Aviation P0rn
11 October 2012, 09:27 AM
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11 October 2012, 02:51 PM
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Certainly a fascinating machine. I remember having to be careful not to get any of its very special fuel dripping onto my uniform when walking underneath it. Apparently you would wind up with holes all over your clothes.
The other interesting bit was the whole aircraft being built of overlapping sheets of material to allow it to expand as it heated up at very high speed. The fuselage used to reach very high temperatures because of the heating effect of the air. It was largely built of titanium I was told because that was the only material that would stand the heat without weakening.
The tyres were silver in colour once again to help withstand the heat. They were made of pretty special material which was built up in layers so that when it landed the layers used to strip off deliberately as it went down the runway.
The engines were also very special, they used a hypergolic fuel for very high altitude work and when it took off the exhausts used to have diamonds in it like a rocket motor.
We were not allowed to look in the cockpit because it was all most secret so I never got the chance of a trip,even if I did offer a flight in the Vulcan in exchange!
Apparently when it was belting along it used to have a radius of turn equivalent to one of the States if they had to do a significant turn!
Too expensive to run any more they say!
Les
The other interesting bit was the whole aircraft being built of overlapping sheets of material to allow it to expand as it heated up at very high speed. The fuselage used to reach very high temperatures because of the heating effect of the air. It was largely built of titanium I was told because that was the only material that would stand the heat without weakening.
The tyres were silver in colour once again to help withstand the heat. They were made of pretty special material which was built up in layers so that when it landed the layers used to strip off deliberately as it went down the runway.
The engines were also very special, they used a hypergolic fuel for very high altitude work and when it took off the exhausts used to have diamonds in it like a rocket motor.
We were not allowed to look in the cockpit because it was all most secret so I never got the chance of a trip,even if I did offer a flight in the Vulcan in exchange!
Apparently when it was belting along it used to have a radius of turn equivalent to one of the States if they had to do a significant turn!
Too expensive to run any more they say!
Les
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11 October 2012, 05:13 PM
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Certainly a fascinating machine. I remember having to be careful not to get any of its very special fuel dripping onto my uniform when walking underneath it. Apparently you would wind up with holes all over your clothes.
The other interesting bit was the whole aircraft being built of overlapping sheets of material to allow it to expand as it heated up at very high speed. The fuselage used to reach very high temperatures because of the heating effect of the air. It was largely built of titanium I was told because that was the only material that would stand the heat without weakening.
The tyres were silver in colour once again to help withstand the heat. They were made of pretty special material which was built up in layers so that when it landed the layers used to strip off deliberately as it went down the runway.
The engines were also very special, they used a hypergolic fuel for very high altitude work and when it took off the exhausts used to have diamonds in it like a rocket motor.
We were not allowed to look in the cockpit because it was all most secret so I never got the chance of a trip,even if I did offer a flight in the Vulcan in exchange!
Apparently when it was belting along it used to have a radius of turn equivalent to one of the States if they had to do a significant turn!
Too expensive to run any more they say!
Les
The other interesting bit was the whole aircraft being built of overlapping sheets of material to allow it to expand as it heated up at very high speed. The fuselage used to reach very high temperatures because of the heating effect of the air. It was largely built of titanium I was told because that was the only material that would stand the heat without weakening.
The tyres were silver in colour once again to help withstand the heat. They were made of pretty special material which was built up in layers so that when it landed the layers used to strip off deliberately as it went down the runway.
The engines were also very special, they used a hypergolic fuel for very high altitude work and when it took off the exhausts used to have diamonds in it like a rocket motor.
We were not allowed to look in the cockpit because it was all most secret so I never got the chance of a trip,even if I did offer a flight in the Vulcan in exchange!
Apparently when it was belting along it used to have a radius of turn equivalent to one of the States if they had to do a significant turn!
Too expensive to run any more they say!
Les
11 October 2012, 06:43 PM
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Certainly a fascinating machine. I remember having to be careful not to get any of its very special fuel dripping onto my uniform when walking underneath it. Apparently you would wind up with holes all over your clothes.
The other interesting bit was the whole aircraft being built of overlapping sheets of material to allow it to expand as it heated up at very high speed. The fuselage used to reach very high temperatures because of the heating effect of the air. It was largely built of titanium I was told because that was the only material that would stand the heat without weakening.
The tyres were silver in colour once again to help withstand the heat. They were made of pretty special material which was built up in layers so that when it landed the layers used to strip off deliberately as it went down the runway.
The engines were also very special, they used a hypergolic fuel for very high altitude work and when it took off the exhausts used to have diamonds in it like a rocket motor.
We were not allowed to look in the cockpit because it was all most secret so I never got the chance of a trip,even if I did offer a flight in the Vulcan in exchange!
Apparently when it was belting along it used to have a radius of turn equivalent to one of the States if they had to do a significant turn!
Too expensive to run any more they say!
Les
The other interesting bit was the whole aircraft being built of overlapping sheets of material to allow it to expand as it heated up at very high speed. The fuselage used to reach very high temperatures because of the heating effect of the air. It was largely built of titanium I was told because that was the only material that would stand the heat without weakening.
The tyres were silver in colour once again to help withstand the heat. They were made of pretty special material which was built up in layers so that when it landed the layers used to strip off deliberately as it went down the runway.
The engines were also very special, they used a hypergolic fuel for very high altitude work and when it took off the exhausts used to have diamonds in it like a rocket motor.
We were not allowed to look in the cockpit because it was all most secret so I never got the chance of a trip,even if I did offer a flight in the Vulcan in exchange!
Apparently when it was belting along it used to have a radius of turn equivalent to one of the States if they had to do a significant turn!
Too expensive to run any more they say!
Les
11 October 2012, 10:32 PM
#12
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It reminds me of one of favourite novels.... The North Cape. By Joe Poyer.
Its loosely based on a Blackbird, with a fair bit of embellishment, but its a cracking read if you can find it....
11 October 2012, 10:50 PM
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I had a mate in the USAF posted at Biggen Hill and he told me the SR-71's total running costs were $ 34,000 per hour.
On another topc I read last week that the current US military combined machine is costing $2.2 Billion every 36 hours
On another topc I read last week that the current US military combined machine is costing $2.2 Billion every 36 hours
12 October 2012, 04:41 PM
#20
I saw one take off at an airshow at Mildenhall in 1984.
Couple of guys walked out to the plane in what looked like space-suits and off it went - exhaust diamonds and a load of noise
Those were the good old days, I recall seeing Luftwaffe Starfighters doing barrel rolls above the runway at very low altitude - no health and safety then!
12 October 2012, 06:03 PM
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When we took part in the Red Flag exercises just north of Las Vegas, we were discussing manouverability at height with the F15 blokes in the bar. Our boss said he could out turn them and they laughed in his face. So he said that he would see them at height after the next exercise that we did. They all met up and he put the Vulcan on its ear and none of them could get anywhere near him to get a front gun shot on him, they where flicking out all over the place!
They were very quiet for fighter pilots in the bar that night but it cost them a lot of beer
.I was also able to get a front gun shot on one at low altitude over the Nevada desert when I caught him by surprise. He did not expect the Vulcan to have such a rapid rate of roll and I was able to call "splash" on the radio which meant that I had been in a position to shoot him. The rest of his squadron never let him forget that he had been shot down by a bomber!
There was a lot more to the Vulcan than met the eye believe me. It was an honour to fly it.
Les
12 October 2012, 06:27 PM
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14 October 2012, 02:56 PM
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We also fooled them into believing that the big refuelling probe fitted on the nose of most Vulcans was a very powerful cannon! We had even more respect after that!
Les
15 October 2012, 12:35 PM
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Great news, it must have been awesome to see.
I was able to look over one in the 60s at Liverpool's Speke Airport.
Here is a brief article about it..(not by me though!)
http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=91842
It's locatede here now..
http://www.dehavillandmuseum.co.uk/
Maybe we'll see it flying again one day.
I was able to look over one in the 60s at Liverpool's Speke Airport.
Here is a brief article about it..(not by me though!)
http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=91842
It's locatede here now..
http://www.dehavillandmuseum.co.uk/
Maybe we'll see it flying again one day.
Last edited by Oldun; 15 October 2012 at 12:37 PM.
15 October 2012, 03:51 PM
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The Mosquito is a fascinating aircraft. Its construction and its performance was extremely impressive and it played a significant part in helping to win WW2.
It is said to have been the early version of the Canberra which was built in the same style as a light twin engined light bomber. Not made of wood however!
The Canberra, like the Mossie was a very versatile machine. It was pretty fast, a good low level aircraft, and I very much enjoyed flying it.
When I was doing the flying instructors' course at Little Rissington they had a Mossie parked up in one of the hangars. I spent some time trying to get a flight in it but it never came about while I was there. It was in pristine condition too.
The Mossie must have been an outstanding machine to fly,but I bet it was just as frightening as a Canberra with a single engine failure just after takeoff. Now that was a
dangerous experience!
Les
It is said to have been the early version of the Canberra which was built in the same style as a light twin engined light bomber. Not made of wood however!
The Canberra, like the Mossie was a very versatile machine. It was pretty fast, a good low level aircraft, and I very much enjoyed flying it.
When I was doing the flying instructors' course at Little Rissington they had a Mossie parked up in one of the hangars. I spent some time trying to get a flight in it but it never came about while I was there. It was in pristine condition too.
The Mossie must have been an outstanding machine to fly,but I bet it was just as frightening as a Canberra with a single engine failure just after takeoff. Now that was a
dangerous experience!
Les
15 October 2012, 04:40 PM
#30
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I was lucky as a kid, my father worked at RAE Farnborough amongst other secondments, which entitled us to free tickets to Farnborough on Trade days.
I remember being about 7 and watching the SR71 take off on the Monday morning after the Air Show it is still the most amazing sight I have seen in aviation by a distance.
One of my shots taken in DC at the Smithsonian, which is well worth a mention if you're ever in DC
I remember being about 7 and watching the SR71 take off on the Monday morning after the Air Show it is still the most amazing sight I have seen in aviation by a distance.
One of my shots taken in DC at the Smithsonian, which is well worth a mention if you're ever in DC
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