Air Cadet Gliding pix in the 80s (pre glass)
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Niagara on the lake
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Found my log book.
flew Prefect WE 993 Aug 64
looks like it crashed
Crashed, Halton 23.9.75; Parts to BGA 2546 ?
Prefect
WE 992 Still airworthy.
Flew Swallow XS651 April 65
looks like still at 621vgs
http://www.621vgs.co.uk/historicflig...oads/xs651.jpg
Flew T53B Xv951 Sept 69
Flew grasshopper XA241
The Shuttleworth Collection ? Aeroflight
Flew grasshopper XK822 Aug 66
UK Serials
d/d 26/03/1956, sold 29/06/1988, sold 04/2010 to Partridge Green, West Sussex
flew Prefect WE 993 Aug 64
looks like it crashed
Crashed, Halton 23.9.75; Parts to BGA 2546 ?
Prefect
WE 992 Still airworthy.
Flew Swallow XS651 April 65
looks like still at 621vgs
http://www.621vgs.co.uk/historicflig...oads/xs651.jpg
Flew T53B Xv951 Sept 69
Flew grasshopper XA241
The Shuttleworth Collection ? Aeroflight
Flew grasshopper XK822 Aug 66
UK Serials
d/d 26/03/1956, sold 29/06/1988, sold 04/2010 to Partridge Green, West Sussex
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Chedburgh, Bury St.Edmunds
Age: 81
Posts: 1,175
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes
on
5 Posts
CHEVVRON. I bet his first words, as always, were 'what's going on?
I spent some time in the passenger seat of his car, an Alvis, or a Lea Francis, whilst he attempted to get it to spin on the wet concrete at the dispersal. If I remember, it understeered like you wouldn't believe, and he couldn't get the back to slide at all. Happy, wonderful days.
I spent some time in the passenger seat of his car, an Alvis, or a Lea Francis, whilst he attempted to get it to spin on the wet concrete at the dispersal. If I remember, it understeered like you wouldn't believe, and he couldn't get the back to slide at all. Happy, wonderful days.
CHEVVRON. I bet his first words, as always, were 'what's going on?
I spent some time in the passenger seat of his car, an Alvis, or a Lea Francis, whilst he attempted to get it to spin on the wet concrete at the dispersal. If I remember, it understeered like you wouldn't believe, and he couldn't get the back to slide at all. Happy, wonderful days.
I spent some time in the passenger seat of his car, an Alvis, or a Lea Francis, whilst he attempted to get it to spin on the wet concrete at the dispersal. If I remember, it understeered like you wouldn't believe, and he couldn't get the back to slide at all. Happy, wonderful days.
His saying in my day was 'what's the holdup' always preceded by either one of his coughs or a blast on his whistle.
Found my log book.
flew Prefect WE 993 Aug 64
looks like it crashed
Crashed, Halton 23.9.75; Parts to BGA 2546 ?
Prefect
WE 992 Still airworthy.
Flew Swallow XS651 April 65
looks like still at 621vgs
http://www.621vgs.co.uk/historicflig...oads/xs651.jpg
Flew T53B Xv951 Sept 69
Flew grasshopper XA241
The Shuttleworth Collection ? Aeroflight
Flew grasshopper XK822 Aug 66
UK Serials
d/d 26/03/1956, sold 29/06/1988, sold 04/2010 to Partridge Green, West Sussex
flew Prefect WE 993 Aug 64
looks like it crashed
Crashed, Halton 23.9.75; Parts to BGA 2546 ?
Prefect
WE 992 Still airworthy.
Flew Swallow XS651 April 65
looks like still at 621vgs
http://www.621vgs.co.uk/historicflig...oads/xs651.jpg
Flew T53B Xv951 Sept 69
Flew grasshopper XA241
The Shuttleworth Collection ? Aeroflight
Flew grasshopper XK822 Aug 66
UK Serials
d/d 26/03/1956, sold 29/06/1988, sold 04/2010 to Partridge Green, West Sussex
Did you used to have a Morris Minor convertible in which 4 of us (me, you, honey monster[RIP] and CR) stood to attention as you drove us back from the pub one lunchtime and Jacko was 'not amused'?
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Niagara on the lake
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think we do, are you GL?
You have a better memory than me , I did have my old MM convertible
Which pub was that, I remember going to the Bell at Aston Clinton for supper
a few times before it went upscale.Sure were great times.
Its amazing we never ripped the wings off the Grasshopper on the winch launch.
We had to tighten the wing guide wires every time we flew it.Who was honey monster?
My old MMinor died on the M1 one year and a buddy towed me back all the way to
Watford had to get the engine head skimmed , traded that in for a Triumph 1250
Always remember the one kid who would meditate once he got released from the cable,
I must have taken him up a lot more than the average 30 , one of the other officers tried him out and then Jacko. jacko let him go solo and he crashed into the Canberra down the field nearly sliced his legs off.
You have a better memory than me , I did have my old MM convertible
Which pub was that, I remember going to the Bell at Aston Clinton for supper
a few times before it went upscale.Sure were great times.
Its amazing we never ripped the wings off the Grasshopper on the winch launch.
We had to tighten the wing guide wires every time we flew it.Who was honey monster?
My old MMinor died on the M1 one year and a buddy towed me back all the way to
Watford had to get the engine head skimmed , traded that in for a Triumph 1250
Always remember the one kid who would meditate once he got released from the cable,
I must have taken him up a lot more than the average 30 , one of the other officers tried him out and then Jacko. jacko let him go solo and he crashed into the Canberra down the field nearly sliced his legs off.
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Niagara on the lake
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Also remember the day flying a T21 back to the hangar late in the day,
we used to pretty much fly them right onto the tarmac in from of the hangar
and when I got close some wind shear dropped my port wing and I hit one of the
bad ground markers,I had the stick right over and the wing wouldn't lift.
BQ came in behind and did exactly the same thing,so we had 2 T21's out of commision. We filed it with White Waltham and they thought it was only one accident as they
were exactly the same write up.
I remember talking to Jacko on the phone explaining what happened for the longest time,
he didn't believe that it was wind shear off the side of the hangar.Fun times.
we used to pretty much fly them right onto the tarmac in from of the hangar
and when I got close some wind shear dropped my port wing and I hit one of the
bad ground markers,I had the stick right over and the wing wouldn't lift.
BQ came in behind and did exactly the same thing,so we had 2 T21's out of commision. We filed it with White Waltham and they thought it was only one accident as they
were exactly the same write up.
I remember talking to Jacko on the phone explaining what happened for the longest time,
he didn't believe that it was wind shear off the side of the hangar.Fun times.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Chedburgh, Bury St.Edmunds
Age: 81
Posts: 1,175
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes
on
5 Posts
Flying a Mk 3 back to the Bessoneau hangar at the end of the day with Ken Bayliss in the back. Anson taxiing towards the hangar. I decided to go over the top of it, Ken decided to go between it and the hangar. Interesting few moments. I guess Mr. Bayliss is in the big airfeld in the sky now??
I'm TC, from the same squadron as RAF and CR, who is still around!
The 'Rising Sun' at Aston Clinton was our 'lunch break'.
Last edited by chevvron; 18th Jun 2019 at 12:43.
Also remember the day flying a T21 back to the hangar late in the day,
we used to pretty much fly them right onto the tarmac in from of the hangar
and when I got close some wind shear dropped my port wing and I hit one of the
bad ground markers,I had the stick right over and the wing wouldn't lift.
BQ came in behind and did exactly the same thing,so we had 2 T21's out of commision. We filed it with White Waltham and they thought it was only one accident as they
were exactly the same write up.
I remember talking to Jacko on the phone explaining what happened for the longest time,
he didn't believe that it was wind shear off the side of the hangar.Fun times.
we used to pretty much fly them right onto the tarmac in from of the hangar
and when I got close some wind shear dropped my port wing and I hit one of the
bad ground markers,I had the stick right over and the wing wouldn't lift.
BQ came in behind and did exactly the same thing,so we had 2 T21's out of commision. We filed it with White Waltham and they thought it was only one accident as they
were exactly the same write up.
I remember talking to Jacko on the phone explaining what happened for the longest time,
he didn't believe that it was wind shear off the side of the hangar.Fun times.
Last edited by chevvron; 16th Nov 2016 at 01:35.
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Niagara on the lake
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Trying to find the flight with Gerry L in a T21. Took off got to about 1200 , stick right back.
I think I was showing GL how to loop. Stalled it, pointed at the ground,watched for 80 knots back and over.Ok gerry you try one.Stalled it,looked at the ground , he pulled it back at 75 knots.Got upside down and STOPPED,was hanging there ,all the grass came out of the cockpit, luckily we didnt go backwards and rip off the tail.After that I always dble checked my harness.I still have nightmares of falling out of that T21 sheesh.
I think I was showing GL how to loop. Stalled it, pointed at the ground,watched for 80 knots back and over.Ok gerry you try one.Stalled it,looked at the ground , he pulled it back at 75 knots.Got upside down and STOPPED,was hanging there ,all the grass came out of the cockpit, luckily we didnt go backwards and rip off the tail.After that I always dble checked my harness.I still have nightmares of falling out of that T21 sheesh.
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Niagara on the lake
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This may have been posted b4.Ken Bayliss liked to wait for the double decker bus that would come down the road.On days when the control point (landing) was by the hangar he would try to run the wheel across the top of the bus or just pop the T21 over the hedge in front of the bus.One day the driver slammed on the brakes and a old lady went flying inside the bus. Complaints were sent from the bus company. A week or so later they switched to single decker bus 
. Not sure if he tried to bounce it off the top of that one.
. Not sure if he tried to bounce it off the top of that one.
a friend who was in the UK air cadets in the 60s told me that they used a glider where takeoff was effected by means of a big rubber band, and that the maximum altitude achieved was about 50m. Does this ring any bells with anyone?
Using a 'bungee' cord ie elastic rope was the 'standard' method of launching in the '30s when operating from a hilltop site.
In the '60s, many 'public' schools had their own cadet units which had a 'primary' glider allocated to them. This was used on the school playing fields to teach basic ground slides and hops using the same type of bungee cord.
In the '60s, many 'public' schools had their own cadet units which had a 'primary' glider allocated to them. This was used on the school playing fields to teach basic ground slides and hops using the same type of bungee cord.
thank you, that is exactly what he described. Apparently at his school it was wound up after some kid was launched, after minimal training (I'm told), panicked and dived the thing into the ground and was hurt.
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Niagara on the lake
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The grass hopper T38
A T38 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Um_kDEy8I20
The bungee was probably 50 feet long and a Y form.The base of the Y was attached to the release mechanism of the T38.the rear was attached via a release and rope to a stake in the ground. About four strong kids would take up the tension on either side of the Y.when a certain tension was reached the pilot would release the rear and the T38 would hop into the air.The trainee pilot would try to do a slight turn maybe before landing on the skid. At 613 sqdrn we couldn't be bothered with the bungee so we winch launched it up to probably 800 feet. It then dropped like a brick and we just about got back to the take off point!.White Waltham however informed us later that the T38 was not built to be winch launched !
The bungee was probably 50 feet long and a Y form.The base of the Y was attached to the release mechanism of the T38.the rear was attached via a release and rope to a stake in the ground. About four strong kids would take up the tension on either side of the Y.when a certain tension was reached the pilot would release the rear and the T38 would hop into the air.The trainee pilot would try to do a slight turn maybe before landing on the skid. At 613 sqdrn we couldn't be bothered with the bungee so we winch launched it up to probably 800 feet. It then dropped like a brick and we just about got back to the take off point!.White Waltham however informed us later that the T38 was not built to be winch launched !