I watched it last night as had recorded it. Those magnificent men in their flying machines! Incredible to see the Vulcan rolled.
Looking forward to the next one.

The story of the Comet, the Nimrod and Britain's procurement of a radar picket (AWACS type) aircraft would make a long and possibly heart-breaking programme

I think you mean the DH 108 Swallow.

The DH 106 was the Comet airliner.

chevvron: Sorry, my mistake, long day and not with it - I'd read of the Shorts Sherpa, but never seen one in flight. Many thanks :)

Tableview: It was nice to see the Vulcan barrel rolling, but it was Tony Blackman's roll off the top that I was impressed with - read about it in his book, but never seen!

The RAF dabbled with the idea way back in 1955, albeit with an American Neptune rather than a dedicated British design.


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...RAFNeptune.jpg

I took this photo at Biggin Hill during the 1955 Royal Observer Corps "Recognition Day". It shows RAF Neptune MR1 WX547 from the Fighter Command Vanguard Flight (1453 Flight) based at Topcliffe in Yorkshire.

Vanguard Flight Neptunes carried out some of the initial Airborne Early Warning Radar trials over the North Sea, but I have no knowledge of the outcome of these trials.

PS

A bit of Googling and I came up with this:

In the second programme I ran one section back three times and am certain a shot of a VC10 taking off (from behind) showed 6 engines. the extra ones apparently mounted below the outboard ones. Or am I seeing something else - like senility?

A quick visit to Specsavers might be wise :)

I suggest that what you were seeing is the outboard upper reverse-thrust grills. In the shots that you describe I agree that it briefly looks like there could be six engines, but it's just a deceptive angle of view.

''Incredible to see the Vulcan rolled''.

Both the Vulcan and the Victor were aerobatted. At the time it was assumed one or other would win the contract and the test pilots wanted to show their company's product off. Both prototypes subsequently crashed. The Victor at Cranfield when the tailplane came off while being tested for pressure correction at low level and the Vulcan at Syerston when it was oversped and broke up.

The VC10 could have five engines - one in the transport pod fitted to the starboard wing root.

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../8/1822833.jpg

Nothing unique about the VC10 carrying a spare engine.

Aircraft Ferrying Extra Engines — Tech Ops Forum | Airliners.net

5th pod..
 

for Capt Camberly-Golf Course to carry his clubs :E

I thought both programmes were excellent considering how much they had to cover in two hours. Regarding the amalgamation of aircraft companies into two major groups, Handley Page was the only one not to participate and was not awarded any more government contracts, other than supporting existing airframes in RAF service. I remember Sir Frederick Handley Page making a very bitter speech as guest of honour during a dining in night at Northwood in late 1961, or early 1962, after the Avro 748/Andover had been chosen for the RAF in preference to the HP Dart Herald.

I loved the shot of the VC10 office with the chap in the left hand seat smoking a pipe en-route!

r

Most people smoked in those days.

And three engines when testing the RB211.

>Most people smoked in those days.

Indeed. My dad, (1914-2012) was an RAF ground engineer, has photos of his time in WWII, and a pipe seemed part of the standard issue kit!

Lots of VC-10, but nil re 1-11s a better export than the 10 !

How would I be seeing upper reverse thrust gills below an engine on take off?

Well, clearly its my eyes, but there was something there and it wasn't topsy turvy reversers at the wrong end of the flight...