Air Cadet Gliding pix in the 80s (pre glass)
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T53
Looking in my log book from when I was stationed at Swanton Morley in the late 60s The T53B XV951 arrived at Swanton in May/June 1968 I had my first trip in it on the 21/6/68 with Duggie King I had a further 5 trips in it in August with Alan Pond and Robin Miller. The T53B was then lined up for a launch it was found that the ailerons’ were jammed solid . It was then found that the bare metal edges of the ailerons’ had bounced over the wing forming a solid lock. A sheet metal worker from Slingsbys came the next day and trimmed and inch or so of sheet metal off the ailerons’ using a pair of tin snips It seems the method of retrieval was also part of the problem To retrieve the T53B back to the launch point two tubes (one in each wing ) with a single sprung wheel were inserted into holes in the wing and then the tail was hooked onto a small dolly connected to a land rover and the aircraft was towed backwards, the trainee sitting in the front seat was suppose to hold the stick steady to stop the controls from crashing onto the stops. Originally Slingsbys said we could tow it backwards at up to 30mph!!
I believe that the staff were not happy with the repair and the machine disappeared to Slingsbys until November just before the fire. My next trips are recorded with Alan Pond and Ian Macleod the 15/11/68. No courses were normally held in January each year (overhaul of equipment) but I had an aero tow in the T53B with Duggie King on the 23/01/69 when we looped it as well as doing some spins and stalls. Shortly after that the aircraft left Swanton and I believe the order for a further 39 was cancelled.
I believe that the staff were not happy with the repair and the machine disappeared to Slingsbys until November just before the fire. My next trips are recorded with Alan Pond and Ian Macleod the 15/11/68. No courses were normally held in January each year (overhaul of equipment) but I had an aero tow in the T53B with Duggie King on the 23/01/69 when we looped it as well as doing some spins and stalls. Shortly after that the aircraft left Swanton and I believe the order for a further 39 was cancelled.
Last edited by dwhcomputers; 18th Feb 2009 at 14:06.
I suspect Air Cadet Gliding as a whole dodged a bullet when they dropped the T53 plan!
K13's / K21's ...great trainers !!
I heard rumours that they considered the Blanik before embarking on the T53 debacle, but excluded the idea because they (the MOD) wanted to buy British!!
It was available and a very good training aircraft. Liked the sprung wheel and flaps!
It was available and a very good training aircraft. Liked the sprung wheel and flaps!
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My thoughts
The K13 would have been the best in my view since it could be launched on the Eagle winch - had great visibility - was easily maintainable/repairable by the then MGSP organisation, coped well with short and rough fields - had no fatigue life - handled well, benign stall and spin and was affordable.
The L13 is a truely great sailplane but is weaker in all the areas listed above (apart from handling where IMHO it's superior to the K13) - and as you point out - why would we buy stuff from the then WARPAC countries ??
And the initial stimulus for purchase of GRP gliders for the Air Cadets was to soak up a budget underspend as I remember - at the end of a FY. Prior to that we just never seemed to have available cash at the right time...................
Right now I still think the Venture offered the best value to Air Cadet gliding in terms of number of launches versus number of trained cadets verus cost versus supportabilty versus effectiveness as an organisation (urgh
)
Arc
The K13 would have been the best in my view since it could be launched on the Eagle winch - had great visibility - was easily maintainable/repairable by the then MGSP organisation, coped well with short and rough fields - had no fatigue life - handled well, benign stall and spin and was affordable.
The L13 is a truely great sailplane but is weaker in all the areas listed above (apart from handling where IMHO it's superior to the K13) - and as you point out - why would we buy stuff from the then WARPAC countries ??
And the initial stimulus for purchase of GRP gliders for the Air Cadets was to soak up a budget underspend as I remember - at the end of a FY. Prior to that we just never seemed to have available cash at the right time...................
Right now I still think the Venture offered the best value to Air Cadet gliding in terms of number of launches versus number of trained cadets verus cost versus supportabilty versus effectiveness as an organisation (urgh
)Arc
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and actually the K13 could still easily be in service today............ cost effectively
although reference to my earlier comment on WARPAC - the RAFGSA brought more than a few L13's !!!
Arc
although reference to my earlier comment on WARPAC - the RAFGSA brought more than a few L13's !!!
Arc
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Had many a happy hour in both the rattling creaking tin torpedo and the K13- although I prefer the Blanik as there's a bit more room in it(at least in the front)
As to the funding for the glass ships, the rumour I heard was that it was dosh left over from the Falklands escapade that had to be spent. Certainly the timing fitted at the time.
10 days and then I'll be home. Just bidding for a photo scanner on ebay as I write, so look out for the pics
As to the funding for the glass ships, the rumour I heard was that it was dosh left over from the Falklands escapade that had to be spent. Certainly the timing fitted at the time.
10 days and then I'll be home. Just bidding for a photo scanner on ebay as I write, so look out for the pics
Yes...nice though the 'Blanket' was (at least from the front,nice tin armchair) in my view the K13 was the outstanding all round trainer.
I have flown both types from both seats,including 'oilcanning' round the skies in zimbabwe 25 years ago in Blankets.
I have flown both types from both seats,including 'oilcanning' round the skies in zimbabwe 25 years ago in Blankets.
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Musical Blaniks
What I found disconcerting about the Blanik was the way it made noises like somebody coarse-tuning a double-bass on the entry to a loop. There would be this 'doing doing doing' noise, rising in pitch as G came on, and then descending again is it backed off.
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Remember A*** G**** doing his hangar flight in the Blanick which included a loop, a spin , a stall etc before running straight at the hangar doors which were closed at Bicester in the late 60s(Always stopped a foot short )what a pilot and a gentleman
A bit earlier than the '80s, but this picture is from a B course at HCGIS at Detling which I was on as a CCF cadet in 1952, so it's certainly pre-glass. Among the instructors were Meddings and Derek Piggott ,who is still gliding and who I met this week at an RAeS lecture.
Anyhow, the cadet in the picture was a Liverpudlian whose name I forget, perhaps fortunately. As far as I recall he was flying a T31 and had a cable break or anyway was lower than desirable. For some reason,
as we watched, he turned downwind, and disappeared over the hump in the middle of the airfield; shortly afterwards there was a God-awful clang. We proceded to the site of the noise which turned out to be a large metal-clad hangar, through the open doors of which our hero had either flown or slid, finally stopping when he hit the far wall. Unfortunately, propped against the wall, were the wings of the Sedbergh in which Piggott had earlier set an altitude record with a frozen ATC cadet as passenger, and which helped to soften the impact of the sharp end of the T31 with the hangar wall. The T31 driver survived uninjured but chastened.
Anyhow, the cadet in the picture was a Liverpudlian whose name I forget, perhaps fortunately. As far as I recall he was flying a T31 and had a cable break or anyway was lower than desirable. For some reason,
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Yes, I was only 13 and managed 60 launches in T-21 WB923/WG498 around 1966/8. The flight had an Oly 2b,2 Tutors XE760/VM648 and a Grunau 3. My father did aero-tows with a Chipmunk at weekends with Sqdn/Ldr Doc Smith. Boss was Group Captain Max Bacon . My ATC F3822 covered my flying and also Varsity flying there . Never managed a trip in the JP. Also had rides in the Tiger Moths and Austers with "Dicky" Dickinson a great all rounder. Remember lots of cadets Mike Drybanski,Chris Watson, Grant MacLeod,Martin Stoner,Al Bryan and Dick Coles. Happy days after flying at the Hare and Hounds ,Fulbeck.
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Great thread Guys
If you want to know where your T21 or 31 is now (I never was in the Cadets so can't get to grips with "Mark III's" etc), see Richard Cawsey's site
Home Page
then "slingsby production lists" T21's and T31's
My personal interest is that I fly T21 WJ 306 a lot (still!). It now lives at Oxford Gliding Club but spent most of its life at Predannack (626 VGS) and Halesland (621).
So if any of you want another go.......!
I'd post a photo but am too 'kin ignorant to know how....
or see Flickr: The OGC Photos Pool
If you want to know where your T21 or 31 is now (I never was in the Cadets so can't get to grips with "Mark III's" etc), see Richard Cawsey's site
Home Page
then "slingsby production lists" T21's and T31's
My personal interest is that I fly T21 WJ 306 a lot (still!). It now lives at Oxford Gliding Club but spent most of its life at Predannack (626 VGS) and Halesland (621).
So if any of you want another go.......!
I'd post a photo but am too 'kin ignorant to know how....
or see Flickr: The OGC Photos Pool
Last edited by astir 8; 2nd Mar 2009 at 09:43.
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Ok chappies, the scanner has been under test
Apologies for quality
And finally for now, one of the non-flying sports
Apologies for qualityAnd finally for now, one of the non-flying sports