Thoughts on JE
I open up the box expecting to find the rich chat carrying on as usual, recounting the happenings of these days, of some 50/60 yrs ago, at Farnborough when so much was done to set British aviation up for the second half of the century and what do I find - nothing!!.
I don't think Jock would be happy about that - he was a guy who liked a bit of conviviality and enjoyed good chat. Jimmy Harrison, who was to say the BP Delta was his most unfavourite aeroplane, and the Vulcan Mk 2 his most favourite, told an amusing anecdote linking high level stab and drag research at high mach numbers set around the birth of his daughter Susan. It was at the time when the RAE had borrowed an F86 to carry out comparitive trials with the Hawker P1052 and the Supermarine 510. The setting shows Jimmy's wife Maureen in the Aldershot military hospital with Baby Susan at about visiting time when the area was subjected to the most resounding bang; there is no record as to the response of the all powerful Matron. Proud new father Jimmy arrives at the bedside, grinning gleefully and saying "That was Jock - dropping a supersonic bang to welcome the new arrival"!. Apparently that was the first occassion on which a supersonic bang had been recognised as such over the UK. Jimmy goes on to say the F86 needed a good 42,000ft with a 60 degree dive to produce and indicated of about M1.15.
All for today - am feeling somewhat lonely so let's have some chat!.