"Wonderful engines, radial sleeve valve" - Was it five blades we had to hand crank the engine through, to check for hydraulic locks? (First flight of the day).
"Beads clamped, ratchet selected" - trailing aerial check?
The 'Minimum Ground Run Take-Off' - Wind it up to full power against the brakes, with ?degrees of flap, and rotate at about 65 kts - then fly level until reaching the single engine safety speed of 105 kts - seemed to take an eternity.
(figures may be a bit out - 'twas over 35 years ago!)