Wasn’t Barnes Wallis working on a four engined Wellington, how close was that to flying?

I’m getting into an area where I’ve got no idea what I’m blithering on about!!!

I think you might be talking about the “Victory Bomber”. This was a 6-engine geodetic construction high- altitude bomber conceived by Wallis in 1940 to carry his proposed 22,000lb ‘penetrating bomb’.

It got to the wind tunnel testing stage, but the fact that it could only carry one of the proposed bombs at a time caused the Air Ministry to reject it. There was also some concern over the time it would take to put the aircraft into production.

Hope this helps!!

In a nutshell. Pretty darn schmick for mine!

The Americans do the same thing with their classic cars and over-restore them to a finish that would be just too expensive on a production model, even a Ferrari or Bentley. My personal view is that the patina on the OFMC Spitfire MH434 is absolutely right as it looks as though it is in regular front line service.

Funny you should mention this. It was finally realised not too long ago that of the stunning classic cars at Pebble Beach (THE Concours show in the U.S.) many of the entrants were what was termed “over-restored”. In other words, pieces were chromed that shouldn’t have been, cast iron pieces had been ground smooth and powder-coated when they were originally brush-painted in their raw state….you get the picture. Now I can’t say for sure what the outcome of this lightning-bolt of realisation was, but I do know it was accepted that ‘concours’ trophies were being awarded to vehicles that were indeed completely at odds with the definition of concours.

However, I’d sure as ******y rather have those folks spend that money restoring those beautiful pieces of history that way rather than sending them to the crusher.

I doubt very much whether Delta’s “Ship 41” looked as stunning in the 30’s as it does now. But what a beautiful aircraft! What an amazing restoration!

I once watched, not too long ago, a self-proclaimed ‘officiando’ and ‘enthusiast’ refuse to get on a vintage steam train because it was pulling the wrong era carriages, in his opinion, and he thus proceeded to hold court with his disciples on ‘everything that is wrong with the steam enthusiasts of today’.

He failed to see the ecstatic, laughing faces of families as they steamed out of the station for a one-hour glimpse of times past. Jerk-off.

Well, as we’re paying for it, I’d like something for my money. 😡

Too true. I’d like something for my money that goes into the Grand Pricks, too!

I was discussing this with a friend of mine who was in the general aviation industry when Avalon was held for the first time. As far as we are both concerned, Avalon was always first and foremost a trade show, aimed at the aviation industry.

However, it appears that some bright spark has hit upon the idea of marketing it as an airshow and thus throwing the doors open to the general public. This in itself is not a bad thing, as long as the show itinerary is also engineered to the general public. Unfortunately, I dont think it has been.

Avalon 2007 featured an identical flying program for both Saturday and Sunday, which would rate in my book as one of the most thoughtless and condescending acts I have ever seen from a group trying to take my hard-earned in return for promised entertainment.

I think the organisers better make up their minds whether they are holding a trade show or an airshow, right after they look up the definitions of both in the dictionary.

Great Victorian airshows? Tyabb and Point Cook. A lovely day out for all concerned.

Steve, I just had a bit of a look and couldn’t find that Binbrook ghost posting….can you offer some guidance please?

Yes, but fun to look at.
Perhaps it should be celebrated as being perhaps the last aviation film to use real airplanes? 😀

Now correct me if I’m wrong, but was there a B17 written off during the filming of this film?

My votes for favourite would have to include The Sound Barrier and The War Lover. (even though this is well off-topic)

Great thread!