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Greetings, all. I have seen a pic of a low level Reds Gnat scorching the grass that I believe was posted on here some time ago. I think there was some discussion as to whether it was photoshoped or not. I have tried the search facility, but to no avail.
Does anyone have any knowledge of this image please?
My feeling is that the picture may be a 'still' from an Arthur Gibson 'short' film about the Gnat. 6 or 7 minutes and music but no spoken commentary. There was certainly a flying sequence within that which contained that sort of a photo
Thread drift:- in the 60s there was a Belgian display pilot (F-86?) who asked airfields where he was to display to leave the grass long on one side of the runway. He then did his display and landed with grass juice on the underside of the aircraft. Maybe just an urban myth!
A2QFI, I remember that short film - it had a jazz music sound track IIRC, started with the jets being pushed out of the shed at Kemble and finished with them being pushed back in again (yes, the Gnat was small enough not to need a tractor). In between was probably one of the finest pieces of flying filming ever made, as well as being the best recruitment film the RAF ever had.....
I posted on here ages ago on a similar thread regarding a more recent (80's?) Arthur Gibson film with the Reds in Hawks. The soundtrack was a specially commissioned piece which I have never heard since, and was 'electronic' - I suppose in more typical 80's style. I remember that the soundtrack was available on BBC records on 7" vinyl!
The Reds Hawk film was 'Classic Manoevres' and the music was 'Hypercharge' - it was about a trip to the states...............
Very cheesy film - particularly like the departure from Kemble ??? - with the Leader transmitting 'Reds Airborne 10.23' and the ATCO response as 'Thanks and give my love to the states' - Yuk
Location: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
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The Folland seat was very simple and the safety handle was a brilliant idea. It moved an interference plate between the striker and the cartridge, so that it was then physically impossible for the seat to fire. Whereas the old Martin-Baker gunpowder seats, unless made 'safe for parking' were such that if, say, even if the top pin was in and someone tripped and caught the wire to the main gun....
Has anybody got a link to the Red Arrows Gnat(?) pictured at about 50ft over the crowd at an airshow? I seem to remember somebody in the crowd actually running away. Awesome stuff....
'Reds' need not bother, but for the true story of the Gnat, fighter or trainer, the last copy of 'Aeroplane' magazine carried quite a few pages on the aircraft.
Unfortunately no mention was made of Mike Oliver, despite his being Chief Test Pilot on the Gnat and featured in several of the photographs - mainly by the late & great Cyril Peckham & Arthur Gibson; I was lucky enough to work with ( briefly ) and attend lectures by Mr.Gibson who I happened to agree heartily with - one good still shot is worth a hundred hours of film !
I remember he got one great shot of the Reds' as they passed beneath him in formation while he was hanging out of the basket of a hot air balloon; 1 shot per pass, and photoshop was but a twinkle in some software git's eye !
John Farley later did four low passes in a Sea Harrier FRS1 for me ( from the ATC balcony, that's idiot me not the Harrier ) - with the same camera - Hasselblad 500CM - I got 2 out of four...I would add that the maximum shutter speed - though inter-lens not focal plane - was 1/500th of a second, so I weep when I see modern digital results !
PM me for photo's, or for the Harrier shots google the aircraft name & look under 'history' & 'Harrier testing'.
Andy
Last edited by Double Zero : 10th September 2008 at 22:18.
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