Tiger Moth and other WWII trainers

[Flying Lawyer]

BBC NEWS | Business | Recreating the first passenger flight (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8219366.stm)

The video brought back happy memories of flying ACDC many years ago.

I suspect some other people in this forum also have her in their logbook.

Said to be the oldest flying Tiger Moth in the World.

.

[S'land]

And there was me thinking that the Judiciary were "into Heavy Metal".

A beautiful aircraft., especially when you consider that she is seventy -six years old. The quality of the original engineering really shows.

[sycamore]

F-L,if you really want to ` break the surly bonds`,if you are still a member of the T-C,or can persuade someone, then go night flying in `DC` in December( you should be warm enough wearing all your robes and woolly wig !!) when its bloody freezing and there`s a full moon,and `goosenecks` for a flarepath`.
It`s one of those times when you have to say ,`it`s better than sex`.....,(it`ll last longer!),just remember to file IFR.... anyway I` m sure nobody in the CAA would say anything against a distinguished Judge,assessing the situation....,I know,been there got the woolly vest ,etc,,,

[Flying Lawyer]

S'land
You're right, I do like 'heavy metal'. :)
But I also like classic aircraft of all types.

sycamore
I did it in the mid 80s.
As you say, a very special experience. :ok:


Broadening the topic slightly -

Many of us, especially the British, tend to wax lyrical about the Tiger Moth but ....... was it truly such a wonderful aircraft?
Particularly when compared (for example) to the Belgian Stampe or the American Stearman which were designed and built in the same era?

I was thrilled to fly ACDC but, after I'd been checked out to fly the Stampe, generally only took a Tiger Moth if there wasn't a Stampe available. My impression, which may be wrong, was that many others did the same.
The Stampe was much more responsive, having ailerons on both wing surfaces, and I thought was a better aircraft. And more fun to fly. Perhaps if I'd done more hours in the Tiger Moth I'd have a different view. It's relatively easy to fly, but difficult to fly well - I never got to that stage.

In order of preference, I'd say Stearman, Stampe (almost a tie, for different reasons) and then Tiger Moth.
I feel a little guilty saying that.
Probably because I'm a Brit! ;)

[TheSpasticFlyer]

Nice one Flying Lawer. I have flown in ACDC only once, when my mate B.J.S. took me up on New Years Day 1972 from The Tiger Club. I remember it was bitterly cold, and F/Lt B.J.S. livened things up by spinning under the London Zone from 2,500! Thank you for the memory.

[Agaricus bisporus]

FL, an interesting and thoughtful post,and a judgement that I have often considered.

I am interested that your conclusions are the same as mine, having flown, albeit briefly, all three types mentioned, and for the same reasons.

When asked I describe the Stampe as being everything the Tiger should be but isn't, and the Stearman as the difference between a 1930s Citroen and a V8 Chevvy. Still does everything at 60mph but what a big, beautiful softie of a beast!

My preferences the same as yours, yet I'm proudest of having flown ACDC though...By miles.

Spazz. BJS = the late, great Bev Snook? - one of the founders of the Tiger Club - and one of the most impressive gentlemen one could wish to meet?

[matspart3]

Combination of both here! ACDC and a Stampe!
YouTube - AC/DC Walk All Over You (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZlIO6yKHFo)

The Stampe in the video is still extant and very much thriving with Tiger Airways at Gloucester. I've logged a thoroughly enjoyable 30 minutes in her sister aircraft.

[Dave Unwin]

I've flown most of the WWII primary trainers (Tiger, Stampe, Jungmann, Stieglitz, Magister, Stearman, Recruit and Cornell). The PT-26 is the most relevant, the PT-22 the most fun and the DH.82 the worst - although it is the oldest design. Interestingly, the Gipsy Moth is quite nice. It was all the mods that turned the 60 into the 82 that destroyed the handling!

[greenviewpark]

Hi
Are you still flying any of these great types ? -- if so would you concider a fly-in to a beautiful, large sized farm strip in Essex?
PPR is required. --- further fly-ins are being arranged for vintage A/C.

That would be great.

Greenview

[Double Zero]

A good friend of mine, Peter Sullivan, was a flying instructor at Goodwood - no doubt other places too - and was heavily involved in air to ground mapping.

When he found out that air to ground photography was my game, he leant me all his priceless logs, calculations & notes.

He had a nice little sailing boat, a top example of a Leisure 17 ( still looking for a GOOD new home ) which by circumstances I was able to help him with, but his health was already failing; the good thing is that he passed away peacefully in the loving company of his lady friend ( I never got to meet her, as like a lot of females she considered herself allergic to sailing, i.e, having to shift about in usually cold & wet conditions ).

I'm currently at war with our sailing club as only committee members get an obituary mention;

We have recently lost as members Dennis Warren - head of design liaison Harrier & Hawk, plus heavily involved in the world speed record runs with the Fairey Delta 2,

Charlie Solley, who volunteered under age and worked on Swordfish on the Murmansk convoys, before becoming Chief Inspector on the Harrier,

and Peter Sullivan.

None of the above were bothered with the ' in-crowd ' at the sailing club ( it prides itself on not being ' posh ' but sure as hell has cliques ) but a committee member who had flown a Mustang, late in the war with as far as I can make out no combat, but was an obnoxious little p---k who had a violent agenda against ' cruisers ' - i.e. boats with lids on - versus dinghies was given star treatment, despite deliberately leaving his crappy dinghy in the way of the cruiser crane etc.

The most stupid part was that he sailed a dinghy most would only use for basic training, while plenty of cruiser owners like me ( one cruiser chap was also a dinghy National Champion ) also sailed in the hottest, most expensive dinghies possible at other clubs, as long as some other idiot was paying for them !

Needless to say, said berk with a few hours in a P-51 had a whole page obituary in the club newsletter, which even mentioned him being ' one of the few ' ! So he had time travel among his assets...

The people I've described above, who really did something, got one cursory line at most.

Re. Charlie Solley, John Farley wrote here;

" Charlie was a prime mover in the ( Harrier ) programme.

He didn't do it for glory, or for money - just because he could, and wanted to do his bit ".

That must rank way above any petty sailing club, but as the newsletter writer insulted Charlie to snub my previous request for a decent mention ( and she owes me some large favours ) - the gloves are off !

Back to Peter Sullivan - who did not even get a mention and is another part of my little war -

Peter always said he liked the Tiger Moth, but preffered the Stampe with its' four ailerons.

[Dop]

I had to put flying to one side when I got credit crunched, but I've often thought I'd like to have a go in a Tiger Moth at least the once, just to say I'd done it.

[Dave Unwin]

Hi Greenview, not as often as I'd like! However, one of the owners is extremely generous with his toys, so you never know. Please PM me the when and where.
Cheers, Dave

[andrewmcharlton]

I have a zero timed (but a bit rusty) crank shaft and prop boss from a TM in my back garden as retrieved by a diver friend of mine from a wreck in Oban Bay. Might make it into a patio table or alike ! I had a fire extinguisher too but sadly it decided to let go one day and went off in my shed with an enormous detonation, happy days.

[Double Zero]

I'm a yachtie, though have done a lot of air-air & air- ground photography, from such platforms ranging from Cessna 172's to G-HAWK;

I was once walking down the pontoon at Bembridge, I.O.W, usually reserved for fishing boats, when something from ' todays catch ' dumped on the planking made me do a double-take - it was without doubt a Cessna starboard u/c leg, complete with step & stamped metal label.

I reported the details to the CAA ( having to be careful in case the fisherman thought he was on to a fortune - fellow yachties will understand ) but never heard any more.

There had been a nasty accident the winter before, when a Cessna 172 with maybe engine failure managed to hit just about the only boat in sight, causing several fatalities; I can only presume the pilot, possibly with medical problems, was trying to ditch within reach of rescue...

On a better note, I know a 'field relatively nearby which offers Tiger Moth flights, indeed my dad ( started as Leading Air Mechanic on Seafires & Hellcats in WWII, retired as top crew chief on Harrier GR5 experimental trials ) and I had a go.

Come on by !