Piston Provost
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: swinneyland
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Balliol and Provost - chalk and cheese, I'd have said, although I did only 30 hours Manby refresher on the PP. They certainly looked similar, except from head-on, and what looked exactly like a Balliol with a leg stuck up one day became a Provost without a leg (which had snapped off) when it turned towards us. The move from Chipmunk to Balliol was certainly a jump (although no worse I suppose than Tiger to Harvard) and what delayed first solo on type for me at least was a complete inability to keep straight on a roller (for T/O of course full right rudder trim had been set). And although derated the Merlin could still induce a torque-stall, and one of the monthly 'essentials' was a practice-and-recovery not below 4000'. It was certainly big for a trainer, and after three accidents in succession (Friday, Saturday morning, and Monday I think, with the Saturday a fatal) the next briefing ended with an exhortation to remember that we had "4 tons of aeroplane strapped to your a@%$s" - people were still talking about acceptable training risks. Conversion to jets (Vampires, which gathered speed rather than accelerated, and didn't swing) seemed relatively easy (IF was another story!).
Fuel fumes
My instructor at Ternill in 1955/6 was a real character who flew Spitfires during WW2. His family owned a dairy farm near Wem, so naturally he was officer i/c of the station pig farm, which may explain why I don't remember a fuel/vent/fumes problem as he normally flew in a pair of very smelly wellies reeking of pigsh*t. His beret was always down at the back of his head rather than on the right side and he used to check his cattle were OK from the air on dual sorties. The Provost seemed a big powerful beast to an eighteen year old who couldn't even drive a car. The Vampire was a piece of doddle in comparison.
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Penzance, Cornwall UK
Age: 84
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I agree with bakedwell about the Provost seeming to be a powerful beast for an 18 year old but the Vampire was a doddle in comparison? I found that it just didn't want to slow down without using the air brakes when the throttle was pulled back. The dear old Provost didn't need air brakes!
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: London
Posts: 1,256
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I had an instructor who hit some wires low flying illegally. A possible Court Martial offence. He flew back and when he landed he jammed the brakes on in the landing roll and pitched his PP on its nose and damaged its prop etc. Shouted at for a bad landing but no Court Martial
I also did the Provost/Vampire route. On the passing out parade the Reviewing Officer, on presenting me with my wings, asked me what it was like to fly jets.
"No problem," I replied, " just like driving a car with automatic transmission."
He probably went through my paperwork and underlined the word 'Valiant' on my posting notice.
"No problem," I replied, " just like driving a car with automatic transmission."
He probably went through my paperwork and underlined the word 'Valiant' on my posting notice.
