF363 landing and fire
a few years ago,Maybe this thread should get back to what it was about?.

The Invader barrel roll was flown by , lets face it a medium bomber overloaded with IIRC 7 souls on board – practice denied or not its just something you dont do in my book!
The loop is the easiest aerobatic manouvere to fly as long as you have enough airspace. A barrel roll is more difficult to fly but flown well there should’nt be a great loss of height from when you enter it to when you finish it. Its also flown around the longitudinal axis which is basically straight and level. Certainly more airshow losses have occured from vertical exit manouveres than horizontal.
I’m also certainly not questioning OFMCs or any others safety records.
All display loops are flown at low level, otherwise there would be no point as they would be too high and out of view!
Mark’s tragedy and the (then) loss of LF363 were landing accidents away from a display venue and of no consequence to this discussion, or rather my tangential posts from the original thread.

Originally posted by 334_Pegasus
Well I’ve noticed the last couple of RIAT’s there have been far less Boscombe Down aircraft than there used to be…. They could at least send an Alpha Jet!

Absolutely!!!!

But now as a cash strapped 90% civilian outfit, having to justify every flight their appearances are pretty much zero.

pathetic really.

Originally posted by Steve 964
Have any of you ever seen a recording of the Biggin Hill Air Fair 1982 as televised back then?
There are some great performers on this recording including many that are sadly no longer with us,but the reason I have posted this is to comment on the Hanna/MH434 performance.
The aircraft was still in the Sir Adrian Swire livery at this time and was the last Biggin Hill performance before MH434 was sold to OFMC.
This is a display the like of which I haven’t seen for many years,for instance imagine MH434 being banked round the trees on knife edge with only one wing visible above the trees,and the flying full length of runway with less than diameter of prop beneath the aircraft, – can’t get lower without landing!!
Wondered if anyone wanted to see it,I could run a copy so as to protect my copy ,and it could be passed round in similar fashion to the camera.
By the way you could also see the 83 show as well.

Havent seen that clip but have some old super 8s of my Dads from early ’70s airshows showing Mister Hanna doing crazy things with MH434.
Ive also seen a video of a P38 rolling at very low level, and a P63 not pulling out of a dive after a loop, a RR Spitfire doing the same , recall an A26 barrel rolling……

Low level aeros in priceless warbirds…….. come on guys
No wonder insurance premiums are through the roof and there are so many restrictions and hinderances to getting/keeping old timers flying.

The Aircraft Test and Evaluation Sqn (ATES) at Boscombe still use her for varying tasks, not the ETPS.I’m sure that she is borrowed frequently though for low speed/ tail dragger/ prop job testing. Out of the 3 in use with the then A&AEE, shes the sole survivor. No mention of a replacement yet!

Indian Navy Sea Hawks saw active service in various skirmishes with Pakistan, particularly ’65 & ’71. They were in front line service up until the early 1980s – replaced by Sea Harriers.

You guys got nothing better to do !?:)