Buzzed by Spitfire!

Civil defence used to sound a siren about a quarter of a mile from our house, right up into the late seventies.

I always thought it was just an annoyance for her, but she told me the full story when she heard me listening to 'War Pigs' by Black Sabbath, which starts with the same sound.

Neil

Hello all

I was working at Rolls Royce Hucknall in the late 60's. The company's Spitfire (Mk X1V, Griffon, 5 blade prop.) was loaned for the making of the Battle of Britain film. Being a clip-wing variant from 1944, it was disguised by adding elliptical tips. When the aircraft was returned to Royces it looked a right mess, camouflage paint and dummy bullet holes. It was hastily rebuilt and re-painted in light blue. Tragically later destroyed in fatal accident, but I did hear from somewhere that it was subsequently rebuilt.

Jim

MichaelG,

Interesting design.

I'm ex-navy but have absolutely no interest in those things, except from the engineering stand point.

The 'Mine's bigger/faster/more expensive than yours' always springs to mind.

Slow and sedate for me, as I did my speed thing when racing at Kyalami.

Geoff - Lunch then roast more coffee beans

Hello Jim and others,

Just to briefly complete the history

After the accident a replacement Spitfire was found and bought by Royce's for an undisclosed sum in 1996; later fully rebuilt to rectify corrosion damage in the wings and elsewhere, repared again after damage on the ground when the undercarriage was retracted by mistake and now fully operational

She flies as Mk XIX PS853 with 2050hp Griffon engine, 5 blade prop and is again in the blue livery as delivered for squadron service in Europe early 1945 as a photo reconnaissance aircraft for high altitude work, mainly seeking V1 and V2 launch sites.

Brian

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Just thought you would like the engine, Geoff

MichaelG.

Buzzed by a couple of Hercules earlier. they often go right over, probably at under 200 feet. You can see why they fly low, if this was in theatre, then anyone on the ground would have no more than a few seconds to react.

We don't get as many planes or as much variety since they blew up the Drakelow cooling towers. We do get a lot of microlights following the A38, I do wonder if they and the Hercules are aware of each other? Fortunately the microlights usually fly higher than the hercs.

Neil

Indeed I did and certainly didn't mean it to appear to be a put-down.

Sorry if it came across as such, which it may have, reading my post again.

Grey cells don't always flag up possible wrong interpretations that my posts may generate.

Geoff - Forgot to set up bread maker last night, before pillow time - aargh!

No problem at all, Geoff

I couldn't link directly to the picture of the engine, so wasn't quite sure if you had seen it.

Best Wishes

MichaelG.

Loads of gee gees no doubt, but very strange that RR siamesed the last two front/rear exhaust stubs.

That arrangement would surely be thrown out due to interfering with each other?

Could it be just for that installation I wonder?

Geoff - Who am I to question RR engineers!

The tank that made the most use of the RR Meteor engine was the Centurion. The engine was built by Rover, and had 650hp. Some mates of mine in the Military Vehicles Club got an Australian Centurion for a birthday present for one of the guys. It arrived in Wellington, and came to the South Island by the Inter Island Ferry, they removed the fuel for the trip. At Picton they put in a Jerry can of fuel, and started it, warm up 20 minutes, and started to disembark. got half way down the ramp to the wharf, ran out of fuel. There's lots more to the story, but lots of fun was had by all. Ian S C

Hello Brian et al

Thanks for that. The test pilots at RR Hucknall flew the Spitfire a lot, they reckoned landing it was good practice for landing a Lightning, nose up and crabbed sideways to see where you were going. I well remember the Spitfire on take-off, the tail was in the air as soon as the throttle was opened, lifted by the wash from that fearsome five-blade propeller.

Speaking of the Lightning, they lost one and the pilot's R/T was sent round the squadrons as an example of how to behave in an emergency:

(in clipped voice)

"Smoke in the cockpit"

" I don't think I can stay with this aeroplane much longer"

"Eee-jecting"

They don't make them like that any more.

Or maybe they do.

Jim

Ian SC

RR power packs in the Centurian tank. Definitely a pity that the Centurian tank was not produced until the end of the war. It would have saved many lives amongst the tank crews and would have probably shortened the war. My Dad was the WO2 of a Royal Canadian Dragoon Light Aid Detachment for twelve years of his service. He loved the Centurian. I recall him telling me that the fuel consumption was 4 Imp Gal per Mile. Dad once told me that they had to keep the used and spare plugs in the shop safe due to the platinum content of the electrodes. There has been a Centurian bridge layer on static display at a local army base since the Centurian was replaced by the Leopard. When work was scheduled for a steam line running underground beneath the bridge layer, it had to be moved to a new location about 300 meters away. They managed to find one serving soldier on the base who was qualified to operate it. He was a WO1 Engineer with 37 years of service. He had not operated a Centurian bridge layer in over 30 years and the bridge layer had been on static display for over 25 years. They changed the oil, installed batteries and fuel and the old girl fired right up. After a bit of smoke that RR engine was purring like a kitten and moved easily to its new display pad.

Bill, you mention smoke, when the Centurion was obtained there was a choice, smoky or non smoky, I think they got the non smoky, if you want smoke buy Russian. It did the main bit of the trip south on a tank transporter, next morning it was driven from it's hiding place to it's new owners place.

The design required it to be armoured against the German 88 gun, this put it well over the original spec of 40 tons, and as the tank was developed through the marks it got heavier, more armour, more hp, and in the end a diesel engine, some up to 810hp.

The only thing that buzzes us here these days is a Strikemaster based in Christchurch (civvy owned) giving rides for the paying public(someone's got more spare cash than I have). Ian S C

Had a small jet over yessterday, could have been a Provost but I only got a very brief view. Wing tip tanks and a 'fat head' profile.

Neil

Neil, in RNZAF slang a "Blunty" Provost / Strikemaster, There a number of them in storage, probably listed as instructional airframes at RNZAF Woodbourne. There are (I think) two civilian Blunties flying in NZ. Ian S C

It might have been on its way to RAF Cosford where one displayed yesterday and today.

**LINK**

They had a live video feed during the show but it seems to have gone now.

I mainly wanted to see the Vulcan.

Gary

Could be - it was heading SW over Branston.

Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 08/06/2014 19:05:17

This is for Geoff to drool over ...

MichaelG.

Thanks for that MichaelG.

That's a biggie and makes the twin Dellorto setup on my 105E look puny.

We never think of SU producing such monsters.

Talking of SU, I intend fitting an H1 to my Austin Seven engine. Pity the 'Old Man' at 'The Austin' didn't beat his rival in purchasing the company.

Never found an SU equipped engine not start first time.

Amazing carb.

Geoff - Off to roast more coffee beans.

Michael - re. the piccy, does that one include Miss Shilling's orifice?

Rgds

Bill