I Flew The Firecracker

[Neerg rN]

Back in 1987 I went to Cardiff Airport to fly the Firecracker for flying training in Downunder. We also saw the Fieldmaster and Freelander and met Desmond Norman. Some of the photos are on my blog at:

Top Birds & Everyfing (http://topbirdsandeveryfing.typepad.com/top-birds-everyfing/)

I'd like to know whether there has been any further development of any of these aircraft.

[POBJOY]

I think some of the F-masters went to Turkey.

[brokenlink]

Saw the Firecracker at an air display (Biggin?). Very impressive aeroplane to to a then 17 year old. What was less impressive were my attempts to get some decent photos of it however!

[chevvron]

I was at Fairoaks in about '87 when Des brought a Firecracker in for demo to the RAAF, were you the one flying it? I seem to vaguely remember seeing the guy in the front seat in the photo.

[DefDefect]

The chap in the rear seat of the Firecracker is Doug Barden. He was the regular pilot - an excellent pilot and a very nice chap. I think he was ex-Javelin and Jaguar.

[chevvron]

I had an interesting chat with Des that day at Fairoaks. He told me the reason the RAF didn't buy the Firecracker was because they wanted an aircraft capable of 250kt at 500ft. Even the Tucano they bought instead had to be re-engined to achieve that.

[POBJOY]

I suspect that the main reason the Tucano (re-engined of course) was chosen was due to the fact it was to be built by Shorts and it was politically expedient to assist with the employment situation in NI at the time.
I do not recall there were any 'issues' with the FC,and of course the PC9 was already a fine machine.
Although supposedly a 'production' aircraft it appears the Shorts Tucano were anything but 'standard' in panel sizes.

[ShyTorque]

I remember the competition for the Jet Provost replacement quite well (BN Firecracker, Pilatus PC9, Shorts Tucano).

I'm certain Chevvron is correct, the FC was just a bit too slow to make the final grade.

I also remember the almost brand new "Christmas Tree" Tincano sitting long term in the "Dambusters" (CFS) hangar at Scampton. The word going round was that the ejection seats had been taken out and physically wouldn't go back in due to a bulkhead being out of square.

The best flying display I remember from those days was from the PC-7, rather than the PC-9. This display began with a straight run in at low level and completion of a very square loop. Very impressive and made a lovely noise to boot.

[DaveReidUK]

He told me the reason the RAF didn't buy the Firecracker was because they wanted an aircraft capable of 250kt at 500ft. Even the Tucano they bought instead had to be re-engined to achieve that. 240kt was the critical speed, apparently trainee fast jet pilots can't learn to navigate unless their aircraft travels a round number of nautical miles per minute. :O

[VictorGolf]

I once shared a taxi with a senior RAF officer who had been involved in the flyoff between the Firecracker, Tucano and PC-9. He was underwhelmed by the Firecracker and wanted the PC-9 but got the Tucano as a sop to the South Americans post Falklands. As others have said they were virtually hand-made and interchangeability of parts was problematical, some being up to 25mm longer than others (allegedly).

[Neerg rN]

Thanks for the info. I'm pleased to get Doug Barden's name as there is a gap in my log book which I can now fill in after all these years. We left Cardiff to drive back to London that evening and I forgot to write down his name.

[WK622]

Slight thread drift but G-NACI, the NAC-1 Freelance, was parked on the grass at Bembridge last Saturday, just a stones throw from the BN factory, as was. The aircraft looked in good condition but was minus both flaps.

As regards the Firecrackers, the 4 survivors all appear to be based in the US, with two at Mojave with the National Test Pilot School.

[walbut]

I was involved in the AST 412 competition when we evaluated the PC9, Tucano and Firecracker at what was then British Aerospace at Brough. We eventually chose the PC9 as our preferred candidate to support and were quite happy with the Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6 engine. However we had several visits from Garrett trying to persuade us (and Pilatus) to change to the TPE331 before the design was finally submitted for evaluation against the RAF's AST412 requirement.

We were very disappointed to lose to the Tucano and quite surprised when Shorts changed horses and decided to go down the Garrett route instead of the PT6. I was even more surprised several years later when one of the senior officers involved in the AST412 evaluation visited Brough as the UK rep for Garrett.

Walbut

[chevvron]

Nothing new about your last paragraph Walbut. When the RAF procured a new comms system (MASCOT), the RAF officer who signed the deal (so I'm told) retired shortly afterwards and got a job with Philips Telcommunications.
Guess who made the MASCOT system (which turned out to be cr@p).

[bvcu]

Looked after all three on the evaluation at Boscombe. Firecracker was a lovely little aircraft. Mk 2 version was designed for the spec but never built as they didnt get the contract.

[atb1943]

Here's a link to a previous threadhttp://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/225668-ndn-firecracker.html

and my photos (scans of prints)

Firecracker arriving at Le Bourget early '80's ?
http://www.english-for-flyaways.de/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Firecracker.jpg

Fieldmaster languishing at Hurn with I believe three others registered in the NAC(x) series and an obviously unfinished fuselage:
http://www.english-for-flyaways.de/albums/userpics/10001/normal_scrap_hurn.jpg

rgds
atb

[chevvron]

Prototype Firecracker with piston engine. Des somehow made it sound like a Merlin; lovely healthy crackle when he throttled back.
When he performed at Farnborough for the first time, he would always pull onto the grass at the holding point awaiting his slot. Adj Flying asked why he did this; I surmised that maybe he hadn't got a parking brake and the grass would prevent him 'creeping'. Adj Flying pooh- poohed this but I was right!