What is it like to fly a Jet Fighter?
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Lightning Mate
The going down shot would be great, too - Pity is that I don't have the Meteor shot, except in memory, but I believe it was in Flight in about the '50s. Perhaps one ought to trawl through their archives, unless it was a CB personal copyright - he too may have made four shots, showing the "complete, ideal loop" ...
Your Lightning shot reminded me of the sky over Lincolnshire one great day in the early '60s when I was refreshing at Manby as I did my best with a Meteor 8 and could see, away in the distance, others also "leaping like salmon up into the sky" and thoroughly enjoying themselves, like me. One of those "fun" trips that stay so clear in the memory that I can almost feel the straps against my shoulders ...
Oh Gor, the dust's got into me specs again ...
Your Lightning shot reminded me of the sky over Lincolnshire one great day in the early '60s when I was refreshing at Manby as I did my best with a Meteor 8 and could see, away in the distance, others also "leaping like salmon up into the sky" and thoroughly enjoying themselves, like me. One of those "fun" trips that stay so clear in the memory that I can almost feel the straps against my shoulders ...
Oh Gor, the dust's got into me specs again ...
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Wow - Eeee...
LM
That's great for getting the heartbeat going again ... should be standard equipment in any "get the oldies feeling young again" kit !
Thanks for both those...
That's great for getting the heartbeat going again ... should be standard equipment in any "get the oldies feeling young again" kit !
Thanks for both those...
Looking at the pic of the Lightning, what was the goal of the engineers loading the engines on top of one another?
Was accessing the engines for MX easy with this configuration?
Obviously the thrust line is close enough, but was there any pitch asymmetry if one engine was out?
Was accessing the engines for MX easy with this configuration?
Obviously the thrust line is close enough, but was there any pitch asymmetry if one engine was out?
West Coast
They are not stacked vertically: the lower/forward one is below the wing, the aft/higher one behind the wing - this layout enabled the minimum possible frontal area, as the widest bits of each engine were staggered.
A contemporary of mine worked at Warton on the Lightning (and TSR2); on the former, access to most things was very difficult. A review by EE later suggested they could have made the fuselage 3 inches wider, with negligible performance loss and much better access. Hindsight is wonderful!
Looking at the pic of the Lightning, what was the goal of the engineers loading the engines on top of one another?
A contemporary of mine worked at Warton on the Lightning (and TSR2); on the former, access to most things was very difficult. A review by EE later suggested they could have made the fuselage 3 inches wider, with negligible performance loss and much better access. Hindsight is wonderful!
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Very little pitch asymmetry on one donk but the common intake was a safety weakness - multiple birdstrikes and FOD tended to get both engines at once and on one occasion the radome and waveguides were digested by both.
However, axial flow Avons seemed to cope admirably with this diet and I have no doubt vulcanic ash would have been equally acceptable!
However, axial flow Avons seemed to cope admirably with this diet and I have no doubt vulcanic ash would have been equally acceptable!
Looking at the pic of the Lightning, what was the goal of the engineers loading the engines on top of one another?
Was accessing the engines for MX easy with this configuration?
Obviously the thrust line is close enough, but was there any pitch asymmetry if one engine was out?
Was accessing the engines for MX easy with this configuration?
Obviously the thrust line is close enough, but was there any pitch asymmetry if one engine was out?
Bill Petter, not the engineers, reasoned that it would reduce frontal area and he didn't go with area ruling. The No.2 engine (upper) was staggered aft of the No.1 to achieve a satisfactory C of G envelope. Engine changes were not easy, but then again as others have said, nothing was easy on the Lightning (except flying it).
The aeroplane did not exhibit any noticeable assymetric pitch with one out. Astonishing is the fact that it could achieve a rate of climb of around 20,000 feet per minute in burner on one.
However, axial flow Avons seemed to cope admirably with this diet and I have no doubt vulcanic ash would have been equally acceptable!
Last edited by Lightning Mate; 26th Apr 2010 at 17:08.
Ah LM nice pic! Suppose the airbrakes are out to stop you going supersonic??
When I fired the 4 guns on the F2a the MRG button exploded into the cockpit! That certainly caused a few failures!
When I fired the 4 guns on the F2a the MRG button exploded into the cockpit! That certainly caused a few failures!
Ah LM nice pic! Suppose the airbrakes are out to stop you going supersonic??
When I fired the 4 guns on the F2a the MRG button exploded into the cockpit! Luckily it was VFR all the way back to Gutersloh!
Happy days
When I fired the 4 guns on the F2a the MRG button exploded into the cockpit! Luckily it was VFR all the way back to Gutersloh!
Happy days
Modern fighter
Can anyone with experience give me a insight into what its like to fly a Fighter Jet?
It was wonderful to fly, although the gun's vibration was only serious if you were in the back seat of a 2-sticker.
And clearly it was a winner with the ladies ...
Picasa Web Albums - cmacdb
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That was a challenge LM - the low speed fight in the F4 was really challenging and needed lots of co-ordination of stick, rudder and throttles but extremely satisfying if it ended with a shot against a lower wing loader.
Are we giving you a taste of it yet, FlareAngel?
Are we giving you a taste of it yet, FlareAngel?
Lightning Mate
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I'll see what I can copy for you blaireau. Most of mine are faded - just like the memories!!
But do you remember Al V and the nurse with varicose veins?
Now that's a test for any fighter pilot.
But do you remember Al V and the nurse with varicose veins?
Now that's a test for any fighter pilot.