Illustrious nearly loses a Merlin
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Other websites have it that the tow wagon was accidentally put into reverse & the brakes on the Merlin failed. Driver jumped clear before it went over the side, and the tow point snapped with the force of the truck falling
As far as accidentally putting the tug in reverse is concerned, The Helpful Stacker's earlier comment is spot on. Moving an ac from shed to line to HAS etc is the most routine of tasks and possibly the most career threatening if anything goes wrong.
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Wub said...
"Was a surprise to see how small our aircraft carriers are, when dwarfed by a cruise ship.
That's exactly what I said to Mrs wub as I took this last week:"
Aviate looks at the excellent pic and muses that in time of war if the top deck of the cruise ship was full of aircraft, they could be launched [enhanced Merlin style] and get to flying speed before they hit the water!
Do we really need [or will actually get!] new aircraft carriers?
"Was a surprise to see how small our aircraft carriers are, when dwarfed by a cruise ship.
That's exactly what I said to Mrs wub as I took this last week:"
Aviate looks at the excellent pic and muses that in time of war if the top deck of the cruise ship was full of aircraft, they could be launched [enhanced Merlin style] and get to flying speed before they hit the water!
Do we really need [or will actually get!] new aircraft carriers?
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Must have taken some force to rip the tail round like that!
Silsoesid, I so hope that is a waw waw!
Silsoesid, I so hope that is a waw waw!
Last edited by Dancing Bear; 21st May 2008 at 11:23. Reason: Spuling musitkes
Its a folding tail. To make more space.Join Date: Mar 2004
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SilsoeSid
Surely that wouldn't be possible because of the drive shaft and control cables/hyd pipes!
It's a viscous fluid flexible drive to allow for a great degree of misalignment.
And they have flexible pipes and rubber cables. Seems to do the trick.
Originally Posted by SilsoeSid
Surely that wouldn't be possible because of the drive shaft and control cables/hyd pipes!
It's a viscous fluid flexible drive to allow for a great degree of misalignment.
And they have flexible pipes and rubber cables. Seems to do the trick.
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A rather more graphic example of the CH-53 folding tailboom!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWh8QXHQEUg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWh8QXHQEUg
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The more I see of helicopters the more I am becoming a "fan" of the notar ducted fan thingamajig
That long driveshaft or whatever voodoo the merlin uses, scary scary.
As to the chinny.......18 inches of clearance, I think I'll walk.
That long driveshaft or whatever voodoo the merlin uses, scary scary.
As to the chinny.......18 inches of clearance, I think I'll walk.
JetBlast member 2005.
JetBlast member 2006.
Banned 2007
JetBlast member 2006.
Banned 2007
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Most Naval/Maritime Helicopters have a folding tail. T'otherwise they wouldn't fit in the Hangar.
Hardly surprising when you consider that they are not really aircraft carriers at all.
They were introduced as "through deck cruisers", and previous to that "command cruisers".
Absolutely right, so far as the second sentence is concerned, but don't forget that this nomenclature was a Baldrick-like "cunning plan" to get the INVINCIBLE Class aircraft carriers approved in the first place, just as the County Class DLGs were called destroyers to get them approved, even though they in turn were virtually replacements for cruisers ....
Jack
They were introduced as "through deck cruisers", and previous to that "command cruisers".
Absolutely right, so far as the second sentence is concerned, but don't forget that this nomenclature was a Baldrick-like "cunning plan" to get the INVINCIBLE Class aircraft carriers approved in the first place, just as the County Class DLGs were called destroyers to get them approved, even though they in turn were virtually replacements for cruisers ....
Jack
Red On, Green On
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County Class DLGs were called destroyers to get them approved, even though they in turn were virtually replacements for cruisers ....
