Farnborough 1978: List of Aircraft on Display.
Farnborough 1978: List of Aircraft on Display.
Does anybody have a list of the aircraft that were on display at the 1978 edition of the Farnborough Air Show?
In particular, I am trying to identify the Hughes 500 M-D Defender helicopter that was on display that year. Does anyone have the registration number? I believe that it was a civilian-registered company demonstrator but it may possibly have been one of the early Defenders destined for the Israeli Defence Forces. If anyone knows the registration or construction number for this airframe or can point me in the right direction, I would be extremely grateful. I require this information for inclusion in a book on the Hughes/MD 500 helicopter. Thanks.
500 Fan.
In particular, I am trying to identify the Hughes 500 M-D Defender helicopter that was on display that year. Does anyone have the registration number? I believe that it was a civilian-registered company demonstrator but it may possibly have been one of the early Defenders destined for the Israeli Defence Forces. If anyone knows the registration or construction number for this airframe or can point me in the right direction, I would be extremely grateful. I require this information for inclusion in a book on the Hughes/MD 500 helicopter. Thanks.
500 Fan.
Do a Hover - it avoids G
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Chichester West Sussex UK
Age: 91
Posts: 2,206
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
FY 78
According to John Blake's record of that show there were two from Hughes:
Hughes 500D G-BFAY (67-01-48D)
Hughes 500MD N58235 (78-0323D)
JF
Hughes 500D G-BFAY (67-01-48D)
Hughes 500MD N58235 (78-0323D)
JF
I have even found a photo of the airframe in question.
Aircraft N58235 (Hughes 500MD Defender C/N 75-0323D) Photo by Peter Nicholson (Photo ID: AC502406)
Is that a ramp of some kind in the background? It might be useful if you have a Sea Harrier handy!
500 Fan.
Aircraft N58235 (Hughes 500MD Defender C/N 75-0323D) Photo by Peter Nicholson (Photo ID: AC502406)
Is that a ramp of some kind in the background? It might be useful if you have a Sea Harrier handy!
500 Fan.
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Frankfurt/Main
Age: 81
Posts: 296
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Let me quote from '40 years at Farnborough' - 1978
'In one area, however, Britain (in the person of British Aerospace) still remained unquestionably supreme. The ski-jump take-off ramp for heavily-loaded Harriers was demonstrated twice daily, once by a Sea Harrier, once by a very comprehensively stocked GR.3........
....the Sea Harrier FRS.1 had made its first flight at Dunsfold on 21 August in the hands of John Farley, now chief test pilot, Duncan Simpson having joined SBAC and the Display Flying Control Committee. The aircraft involved, demonstrating at Farnborough, was to go on trials in HMS Hermes from 14 November....'
The GR.3(A) was XV789, the FRS.1 XZ450
brgds
Alan
'In one area, however, Britain (in the person of British Aerospace) still remained unquestionably supreme. The ski-jump take-off ramp for heavily-loaded Harriers was demonstrated twice daily, once by a Sea Harrier, once by a very comprehensively stocked GR.3........
....the Sea Harrier FRS.1 had made its first flight at Dunsfold on 21 August in the hands of John Farley, now chief test pilot, Duncan Simpson having joined SBAC and the Display Flying Control Committee. The aircraft involved, demonstrating at Farnborough, was to go on trials in HMS Hermes from 14 November....'
The GR.3(A) was XV789, the FRS.1 XZ450
brgds
Alan
Gawd was it really '78 when we had the Harrier ski-jump built? That was the only show between '74 and 2008 where I was not associated with the display programme in some form. If I recall correctly, there was also a grass strip next to the ski jump for the Jaguar to demonstrate it's rough field capability.
Then there was the Pilatus Porter who taxied out for his validation, stopped next to the ski-jump, and asked if he could use it (and he was serious)
Then there was the Pilatus Porter who taxied out for his validation, stopped next to the ski-jump, and asked if he could use it (and he was serious)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 1,771
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've not heard of a conventional aircraft using a Harrier ramp, suspect it might be too steep without being semi-jetborne with nozzles roughly about 45 degrees down; though of course some forces - ie Russians - use I think shallower ramps instead of a catapult for Mig29M's etc.
The length of take-off run has to be carefully calculated with the particular aircraft's load taken into account ( there are painted marks on the CVS decks for this ) , too short and there's not enough ballistic energy, too long and there's the risk of breaking a nose leg with ensuing catasrophe, so one does not simply stroll out to a Mig etc and open the throttles !
In case it's of interest, that particular Sea Harrier, XZ450, was not only the first to fly, it was the first shot down - by AAA - in the Falklands War, pilot Lt.Nick Taylor lost his life in a low level attack on Goose Green.
The only good thing to come out of it, as I was told, was that as this was a Dunsfold development aircraft with instrumentation wiring for the upcoming Sea Eagle anti-ship missile, - a better more intelligent answer to the Exocet, also 'sea skimming' - the Argentinians found the missile control panel in the wreckage.
So the Argentinians thought the weapon was already in service - a further deterrent to their ships coming out, if one was needed beyond the threat of our submarines.
If interested in this, I'd recommend the books 'One Hundred Days' by Sandy Woodward ( not very air-minded but a good insight ) & 'The Secret War For The Falklands' by Nigel Ward.
The length of take-off run has to be carefully calculated with the particular aircraft's load taken into account ( there are painted marks on the CVS decks for this ) , too short and there's not enough ballistic energy, too long and there's the risk of breaking a nose leg with ensuing catasrophe, so one does not simply stroll out to a Mig etc and open the throttles !
In case it's of interest, that particular Sea Harrier, XZ450, was not only the first to fly, it was the first shot down - by AAA - in the Falklands War, pilot Lt.Nick Taylor lost his life in a low level attack on Goose Green.
The only good thing to come out of it, as I was told, was that as this was a Dunsfold development aircraft with instrumentation wiring for the upcoming Sea Eagle anti-ship missile, - a better more intelligent answer to the Exocet, also 'sea skimming' - the Argentinians found the missile control panel in the wreckage.
So the Argentinians thought the weapon was already in service - a further deterrent to their ships coming out, if one was needed beyond the threat of our submarines.
If interested in this, I'd recommend the books 'One Hundred Days' by Sandy Woodward ( not very air-minded but a good insight ) & 'The Secret War For The Falklands' by Nigel Ward.
Last edited by Double Zero; 23rd Aug 2010 at 13:26.
I am trying to identify yet another Hughes 500 M-D TOW Defender demonstrator, this time the one that featured at the 1977 Paris Air Show. It was on static display for the majority of it's time there but may have flown occasionally during that show. I don't believe it is the same airframe as the one that appeared at Farnborough the following year and mentioned earlier in this thread. Again, if anyone can identify this helicopter, I would be very grateful. A google search has thrown up nothing.
500 Fan.
500 Fan.
John, thanks for that. I'll give them a shout.
Here is another photo of that Hughes 500 M-D Defender from Farnborough 78. John, is that you in the background tinkering with that Sea Harrier?
All available sizes | Slide No 001820a Farnborough 1978 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Slide No 001809 Farnborough 1978 Sea Harrier (Shar) XZ450 Ski-jump | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Thanks.
500 Fan.
Here is another photo of that Hughes 500 M-D Defender from Farnborough 78. John, is that you in the background tinkering with that Sea Harrier?
All available sizes | Slide No 001820a Farnborough 1978 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Slide No 001809 Farnborough 1978 Sea Harrier (Shar) XZ450 Ski-jump | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Thanks.
500 Fan.
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 60
Posts: 12,625
Received 296 Likes
on
164 Posts
That has to be John going off the ramp.
'78, my first Farnborough - then it was a "must attend". Sadly, I don't feel the same pull nowadays.
'78, my first Farnborough - then it was a "must attend". Sadly, I don't feel the same pull nowadays.
