allardjd 1,853 Posted April 7, 2014 Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 ...and the F-111 was a sled, overweight, over-priced, and forced on the USAF, who wanted no part of it, by the McNamara DoD and utterly rejected by the USN as totally unsuited for their mission. It was an over-optimistic attempt to be all things to all potential customers and satisfied almost none, except possibly the RAAF, bless 'em, who managed to get good and long service from it despite its shortcomings. John Link to post Share on other sites
hlminx 301 Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 On this date in history 18th April 1991 saw the final demise of Eastern Airlines as the company was dissolved after 64 years of operation. Many of the assets of the iconic carrier ended up with American Airlines and Continental. Always sad to see these huge companies go out of business.. Link to post Share on other sites
dogtrack 345 Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 This day in 1480 Lucretia Borgia, murderess, was born. Link to post Share on other sites
J G 927 Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 On this day 49 years ago (April 6, 1965), the BAC TSR-2 was axed by Harold Wilson's Labour government in favour of the General Dynamics F-111. TSR.2 was the last significant attempt by the UK to single handedly design and develop a top tier military aircraft. Someone should have taken an axe to Harold Wilson. Link to post Share on other sites
hurricanemk1c 195 Posted April 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 April 30th In 1893, Roy Chadwick, designer of the Manchester, Lancaster, Lincoln and Vulcan amongst others, was born. In 1959, Convair B-36J-1-CF Peacemaker, serial number 52-2220, landed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, completing the very last flight ever made by one of the giant Cold War-era bombers. It is on the collection of the National Museum of the United States Air Force. Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,285 Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 Now there a plane I wouldn't have minded seeing and hearing in real life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wvEzhyY9F4&index=9&list=PLE6589AA4019A2507 Link to post Share on other sites
hurricanemk1c 195 Posted May 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 May 1 1982 - Operation Black Buck 1, the mission from Ascension Island to the Falklands to put the runway out of action, finished up after 16 hours in XM607, supported by 11 Victors. At the time, it was the longest operation in history. Martin Withers (captain of XM607) said he'd never been airbourne in a Vulcan with as little fuel as after the Falklands Link to post Share on other sites
hurricanemk1c 195 Posted September 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2014 Big bump! XR219, the first and only TSR-2 to fly, took its first flight today 50 years ago. The great white hope became a great white failure. XR220 and XR222 are still with us, thankfully XR220 at Cosford - https://www.flickr.com/photos/111752039@N08/14561483009/in/set-72157645942886735 XR222 at Duxford - https://www.flickr.com/photos/111752039@N08/11607809913/in/set-72157639120273046 Link to post Share on other sites
hifly 925 Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 Chuck, the TSR-2 was my pin up plane when I was 10 years old and still is. It was and still is a beautiful machine. The only failure was the politics. Thanks for the links. Link to post Share on other sites
hlminx 301 Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 15th March Happy birthday to American Eagle which started services in 1985. This day in 1996 saw the closure of the iconic Fokker aircraft company due to bankruptcy. I have very fond memories of flying on the Friendship and Fellowship aircraft from Southampton to the Channel Islands when I was a child. Those RR Dart engines used to give me goosebumps. . 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Quickmarch 488 Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Today is the "Ides of March". Julius C murdered 2059 years ago, today. PS: I forgot to mention it, but yesterday was 3.1415 - an important number to the likes of JA and myself. Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 ...or as they say here in the south, pi(e) are round, cornbread are square(d). John Link to post Share on other sites
hurricanemk1c 195 Posted March 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 On March 14, 1945, Royal Air Force Squadron Leader C.C. Calder, flying an Avro Lancaster, dropped the first 22,000-lb Grand Slam bomb over Germany. The weapon destroyed two spans of the Bielefeld railway viaduct, and the mission was deemed a success. On March 15, 1944, seventy-one years ago today, the twin-engine North American PBJ Mitchell entered combat for the first time in its naval career in an attack on Rabaul. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 On March 15, 1944, seventy-one years ago today, the twin-engine North American PBJ Mitchell entered combat for the first time in its naval career in an attack on Rabaul. Of course the PBJ was just the USN version of the B-25 Mitchell which the AAF had been using since before Pearl Harbor. The Doolittle raid in 1942 employed them, off a carrier, which is something the Navy never did with theirs - there's irony for you. John Link to post Share on other sites
hlminx 301 Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 This thread has been a little quiet of late so time to nudge it .. 14th August 2005 saw the tragic accident involving Helios Airways 522, when it crashed in the hills near Athens, Greece. It became known as the "Ghost plane", when initial reports indicated the 737 had flown for more than 2 hours without any contact between ATC and the flight crew. The final report gave the cause of the accident as pilot error, when the crew missed a cabin pressurisation switch during the checklists which resulted in hypoxia of all on board. The accident also sparked some controvacy when it was revealed a junior steward, who was still bearly conscious, and had flight experience, had been trying to enter the flight deck to assist but new rules about locked cockpit doors following 9/11 had prevented entry. It raised questions and concerns that cabin crew were unable to effectively communicate with the flight deck, or gain timely access in an emergency, whilst still maintaining a secure cockpit in the event of forced entry from the other side. The recent Germanwings accident and European recommendations about always having 2 people in the cockpit (a cabin crew member, when one of the flight crew steps out) may be all thats required but is not mandatory..perhaps it should be.. [Edit: ok..just noted that its 15th now.. where did my week go??!?] Link to post Share on other sites
hurricanemk1c 195 Posted August 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 70 Years Ago: The Japanese surrender, thus bringing to a close the world's deadliest war. Although the surrender documents weren't signed until the 2nd September, the cease-fire comes into effect today Link to post Share on other sites
bilirubin 50 Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 On this day 91 years ago................................my dear old Mum was born, Happy Birthday Mum! Mike 2 Link to post Share on other sites
hifly 925 Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 On this day 91 years ago................................my dear old Mum was born, Happy Birthday Mum! Mike I'm sure that your Mum is a fine lady but she keeps Mum about her age. Many Happy Returns Mikes Mum. Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,285 Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 Happy Birthday Mike's Mum you raised a fine boy. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
hlminx 301 Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 This day in history 25th October 1999 – A Learjet 35 carrying golf legend Payne Stewart, flying between Orlando and Dallas suffered a decompression at just below 40,000 ft. The aircraft continued to fly for 4 hours until, after 1,500 miles it finally ran out of fuel. Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,285 Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Lost a damn fine golfer in that one. Link to post Share on other sites
hlminx 301 Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 On 22nd December 1964, the first flight of the SR-71 blackbird began at Air Force Plant No. 42 in California, piloted by Lockheed test pilot Robert 'Bob' Gilliland. It flew faster than 1000 mph and reached 45,000 ft before landing at Edwards Air Force Base. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted December 23, 2015 Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 That is 101 helluva chase plane. Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 That is 101 helluva chase plane. Actually, it's 104 helluva chase plane. John Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 VooDoh. Good catch John. Link to post Share on other sites
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