Airplanes I wish I could fly but probably never will

[polzin]

Just for fun Im going to list the aircraft Ill never get to fly by some sort of catagory and the reason why I would like to fly them.

Four engine radial piston.........I need help on this one ,its at Duxford and is a transport taildragger. Reason : because it is a four engine taildragger . Handley Page?

Four engine piston non-radial . Shackelton I like the sound of the Griffon engines.

Single engine piston........Seafury .. Because some no good rotten SOB at my home airport has one, its sounds fantastic, it looks fantastic. I have a mild O....... when it takes off.

Single engine jet .... Hawker Hunter Just a beautiful classic look.

One SE jet I could fly if I would just put out the bucks.........F 104... Must have looked like a space craft when it came out. And my dad designed the first ejection seat for it.

Four engine jet transport........ Boeing 707-138B......... I flew the B-720 a little and the performance when light was spectacular. the 138B had longer wings , and long endurance. Built especially for Qantas.

How about you ??????

The problem with doing something correct the first time is that no one appreciates how difficult it was.

[411A]

Well the -138B sure had good performance alright...I ferried two for Fred B. Ayer in 1975 to Stansted before delivery to THY. But the -138B had a parallel yaw damper which was a nuisance, the series (as on the -320B) was MUCH better.
The 707, a delightful aeroplane to fly.

[Wycombe]

Polzin,

The four-engined piston radial Transport I think you are after was the Handley Page Hastings. None airworthy that I know of.

[Man-on-the-fence]

Polzin

[quote]Single engine piston........Seafury .. Because some no good rotten SOB at my home airport has one, its sounds fantastic, it looks fantastic. I have a mild O....... when it takes off. <hr></blockquote>

Thake a good look at the one near you. If it has a four bladed prop it dosent sound nearly as good as if it had a five :) :) :)

[polzin]

Wycombe... Yes u are correct, now I remember.

Man on the fence..........Its a five blade. More and more of them show up at the Reno air races every year.
Thanks

[foxmoth]

Apart from the Spitfire & Mossie.
1. Any aircraft with a rotary engine (not radial).
2. Any aicraft with a wingwarping system.

[Man-on-the-fence]

Polzin

Glad to hear it. Nothing like a Centaurus a going at full whack <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

[Feather #3]

MotF,

Couldn't agree more about the Centaurus! The Seafury is in fact the one I'd like to fly.

However, soaked up one of the Sanders brother's performance in their R-3350 powered Seafury at the Chino show in 2000. It was suberb to hear that sound [somewhat subdued in the -1049]!!

So, my vote, the Seafury [however powered!]

G'day

[Kermit 180]

For me, single engine: Bf109, Ju-87 (i'd love to dive in one with a siren fitted), a Spitfire, Hurricane, Mustang, P-40.

Multi: Mosquito, Lancaster, B17, Lockheed L-188 Electra.


Kermie

[BeauMan]

The Beaufighter, when we get her flying. Much as I'd love to fly her from the front seat, I'm sure I'll never be let lose on the controls. I'd happily settle for a back seat ride though... :)

Other than that little beauty, it's got to be a Spitfire. HAC's BM597 is top of my 'if only...' list for these.

[Skycop]

Dear Santa,

This year please can you get me a ride in an F-16. You lie on it, not sit in it. You can go fast and help people who deserve it. To a couple of Sidewinders.

If not a Lightning would do. That flies like it's ar$e is on fire.

I promise to be good and not shoot at your reindeer.

Luv Johny :)

[Tonkenna]

polzin

Never flown the 707 (thought the VC10 sim was basically a 707 bodged) but I think you would love the 10. Faster, sleaker and much better looking (though I think the 707 is ok).

I love the VC10 I want to get back as soon as poss.

Tonks <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[ 10 January 2002: Message edited by: Tonkenna ]</p>

[BEagle]

Tonks - get your A2 first!

Teaching AT/AAR is even better now than it once was, I can assure you. This year so far I've done some AT role training to the USA and to Cyprus, some AAR instructing and some 'big cows, small cows' stuff in the sim. Doing some more AT training, some prodding training and probably more 'big cows, small cows' stuff next, then a month on a Det (hope the room isn't still full of your climbing kit and those god-awful pyjama things you used to wear!)

By the way, a vertically-challenged ex-UWAS A2 QFI of your acquaintance is going to be doing a FI course with us soon!!! Keep up the L-A-I and the S-H-T, mate!! WIGYC.....

[411A]

BEagle...
Just for sport....just how fast does the VC-10 cruise....and how far can it fly with a "reasonable payload"? Hours...endurance will do, with a close by alternate.
Civil aeroplane, of course.
I have the numbers for the 707 close at hand...

[BEagle]

411A - regrettably the '10 is now artificially restricted due to a change in engineering views concerning the 1960s 'fail-safe' construction. No longer may we cruise at an IMN of M0.88 as that guzzles fuel unnecessarily and isn't acceptable. So we usually cruise at an IMN of M0.84 - but there's no problem flying 133 PoB at FL310 and above on a 5+ hour sector at an IMN of 0.84 with a standard IFR alternate.....

Still crank her up to 0.9+ on air tests though....

[ 13 January 2002: Message edited by: BEagle ]</p>

[polzin]

BEagle.......Happen to know how the Russian VC-10ski compared to real thing as far as performance and payload ?

[BEagle]

Sorry, no. But having watched them struggling airborne, I would think that the comparison would be in favour of the '10 rather than the '62.

Plus the Il62 didn't even have powered ailerons - but the huge control wheel it had probably gave them some help!

[Dan Winterland]

IL62 doesn't have LE lift devices either.

[Kermit 180]

Sorry to digress, but what is an LE lift device?

Kermie

[henry crun]

Kermit, LE = leading edge.

On the main topic, having always had a love of big fast piston engined types the one I would have loved to flown would be the Hornet.

[ 14 January 2002: Message edited by: henry crun ]</p>

[BEagle]

Agree 100%, henry'! When I was on the 45/58 sqn Hunter wing at Wittering, I loked through 45's photo album. Lots of brilliant Hornet photos - how disappointed they must have felt when the Vampires turned up....

I understand that, regrettably, all the far east Hornets suffered from the effects of temites and were scrapped on the spot; not a single example remains. Perhaps the most elegant ahhh-de Havilland design ever was the Hornet!

There was an old boy at the Secret Oxfordshire Airbase back in the early 80s who'd flown the Hornet - he had some great stories to tell. One day he spotted a flight of Oz Sabres well below him, so he positioned carefully above and behind them, dived down as fast as he could and then shut one down just before going past with the prop feathered, aileron rolling as he did so... He said they flew low and fast for hours and had few vices.........

[ 14 January 2002: Message edited by: BEagle ]</p>

[Dale Harris]

Polzin,

If you're really nice to John Travolta, he might let you try his 707, it's a -138, ex Qantas!

Just a thought!!

[henry crun]

You got it in one Beagle, the most elegant aircraft that came out of DH's.

We had a Sgt pilot on 29 who flew them in the far east and he had nothing but praise for the speed and long range, as well as being an excellent gun and rocket platform.

He told us that it wan't only the termites that finished them but also the humidity badly affected the glue joints.

[LowNSlow]

The Mossie had the same problem in the Far East, hence the popularity of the Beaufighter out there. The Hornet must have been so much better to fly than the Bristol Brigand. Definately dh's best even prettier than the Albatross.

My dad's wartime Squardon Leader was a Wing Commander in Chiangi when they had Lincolns. Brigands and Vampires. Wingco gets one of the chaps "to show him the taps and clocks" and takes the Vamp up for a jolly. First time in a jet, loads of experience on Hurris, Spits and Halifaxes though. Proceeds to do a loop over the airfield, closes throttle over the top expecting big wind shovel on the front to slow him down. ooops, no prop. Comes out of the loop at 10' agl. Flys away for 10 mins to settle the nerves for landing. All the young pilots thought he was a whizz :) He never admitted it was a cockup of course

[tiger burn]

A Polikarpov Chaika or Rata .....somewhere over over the rainbow...or in my dreams!

[Tiger_ Moth]

Id love to fly a spitfire or hurricane, a jet fighter (anyone eg: tornado, F-16 etc..) and a whole bunch of WW1 aircraft like : Se5a, Camel, Bristol Fighter. I'd particularly like to fly a DH2 or Fe2b because of the way you are right out in the open with a great view and it looks so old because their fuselages are not even covered.

[Flatus Veteranus]

I hate to be a party-pooper, but I think that, although the Mozzie was termite-fodder, the Hornet was all-metal. Perhaps I talk bollux; if so, apologies. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

[Flatus Veteranus]

Since I love fighters, adore flyingboats and demand two engines, I should like to have had a go at the Saunders Roes SR1 flying boat fighter, with two Metrovick Beryls. Only two were built, I believe, and at least one of them pranged in the solent. In about 1946. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[BEagle]

FV - from my Boy's Book of Whizzy Whooshy things:

DH Hornet - Single-seat long-range fighter (or fighter-bomber, but we'll ignore such desecration!). Wooden fuselage and composite plywood and light alloy wing. Max range 3000 miles!

Saunders-Roe SR.A/1 - first flew 16 Jul 47 with Geoffrey Tyson at the helm; 2 months later demo'd at Farnborough (inverted!). 3 were built, 1 crashed in a flight from Felixstowe and a second was lost when it hit driftwood landing off Cowes. The only survivor stopped flying in 1951 but is now safely preserved at Duxford. Oh - and max range was all of 482 miles....

I still want a Hornet for Christmas!!

[Flatus Veteranus]

White flag hoisted, BEagle, forelock tugged, grovel grovel! <img src="redface.gif" border="0">

[BEagle]

Just so long as it's only the forelock which you're tugging, old chum!

I remember hearing from someone who'd been out on 'Firedog' that, when the dramatic nibbling effect of the termites had been realised, all the Hornets were simply bulldozed aside.....

Please tell me it wasn't true......

[BEXIL160]

The Blackburn Firebrand

Why? My first chief pilot (Harry Gee... anyone know him?) used to tell me wonderous stories about climbing into this beast (like climbing into the black hole of calcutta.. he said)

Always wondered if he was winding me up.

Rgds Bex

(Harry also flew Sea Furies and had lots of stories about the m as well).

[Ian Fleming]

As an ATC cadet I did several hours in Hastings shooting touch and goes at Thorny Island.. .My personal desire, a Beech Staggerwing.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I've been pretty lucky so-far in the 60 or so types in my logbook to cover most bases, but I've always had a real hankering to have a go in the back of a Tornado. Not for the performance and handling, which I know are crap, but to see how the worlds only genuine 2-crew fast jet works. The CRM pilot.v.Nav fascinates me.

Aside from that, well maybe a whimsical desire to have a go in a Sunderland, and at some point in my career I'd like to do a bit of airship flying. My old chum Dragcurve has been off playing with them, and keeps sending me Emails that send me green with envy. Neville Shute's "Slide Rule", fascinated me on that subject.

A little lower down the list, Spitfire and Meteor, to see how the best ever piston-prop fighter, and the first ever jet fighter worked and compared.

G

[IanSeager]

For me it would have to be a back seat ride in an SR71...

[polzin]

29351 I would join the chuch of scientology if John would let me fly his 138B.

A Saunders Roes SR1 inverted ? WOW !!! Is there any way I could possibly get a photo ?

[Mirkin About]

Ghengis the engineer, "Worlds only genuine 2 crew fast jet"? HMMM. What about the F111? Sukhoi also produce a side by side 2 seater.

[Evo7]

I guess it will be

Harvard - one day. .Hunter - in my dreams, but maybe, just maybe. .Spitfire - as if...

[JMJ]

As far a transport a/c for me it's the DC-3 and being an ex knucklehead the fighter would be the Lightning.

[JMJ]

Sorry, forgot about the 2nd fastest civilian airliner in the world, the Convair 880.

[Captain104]

Polzin,. .you like to fly the F-104? There are still some around flying in Taiwan, Turkey and even Italy as far as I know. Also NASA still using them for astronaut training. The most stable weapons platform you can imagine. We flew them in the Germ.Navy as recce-aircraft over the Baltic sea to watch and photograf those powerful russian warships during the so-called cold war. Another role was to carry air-to-ship missiles and we had those AC for air-to-ground missions.. .To fly the F-104 Starfighter over the desert in Arizona, around the island of Sardinia at sunset or 1.5 inch west of the polish, east german or russian border just nearly on deck over the Baltic approaches was always something very special even for a prof. fighter pilot, something I always kept in mind, even many years later spending 13 and more hours to fly a 747 from A to B, while sipping my 24th cup of coffee.



<img src="wink.gif" border="0">

[polzin]

The canadian government donated a 2 place to the EAA in the USA several years ago. They decided it didnt really fit into what the EAA was about, a decison that astounds me, and sold it to a guy in Phoenix. Last tine I saw it was at the old Williams AFB.

When I was in high school,1955-59, my dad was the Chief Design Engineer of design for the first ejecton seat of the 104 at Stanley Aviation. It went down! The Air Force didnt think a pilot could survive an ejection at Mach 2 if it went up. Spinal injuries were the main concern. However, the problems were not occuring at Mach 2 but at much slower speeds so eventually an upward seat was designed by Martin-Baker, I believe.

Wonder what is the highest speed of a successful ejection ?

[Captain104]

Should have donated the TF to Luke AFB not far away from Williams, because there the F-1o4 roared many years in all those advanced fighter training courses.. .Succesful ejection at highest speed, I dont know.

The problem with F-104 ejection seats in the mid-sixties was not at speeds of Mach 2, as you mention correctly, a big problem was positive seat-man seperation and missing capability of 0 speed and 0 height ejections. Your father probably knew the subject very well. Was it in summer 66, I forgot, a very sad disaster occured at Luke AFB, when a higly respected american IP was killed in the air after seperation by a tumbling seat. Than high brass decided to switch to Martin-Baker GQ7 at least for all german F- 104's. It saved many lives <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[ 04 February 2002: Message edited by: Captain104 ]</p>

[fantom]

Genghis:. .rare shame on you! was not the F4 real?

Captain104:. .ah.deccimomanu watching those lunatix at the range getting better scores than we did....buggah <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

[Captain104]

fantom,. .more luck than knowledge and a very effective gun helped us.. .Nice aircraft the F-4, never flew her. Keep her in good memory. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[tony draper]

Wanted a ride in the back seat of a F4 before I died,had it now I suppose.

[Flap40]

Tony,

You might see some F-4's if you go plane spotting in Greece <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

My wish list would be:. .Bleriot Monoplane. .Spitfire. .Single seat Hunter. .Concorde

&

The Space Shuttle

(Well....I can dream!)

[fantom]

despair not D.there is still time. it is lotty nite tonite..you never know your luck.. .trust you have not 'had it' otherwise there will be one fewer left to bait.. .anyway, you do not want a trip in the back of an F4, you want a trip in the front. <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[tony draper]

They got a F4 sim in Yorkshire that you can have a ride in for a couple of hundred quid, at the air museum,I think, I might have to settle for that this summer.

[Captain104]

Flap 40,. .why should Tony go to Greece? He might also go to Hamburg, than drive 2 hrs east to Laage. (South of Rostock). Phantoms are flying all day and night like 'bizzi bees'at the 73rd Luftwaffe Squadron together with the impressive MIG 29's. At least for the next 2 years. . .So, no reason to die. Easy for spotters. <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[ 08 February 2002: Message edited by: Captain104 ]</p>

[Tonkenna]

I never put in my first post what I would love to have had a go in, so:

A WW2 fighter (Spit/Hurricane/P51etc). .Mosi. .TSR2. .Twin Otter float plane around Canada. .The Shuttle. .Grob Tutor (oh god no, only jocking)!!!

That'l do for starters

Tonks <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[Mirkin About]

The AC130 Spectre, with that big ol 105 mm gun .Just a trip out to a range somwhere to lose off plenty of rounds and to feel the power, after that maybe a ride in a Combat Talon. Have to agree with Tony Draper to a ride in the back of an F4 would be marvellous . None here taht work though <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

[Travelling Toolbox]

1. Catalina for the grace and joy in a round and rattly!. .2. PT6 powered Grumman Goose for the power and joy of a wet turbine! <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[Dale Harris]

polzin, there was a thread on highest speed ejection a while ago, military forum i think. A search should find it. F-15 i believe, can't recall the speed. Pilot very knocked around, but survived. Come to think of it, the post contained a web link. I'll see if I can find it.

[Dale Harris]

polzin, I think this is the one I remember, try this web site, avweb.com/sponsors/avspeak/b-udell says 800 mph ejection (supersonic) The original website i saw was a bit more detailed though.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I stand by what I've said, but should explain myself. My understanding is that the Tornadoesntgo is unique in that both crew are constantly essential because many basic aircraft systems are not duplicated in the other cockpit. In other words, the pilot and nav need to operate as team, just to operate the aircraft. All other 2-seaters that I know off, such as the F4 or F15, the main systems are duplicated and the aircraft can be operated fully (if not necessarily fought) from either cockpit if required. I'd like to see how it all meshes together when there's no choice but to operate constantly as a team, just to keep the thing in the air.

G

[fantom]

Genghis:. .take the point but mine was that the RAF edition of the F4 did not allow me to undertake anything but the basics - and then only if the nav had set it up for me. all of the important stuff was at the rear and we were a team alright, unless I upset him..... <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[Genghis the Engineer]

I stand corrected fantom, I never got to deal with a serviceable F4, so didn't realise that the RAF changes had included that sort of cockpit functionality.

G

[Wee Jock]

Had a trip in the back of an F4, Concorde and a Black Hawk, but never flown in a B747. Ain't life strange?

[Vmike]

Mine include the usuals: Spitfire, P51 etc

Also would like a go at an Me262, Fw190, DH Hornet, JU88, Hunter, Gnat and so on.

For those who want to fly the Space Shuttle, did you know that your PPl entitles you to do just that: As the holder of a UK PPL, you are entitled to fly "aeroplanes in group A (i.e. single-engined landplanes up to a max T/O weight of 5,700kgs) and.....self-launching motor gliders"!!! What the hell is the Space Shuttle if not a self-launching motor glider?

Get those applications off to NASA immediately!! :)

[Genghis the Engineer]

I think it may weigh slightly above 5,700 kg. Also, the definition of an SLMG includes a minimum glide performance, which I suspect is just a tad better than the orbiter has ever achieved.

G

[henry crun]

Genghis is right it is slightly above 5700kg.

The four shuttles all have different dry weights between 172,000 and 182,000lbs <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[polzin]

Captain104.

Your comment about an accident involving a tumbling ejection seat reminds me of a story.. .Stanley Aviation bought land at Hurricane Mesa in Utah and installed a track where rocket powered sleds with ejection seats attached roared down the track and blasted the seat over the edge of a cliff. This was done to test the stability of the seat in the air. The Navy wanted a man to ride this sled !!!! No one crazy enough to volunteer!!!!! However someone found that the Denver Zoo had a bear for sale for $150. It was about the same size and weight as a human. I dont know if the bear survived.

Just think about it. Somewhere in a file marked TOP SECRET is a picture of a bear wearing a helmet sitting in an ejection seat looking around wondering what all the fuss is about. Navy probably wants to keep this SECRET from the PETA folks. :) :) :)

[ 08 February 2002: Message edited by: polzin ]</p>

[pigboat]

polzin that's right up there with Bill Lear and the frozen chickens. :)

Oh, the Republic P-47 and the DH Mosquito.

[polzin]

As I remember the female bear did survive. But her faith in humans was diminished.

The Navy then said , OK the pilot survived but can he hear anymore? ( the charge that separated the seat from the airplane was LOUD) Stanley Aviation showed the Navy medical reports, etc, but they wanted a practical demonstration. Someone discovered that a pig's ear is very close to a human's. Yep , you guessed it. Two pigs had their ears trimmed to resemble a humans. Why two ? Well you never know you might need a back-up !!!!!. .The big day arrived and as the pig sat in the sun the engineers instrumented the sled. It was hot. There were problems with the instrumentation. The pig became sick with heat. The back up was used. His day in the sun you might say. Mr.Stanley assured me that the test was successful because when he said Sui Sui the pig came running.

:)

[tony draper]

I've seen a clip of a large chimp being strapped into a rocket sled seat.. .Think it was research into g forces Astronauts could tolerate.. .Poor thing. <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

[fantom]

it was not a chimp. it was an ozzie trying to gain entry to the UK. <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[Captain104]

1)Piper L-18 to shutdown the engine and sail a bit, with open window to hear the roaring cows!. .2)F-100F? (without flaps) to perform the famous Sabredance whirling around the desert sand on approach.. .3) Yak 40 a little russian airliner with an ADI, in which horizon is fixed and AC symbol is moving (just vice versa we know) to discover new sexy feelings while flying in IMC.

Hello polzin,. .now, you know the truth, why I joined the Navy when young:. .Someone commanding not only ships and aircraft but also pigs and bears on ejection seats not only rules Britannia, he rules the world. Hic! It's carneval here! :) :) :)

[ 19 February 2002: Message edited by: Captain104 ]</p>

[Hollow Blade]

I would love to fly the XB-70 Valkyrie....ohh what a flier.. .Got a pic of it flying a 1º glidepath. Flare that low aspect ratio wing and you sink that instant.. .love it.. .Another plane I would pay to fly is the B-52.. .Talking about airplanes I could fly...Global Express, Q400, 757.. .cheers.

[polzin]

Pigboat....

Standby for the Lear chicken story straight from the horse's mouth's son.

[Willit Run]

You mean another chicken sh-- story from a man named Lear?

Sit back with a cognac and a fine cuban, and read this when the Quintesential pilot speaks!

[John Farley]

Captain 104

On a point of detail if the Yak 40 ADI is like Russian military instruments then the horizon bar will be fixed in roll (wings level with the panel) but moves up and down to show pitch, while the aeroplane symbol is fixed vertically in the panel but has full freedom in roll.

My Russian friends tell me that over the years they have tried both our system and this one. They prefer this one as it leads to cheaper and simpler instruments that avoid some of the toppling problems associated with the gimbals needed for our type of displays.

With their system, I used the mental model that I was No 2 in a line astern formation, that the aeroplane symbol was my leader ahead of me and that I could control him from behind. I kept perfect line astern and he just did the manoeuvres I wanted him to. Wish it had been like that in Vampires.

[Captain104]

Hello John Farley,. .you must be someone who knows what he is talking about. Nice to meet you. <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> . .A company named GENERAL AIR flew this little 3 engined AC Yak 40 during late 70ies on short-haul routes here. Ex Mil friends told me about the ADI, which should have worked exactly as you decribe it. They trained in Kiev and informed me about their funny feelings in IMC at first. No problems later, after they got used to it. . .Due to safety concerns, the german FAA (called LBA at that time) restricted ATPL to this one AC only to prevent mixed operation. (Western type ADI and little russian devil).. .Funny addition: In Kiev training traffic patterns with full stop landings, breaks heated up quickly. So, after the 8th landing, they passed a stand, a mechanic took a waterhose and sprayed high-pressured cold water over the redheated metal brakes. They couldn't believe it at first, but it worked nicely. :) . .General impression was, russian aircraft engineering was(is) often underestimated in the west. There are some very simple solutions for complex problems and it works.

What you write about an astern formation as number 2 applying same ADI-principle to guide number 1 is interesting.. .Have a bit experience flying formation up to 4- ship acro in supersonic trainer T-38 as a youngster and later, intructing formation in IMC and night or low level over sea on F-104 was my bread and butter work for some years. Perhaps you have more experience than me in this field?! <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

[Captain104]

J.F.. .now reading another thread I know your background.. .Being a new PPRuNer, I hope you are not shaking your wise head?! <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[kavu]

For me I think the Lancaster would do quite nicely.

A classic and a goodie. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[Cat.S]

Apart from the obvious warbirds we all drool over, I'd love a go in a C130 low level, but most of all, and completely impossible to have granted, I'd give anything to fly a Horsa glider. The pilots who did fly them all say the steep full-flap approach was something else! Sadly, there'll never be a flying one as the CAA judged the design to be fundamentally unsafe and when a proper replca was built, using the original plans and materials for the film 'The Longest Day' they wouldn't give it a certificate.

[Mago]

As long as we can dream:

AN-2 for short grass field hops. .Me 163 Komet for a "spin". .Boeing 314 for a vacation in the Pacific islands. .X-15 to earn "astronauts wings"

And... every single airplane that I see <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[LowNSlow]

The banner towing Supercub in Pilot(?) a few years ago. It had a 310hp engine in it! <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

Fiesler Storch. Really Low and Slow

Westland Lysander. Ditto

HP Halifax

DC3

Beaufighter

Fw190

Me262

F4U Corsair

P40

and inevitably, in no particular order:

Spitfire

Hurricane

Mustang.

I just checked. Of the above 13, all bar 1, (Halifax) will have a flying example in the next 5 or so years. :) Rushes off to buy a lottery ticket or 10.

Why did they scrap the real Friday the Thirteenth (Halifax III, LV907 158 Squadron, Lisset, 128 raids) after the war? Tossers. <img src="mad.gif" border="0"> . .The boys and girls at YAM have done an excellent job of recreating her though.

[ 11 February 2002: Message edited by: LowNSlow ]</p>

[pigboat]

LowNSlow there is, I believe, a Halifax under restoration at CFB Trenton. It was flown by a Canadian squadron in WW2 and recovered from a lake in Norway, about eight or ten years ago. It had crashed landed after being hit by AA fire, I believe. I have no idea if it is to be restored to flying condition.

[LowNSlow]

pigboat, I think it's "only" going to be a static restoration. Shame, I would fly to pretty much anywhere to see a Halibag flying.

It's a tragedy that the aircraft restoration movement wasn't so strong when they were pulling all the wrecked aircraft from the Dutch polders(?) back in the sixties and seventies. Apart from the occasional engine / prop the rest went into the smelter. Unless somebody knows better of course..........

[BeauMan]

Pigboat / LowNSlow, the Trenton Halifax is indeed being restored to static only. There's a website charting her progress below:

<a href="http://www.halibag.com" target="_blank">www.halibag.com</a>

Hope this helps.

[polzin]

I asked SOB Lear to tell the Lear chicken story a week ago and he has not ,so I'll tell it. SOB stands for Son-Of-Bill.. .Bill Lear was so proud of the windshield that was going to be installed in the first Lear Jet that he had stated for weeks that when they tested it he would be sitting in the pilots seat. The test was to fire a 4 pound live chicken at several hundred miles per hour from a 15 foot gun at the windshield. . .The employees were in a panic because they knew that if Bill was severely injured or killed the Lear Jet project would die and their jobs with it. They tried to talk him out of it but Bill insisted.. .The big day arrived for the test. Bill got in the airplane. The employees had a plan. Right before the gun was to fire, an employee rushed over to him and in an excited voice told him that he had a very important telephone call. Like maybe the President. Bill rushed over to his office while telling everybody to just hold on and he would be right back. As soon as he shut the door in his office the gun was fired.. .The chicken went thru the windshield, the air conditioning pack and imbedded itself half way thru the aft bulkhead.

:) :) :)

[fantom]

the parallel chicken story I heard from the '70s was similar except the reason for the failure was that the chickens were still frozen. <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[Ivchenko]

Absolutely right, fantom.

It went that British Snail wanted to test the windscreen of their new High Speed Train <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> and borrowed the chicken gun from Rolls Royce. They rang RR the next day to complain that the transsonic poultry had passed through their super tough high speed windscreen with not so much as a pause to say hello, and gaily carried on to destroy a large part of the interior of their brand new prototype.

RR's response was "well you did remember to defrost the chicken first didn't you?"

Hackneyed story to us old gits but couldn't resist one more repetition.

[ 15 February 2002: Message edited by: Ivchenko ]</p>

[polzin]

Oh yes, one more. F7F Tigercat.

Reminds me of a real shapely little woman with great big jugs. Radial Jugs that is.

[scroggs]

I've been a lucky guy in that I've flown, or flown in, most of the better aircraft of the last 40 years. Seriously short of WW11 warbird experience, though (like none, hint - for anyone listening!).. .Polzin, I think a credible candidate for fastest ever ejection was an RAF guy called Stu Tulloch. He was a QFI of mine when I first started flying, and he was said to have ejected from a Lightning at near Mach 1.7, or thereabouts, and very high up. I can't remember the story in any detail; I do remember it as being a bit of a cock-up - but he survived OK!

[pigboat]

polzin, that's the story I heard, about oh..1978 or so at Flight Safety in SAV. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">