Air Cadet Gliding pix in the 80s (pre glass)
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a) Was a similar retrieve trailer as shown with the Cadet III's used with Sedberghs?
b) If so, anyone seen one lying anound anywhere?
Dave W
b) If so, anyone seen one lying anound anywhere?
Dave W
Last edited by astir 8; 30th May 2010 at 08:55.
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I heard rumour that some schools had them, but we certainly didn't at 621, and I don't remember seeing any at Centre either when I did my first solo there.
Happy to be proved wrong though
Happy to be proved wrong though
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Do not remember retrieve trailers for Sedburgh's far too heavy. Used Land -Rovers to tow around the airfield but had to watch overrun. Saw a fist sized hole in the nose of one at Halesland cause someone was not paying attention. Also rigging a Barge was not for those of weak build or stamina !
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The only time I've ever damaged a glider was with a retrieve trolley...put one of the booms through the nose of WT877
It was only a small hole
..and yes, rigging a SedbErgh(note spelling!!) was 'character building'
I think the lack of trolleys was simply down to their necessity. Barges were rarely used for training at most schools; that was what the Mk3s were for. The G1s were expected to spot land to get the maximum number of Cadets airborne as possible...and that also meant no soaring!
...How many times did I get grounded for that
It was only a small hole..and yes, rigging a SedbErgh(note spelling!!) was 'character building'
I think the lack of trolleys was simply down to their necessity. Barges were rarely used for training at most schools; that was what the Mk3s were for. The G1s were expected to spot land to get the maximum number of Cadets airborne as possible...and that also meant no soaring!
...How many times did I get grounded for that
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Astir 8
Similar trailers were built for the T.21. My T.21 at Keevil lives on one!
www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1230059
Similar trailers were built for the T.21. My T.21 at Keevil lives on one!
www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1230059
Retrieve trolleys for T21
Yes, we actually built one at Kenley under the watchful eye and direction of our CO, George Nunn. It was actually George who designed one of the early MkIII trolleys which were used at Kenley before CGS cottoned on to the fact that using the trolleys saved a lot of time and increased the launch rate!! It was not long after that time that we were issued with our own manufactured one (or two).
The T21 trolley that we used had a pivoting twin wheel bogie on each side which smoothed out the many bumps on the airfield at Kenley during the retrieve.
However it was decided that the whole kit was too heavy with the "barge" on it so was consigned to the back of the hangar.
The T21 trolley that we used had a pivoting twin wheel bogie on each side which smoothed out the many bumps on the airfield at Kenley during the retrieve.
However it was decided that the whole kit was too heavy with the "barge" on it so was consigned to the back of the hangar.
I do not remember ever seeing a barge on a trailer,but I do remember how exciting it was to be towed back to the launch point as a 16 yo cadet,sitting in the mk3 cockpit.
Actually spitalgate was a fairly smooth airfield so not too bad,must have been a little more bouncy for the wee cadets at Halton ...but by that time I was bouncing along in the landrover it was a great way of learning to drive LOL
Actually spitalgate was a fairly smooth airfield so not too bad,must have been a little more bouncy for the wee cadets at Halton ...but by that time I was bouncing along in the landrover
it was a great way of learning to drive LOL
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Halton had large ruts in it for some time, made by a Beverley that flew in to pick up the Falcons parachute team at a Battle of Britain show. Quite an impressive sight, and very impressive undercarriage tracks!!!!!
At RAF Benson the speed of Mk 3 trolley retrieve benefitted from the use of the main apron, one consequence of which was being accused of dangerous low flying by the Deputy Captain of The Queens Flight
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Can anybody remember if the horizon "T" bars were used on Sedberghs ? This was a piece of black rod metal in the shape of a T and screwed into a recess on the front of Air Cadet Sedberghs just in front of the windshields It was to help pupils with regard to horizon reference for attitude flying. I don't recall them ever being used. Were they also fitted to the Mk.3's ?
Also for solo flying in the Barge we had a large lead weight "The Bomb" inserted in a tube in the nose and held by a metal bar and large split pin . Anyone know its weight ? I have seen light weight pilots strap a large water filled container into the spare seat as ballast.
Also for solo flying in the Barge we had a large lead weight "The Bomb" inserted in a tube in the nose and held by a metal bar and large split pin . Anyone know its weight ? I have seen light weight pilots strap a large water filled container into the spare seat as ballast.
Last edited by T-21; 4th Jun 2010 at 08:21.
"T" Bars - MkIII and T21
I started Air Cadet gliding in 1959 and have never seen the "T" bars being used in anger. The brackets for them were there on the gliders in the early days but when they came back from being refurbished they seem to have disappeared! Nobody missed them, except perhaps for the Equipment Officer who had a number of useless "T" bars on the inventory and wondered what they were used for!
The ruts I remember at Halton were two types:
at the north east corner caused by the last Vulcan to land in '67; it managed to touch down about 50 yards inside the boundary!!
at the south east corner; these were actually the remnants of medieval 'strip' farming being humps where the cultivated strips had been. If you landed on one of these you knew about it as you took off again then hit the next one harder! The existence of these was surprising considering the whole airfield had supposedly had steel rod mesh laid under the grass surface (the rods often springing up during the week so that when we arrived on a saturday there were areas of 'bad ground')
Don't recall a Beverley but I was operating there with 613 for only about 6 years '64 to '70 so it must have been before or after that. (thinks - what about the Argosy, was that flown in?)
at the north east corner caused by the last Vulcan to land in '67; it managed to touch down about 50 yards inside the boundary!!
at the south east corner; these were actually the remnants of medieval 'strip' farming being humps where the cultivated strips had been. If you landed on one of these you knew about it as you took off again then hit the next one harder! The existence of these was surprising considering the whole airfield had supposedly had steel rod mesh laid under the grass surface (the rods often springing up during the week so that when we arrived on a saturday there were areas of 'bad ground')
Don't recall a Beverley but I was operating there with 613 for only about 6 years '64 to '70 so it must have been before or after that. (thinks - what about the Argosy, was that flown in?)
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CHEVRON>
My time was 1958 to 1961. Two Beverleys landed and took off from Halton, one when I was present on the B of B day [I had to wind in all the cables, we were due to give a gliding demo] and one prior to that date and they were certainly responsible for some ghastly ruts
tho' whether THEY remained in perpetuity is a moot point. I believe there is a photo in the Bucks Herald archives of that one. Yes,I believe the Argosy was flown in, as, of course were the Vulcans and the Comet [were there two Comets??]
My time was 1958 to 1961. Two Beverleys landed and took off from Halton, one when I was present on the B of B day [I had to wind in all the cables, we were due to give a gliding demo] and one prior to that date and they were certainly responsible for some ghastly ruts
tho' whether THEY remained in perpetuity is a moot point. I believe there is a photo in the Bucks Herald archives of that one. Yes,I believe the Argosy was flown in, as, of course were the Vulcans and the Comet [were there two Comets??]
Last edited by JEM60; 4th Jun 2010 at 16:21.
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Many years later, I was in the right hand seat of a Partenavia P. 68, when, on take off, we were literally launched by one of these ruts. It was flown by Dickie B..d, and he warned me to be ready for it. It was akin to the Harrier Ski-Jump, I would imagine!!
These have appeared on the West Malling old boys site...
YouTube - Gliding at West Malling in the 1970s - Part 1.
YouTube - Gliding at West Malling in the 1970s - Part 1.
YouTube - Gliding at West Malling in the 1970s - part 2
YouTube - Gliding at West Malling in the 1970s - part 3
YouTube - Gliding at West Malling in the 1970s - Part 4
UV
YouTube - Gliding at West Malling in the 1970s - Part 1.
YouTube - Gliding at West Malling in the 1970s - Part 1.
YouTube - Gliding at West Malling in the 1970s - part 2
YouTube - Gliding at West Malling in the 1970s - part 3
YouTube - Gliding at West Malling in the 1970s - Part 4
UV
What have ruts to do with Air Cadet Gliding pix?
Phew, that was close! I thought the thread title had changed to "Ruts that I knew in my youth!"
Well done UV in getting back to the thread. Pity that the lovely airfield at West Malling is now covered in houses.
Well done UV in getting back to the thread. Pity that the lovely airfield at West Malling is now covered in houses.