I do love the sound of......
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The Merlin is it for me...
It was sometime in the summer of 1984 when myself and three other lads, (who frequent Pprune from time to time), missed the transport across the airfield to the hangar. Not a big deal, it was a nice sunny morning with the hint of mist still on the ground so a nice walk was in order. Since Shawbury was a training station nothing much ever happened before 0800hrs. Imagine, therefore, our surprise when we were stopped by the traffic lights at the main runway.
I looked up the slope to see a single landing light about a mile or so out. On either side of the landing light I could vaguely make out an engine, a propeller engine. My immediate thought was "It's a Mosquito... But it can't be... There aren't any flying any more".
I told the lads what I thought and they collectively agreed that there were no longer any serviceable "Mossies" left. But as we watched it approach we became more and more convinced of what we were seeing . Finally, when it was about a quarter of a mile out there was no longer any question and we stood in stunned silence as two Merlin engines "grumbled by" at idle as the Mosquito landed not 30 feet in front of us. Truly one of those "magic moments" for me.
Right at the end of the video below is almost exactly what we saw and heard.
It was sometime in the summer of 1984 when myself and three other lads, (who frequent Pprune from time to time), missed the transport across the airfield to the hangar. Not a big deal, it was a nice sunny morning with the hint of mist still on the ground so a nice walk was in order. Since Shawbury was a training station nothing much ever happened before 0800hrs. Imagine, therefore, our surprise when we were stopped by the traffic lights at the main runway.
I looked up the slope to see a single landing light about a mile or so out. On either side of the landing light I could vaguely make out an engine, a propeller engine. My immediate thought was "It's a Mosquito... But it can't be... There aren't any flying any more".
I told the lads what I thought and they collectively agreed that there were no longer any serviceable "Mossies" left. But as we watched it approach we became more and more convinced of what we were seeing . Finally, when it was about a quarter of a mile out there was no longer any question and we stood in stunned silence as two Merlin engines "grumbled by" at idle as the Mosquito landed not 30 feet in front of us. Truly one of those "magic moments" for me.
Right at the end of the video below is almost exactly what we saw and heard.
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For me, it was always the Hawker Sea Fury.
I remember a Families Day at Colerne in the early 70's when we had displays from a Spitfire IX and the RN Sea Fury.
The Spit was magnificent, but the Sea Fury was sublime, especially just after it went past and you heard the supercharger whine too . . .
Ah, bliss !!
I remember a Families Day at Colerne in the early 70's when we had displays from a Spitfire IX and the RN Sea Fury.
The Spit was magnificent, but the Sea Fury was sublime, especially just after it went past and you heard the supercharger whine too . . .
Ah, bliss !!
I do love the sound of......
...that eerie "Ah-hoooo-WAAH!" F-104 J-79 afterburner shriek of the 1970s.
...Hunter blue note. Even better, Meteor F8 blue note.
...200-ser Vulcan intake resonance howl.
...any Lightning, any time!
...Hunter blue note. Even better, Meteor F8 blue note.
...200-ser Vulcan intake resonance howl.
...any Lightning, any time!
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the current F1 safety car.
big AMG merc V8 lump, heavily modded.
if only the F1 cars sounded like that!!!
current DUCATI desmo motogp bike, last years KAWASAKI screamer,
eddie van halen through 10,000 watts of MARSHALL AMPS,
and of course PA474, long may she fly
big AMG merc V8 lump, heavily modded.
if only the F1 cars sounded like that!!!
current DUCATI desmo motogp bike, last years KAWASAKI screamer,
eddie van halen through 10,000 watts of MARSHALL AMPS,
and of course PA474, long may she fly
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Yonks ago I was reposing in my back yard in darkest South Lincolnshire on a hot, sticky summer lunchtime. A bright sun but very very hazy, GRN vis at best but just thin cirrus overhead. To the east of me slowly increasing in sound was that of a Merlin; one of the BBMF cabs out of Coningsby on an airtest, probably. For the next 20 mins he aero'd about, I never once saw him. By the end of the twenty mins I was losing it big style, I don't mind admitting that some dust got in my eyes. Quite alot, in fact. Never saw whatever it was but to my dyeing days I will remember the glare of the sun, the haze, the dust and twenty minutes of a lightly thrashed Rolls Royce engine. You had to be there, I'm glad I was.
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B*stards won't let me embed it. Direct link here.
and some great Chinook noises:
- APU starting and coming online
- Igniters crackling on an engine start
- Blades slap when pulling some lever at low level
- and the sound of the M60 laying down some lead as heard from the cockpit (complete with smell of cordite)
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Was not the way I saw this going 
and I'm so glad that it headed in a different direction that allows some pretty damm good memories being replayed.
and I'm so glad that it headed in a different direction that allows some pretty damm good memories being replayed.
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The Hunter "blue note" isn't bad at all but it lacks the base, deep throbbing quality of the piston engine...
Maybe I'm old... but the old piston engined airframes generate the most visceral reaction with me.
Love jets... love gas turbines of any kind... but _pure_ quality comes from a finely tuned piston engine if we are talking sound.
Awaiting incoming....
Maybe I'm old... but the old piston engined airframes generate the most visceral reaction with me.
Love jets... love gas turbines of any kind... but _pure_ quality comes from a finely tuned piston engine if we are talking sound.
Awaiting incoming....
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1. Four merlins in unison. Every time I hear the Lanc a lump comes to my throat. A sound which represents so many thousands who went before me. Dust in eyes.
2. Two Merlins, Mossi style so sadly missed.
3. I'd love to hear the Sabre.
4. The sound of a Nightingale over a cornfield.
(Time for bed, too much beer but the festival was good (Bury St Edmunds beer festival 2009)
2. Two Merlins, Mossi style so sadly missed.
3. I'd love to hear the Sabre.
4. The sound of a Nightingale over a cornfield.
(Time for bed, too much beer but the festival was good (Bury St Edmunds beer festival 2009
)
Sights and Sounds
Where do I start,
I lived west side of Bath
Earliest Memory, D-Day the sky full of Aircraft towing Gliders, from "Charmy Down" airfield north of Bath.
Post war ,Mass formations of 8th Airforce B17s/B24s/P51s flying West back to the USA
First Airshow 1952 Colerne,Mass take off /fly past by Brigands/Buckmasters.
Plus three B50 Washingtons.
Top of List the "Blue note" from a really fast Meteor/Hunter pass
1954 Farnborough,(Public Saturday) Sound barrier broken by the Hunter Swift,Javelin,DH110,and Supermarine 525.Then the subsequent "silent" transonic high speed very low level pass(Cacooned in Shock waves due to earlier Thunderstorm) with a delay before the sound arrived
Earlier memories,
The sound of the Brabazon, lived west side of Bath so saw it very many times, best was Colerne Airshow 1953, Brabazon did a fairwell appearence.
Pre Scapping.
Did 3 Flybys with the final a touch and go .
A flyover by 6 x B-36 Peacemakers.(Engines:6 Turning,4 Burning) going back to the USA after a UK deployment/Visit
Allowed a day off school by my Father to witness them.
The flew over Bath at Staggered heights ,so first quite High.then lower until the last one seeemed to fill the sky, Fantastic sound.
(You can get an idea from watching the Film "Stategic Air Command " with James Stewart, I think there are extracts on U-Tube.)
Other sounds.
Canadair Sabre breaking sound Barrier at an Early "Filton" Airshow.
The resonance whine from the back end of a Javelin.
The European debut of the F104 at "Bentwaters" 1959/1960?
On "Sproat Lake" Vancouver Island on the lake while Mars Flying boat did its stuff. Takeoff, Touch and go near the boat I was in, a full water drop, then a head on landing ,amazing sounds.
Others of note, Hastings clawing out of Colerne (Evening/Night could see the exhaust flames)
1987, A night flight out of Miami with Aerochago Boeing 377 Freighter to Domincan Republic, followed next day with a flight to San Juan in their Short "Connie," freight rigged, no sound proofing , the sounds on those two flights are a very special memory.
Others
Lightning /Phantom/Sr71/V Bombers/ Shakleton/ Any Merlin engined aircraft.
Early 707/DC 8s Starting up/Taxiing. Musn't forget in the 70s/80s I lived in Bracknell and the absolute magic sound of a Sunday evening of the East African Super VC10 climbing out of Heathrow ,WOW.
Hope I hav'nt gone on too long .
Hope I've quite some time left for me to enjoy a lot more yet.
I lived west side of Bath
Earliest Memory, D-Day the sky full of Aircraft towing Gliders, from "Charmy Down" airfield north of Bath.
Post war ,Mass formations of 8th Airforce B17s/B24s/P51s flying West back to the USA
First Airshow 1952 Colerne,Mass take off /fly past by Brigands/Buckmasters.
Plus three B50 Washingtons.
Top of List the "Blue note" from a really fast Meteor/Hunter pass
1954 Farnborough,(Public Saturday) Sound barrier broken by the Hunter Swift,Javelin,DH110,and Supermarine 525.Then the subsequent "silent" transonic high speed very low level pass(Cacooned in Shock waves due to earlier Thunderstorm) with a delay before the sound arrived
Earlier memories,
The sound of the Brabazon, lived west side of Bath so saw it very many times, best was Colerne Airshow 1953, Brabazon did a fairwell appearence.
Pre Scapping.
Did 3 Flybys with the final a touch and go .
A flyover by 6 x B-36 Peacemakers.(Engines:6 Turning,4 Burning) going back to the USA after a UK deployment/Visit
Allowed a day off school by my Father to witness them.
The flew over Bath at Staggered heights ,so first quite High.then lower until the last one seeemed to fill the sky, Fantastic sound.
(You can get an idea from watching the Film "Stategic Air Command " with James Stewart, I think there are extracts on U-Tube.)
Other sounds.
Canadair Sabre breaking sound Barrier at an Early "Filton" Airshow.
The resonance whine from the back end of a Javelin.
The European debut of the F104 at "Bentwaters" 1959/1960?
On "Sproat Lake" Vancouver Island on the lake while Mars Flying boat did its stuff. Takeoff, Touch and go near the boat I was in, a full water drop, then a head on landing ,amazing sounds.
Others of note, Hastings clawing out of Colerne (Evening/Night could see the exhaust flames)
1987, A night flight out of Miami with Aerochago Boeing 377 Freighter to Domincan Republic, followed next day with a flight to San Juan in their Short "Connie," freight rigged, no sound proofing , the sounds on those two flights are a very special memory.
Others
Lightning /Phantom/Sr71/V Bombers/ Shakleton/ Any Merlin engined aircraft.
Early 707/DC 8s Starting up/Taxiing. Musn't forget in the 70s/80s I lived in Bracknell and the absolute magic sound of a Sunday evening of the East African Super VC10 climbing out of Heathrow ,WOW.
Hope I hav'nt gone on too long .
Hope I've quite some time left for me to enjoy a lot more yet.
Last edited by Old Photo.Fanatic; 24th Apr 2009 at 12:15.