Hastings in Unusual Position.
Chugalug,
Cat 5 - that seems rather hard ! It doesn't sound right to scrap an aircraft when a 4-engine change and a new wheel were all that was needed to get it back in the air.
Surely the RAF were awash with low-hours Hercules from the old Halifax fleets (just as they had more Merlins than they knew what to do with it, hence - so the story ran - the advent of the Athena and Balliol).
Just so I understand it, 491 would hold this pose even if the nose were free (but if the tail were lowered - or blew down - just a bit, it would go over TDC and flop down ? Have I got it right ?
I assume you were a non-smoker at the time - otherwise you'd have exercised your power of command over your second dickey, thanked him for the cigs, and let him have a packet for being a good boy and saving them for you !
Still wondering about that curious little crowd gazing so fixedly at the tail. What could they be looking at. And how about the "gaiters" at the nose ?
As for the retracting tailwheel, I'm not convinced. It could only save a minute amount of drag: I can't see it making any significant difference in speed or range. The Spitfire and Hurricane got along fine with a fixed wheel, when there was every effort being made to screw another knot out of them.
Conversely there was a retractable tailwheel in the Vengeance, which of all aircraft absolutely didn't need it - it was a useless, possible source of trouble.
Goodnight, Danny.