Seeker_UK
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
The Vulcan and Bear represented different approaches to the deterrence mission.
BBMF Spitfire crash
- Thread starter antinchip
- Start date
The Vulcan and Bear represented different approaches to the deterrence mission.
tuga
Legal Alien
Bloody idiots. Bullies. Cavemen.
eternumviti
Insufficient privileges to reply.
In August 2010 part of the BBMF took up residence at North Weald for a few days. I can't recall why, but they were 'touring' the south of the country, and NW gave them less flight time to and from base - I think Merlin engines require a complete overhaul every 500 hours. These photographs show a small aspect of the care and attention lavished upon their precious charges - a group of technicians touching up minor blemishes to the leading edge of a propeller. They told me that the prop blades are made of laminated wood, and any moisture that can get in will eventually lead to failure.
It was marvellous to have open access to the aircraft on the flightline, everything was extremely relaxed. In fact I was co-opted into helping push them into their hangar one evening, which felt oddly thrilling. I don't suppose a Piper Cherokee would have given the same emotional buzz.
It was marvellous to have open access to the aircraft on the flightline, everything was extremely relaxed. In fact I was co-opted into helping push them into their hangar one evening, which felt oddly thrilling. I don't suppose a Piper Cherokee would have given the same emotional buzz.
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
I remember once being at Manchester Southside (which dates this story) when the Yeovilton Sea Fury stopped by for a day or two. It was displaying at Barton but couldn't operate from there because it's too small. The pilot, John Beattie, needed somebody to remove the chocks once he'd finished his engine run-up checks. I volunteered, and was very carefully briefed on how to approach the aircraft without getting minced by the prop, what hand signals he'd use, and so-on. It was a visceral experience being that close to a Centaurus being run-up, one I'll never forget.
cctaylor
pfm Member
At the 2018 RIAT there was a planned mass flypast of 50 aircraft including the BBMF. The BBMF aircraft were warming up ready then they returned to there parking spaces. The one big shower of the day was about to hit Fairford. We were told over the tannoy that they always tried to avoid flying in rain to preserve the propellors.
These aircraft are maintained to a standard that could not have been achieved in war-time service.
That entire flypast was cancelled as the shower cells made it impossible for them to form up safely. Unlike at a recent pop gig where the leading artist had been arrested on her way to Manchester, there was no dissent among the fans, just a communal shrugging of shoulders.
Copperjacket
pfm Member
It is perhaps somewhat of a sobering thought to wonder what percentage of those Merlins used in WW11 made it to the first service let alone a second?
Terrible shame about this crash. But even the best maintained and trained fleet can experience disaster, such as Concorde which was a bizarre set of circumstances. As mentioned, risk is part of military and civil flying and I'd be surprised if many pilots would walk away given the chance of mishap.
