Aircraft General Discussion

Edited By V8Eng on 04/04/2011 16:52:33

Edited By Ian S C on 12/04/2011 13:08:09

Here we go again, airshow time, IK did,nt get tio War Birds over Wanaka this Easter, but if anyone is in the Canterbury (NZ)area on the 22nd April, we are having our own Air Show at the local airstrip, just east of Darfield, it won't be near as big as the Easter one, it included the 75th anniversary of the RNZAF.

If there's anything interesting, I'll post a photo in my album. Ian S C

I recently wen to RAF Cosford to view the Bristol 188. I want to build a simulation of it in my X-Plane 10 flight sim. First thought as I arrived was blummin cheek, they charge for parking. Anyway I paid my 80p and breezed into the entrance. “One concession please” I said to the young lady on the desk. “It’s free for you Sir”, crickey I thought that’s a good deal and then she added, “but it’s free for everybody.”

I used to look after a DC3 and one time we were coming into land to clear customs at Manston after a trip to Germany. I was sat towards the rear and looking at the runway through a passenger window, I could just make out the edge of the runway. A red flare went off! My heart-beat went up a bit as I wondered what was wrong with our aircraft!

The pilot abandoned the landing and opened up the engines for a go-around but needless to say we landed OK. When the pilot walked down from the cockpit he told us that the airman at the end of the runway had never seen a Dakota before and when he could only see the main wheels he thought the nose wheel was still locked up so fired his flare. Of course he soon spotted the tail wheel as we flew past him!

That aircraft is now with the RAF and is the subject of the Haynes Dakota manual.

Derry.

Wow! Was it really a year ago that this thread went to sleep?

We wnet for a family walk on Saturday, and our near Wychnor there was a light plane up. He seemed to be pulling up steeply andteh engine working hard and he surprised me by pulling a loop! It didn't look very aerobatic, but he proceeded to do at least a few rolls and an immelman turn - one 'stunt' per pass over the area of open fields where we were.

Neil

Have not heard yet, but Air New Zealands new Boing 777 visited the show at Easter, and supposidly was to do some aerobatics. The biggest we'll get at our show will be the DC-3, no aerobatics, but pleanty of passenger rides, I think last time it was $NZ80 for 20 min or so, also rides in a Harvard, or a Mustang (rear seat where the fuel tank used to be in the rear of the cockpit),the photo of the Mustang in my album has as a passenger a local pvt pilot having his 80th birthday present at 400mph, think the whole flight cost over $NZ 1000, including a full aerobatic sesion. He usually flys a Piper PA-18 150. All the cash goes to fund the volunteer firebrigade, and ambulance. Ian S C

The aishow was a great day out, nothing special this year except one model jet that put on a good aerobatic display at speeds in excess of 200kph.

Later in the year at Ardmore(near Auckland) the first flight of a rebuilt Mosquito is due. The company doing the rebuild is also doing one to go to the UK.

I see that the Spitfires in Burma have been found, and are to be returned to UK, they were buryed in a 40ft deep hole. Ian S C

I remember reading somewhere that the glue used on the Mosquito was a form of Epoxy resin (Araldite)

It is possible to get Epoxy resins that do not go hard/brittle. These are used on glass components that sit in metal holders, prisms in mounts and glass windows in bodies.

Another form is used in boat building so that the wood can flex, this from an Americam Boat Building magazine.

So it would seem that Epoxy resin would be the answer.

Clive

Back to the topic of Avro Vulcans.

For many years now, my local model engineering society has organised a late summer holiday (usually a week-long coach trip) and we have ventured all over the UK and Europe. Last year we were based near York and did all the local attractions, particularly the North York Moors Railway and the National Railway Museum. We also went to the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington.

As our coach driver checked in, the volunteers on the gate said that we may be in for a special treat as the preserved Vulcan was due to over-fly, en route to Scotland. Sure enough, at about mid-day, she appeared and gave us a quarter-hour aerobatic (for a Vulcan!) display. Magnificent.

At least four of us in the party had worked at Patchway, so there were lumps in throats. Even my wife, who has never been a raving aircraft enthusiast, admitted that she could now understand our fascination. Quite a day.

Can thoroughly recommend a visit to Elvington.

Geoff

I thought that the original Mosquitos were built using somethink like urea-formaldahyde. They did change it to a different spec for the tropics. I used to work with someone who was with the RAF in India, he said that they just fell apart in the humidity.

Ian

Did the Vulcan roll? Something that big inverted is a helluva sight!

Neil