I was never involved with the Jag but remember the first ones visiting Coningsby around '74. I asked one of the jocks what the take off performance was like, he said it doesn't have take off performance, it has take off.

Well, I was the 1984/85 Strike Command Jaguar display pilot.

The inverted pass, slow roll, and hesitation roll needed at least 400 knots, which was easily achieved from a wing-over after take-off. The problem was directional stability, not thrust....and I only had the Adour 104s at my disposal.

The Jaguar started to run out of directional stability at high alpha.

Directional stability was slightly improved by retaining the outboard wing weapon pylons, which were aft of the centre of gravity in display configuration.

For those who knew it, a great aeroplane - and very capable.

Much excrement of male bovine exhudes from the mouths of people who have never flown it!

Oh dear LM. Not like you to leave your six so unattended.

But not as much as from those who have?

(I only half mean it.................)

OK John - let's strike a truce.

WEAPON LOAD............................................

...oh dear - Let's see how many Jag Mates now take the hook...............

I think I may have seen you Lightning Mate at Valley in the mid 80's doing a display for the shiny new pilots and their families. Your display was followed by a fly past in line astern by our Lightnings who were there on STCAAME directly at crowd line in full burner at nil feet for which the OC got a right royal bollocking afterwards.

The Air Force used to be good sometimes....

WRONG!

In my day it was good ALL the time - ask John Farley.

Ah, I was but a humble fixer of your mighty steeds. Yes, you're right actually, even from my lowly station in life it was good 90% of the time. I remember four of us coming back from Belize with a 10 full of pongos. When we landed at Brize we needed to get to Luton quick to catch the sched to Gutersloh, so Brize promptly flew the four of us there in another 10. Couldn't complain about the service that's for sure.

And didn't the Skeeter have a dH Gipsy Major engine, like the dHC1?

Indeed it did SSD but a few more horses would have been appreciated on hot days!
At one time we were told that the old girl was going to get a gas turbine but although tests were quite successful (we heard), the Army properly decided to go for a new design.

Tough question.

I've been very fortunate to once fly a dual-control P-51 Mustang and that was a highlight. At a different pace, and something more accessible, I've really enjoyed flying the Stearman. (Even as a former Tiger Moth owner) :-)

Cheers,

Owen
Owen Zupp

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...V2Stearman.jpg

Can't possibly compete with JF, LM and Beags, but my list is:

Hurricane IIc
Spit Mk 2
Chippy
Meatbox 8
Canberra 2/15
Falcon 20F

And for utter fun Pitts S2A, though I was never as adventurous as Neil Williams or Manx Kelly!