Tornado - vapour trail

[rogcal]

Need help from you knowledgible guys on the forum.

Yesterday afternoon as I was working on some fence posts adjacent to my farmstrip on the South Lincolnshire Fens, I observed a Tornado at around 500ft on a track of approx 020 just north of Bourne, leaving an intermittent (every 2 seconds) white vapour trail in it's path.

The vapour dispersed quickly and was not the kind of vapour you would associate with the smoke generated by the "Reds" which hangs around for ages.

It was definitely not moisture vapour being left behind after leading edge compression, as it came in precise bursts with set timescales between them.

The first thoughts that came to mind were fuel dumping or deliberately leaving a trail to aid detection as part of an exercise but not being an "expert" in military aviation, this incident has left me flummoxed.

I've lived on the Fens for some years now and have become quite familiar with the military activity that goes on above and around my strip but as I said this one has got me well and truly stumped.

Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks.

[Bob Viking]

I'm afraid that's classified, Sir!
BV;)

[OCCWMF]

I can't believe you told him......you just want to sound like you still know what you're talking about!

[Bob Viking]

Not sure I ever really knew about that sort of thing!
BV:(

[Al R]

Sounds like a job for.. ametech (http://www.ekmpowershop5.com/ekmps/shops/americantechno/index.asp?function=DISPLAYPRODUCT&productid=22) .

:suspect:

[charliegolf]

Rog

Like me, they have absolutely no idea.:)

CG

[Bob Viking]

Saucer of milk. Table one!
Who said we have no idea. We're just being cagey!
Bursts at regular intervals hey?
Now what component of a military fast jet could do such a thing?! (Not that he should be using that thing I'm thinking about in such a locale!)
Hmmm.
BV:eek:

[rogcal]

Thanks guys.
Got to go now as there's some men in dark glasses at my door and two Apaches on my strip!;)
Seriously though, someone out there must now the answer!:ugh:

p.s. just thinking aloud here but if one cuts ignition momentarily, it's reasonable to assume the unburnt fuel will vapourise in the air behind said aircraft and the change in engine note will not be noticed as the other engine is running normally.

[Swept]

When the underwing tanks finish feeding there is often a small amount of fuel vented from the top of the fin which would look like he was dumping fuel. You cannot control this and it occurs for a few seconds before finishing, often in a few bursts.

I think this is what you saw.:ok:

[rogcal]

Thanks Swept.

I'll consider that to be the answer then and leave it there!;)

Thinking aloud (again):Strange that the vent near the top of the fin (and it's a mighty big fin on one of those beasts) has managed to slip down to the engine outlet on this particular a/c.:rolleyes:

[Al R]

For someone who's not an 'expert in military aviation' Rog, you seem well informed about vent locations and tracks and stuff. ;)

[Bob Viking]

Just as I was starting to develop the switch pigz/EW conspiracy theory.
You ruined all my fun!
BV:(
PS. Mr Jenvey. I can assure you, it wasn't Flares I was thinking about!

[BEagle]

To keep the cyclopian 'my sister am my mother' web-fingered Naarfarrk people in their routine sub human state, 'Agent Blair' is often used in low flying fast jets.

This is is a DNA-modifier which is expelled into the atmosphere every time some yokel throws a piece of bread to the passing FJ!

[27mm]

Well, that explains how I suddenly learned to play the banjo.....

[rogcal]

BEagle old chap.

We wealthy retired Lincolnshire folk with nothing to do all day other than fix fence posts and watch the skys, can afford John Lewis pastries to throw at the resident flock of fast jets that pervade the skies above our simple mansions.:p

As for being an "expert" in military aviation, fat chance. Nearest I ever came was knowing how to load a koffman starter in Chippies, as part of a pre-flight check. Oh and checking how much wood remained on the tail skid of a Moth before each flight.

Could be that one has some friends in very high places (literally) who will fill me in eventually, when I next bump into them (preferably not in the AIAA above my place).

[Echo 5]

Nice one rog.:D

[ShyTorque]

It was very cold yesterday, so he was probably just using carburettor heat to clear ice from the engine intakes.

[Phil_R]

> For someone who's not an 'expert in military aviation' Rog, you seem well
> informed about vent locations and tracks and stuff

I'd have known both those things, and I've read perhaps three books on the subject - hardly a lifetime of scholarship. One Tornado pilot once said "very well briefed!" when it turned out I knew what a boldface drill was.

Well, I ask you.

What disturbs me is that on this extremely slight amount of research I could answer most of the questions in the "I wanna be pilot!" thread, and these are people who're actually talking about doing it for a living. :confused:

Phil

[BluntM8]

ShyTorque,

Spot on, mate. You'll find that the Typhoon has a bimetalic-strip controlling a valve in the exhaust system to feed some of the hot air back to prevent carb icing automatically. Part of the "carefree handling characteristics"...:E

Blunty

[cornish-stormrider]

What was actually happening was that the mini Nuclear Plasma Thermite Weapon (NPTW) was venting off some of the liquid nitrogen that it carries for cooling. If you see it in bursts it means the supply is nearly exhausted and the NPTW is reaching critical........ To prevent it going "sunshine mode" you have 15 mins to fill it up with a cold liquid. In last resort Guiness Extra cold will do, not to cool the NPTW but to give those nearby a nice last drinky before they need factor 3 million:E

[elderforest]

hmmm ... Tornados and vapour ... reminds me of this shot I took at Marham of the departing Saudis after their fuel stop !
Ian.
(elderforest).
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/elderforest/marham_saudis/saudi08.jpg

[27mm]

Ah yes, this snapshot clearly shows the Free Air Reduction Transducers in operation, specifically designed to reduce aircrew discomfort with increasing altitude.....

[rogcal]

I've finally sussed what's going on here!

All you well meaning "experts" are throwing me a googly to keep me from learning the truth and all along it was just another ploy by "pikies" to nick red diesel from the farming community.

Flt Lt "Smith" flies around the skies of Lincolnshire letting out bursts of unburnt fuel, to distract us hard working sons of the soil long enough to allow his brothers, uncles and cousins to get on with syphoning away our precious red.;)

Well it's either that or the exhaust baffle that supplies the hot air to the Stomberg's air intake is nackered!:)

Of course, the other option is the cooling system on the 912 has sprung a leak.:rolleyes:

[cornish-stormrider]

Reheat fcu purge dump?

[andy mccallum]

. . . or this :
http://www.grahamhancock.com/phorum/read.php?f=6&i=2435&t=2435

[LowObservable]

'Reheat fcu purge dump?'

We'll have none of that language here, if you please. Off to bed, young man!

[PlasticCabDriver]

Nobody say chemtrail!

[cornish-stormrider]

LO, I have infomed my boss that I have been sent to bed. How do I claim compensation for the interview I just had? I think he forgot the coffee and biscuits!