Here is an Anson on take off and one of Kermit Weeks having some fun. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Went up to Toowoomba for the David Hack Memorial cars and planes show. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate so no planes could fly. Star of the day was a restored Avenger but this oddity always grabs my attention ( part of Guido Zuccoli's collection). Ps does anyone know how to attach photo on ipad so they don't end up rotated? Image Unavailable, Please Login
During a practice session this year we had a fuel delivery problem and the engine shut down stone cold around pylon 3. The Griffon propeller is notorious for creating huge drag if the engine quits and the propeller was subsequently feathered after the 5 G pull-up off the course. PM was returned safely to earth thanks to this system installation and flew again two days later after a carburetor change. The gyro stabilized camera mount was being tested on this flight, and unfortunately tumbled, but most of the experience was captured. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2A5ywM8TNk[/ame]
Had some fun this week chasing a new red Bristell for some publicity shots.. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Can't help with the picture but can with the aircraft. More aerodynamic than it looks due to the ducted fan , horrible in a cross landing!! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xYqr2h_xQRk https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=82&v=mQ0ZQesixms
Amazed that footage exists - the keepers told me there was only ever the 1 test flight in the early 30s then the idea was abandoned. Apparently the idea was to reduce turbulence over the prop?
I mean, it wasn't completely abandoned - every current jet airliner works on more-or-less the same principle, doesn't it? Stick a big fan in a tube and off you go
Actually my original question to the keepers was along the lines of was this an early idea of a fan jet, but they said no, that idea hadn't come into it, it was just an attempt to reduce turbulence over the prop. When were the first fanjets? Maybe this funny little thing was a lost opportunity.
To give it it's proper name it's a ducted fan - and the idea (still very much alive - edgely optica) is to improve efficiency by reducing the tip losses found on an open prop. With the introduction of variable pitch (or constant speed) props in the late '30s efficiency was found by other means. The first commercial turbofan engines were the RR Conway and the P&W JT8, in the early 60s. Sadly, I'm old enough to have flown on a Conway powered 707........
Good explanation on the SR-71 engines https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3ao5SCedIk Bought back a lot of memories tuning the spikes on the F111s and TIT calibrations sitting under the screaming engines
Pic from today. Nice aircraft to see at a very small towns' airstrip. Image Unavailable, Please Login
