The plane enthusiasts thread

[Badger_Boom]

WW 2 fighter and test pilot Johnny Kent described how he luckily escaped death when another pilot took up a Typhoon instead of him . It was last seen plunging vertically into the ground . They thought that the pilot had succumbed to exhaust fumes .

A similar incident is described by Robert Stanford-Tuck. He claimed that the culprit was some equipment that had been fitted to monitor the level of noxious gases getting into the cockpit - it somehow sucked even more in than normal.

 

[gbb]

View: https://youtu.be/_m6SEKNgxno


Rather enlightening. It makes you realise not much, if anything of an aircrafts design or its outcomes are chance.
Designed to gain altitude fast, a basic interceptor requirement, wing design, its need to encompass armaments, structural and handling requirements etc etc etc. You can imagine when a plane fails to meet up to design and expectation, its because an element was overlooked, sometimes not even foreseen and that can forever limit its future development.

 

[Cycleops]

Here's a teaser for you.This rather lovely model came up on my PSS Slope soaring page on Facebook. Anyone have any idea what it's a model of?

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Here's a teaser for you.This rather lovely model came up on my PSS Slope soaring page on Facebook. Anyone have any idea what it's a model of?

That's a Saunders Roe SR.A/1:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saunders-Roe_SR.A/1

 

[Oldhippy]

Provost?

 

[a.twiddler]

It looks like a Saunders Roe SRA/1, a prototype flying boat jet fighter from the post war era. It never went into production, though several prototypes were built.

It sounds like a fantasy now, but before Japan entered WWII they had several successful conversions of piston engined fighters to seaplanes designed to operate from creeks and inlets in the event that they were unable to capture airfields as they advanced. As it happened the Japanese didn't develop their designs any further as they overran airfields in their unexpectedly swift advance in such places as Malaya.

Perhaps the thinking behind the SRA/1 was similar, for operation in undeveloped countries with airfields unsuitable for jet fighters of the day.

Is this a flying model? Whoever built it would have had to overcome a few difficulties to make it able to operate from water.

 

[midlife]

I guess it's a slope soaring model so dry land only

Scale slope soaring models came after my time but they look like fun

 

[a.twiddler]

Probably the underside being speedboat hull shaped would be a good bet for landing on grass.

 

[Cycleops]

Provost?

Nice guess. This is a Jet Provost. My old mate Andy Blackburn make a very nice slope model, I think plans are still available.

 

[Cycleops]

Is this a flying model? Whoever built it would have had to overcome a few difficulties to make it able to operate from water.

It's just a glider, flying off the lift generated by the wind onto the face of a slope. The shoulder wing configuration would make very stable in flight and easy to fly.

 

[Jameshow]

Nice guess. This is a Jet Provost. My old mate Andy Blackburn make a very nice slope model, I think plans are still available.

I really ought to build a slope soarer as I live on the back of a decent hill!

 

[Cycleops]

Yes, give it a go @Jameshow you'll really enjoy it. I find it very relaxing. No motor no smelly fuel. You can either build from a plan or a kit.
If you haven't flown before this is a good starter, Middle Phase by Chris Foss.

http://chrisfoss.co.uk/middle-phase/4538950469/

The great thing about it's it's a rudder/elevator but as you progress you can buy an aileron wing for it.

Remember the wind needs to blown directly onto the face of the slope.

 

[Cycleops]

Here are some photos of the actual Saunders Roe SR.A/1:

 

[DaveReading]

Here are some photos of the actual Saunders Roe SR.A/1:

One of the engines from the scrapped SR-A/1 aircraft was later used by Donald Campbell in his Bluebird.

 

[Jameshow]

Yes, give it a go @Jameshow you'll really enjoy it. I find it very relaxing. No motor no smelly fuel. You can either build from a plan or a kit.
If you haven't flown before this is a good starter, Middle Phase by Chris Foss.

http://chrisfoss.co.uk/middle-phase/4538950469/

The great thing about it's it's a rudder/elevator but as you progress you can buy an aileron wing for it.

Remember the wind needs to blown directly onto the face of the slope.

That's been around for years!

Yes it's a westerly facing slope so good more often than not!

Along with the powered trainer wotsit? Was it called?!