Centaurus: I agree with your recollection of the Vampire, though I can only speak for the T11, never flew the single seat version.
I think in the case of that aircraft rotorfossil has got the answer, it was prone to a nasty nosewheel shimmy.
The Venom was the same, single and twin seat N/F version, though being more powerful did not have that sinking feeling after takeoff.
However, IIRC, that was standard procedure for all those early aircraft, it certainly was with the five marks of Meteor I flew and that aircraft did not suffer shimmy.
Why this should be, apart from the shimmy problem, I never thought to ask.
Slush on takeoff is a possibility but an outside chance I feel, because I don't think we flew in those conditions often enough for there to be a standard year long procedure.
I cannot recall any accidents of the too nosehigh on takeoff variety.
Last edited by henry crun; 28th Jun 2006 at 03:13.