Suits You Sir

[midsomerjambo]

Now I'm no expert but I just saw a vid of an ADV Tornado doing AAR and blow me if the probe wasn't on the port side. I spent a lot of time time helping the riggers do the initial probe fit on the TWCU GR1s around '82-83 and I definitely spent the time on the starboard side of the kite (us fairies had nothing better to do than get stabbed by locking wire). Was this video being shown inside out or do the steely fighter boys dress to the left?

MSJ

[PICKS135]

Dress to the left sir

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v379/f4phixeruk/DSCF0007.jpg

[Archimedes]

Indeed they do.


Apologies for the fact that I'm not in the same league as John Dibbs, et al, but this shot (from the back of a 10 Sqn VC10) might enlighten:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/Terrier24/DigiCamera1VC1012-11-03067b.jpg

[SRENNAPS]

GR 1 & 4s on the right – bolt on package – and ADVs on the left. No wonder you were a fairy but nice to know you helped.

I always found that decent fairy’s liked to get their hands dirty, especially with the “Sooty” stuff. Good on you.

[Safeware]

MSJ, if you look here:http://www.targeta.co.uk/tlp2006-4.htm towards the botttom of the page, and in close up here:http://www.targeta.co.uk/pages/061_8808w5.htm

reached through googling: tornado f3 aar

The GR1 probe was on the other side because it was a bolt on, the F3 one is designed into the airframe.

sw

[midsomerjambo]

OK so question to the boys that know - which is preferable - probe to port or probe to starboard or doesn't it matter? Actually thinking about it most of the kites I've seen and worked on had probes to port (remind me about the Jag someone). So were we mudmovers just being a bit bloody minded?

MSJ

[midsomerjambo]

And another thing, apropos of the picture of the Tremblers kite taxiing around what I assume is Leuchars - I was one of the Tornado groundcrew used to operating from a regular flightline (TWCU, Honington '82-'87) - what on earth were those sticky up chimney-like bits on the HASs? Was that why the IX guys always looked well fed?

MSJ

[samuraimatt]

Well, they were actually pressure relievers. If a bomb was dropped on the HAS and it penetrated it, then rather than it being destryed by the build up of pressure these relievers would open and allow the pressure wave created by said munition to dissipate to the outside world without too much damage being done.

[midsomerjambo]

Reckon it would have worked? I think I'd have preferred to have been elsewhere!

[Kitbag]

the pressure wave created by said munition to dissipate to the outside world without too much damage being done.

Except to the soft pink fleshy occupants. The guys in WWII used the term strawberry jam to describe the effects- rather appropriate I think!.

BTW Jag probe was a neat installation on the starboard side (r/h for Tonka techies;) ). Harrier I think is on the port side. Buccaneer was sort of centreline but offset to stbd. Hercs, I think were offset to port. Vulcan down the centre like the VC10.

[midsomerjambo]

Is that right re. the Jag Kitbag? I had a feeling it was on the starboard side too (some of us Tonka chaps were ex-Jags too you know but what do fairies know?). As for the Vulcan - straight down the middle but I guess we didn't find out whether that was good, bad or indifferent until we went to pop a few 1000lb'ers across the strip at (briefly entitled) FAA Malvinas lol (yeah, Vulcan NBS tech as well....)

MSJ

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!]

Nope, generally on the starboard side, as can be seen here:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y272/onan_the_clumsy/DSCF0007a.jpg

note, This is definately a genuine photo, for proof look at the letters on the tail :8

[midsomerjambo]

Hmm, same photo as above but inverted. OK, who's right?

[MightyGem]

The first one...green nav light, plus you can see the registration ZE***.

[Ghostflyer]

Aaaargh. Good one! :}

The probe always popped out on the left when I moved the switch in the F-3. The switch was on the right though. The retractable probe on the Fin was always designed to be on the left opposite the gun. When they did the bolt on modes they chose to stick it on the right near the switch.

[Pontius Navigator]

I believe the glass in the doors and windows of the main hangars were also planned a pressure relievers. Stop the doors being blown out and to contain the explosion within the walls.

I have also been told that all the hangar services were in two halves to it might have been posible to continue to use half the hangar. Don't know how true that was.

[Backwards PLT]

To answer one of the questions - on the left (we dropped the port/starboard rubbish years ago) is more "natural" for most people.

I personally think that this is because when you sit with left hand on throttle and right hand on stick it naturally turns your body slightly left. Interestingly (!?) if you ask people to turn/break through 180 without giving a direction, the vast majority will choose to go left, not right.

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!]

My work here is done

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y272/onan_the_clumsy/Thatssomegoodfishin.jpg

[Cumbrian Fell]

Pontius Navigator - you are quite corect viz a viz hangar design. The large glazing panels faced the 'aircraft field' and the buildings closest to the hangars were always splinter protected (eg tanker sheds, battery buildings, workshops and 'stores'. The parapets above the doors were to stop the bombs (remember, not the 1000 or 2000 pounders of today) from skipping off the saw-tooth celestory roof and falling in between the hangars, which, in the 1930s, was the usual disperal for ac.

Not quite sure why you posted here, but it is an interesting subject. There is a (long out of print) AP called 'Works', plotting the super-human effort of wartime construction (ie the RAF Airfield Construction Branch)that produced a bomber airfield for service every three days for three years, and at any one time 45% of airfield were being paved or extended. At the height of airfield building, one-third of all construction workers were working either directly, or under contract, for the Air Ministry.


Anyway, I need to get out more...