Softie's outline of Nimrod development is spot on. However, there was one development that interests me and I would be grateful if anyone can confirm it; its the bit in bold print:
1970s - RAF operating world's most successful anti-submarine patrol aircraft at height of cold war. Range extended by routine shutting down of engines - a fact widely known certainly within the RAF, if not the public. This led to the crossfeed pipe being left open during flight (for quick restarts) with much higher bleed air temperatures - a fact probably not known to engineers or BAES.
On a technical matter, its my opinion that the pipe probably didn't get very hot due to a lack of significant air flow through it, due to balanced pressure from the opposing engines. And, just for accuracy, the pipe was only open while one or more engines was shut down; assuming that the Routine Engine shut down checks existed then. Would any pilots or engs from that era care to comment?
Ed
PS. Buoy 15, this subject lay dormant for a few months after the BOI report. It is only to be expected that the Inquest will re-generate interest as information, not published in the BOI report (intercom tape, etc), comes into the public (and the RAF in general) domain. I miss the guys, too, and there is absolutely no enjoyment in discussing the subject. But, we have a responsibility to the bereaved families to learn from the deaths of their loved ones and do our individual best to ensure that it never happens again. I don't believe that PPrune is influential in the corridors of power, but sensible and sensitive facts that appear here can be useful to the front line air and ground crews who do not receive the information in their normal work routines. You would not have known that Air Cdre George Beber stated that the buck stopped with him. We can debate whether or not he is right, but the fact is, he said it on oath, in front of the families, to their faces. Its worth reporting that we have an honourable man among our leaders.