BEA Vickers Vanguard
Originally Posted by BEagle
Only once, as far as I know, due to incompetent groundcrew neglecting to check fin tank contents....
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Originally Posted by Discorde
You'll be familiar with Stand 319, then, where the Merchantman ops were based. Most of the flights were scheduled at night. One of the grimmest was 0200 LHR-CPH-LHR. Airborne from LHR - head northeast for approx an hour towards Heligoland, turn left a few degrees - head northeast for approx another hour - land CPH. Hour turnround then back along the same route.
In Feb 1972 G-APED and 'EF were temporarily based in Malta for circuit training for pilots converting onto the Vanguard/Merchantman. While at Luqa one of the Tynes on one of these aircraft dumped all its engine oil through a failed seal on its prop hub. I took this pic during the prop change (possibly repair rather than replacement - it looks like a prop hub lying on the trolley).
A description of Merchantman ops can be found in the book 'The Damocles Plot'.
In Feb 1972 G-APED and 'EF were temporarily based in Malta for circuit training for pilots converting onto the Vanguard/Merchantman. While at Luqa one of the Tynes on one of these aircraft dumped all its engine oil through a failed seal on its prop hub. I took this pic during the prop change (possibly repair rather than replacement - it looks like a prop hub lying on the trolley).
A description of Merchantman ops can be found in the book 'The Damocles Plot'.
Originally Posted by Herod
Frater didn't fly on it, but had a look around. It was Mandala. "Its four engines looked like antique air-cooled radials, and even the three-bladed propellers had been burnished...What was it? A converted Flying Fortress? A restyled Lanc? Or something built locally from bamboo and hammered Capstan cigarette tins? I tried to find out."
"I approached the marshal "Viscount" he snapped. "That's no Viscount". "It's a Super Viscount""
My guess? Most likely an Electra.
I only found this because I've recently read the book, and knew where to find the bits.
"I approached the marshal "Viscount" he snapped. "That's no Viscount". "It's a Super Viscount""
My guess? Most likely an Electra.
I only found this because I've recently read the book, and knew where to find the bits.
Don't ever recall either Electra, Vanguard or Viscount having three bladed props.
Originally Posted by Doctor Cruces
Don't ever recall either Electra, Vanguard or Viscount having three bladed props.
The good folk of Belfast heard plenty of Tyne rumble when Shorts were conducting prolonged ground runs of the Belfast freighter. When test flight schedules lagged somewhat the ground runs were extended into Sunday mornings. This did not go down well in the Northern Ireland of the early 1960s. Various preachers invoked the Wrath of the Lord upon this infernal noisy machine which could be heard all over the city as there was little movement except to churches, shops were closed and even the children's playgrounds were chained up.
More than one preacher condemned this breaking of the Sabbath; perhaps the Lord tasked a few angels to ride upon the tail of each Belfast and create such drag that the RAF would do away with them. If this sounds farfetched, consider the major airfield being built in 1944 for USAF B-29s east of Newtownards. This too required Sunday working and the local Presbyterians prayed that such sinful concrete-puddling should cease. Shortly afterwards the project was abandoned, but one can see to this day that the partly-constructed runway has sunk into long undulations because it was laid upon the Lord's unstable bogland ...
More than one preacher condemned this breaking of the Sabbath; perhaps the Lord tasked a few angels to ride upon the tail of each Belfast and create such drag that the RAF would do away with them. If this sounds farfetched, consider the major airfield being built in 1944 for USAF B-29s east of Newtownards. This too required Sunday working and the local Presbyterians prayed that such sinful concrete-puddling should cease. Shortly afterwards the project was abandoned, but one can see to this day that the partly-constructed runway has sunk into long undulations because it was laid upon the Lord's unstable bogland ...
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Originally Posted by Rory57
Mothballed Tynes brought to life after ten years
LVPs for 5 minutes after one fired up.
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Great seeing the pics of the Vanguard and the Britannia. I remember having to learn some "Technical German" as well as German, and one important term was "Unterboden besdlastungsgewicht" . (under floor bearing weight) It would have been useful to the loader of a Trans Meridian CL44 at MAN in the late 1960's. A voice saying "You'd better go over to the CL44, and see the damage" A ICL computer had been loaded with a large fork lift truck into the swing tail a/c. The cargo had completely gone through the floor, into the lower fuselage.
Of course it was a time of computers being the size of a garden shed.
Lance Shippey
Of course it was a time of computers being the size of a garden shed.
Lance Shippey
