Maggie’s The Few
- Thread starter 308pirate
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Totally awesome!!!!
If you can ever get to Duxford… even if not for Battle of Britain celebration… go!
Sirhr
If you can ever get to Duxford… even if not for Battle of Britain celebration… go!
Sirhr
Nothing quite like a Spitfire. A guy I used to know owned one that was documented to have fought in the Battle of Britain. He had several dozen WWII warbirds.....
Yet people forget that the Hawker Hurricane was the initial backbone of RAF Fighter Command.
Having worked for the company that ended up manufacturing the Hawker 800 and 1000 here in the USA, I'm kinda partial to the Hurricane.
I've often thought a Hurricane IIB would've been a better plane overall than a Spitfire even if the .303 didn't hit as hard as the .50-cal or the 20mm Hispano. Sure it was slower and less maneuverable than the Spitfire or the German counterparts but it had a larger flight radius and I reckon it could've been a more stable gun platform if it was adapted for ground-attack use.
Once the Hawker Typhoon's initial structural problems were solved, the Hurricane became obsolete in a GA role.
Finally, something worth listening to on the drive to work.
It was basically a hopeless last stand. An island Alamo with the defenders holding off vastly superior forces alone and almost without hope of relief. I think the rest of the former empire saw that and rallied to the display of bravery and determination. Churchill could turn a phrase.
The Typhoon was an awesome plane. Huge, too. There is one at the War Museum at Caen in Normandy. Just a monster when you compare it to the earlier Hurricane.
So was the Thunderbolt. Fighters got big during WW2! To carry huge engines and loads of ordnance! And armor.
The typhoon was a Cool and under-appreciated plane!
Sirhr
My favorite Hawker.....
And, the "Sleeve Valve" Engine. Jeebuz, I never knew such a thing existed until I tripped across this.
And, a little Guy Martin, just for giggles.
And, the "Sleeve Valve" Engine. Jeebuz, I never knew such a thing existed until I tripped across this.
And, a little Guy Martin, just for giggles.
There is an amazing book on the Bristol engines and their main designer Roy Fedden Published by the RR Heritage Trust. Fedden was Henry Royce's biggest 'competitor' when it came to incredible engine designs and his contributions to aviation. An utterly amazing engineer when it came to thinking outside the box... or not knowing what a box is.
Fedden - the Life of Sir Roy Fedden (Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust Historic Series No. 26) - Bill Gunston: 9781872922133 - AbeBooks
Low prices on new and used copies of books. 30 days return policy - Fedden - the Life of Sir Roy Fedden (Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust Historic Series No. 26) by Bill Gunston - ISBN 10: 1872922139 - ISBN 13: 9781872922133 - Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust - 1998 - Softcover
www.abebooks.com
If you really want to dig into Sleeve Valves this book is fantastic. I worked on a Daimler sleeve valve once. The challenge with them is that once the sleeves wear, there is no 'returning them to factory tolerance' so they become smokers! Boy do they smoke. But do they make power! And are really smooth when operating right.
If you want a really great read, the Roy Fedden book is time and a few $$ well spent. And gives insight into how we have 'poppet' valves, not sleeve valves on our engines!
Cheers,
Sirhr
My buddy's Bristol car from the early '50s. Thing is an utter hot rod and not sure what the aerodynamic coefficient is... but it is fast!
Picture was taken at some winery in Beaune, France. He was on tour with the Bristol Club and I rode by and stopped for dinner with the group. Some wicked cool cars. And damn is the food in Dijon good!!!
Sirhr
Picture was taken at some winery in Beaune, France. He was on tour with the Bristol Club and I rode by and stopped for dinner with the group. Some wicked cool cars. And damn is the food in Dijon good!!!
Sirhr
This is the Typhoon in the War museum at Caen in Normandy. Hanging in the Lobby, if I remember. Big. Very very big! Took this on MC trip through Germany, Alps, Italy, France, Belgium, Normandy in 2016... Great museum if you ever get there!
Cheers,
Sirhr
It's mind altering to really think things through on how the future would have unfolded had the Royal Air Force failed to hold the line.
Can you imagine being a German grunt or tanker seeing a flight of those boring in on your position?
IIRC, when the folks at North American Aviation started to design the A-10 in the 1970’s, they went to Germany and interviewed a bunch of former Stuka Pilots, as they were still considered masters of air-to-ground combat and aviation design.
Sirhr
The Hurricane supposedly scored 60% of the kills inflicted on the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain.
I worked in London for a race company owned by an ex RAF Corsair pilot who retired from flying by crashing and wrecking his legs, so each year we took a company trip to Biggin Hill - the very poor quality film below is the year I went.
Vulcan
Lancaster
SU 27
Hurricane
Spitfire
Arrrrrgh...... too good.
The company used to specialise in classic racers, but also looked after a drag tractor that used two Merlins taken from an ex RAF crash boat. Hoolee shit, what a noise when they fire up inside a workshop. Plugs and muffs essential, and you still felt it all through your chest.
Vulcan
Lancaster
SU 27
Hurricane
Spitfire
Arrrrrgh...... too good.
The company used to specialise in classic racers, but also looked after a drag tractor that used two Merlins taken from an ex RAF crash boat. Hoolee shit, what a noise when they fire up inside a workshop. Plugs and muffs essential, and you still felt it all through your chest.
Out of curiosity, which company? We used to get our cams from Retro Track and Air. They made all the Merlin cams. And I was friends with Paul and Andy Wood, who were noted Merlin/Spitfire enthusiasts (P&A) Wood. Paul sadly passed not long ago.
It's a small community... PM me if you don't want to give away personal info...
Cheers!
Sirhr
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