Dambusters - 21:00 - channel 4
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: UK, near Wantage
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A real bomb!!
If any one wants to see more info about this, a recovered bomb is on display in the Yorkshire air museum at Elvington near York, together with Barnes Wallis' original catapult from the water tank experiments and a lot of other info. Looking at the bomb I can well believe it rattled the instrument panel. Even allowing for the corrosion after its sea immersion it was very crudely finished and the fuse was offset from the centre. 500 rpm on a peice of metal that size and weight would rattle your fillings as well!!
Its open 10 till 4 every day and is good value for a fiver....even for a retired truckie like me!
Its open 10 till 4 every day and is good value for a fiver....even for a retired truckie like me!
Cool Mod
Join Date: Apr 1998
Location: 18nm N of LGW
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The real "mine" is to be seen at the Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, Surrey, together with a Grand Slam and a Tallboy - all invented by Barnes Wallis on his "home ground" of Vickers. If you are lucky you might even see "Spud" Boorer, BW's assistant in all the above. He joined Vickers in 1932 I think I am correct in saying. Nice guy, with the biggest hands I have ever seen.
Developing into a brilliant museum too.
Developing into a brilliant museum too.
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Liverpool The UK
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I am just sarting out in aviation (22 years of age) and driving my fiancee mad, Both me and me dad watched the documentary on the Dambusters and we were both fascinated by it especially the low flying and what about Barnes Wallis,s genius invention the bouncing bomb.
Best Regards
Best Regards
Did most British bombers at the time have only one pilot? If so, why?
Did the RAF decide throughout the war that an injured and/or overworked solo pilot would not jeopardize the mission or the crew's chances of making it home? It must have been a huge workload (autopilot almost always operational...), even in good weather with a fairly easy target. I don't know, maybe the four-engine bombers had relatively experienced pilots. It can be challenging for us to continue in our old twin-turbofan planes if the auto- pressurization fails, IF the FO volunteers to do it after I suggest on climbout that we could turn around, with his eyes and hands on the system for most of the flight: even in good weather, with no flak (Flieger Abwehr Kanone) or engines catching on fire while an electrical system is going out.
I read an excellent article on a very fast, heavily armed British twin-engine plane (not the Mosquito), which was at least once used against ships in Norway's steep fjords, but forgot the name. The plane was not the most attractive (similar to a smaller He-111), but what speed and firepower! The Beaufighter?!
Some very unique films are unearthed at times on the Discovery 'Wings' Channel over here.
Did the RAF decide throughout the war that an injured and/or overworked solo pilot would not jeopardize the mission or the crew's chances of making it home? It must have been a huge workload (autopilot almost always operational...), even in good weather with a fairly easy target. I don't know, maybe the four-engine bombers had relatively experienced pilots. It can be challenging for us to continue in our old twin-turbofan planes if the auto- pressurization fails, IF the FO volunteers to do it after I suggest on climbout that we could turn around, with his eyes and hands on the system for most of the flight: even in good weather, with no flak (Flieger Abwehr Kanone) or engines catching on fire while an electrical system is going out.
I read an excellent article on a very fast, heavily armed British twin-engine plane (not the Mosquito), which was at least once used against ships in Norway's steep fjords, but forgot the name. The plane was not the most attractive (similar to a smaller He-111), but what speed and firepower! The Beaufighter?!
Some very unique films are unearthed at times on the Discovery 'Wings' Channel over here.
Last edited by Ignition Override; 29th Apr 2003 at 14:40.
