Military Aviation A forum for the professionals who fly military hardware. Also for the backroom boys and girls who support the flying and maintain the equipment, and without whom nothing would ever leave the ground. All armies, navies and air forces of the world equally welcome here.

Grey Ladies

Old 27th Jul 2011, 17:42
  #41 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: uk
Posts: 788
Received 32 Likes on 10 Posts
" other worldly", indeed. It's all true, I tell you. It simply relates to a world which has long gone.
oxenos is offline  
Old 27th Jul 2011, 18:48
  #42 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: N. Spain
Age: 79
Posts: 1,311
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Confession time, I exaggerated about the double mainplane change. We only replaced the starboard wing. I think it's important to be accurate in a thread as serious as this.
Sorry.
Shack37 is offline  
Old 27th Jul 2011, 18:58
  #43 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: uk
Posts: 788
Received 32 Likes on 10 Posts
And I can't believe I used the words "excessive speed " in a thread about Shackletons.
oxenos is offline  
Old 27th Jul 2011, 19:27
  #44 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Cloud9
Posts: 365
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
There is no such thing as a Wiggins Aerodyne.

There.

I said it.


HB
Halton Brat is offline  
Old 27th Jul 2011, 20:56
  #45 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Somewhere flat
Age: 68
Posts: 5,536
Likes: 0
Received 40 Likes on 27 Posts
There is no such thing as a Wiggins Aerodyne.
He certainly wasn't aerodynamic when he fell off his bike and broke his shoulder.....
Wensleydale is offline  
Old 27th Jul 2011, 21:52
  #46 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: South of Old Warden
Age: 87
Posts: 1,375
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
I was never a 'Shackman' but having read through this enlightening thread, I realise that all the stories I heard, about the exploits of this wonderful aircraft and it's crews...are true!
goudie is offline  
Old 27th Jul 2011, 22:49
  #47 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Malkin Tower
Posts: 847
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
am I right in thinking the W in Wiggins is pronounced as a V?
jamesdevice is offline  
Old 28th Jul 2011, 04:19
  #48 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Cloud9
Posts: 365
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
James D

That was only applicable to the German licence-built version, of course......

HB
Halton Brat is offline  
Old 28th Jul 2011, 06:50
  #49 (permalink)  
Cunning Artificer
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: The spiritual home of DeHavilland
Age: 76
Posts: 3,127
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I simply don't believe a formation of 24 Shacks could operate with only one engine feathered. By the time the last aircraft joined the formation the first two would have shut down at least one each, and in the third aircraft the engineer would be having his customary chat about oil leaks with the beam lookouts.
Blacksheep is offline  
Old 28th Jul 2011, 12:06
  #50 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 737
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
There is no such thing as a Wiggins Aerodyne
I believe there was a nose section kept in '4 shed' (need to know, wink wink) at Wyton. It was, of course, Top Secret.

Way ahead of it's time, and typically over-engineered. Like the TSR2, it was responsible for several leaps in technology, but many were hush hush.

Rumour was that the special paint compound was nicked/shared with Lockheed Skunk-chaps. Although it was more the experience that was borrowed a la Comet. Wiggins were trying hard to reduce the radar signature, (which was sucessful) but unfortunately it was radioactive, and luminous !

Memories of a big ginger Irishman on a pushbike pretending to be a Wiggins Aerodyne cause me to wake up in a cold sweat. Marshalling training, my arse. It was downright bullying.
SirPeterHardingsLovechild is offline  
Old 28th Jul 2011, 15:00
  #51 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: N. Spain
Age: 79
Posts: 1,311
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I simply don't believe a formation of 24 Shacks could operate with only one engine feathered. By the time the last aircraft joined the formation the first two would have shut down at least one each, and in the third aircraft the engineer would be having his customary chat about oil leaks with the beam lookouts.
Blacksheep, a very observant comment, you've almost hit the nail on the head. It was two engines stopped but not feathered thus giving GL12 to GL24 time to join the formation. The engineer to lookouts "chat" was actually more of a "broadcast".

Happy to have clarified this point but please try not to force any further classified material to be published.
Shack37 is offline  
Old 28th Jul 2011, 16:05
  #52 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 587
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If I didn't know all this to be factual*, this would be a strong challenger for "Whimsical Thread of the Year" which, if it won, would entitle Oxenos to a lifetime parking slot outside the Majunga NAAFI..


* we were the 17th reserve crew

Last edited by PPRuNeUser0139; 28th Jul 2011 at 16:33.
PPRuNeUser0139 is offline  
Old 28th Jul 2011, 16:18
  #53 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Malkin Tower
Posts: 847
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
was it related in any way to the Lippisch Aerodyne (see the end of
Lippisch Aerodyne Research )
jamesdevice is offline  
Old 28th Jul 2011, 18:02
  #54 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Once a Squirrel Heaven (or hell!), Shropshire UK
Posts: 831
Received 7 Likes on 4 Posts
As a new baby copilot I was honoured to fly as No 24 in the formation with D.W. who not only demonstrated supreme skill in holding position (although I did wonder why he kept asking where the other aircraft were), but also the exceptional skill of keeping a cigarette in his mouth for so long without the ash dropping off - although it invariably did just before he tried to put it into a paper cup.

At least no one has mentioned the practice when the leader decided he was 30 seconds early so 'disked' all four engines (Fixed wing - think airbrakes +++) without telling anyone else. Chaos reigned and I think we became the de-facto leader for a while, but Don carried on regardless.

Happy Days

PS - The Mk3Cs really did have mainspar problems - had one of the two break on a delivery flight to the fire dump at Leeming!
Shackman is online now  
Old 28th Jul 2011, 21:01
  #55 (permalink)  
Cool Mod
 
Join Date: Apr 1998
Location: 18nm N of LGW
Posts: 6,185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Enough!!

I did see a whole bunch of 'Grey Ladies' in formation in the latest Harry Potter movie. But I think they might have been a figment of someone's imagination.
PPRuNe Pop is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.