Worlds oldest flying jet?
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Worlds oldest flying jet?
Saw this and wondered if it was correct - World's Oldest Airworthy Jet Returns To America
Seem to recall that Meteors are still being used for low level work (testing ejections seats, etc) or are they all now out of service?
Seem to recall that Meteors are still being used for low level work (testing ejections seats, etc) or are they all now out of service?
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Likely to be correct, this F-86 was ordered in 1948, the Meatboxes still flying were probably built more recently?
Two current on the UK register are 1949 and 1952. Not sure if they are both still flying?
Two current on the UK register are 1949 and 1952. Not sure if they are both still flying?
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Amazing. That F86 still looks futuristic. The Meatbox looks like something from the 1930s but minus the props!
Oh, 'ang on! Better be careful; the Trident boys'll be after me for Brit self-flagellation!
Oh, 'ang on! Better be careful; the Trident boys'll be after me for Brit self-flagellation!
Didn't one of the Hollywood "celebs" have a Vampire F3 (?) that was airworthy until fairly recently. It may have had a landing accident in which case the Sabre probably does take the prize. Certainly the Golden Apple Trust who operated the F86 at Duxford thought it was the oldest.
Martin Baker still use a pair of Meteors for ejector seat trials at their base of Chalgrove.
But both newer than the Sabre (1949 & 1952), though WA638 can lay claim to be the oldest jet still flying on behalf of the military (leased by the MoD to M-B).
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Still a looker after all these years. Sad though; if the article is right, we won't see any more Sabre demos this side of the pond for a long time.
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Back in the 1950s there was a large gaggle of Sabres by the Fairey hangar (still extant) at Ringway (now Manchester Airport). I think Fairey's had a contract to refurbish them. Test flights occasionally concluded with a supersonic dive onto the airfield, complete with sonic boom!
Those were the days!
Those were the days!
Shaggy Sheep Driver, in the mid-1950s Westlands serviced and tested Sabres at RAF Merryfield. Typically, they got behind in their work and started doing full power engine tests at the weekend....
As we lived very close to Merryfield, this rather annoyed my late father. After the first weekend's disturbance, he managed to obtain the private phone number of Westlands' MD.
So the following weekend, when the racket started again very early in the morning, he rang the MD's number: "Hello, did I wake you up? Well, hard luck - because you woke [U]me[U] up!".
Next weekend, the noise started again. So Westlands' MD got another early morning call: "Hello, it's me again!".
The following weekend, all was peace and quiet.....
As we lived very close to Merryfield, this rather annoyed my late father. After the first weekend's disturbance, he managed to obtain the private phone number of Westlands' MD.
So the following weekend, when the racket started again very early in the morning, he rang the MD's number: "Hello, did I wake you up? Well, hard luck - because you woke [U]me[U] up!".
Next weekend, the noise started again. So Westlands' MD got another early morning call: "Hello, it's me again!".
The following weekend, all was peace and quiet.....
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How old are the ME 262s that are about in America?
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Test flights occasionally concluded with a supersonic dive onto the airfield, complete with sonic boom!
I grew up about 6nm to the west of MAN and recall many aircraft of the 50's / 60's flying around.
But never, ever, a sonic boom.
Be a shame to no longer see the Sabre in question however. Always gave a very enjoyable, and noisy, display worth watching.
I grew up about 6nm to the west of MAN and recall many aircraft of the 50's / 60's flying around.
But never, ever, a sonic boom.
Be a shame to no longer see the Sabre in question however. Always gave a very enjoyable, and noisy, display worth watching.
One item on RAF Merryfield's 1954 'At Home' day flying display wouldn't be allowed these days:
And 'break the sound barrier', it duly did! Although I'm told that it didn't do so very impressively - unlike the occasional RN Phantom from Yeovilton 20 years later!
And 'break the sound barrier', it duly did! Although I'm told that it didn't do so very impressively - unlike the occasional RN Phantom from Yeovilton 20 years later!
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ME-262
The only existing night fighter version of the ME-262 is in the Military Museum in Johannesburg.
Dunno what sort of a state its in, but it has spent all of these years in a very low humidity climate, and it might be worth someones time to attempt to restore it.
Dunno what sort of a state its in, but it has spent all of these years in a very low humidity climate, and it might be worth someones time to attempt to restore it.
Although the flying example in Sweden is probably of a much later vintage, let us not forget that the SAAB J 29 "Tunnan" first flew 1 September 1948.
A remarkable achievement for the Swedes.
A remarkable achievement for the Swedes.