dilligaf Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Dennis Healey will always be remembered for his achievements. I just can't remember what any of them were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shake me up Judy Posted October 5, 2015 Author Share Posted October 5, 2015 This is a subject I know nothing about, but I watched a very good documentary a few years ago about the post-war British aerospace industry. Until the 1960's we seemed to be turning out new fighter jets / bombers almost every year, and there would have been colossal expense and waste, so something had to give. There must have been a huge overseas market and rapid technological advancement driving the industry. I'd welcome the thoughts of anyone who knows this subject, perhaps in a new thread. There were certainly some beautiful birds turned out in a golden period though. I've just noticed my spelling mistake in the thread title. Didn't Mike Yarwood once turn out as his sister 'Denise' ? Did we decide where the photo was taken ? I don't recognise it. Are we confirming it as Fleshwick ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 bit too thunderbirds for my likingYou should have seen Hotol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc.fixit Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 The RAF has a TSR2 on display at the airfield near Telford, (can't remember it's name). Fantastic looking plane. Mrs. Doc has just said it is RAF Cosford. Mrs Doc and Mr fixit. Are you 2 having an affair? oh yes, for nearly 50 years now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Border Terrier Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 This is a subject I know nothing about, but I watched a very good documentary a few years ago about the post-war British aerospace industry. Until the 1960's we seemed to be turning out new fighter jets / bombers almost every year, and there would have been colossal expense and waste, so something had to give. There must have been a huge overseas market and rapid technological advancement driving the industry. I'd welcome the thoughts of anyone who knows this subject, perhaps in a new thread. There were certainly some beautiful birds turned out in a golden period though. I've just noticed my spelling mistake in the thread title. Didn't Mike Yarwood once turn out as his sister 'Denise' ? Did we decide where the photo was taken ? I don't recognise it. Are we confirming it as Fleshwick ? >I'd welcome the thoughts of anyone who knows this subject, I arrived about 25 years too late, but did work in the industry with a lot of people who'd been there since the war. One guy, the late Reg Cooper (Cooperman) deliberately set fire to 6 airworthy Mosquito's at RAF Thruxton, having first removed the RR Merlin engines (subsequently sold to 'wheeler dealer' Freddie Laker), the fuel (which mysteriously evaporated from their tanks!) and all due to the aircraft being surplus to requirements. Only 2 left flying now, out of about 7000 built. I'm told the industry wages were good, the management dreadful. High staff turnover due to competition within the (pre-Nationalised) private aero companies. And the underlying 'problem' of the British aviation industry at that time? Was that they pretty much recruited most of the talented engineers to the detriment of other similar industries e.g. car, motorcycle, electrical etc. With skilled labour being in short supply, these other industries could have benefitted from those staff, thus being more able to contribute to the Nation's balance of payments. "Export or die". TBT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc.fixit Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 My absolute favourite jet is the English Electric Lightning. Saw one at an air show doing a very low level fly past, actually, when I say saw I really mean felt and heard 'cos it was just a very, very fast blur that shook the ground. My bestest plane of all time is the Spit of course closely followed by the Typhoon, Mustang and Airocobra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the stinking enigma Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 its the vulcan for me doc, for what it signified also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballaughbiker Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 there would have been colossal expense and waste, so something had to give. Didn't DH trash the TSR2 project in favour of the F-111? What could have been a world-leading export situation turned out to be a potential import situation thanks to him (they eventually didn't buy those either). He also delayed the Concorde project as an unintended consequence. The TSR2 was a quite remarkable machine and how good it was is described by test pilot Roly Beamont on youtube. It had its development problems of course but the only supersonic test flight left the following Lightning behind despite it using full reheat*.The TSR2 could only use reheat on one engine on this flight because of vibration problems which I recall turned out to be a fuel pump. It's remit was to delivery nuclear weapons at Mach 2 high level and perhaps more remarkably at Mach 1.1 at low level and be able to operate out of less than ideal runways. The avionics on board were far superior to anything else at the time. It was clearly way ahead of anything the enemy or allies had in the early 60s. A huge opportunity missed. *The TSR2 actually went supersonic without any reheat which has only recently been matched by modern aircraft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc.fixit Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 its the vulcan for me doc, for what it signified also brill too! did you read the book about their mission to the Falklands? I think it was called, 'A Funny,(or peculiar), way to go to war'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the stinking enigma Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 I haven't doc but I will try to thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the stinking enigma Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 F1-11's target bombing off jurby used to be such a common sight that we never even bothered watching them after a while, would love to see that again now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.K. Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 The TSR2 was a quite remarkable machine and how good it was is described by test pilot Roly Beamont on youtube. It had its development problems of course but the only supersonic test flight left the following Lightning behind despite it using full reheat*.The TSR2 could only use reheat on one engine on this flight because of vibration problems which I recall turned out to be a fuel pump. It's remit was to delivery nuclear weapons at Mach 2 high level and perhaps more remarkably at Mach 1.1 at low level and be able to operate out of less than ideal runways. The avionics on board were far superior to anything else at the time. It was clearly way ahead of anything the enemy or allies had in the early 60s. A huge opportunity missed. That's a huge unknown. As an aircraft in it's development stage it was probably the bollocks but there's an enormous gulf between getting the airframe to perform and turning it into a weapons platform with all the armament and supply logistics that go with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc.fixit Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 its the vulcan for me doc, for what it signified also brill too! did you read the book about their mission to the Falklands? I think it was called, 'A Funny,(or peculiar), way to go to war'. Sorry, I was talking rubbish!! 'A very strange way to go to war ', was by Andrew Vine and was about the Canberra. The book I was thinking about was called, 'Vulcan 607' by Rowland White. another good Vulcan book is, 'Vulcan Boys', by Tony Blackman. Sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.K. Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 its the vulcan for me doc, for what it signified also We'll be watching Vulcan XH558 fly over today. Always worth a look... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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