Phil Perry1 Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Two fine old Aircraft. . . . . and one beautiful 'Might have been. . .' An RAF pilot, that I used to deal with, used a term for older pilots - Wiffles; 'When I Flew Lightnings. . . .'. A friend has a picture of all the TSR-2 airframes in a scrapyard,. . .he says it's too sad to post. . . ( working on it. . .) Doncha just Lurve Pollies ? . . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacesailor Posted February 24, 2017 Share Posted February 24, 2017 Are you! Volunteering to chop those wings off, making them Truck ready. I had that job when I was in my teens. Not many people could say they used a "Gas-Axe" to cut up a ships copper boiler. spacesailor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Perry1 Posted February 24, 2017 Author Share Posted February 24, 2017 Are you!Volunteering to chop those wings off, making them Truck ready. I had that job when I was in my teens. Not many people could say they used a "Gas-Axe" to cut up a ships copper boiler. spacesailor I regularly used a Gas Axe up n the high scaffolding whilst subbing as a welder for Costain in the centre of Melbourne, on a 14 floor office block ( second ever Aussie Job in 1972 ) we were responsible for cutting / fitting 150 x 150mm heavy angle steel to the concrete facing to take the next storey of brickwork. . .we 'Axed' the angle to length, drilled the concrete, but 'Blew' the holes for the loxons in the angle to save time. . .! Damn useful tool. . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacesailor Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 But "COPPER" And it was four inch thick, twelve bottles oxygen a day, the boss wasn't impressed at that!. spacesailor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Perry1 Posted February 25, 2017 Author Share Posted February 25, 2017 Only ONE 'Plane Pic' here, but an interesting historical link about an old RAF airfield I used to fly into and From, around twelve years back, I used to hire aircraft dirt cheap, from a guy who imported them from the States. . . 'By cheap' I'm talking £30.00 per hour Dry. . . C-150 / PA28 151 / Grumman AA5A / Auster 6. . . not bad rates for 2005 ! RAF Tilstock AKA Prees Heath ( Bomber training base 1942 ) Report - - RAF Tilstock, Shropshire, December 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Perry1 Posted February 27, 2017 Author Share Posted February 27, 2017 Nuther nice Canberra pic. . .overflying ( EX ) RAF Kemble, Glucestershire. . . Nicely shows the 'Offset' position of the cockpit bubble. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Yeah it looks like they got the rest of the plane fairly straight... what happened with the cockpit? Was it just trying to reassure the Yanks that they're definitely left hand drive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacesailor Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 They decided Not to have Learner's aboard, so didn't need a Right hand seat! spacesailor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Perry1 Posted March 1, 2017 Author Share Posted March 1, 2017 Yeah it looks like they got the rest of the plane fairly straight... what happened with the cockpit? Was it just trying to reassure the Yanks that they're definitely left hand drive? It's bin a long time since I had a ride in one of these, 1964 at RAF Bassingbourn near Cambridge, when I was in the ATC air cadets. About six of us were given a 20 minute ride around, decided by lottery. . . we had to sit in the Navigator / systems / camera operator seat behind the cockpit. This was, from memory, completely enclosed, with a tiny little window on one side. In an emergency, the seat ejects Downward ! ! ! They DID explain why the cockpit was offset, but I can't remember. ( probably in wikipedia if anyone's that interested ! ) I remember it being terrifyingly claustrophobic though ! ( Yes,. . I 'Barfed' into the sick bag again ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Perry1 Posted March 4, 2017 Author Share Posted March 4, 2017 Westland P.12 Wendover. A prototype developed from the Westland Lysander, during the 1940 invasion scare, Westland tried to come up with a version of the aircraft which would be more capable in combat. The P.12 Wendover was the result. The front half was more of less identical to the Lysander. However the rear half was heavily modified. The rear portion of the glazed cockpit was deleted, and the fuselage was modified to feature a twin tail unit and with a tandem wing configuration. The conventional tail was removed and in its place a power-operated 4-gun Nash & Thompson turret was added. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmccarthy1 Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Westland P.12 WendoverThat is truly ugly! Are you sure that Westland didn't say Bendover? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly_tornado Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 ugly but want so bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 That's what happens when you leave Lysanders and Lancasters in the same hangar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Perry1 Posted March 5, 2017 Author Share Posted March 5, 2017 That's what happens when you leave Lysanders and Lancasters in the same hangar... Soooooo UGLY ! . . . . .Only it's Mother could love that. . . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Perry1 Posted March 5, 2017 Author Share Posted March 5, 2017 Yeah it looks like they got the rest of the plane fairly straight... what happened with the cockpit? Was it just trying to reassure the Yanks that they're definitely left hand drive? I read sometime ago that the USAF evaluated the Canberra in the early 1960s for it's high altitude Photo - Recon capability, but decided on the U2, as it could climb considerably higher, and was a little faster in the cruise. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmccarthy1 Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 I read sometime ago that the USAF evaluated the Canberra in the early 1960s for it's high altitude Photo - Recon capability, but decided on the U2, as it could climb considerably higher, and was a little faster in the cruise. . . and had its cockpit in the right place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man emu Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 The Wendover reminds me of the Transavia Airtruk. Transavia PL-12 Airtruk - Wikipedia If the Airtruk didn't have such a thirsty engine, I reckon it would be a real fun thing to fly. With the cockpit up so high, you could pretend you were flying a heavy commercial. OME Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacesailor Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 The cockpit is high because the engine is under the pilot, The engine is a thirsty one to haul big payloads, twin boom to let loader get in close to fill hopper, away from the prop, spoke to man in Transavia factory the year (or two) before it closed,( after being vandalized). No spare parts just cannibalising the remaining aircraft. spacesailor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man emu Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 Reminds me of Bill the Steamshovel from days gone by on the ABC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yenn Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 I have read that the Lysander was a bit of a hancfull to fly unless you kept re trimming on take off. With the Wendover being so short coupled I would guess that it could be even worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Perry1 Posted March 8, 2017 Author Share Posted March 8, 2017 Reminds me of Bill the Steamshovel from days gone by on the ABC[ATTACH=full]49127[/ATTACH] Obvious it's a bit dated Sir,. . . .look at that VHF telly aerial ! we had one of those ( but on our chimney, not on our steamshovel. . ) at my house in the 50s / early 60s. . . VHF / 405 line B+W. . . Halcyon days eh ? . . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Perry1 Posted March 8, 2017 Author Share Posted March 8, 2017 I have read that the Lysander was a bit of a hancfull to fly unless you kept re trimming on take off. With the Wendover being so short coupled I would guess that it could be even worse. I guess that would not have helped when surrepticiously landing in the French countryide after dark, dropping off secret agents and all, then having to takeoff without the rudimentary flares, concentrating on missing the trees / other obstuctions and having to pi$$ about constantly re- trimming . . an increased workload for poor Mr. Pilot. . . ie, correcting a design flaw. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willedoo Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Thought I'd share these photos received in an email today. It's Ukrainian Su-27, 55 Blue of the 831st. Guards Tactical Aviation Brigade that crashed on approach to Ozerne Airfield just before Christmas. It came to rest in a field between the approach beacons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 "Any landing you walk away from..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litespeed Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 It has a very large chunk of the left rudder missing. Curious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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