Thunder city's old planes

[iain55]

Been lurking for a while love the forum, saw this and thought it might ring a few bells, if i won the lotto then i would be bidding

Search Results For aircraft - GoIndustry DoveBid (http://www.go-dove.com/search/searchresults.asp?Query=aircraft)


is it true that a Lightning could fly over a U2???


Iain

[foldingwings]

Sad, sad, sad - I flew in Lot 5 when I was in the Cape in 2008!

Sad, sad, sad!

Foldie:{

[phil9560]

Nearly put a bid in.But she hit the roof when i bought a caravan so my nerve went.

[Hammer Head Too]

How very sad.....

I think we have seen the last airborne Lightning as Mike Head disbands his professional Thunder City :{

Will anyone else be able to pick up the mantle? (Time, cost, dedication, professionalism)

A sad time indeed

HH2

[Background Noise]

Bit more lurking required: :)

http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/464910-maybe-youd-like-own-fly-lightning-buccaneer.html

[fabs]

I'm off to the area on my regular visit to the in laws' next week. Never quite convinced the wife that we could afford a flight with Thunder City. Does anyone know if we can still look around them, or are they off limits now?

[RampTramp]

Sad. As we taxied in at CPT a couple of weeks ago the fleet was parked outside the old Thunder City hangar. Didn't look as if they were accessible for the public.

Happy memories of a visit several years ago & getting a private tour of the hangar. Brilliant!!

[1.3VStall]

HHT,

I believe there is a Lightning T Mk 5 being readied for flight in the USA.

[A2QFI]

I was at Brunty a few weeks ago and asked the support crew where they got the AVPIN to start their Lightnings. There was a sheepish grin and his nose was tapped as it to say MYOB! In the meantime, how are people going to start the engines. I don't imagine that converting to air start will be practicable.

[jamesdevice]

AVPIN = Isopropyl nitrate

Angus Chemicals used to make it., not sure if they still do
However if you need it theres plenty of places making it in China, and enough traders around to import it if you need it

[green granite]

Here you go, a video on how to make your own. :ok:

Elementary Productions: Synthesis of Isopropyl Nitrite - YouTube

[jamesdevice]

wrong chemical
AVPIN is Isopropyl nitrate NOT nitrite

there are manufacturing methods on the web, but don't even think of using them unless you are experienced in nitration chemistry and understand the explosion probability
too much chance of losing a hand or eye. Or worse


Isopropyl nitrite is one of the so-called "popper" drugs. Its a bit safer to make, but I still don't like the idea of following the instructions in that video. Any reaction which needs to be done in an ice bath is an accident waiting to happen in the hands of the inexperienced

[Fareastdriver]

There were enough Avons with electrical starters. I cannot see a reason why the Lightning cannot be retrofitted.

[thunderbird7]

According to the SAA eng on board last night, they've all been moved to another hangar and locked away.

[son of brommers]

As the auction has now past, any news on the street as to where the planes are heading? Internet didn't show anything that I could see.

[NutLoose]

FareastdriverThere were enough Avons with electrical starters. I cannot see a reason why the Lightning cannot be retrofitted.

That's what they are trying to do with one of the ground runners in the UK as we speak.

[polyglory]

Thunder City Aircraft Company - Historical Military Jets - GoIndustry DoveBid (http://www.go-dove.com/event-15794?lcid=en)

The Auction list, still no news on who bid etc.

[cornish-stormrider]

As my beloved but evil dog would say when begging for food..........

Hooooooooooooo,


I do declare I want one....

[Stuart Sutcliffe]

If I can get one cheap, it would make a nice chicken coop. :ok:

[GeeRam]

There were enough Avons with electrical starters. I cannot see a reason why the Lightning cannot be retrofitted.

That's what they are trying to do with one of the ground runners in the UK as we speak.

Yup, T.5 '458 at Cranfield.

As for AVPIN, I'd heard that sometime back, there was only one plant left in the world still producing it (in India), and that now may have ended production of it as well.

[Wokkafans]

GeeRam - there's plenty of the stuff available should you want it. One of the Lightning sites states that the AVPIN cost for each start is around £100. Does anyone have an idea of what volume in ml you'd need?

Isopropyl nitrate puriss., ≥99.0% (GC) | Sigma-Aldrich.com (http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/ProductDetail.do?D7=0&N5=SEARCH_CONCAT_PNO%7CBRAND_KEY&N4=59640%7CFLUKA&N25=0&QS=ON&F=SPEC) (£38-50/500ml). No doubt a discount is available for bulk purchases :E

WF :ok:

[GeeRam]

GeeRam - there's plenty of the stuff available should you want it. One of the Lightning sites states that the AVPIN cost for each start is around £100. Does anyone have an idea of what volume in ml you'd need?


It's around, but not easy or cheap to get in the quantites required. It's either very expensive to buy in the small amounts that the model a/c industry uses, or equally expensive to buy in the large quantities that bulk suppliers require.
Back in 2009, one of the techs involved with one of the groups told me that the price of a 40 gal drum of AVPIN was in the region of £8-10,000 and suppliers required a min order of at least 4-5 drums! That's a lot of dosh for private groups to fork out even if they get together for a group buy.

Hence the owners of '458 converting it to electric start, even though that wee-whoosh of the AVPIN is one of the great charactistics of a Lightning start-up.

[Mach Two]

But not as good as the

Weeeee futt. Weeeee futt. Sod it. Weeeee BANG!

[GeeRam]

But not as good as the

Weeeee futt. Weeeee futt. Sod it. Weeeee BANG!

Indeed........ :E

[son of brommers]

Had a quick chat with the auction house, the birds have not been sold BUT a VERY intersted client is "flying out" to see them next week. Auction house recons that the scrapheap will not happen due to the amount of interest in the lot.:ok:

[B Fraser]

As for AVPIN, I'd heard that sometime back, there was only one plant left in the world still producing it (in India), and that now may have ended production of it as well.


Not quite, it is still produced and sold in jars as Chilli Pickle. The flames that erupt from one's exhaust nozzle are direct evidence.

[BEagle]

The infamous "Whee....phutt!" brings back Hunter memories! After any such event at RAF Brawdy, a lucky (?) groundcrew lad would appear with an 'idiot board' giving precise instructions to the pilot - a very safe and effective procedure.

The Mk2 bonedome with its yellow visor bar meant that one's snout was often right up against the GGS when reaching for the start tit - which was at finger tip length for all but knuckle-dragging types.

If starting in formation, the noise of a mate's starting could mask your "Wheee....". So I was advised "If you're not sure whether you've pressed the tit or not, WAIT 30 SEC before trying again!". Otherwise you might get the "Whee....whoosh....whee...BANG" effect and bits of white hot starter motor would flutter earthwards from a not inconsiderable height!

The idea of routinely beating out Avpin flames with an asbestos glove would no doubt raise elf 'n safety eyebrows these days!

Somehow the Hawk GTS didn't have quite the same theatre as the Hunter Avpin start sequence! The T7 cartridge system was a bit more reliable - except when Puddy banged off 2 out of the 3 cartridges before remembering the T7 had an HP cock! Clouds of black smoke both outside the jet and coming out of Puddy's ears!

[polyglory]

I see the auction has now been extended to next month

Thunder City Aircraft Company - Historical Military Jets - GoIndustry DoveBid (http://www.go-dove.com/event-15794?lcid=en)

[rlsbutler]

On Canberras at Tengah 1962-4 we shared the "Offensive Support (Strike ?) Wing" with 20 Sqn, which had Hunter FGA 9 aircraft and AVPIN starters. Incendiary incidents fairly common, but no aircraft losses I think.

But we enjoyed vicariously the story of the Belvedere at neighbouring Seletar on its AOC's inspection - perhaps 1963. Story went that a Belvedere using AVPIN started up, to demonstrate something for his airship, and burst into flames. The duty fire engine rushed to help but, being on AOC's inspection itself, had no messy water or foam on board. Brewer's droop, embarassing as ever. Belvedere a smudge on the tarmac.

[Milo Minderbinder]

AVPIN is still made in China

several companies offering it at Promotional Isopropyl Nitrate, Buy Isopropyl Nitrate Promotional Products and Items from Isopropyl Nitrate Manufacturers and Suppliers at Alibaba.com (http://www.alibaba.com/promotion/promotion_isopropyl-nitrate-promotion-list.html)
but as with all Chinese chemicals you won't know if they're making or trading it
One of these is offering it at between $32-39 / kg FOB depending on quantity

If anyone really ever wanted drums of it it I could get hold of some old contacts and source it properly

[zoomdoof]

Seems like Mike BH and friends were able to get a couple of his a/c into the air for the TFDC airshow a couple of week-ends ago in the Cape

Buccaneer TFDC 2012 for short show of Buc ZU-BCR and a couple of photos of both Buc and Hunter
:D

[Lightning Mate]

Weeeee futt. Weeeee futt. Sod it. Weeeee BANG!

Concurred. :D:D

[dctyke]

When I joined 45 Sqn from training asbestos gloves were for wimps! All the old time liney's used their berets. They used to wear their coked up smelly hats with pride :O Ah, nothing like being at the windward end of a six ship start and getting high on the fumes............happy days................mmmm, where is that claims direct number?

[polyglory]

Another delayed auction

Thunder City Aircraft Company - Historical Military Jets - GoIndustry DoveBid (http://www.go-dove.com/en/event-15794/Thunder-City-Aircraft-Company-Historical-Military-Jets)

[A2QFI]

AVPIN fumes used to smell to me a bit like apples. I have no recollection of what we did about AVPIN at Khartoum or Embakasi when going to or being on detachment there. Illegally air-freighted down perhaps?