Valiant Tankers
If you visit the RAF Cosford Museum and care to look at the underside of 818s mainplanes
[QUOTE was given a week to remove all classified equipment[/QUOTE]
As a matter of interest, what equipment was still deemed classified in 1965 ?
Some of the kit eg Gee with the Universal Indicator, was World War 2 ish
There was no ECM, Window Dispensers and Orange Putter were hardly ‘state of the art’.
As a matter of interest, what equipment was still deemed classified in 1965 ?
Some of the kit eg Gee with the Universal Indicator, was World War 2 ish
There was no ECM, Window Dispensers and Orange Putter were hardly ‘state of the art’.
Hadn't been aware of Orange Putter before so I Googled it. My first attempt produced page after page of colourful golf clubs until I had the idea of adding the word "radar" to my search criteria!
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The indicator was in front of the co-pilot, there was a junction box in front of the AEO, the waveform generator was up the Organ Loft and the Tx/Rx was the extremity of the fuselage.
Changing a Tx/Rx in the dark & cold of a winters night, was in modern parlance, a bit of a challenge.
It also wasn't a very good piece of kit.
I might have some course notes in the garage. I know I still have the Green Satin ones, and they were both on the same 'Fitter Bomber' course.
It was supposed to be for 'tail warning' of hostile a/c. On 214 in the IFR trials days, there were hopes of using it to detect incoming receivers, but in general it wasn't much help.
Edited to add.
The commonest reported problem was spurious 'Wings Range' audio warnings been fed into the intercom, so the OP was switched off!
I dunno if Red Steer was better, as that was after my time.
The indicator was in front of the co-pilot,
Cos. my copy of Pilot's Notes says so.
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I claim senility!Being in the RH seat, you had the knob for the low level Radio Altimeter Mk V and the 'traffic lights' in front of you.
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Racingrigger is right. 818 was a 49 Sqn machine before the test ban treaty and took part in operation Grapple. I know because it is my logbook. All Grapple aircraft had the reinforced wings because it was feared that the blast wave from a weapon might prove too much. It was certainly a bit bumpy but it felt no worse than moderate to strong turbulence. Are you sure that 818 went tanking? 49 went to Marham after our fun was curtailed and became main force. When the Valiants were grounded and 818 was to be parked outside the Ops block I was its inventory holder (a secondary duty for co-pilots). I collected all the paperwork, both flying and technical, bundled them up, had then vacuum wrapped and left on the nav's shelf. Never knew what happened to it but now I do. It's living with my Pucara!
Srill on Valiants but on a slight tangent. When I was an Operations Instructor with British Rail circa 1981 I came across a chap called "Doug", I can't recall his surname. I mentioned that my pop had been in the R.A.F. and that we had been at Gaydon 1963-67. Doug's eyes lit up. He explained that he had been a pilot and he was on the first squadron of Valiants that were formed at Gaydon before moving to....I can't remember where he said. He was quite a small chap of about five foot six or seven.
Anyone know him - assuming that his tale was true and he did seem genuine.
Anyone know him - assuming that his tale was true and he did seem genuine.
Are you sure that 818 went tanking?
When I saw it at Cosford it had just arrived and the fuselage was scarred along the wing mountings where there had been some serious metal cutting. IIRC the Valiant core was the bomb bay roof with large webs that enclosed the engines. The wings were tacked on to these with rivets.
It was obvious from the state of 818 that the webs had been cut so as to remove the wings, therefore the wing refits had to be botched.
If 818 'went tanking' it wasn't with 214, might have been the other lot.
Addendum. Some people work hard to make life difficult; others arrange it so that it is pleasant.
It was better, but not that much. Not sure about 18 Sqn but all the other Valiant squadrons had Orange Putter not Red Steer.
To test Orange Putter and Red Steer a special Very Cartridge was used containing ‘chaff’.You switched the equipment on then put the round in the Very Pistol and fired it and then looked for the radar return.
Re other equipment on the Valiant, did the bomber or tanker squadrons have Yellow Aster ?
To test Orange Putter and Red Steer a special Very Cartridge was used containing ‘chaff’.You switched the equipment on then put the round in the Very Pistol and fired it and then looked for the radar return.
Re other equipment on the Valiant, did the bomber or tanker squadrons have Yellow Aster ?
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After all these years I would just like to know why I was posted from Bruggen,24/12/1964 to 214 Sqdn.Honington .....that’s correct posted to a Squadron with duff Aircraft ...to join a heap of other bored ground crew scratching themselves waiting for the one Victor sortie per day courtesy of 55/57 Squadron.
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It was better, but not that much. Not sure about 18 Sqn but all the other Valiant squadrons had Orange Putter not Red Steer.
To test Orange Putter and Red Steer a special Very Cartridge was used containing ‘chaff’.You switched the equipment on then put the round in the Very Pistol and fired it and then looked for the radar return.
Re other equipment on the Valiant, did the bomber or tanker squadrons have Yellow Aster ?
To test Orange Putter and Red Steer a special Very Cartridge was used containing ‘chaff’.You switched the equipment on then put the round in the Very Pistol and fired it and then looked for the radar return.
Re other equipment on the Valiant, did the bomber or tanker squadrons have Yellow Aster ?
Sorry, I wasn't very clear about Red Steer.
I was aware that Red Steer wasn't fitted to Valiant's. But being a later development, I thought that it might have been a significant improvement.
To make a really good tail warning radar in those days, it would have needed AI Mk21 from the Lightning fitted to the tail of a bomber.
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After all these years I would just like to know why I was posted from Bruggen,24/12/1964 to 214 Sqdn.Honington .....that’s correct posted to a Squadron with duff Aircraft ...to join a heap of other bored ground crew scratching themselves waiting for the one Victor sortie per day courtesy of 55/57 Squadron.
Fareastdriver may know more.
After all these years I would just like to know why I was posted from Bruggen,24/12/1964 to 214 Sqdn.Honington .....that’s correct posted to a Squadron with duff Aircraft ...to join a heap of other bored ground crew scratching themselves waiting for the one Victor sortie per day courtesy of 55/57 Squadron.
Red Steer Mk1 (ARI 5919) was originally developed as AI20, in case there were problems with AI23. It only became a tail warner when 23 turned out OK. Great improvement over OP. The Mk2 (ARI5959) was even better.