PPRuNe Forums - Alcock and Brown

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- - Alcock and Brown (https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/621560-alcock-brown.html)

This from CNN

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/a...and/index.html

Some good stuff, some uninformed and some nice pictures

Instruments available then?

Does anyone e know what instruments they had then? Clearly they were able to penetrate cloud.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bergerie1 (Post 10494076)

Does any one know whether Sir Arthur Brown's sextant still exists and if so where it is?

Browns sextant still exists. I have a photo of it taken in the storage of the RAF museum at Hendon.

The only photo I've been able to find of the Vimy's cockpit is here: https://www.ssplprints.com/image/827...-aircraft-1919

That only shows a compass, altimeter and a slip indicator. Although they penetrated clouds, they were not exactly equipped to do so. In contrast, Lindbergh's Spirit was better equipped for this. Then again, the instruments in the Vimy were all that was available at the time.

Vasco, Thanks for that, I'm so pleased. Having once held a Flight Nav Licence and spent some years navigating on cross channel races out of Cowes, I still retain an intereset in those arcane arts. Are you able to post the photo of the sextant?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jhieminga (Post 10495736)

Is there really no ASI? I can't see one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlightlessParrot (Post 10496297)

Is there really no ASI? I can't see one.

Yes, there is, but you can't see it in that linked photo as it's tucked just underneath the coaming on the RH side, next to the VSI:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....5432fef546.jpg

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/bM5diyl48K/alcock

Amazing achievement by Alcock who was only 26 at the time of the flight.
Not only that, he had only obtained his pilots licence 6 1/2 years previously, but had only really been flying for 5 years as he spent 18 months in a POW camp!
I wonder how many hours he had?

Quote:

Originally Posted by shipiskan (Post 10485805)

........ Local carrier Provincial Airlines is painting a Dash 8 to resemble the Vimy........

I have not been able to find this Dash/Vimy on plane spotters/jetphotos/etc.
Has this succeeded?

SLB

Quote:

Originally Posted by Self loading bear (Post 10497926)

I have not been able to find this Dash/Vimy on plane spotters/jetphotos/etc.

Has this succeeded?

I'm guessing that common sense kicked in ...

Went to the Science Museum in London on Saturday, (29 June)
Saw the Vickers Vimy that crossed the Atlantic 100 years ago. No special mention or any celebration at all. Just the normal small plaque with a few details.

Yesterday (30th June) I was in Hyde Park and the BoB Lancaster flew over three times. I think I was the only person to notice it was something special.
It was the sound I noticed before I saw it, I don't think anyone else looked up for more than a second.

Does nobody care about our aviation history any more?

Thread drift - but will anyone remember 20.17 GMT, 20 July? A similar incredible anniversary..

Oh I think THAT one will be remembered.

I don't see this link anywhere in the thread - Alcock and Brown > Vintage Wings of Canada

dixi88,

"Does nobody care about our aviation history any more?"

Not entirely sure that you can speak for EVERYONE who was in Hyde Park or the surrounding area. I was in Victoria park last week when a Dakota flew over, EVERYBODY that I could see was looking up at it.

Aeroplanes over London are extremely common, and if someone is not an aviation enthusiast, why on earth SHOULD they care for our aviation history any more than you care for our musical instrument history?

Quote:

Originally Posted by dixi188 (Post 10507083)

Certainly not our Science Museum when it comes to aviation.

My direct experience of the “management “ there convinces me :
A. They are actually hostile to aviation.
B. They are clueless about aviation history, and the vital part which some aircraft in their “care” have played in the the Uk ( eg the Vimy, E28/39)
C. They are not fit people to be entrusted with these vital aspects of British Aviation history.
D. Certain individuals in their management are either crassly incompetent or downright dishonest. ( and I have documentary evidence from within the Science Museum itself, having used the FOI act to verify that statement ).
E. Their “management” of the treasure trove of stored aviation artefacts at Wroughton is a national disgrace. Compare with Brooklands , Bristol, Elvington, Newark, and the many other superb aviation museums around the UK, indeed the world and I have been to many.