Farnborough 1949

[Simon Chaddock]

Just came across this. A bit before my time (I was only 3) but some interesting planes (The Cierva Air Horse, AW Apollo & Tay Viscount) including a nice view of a Short Solent flying low virtually over the crowd and the amazing Bristol Brabazon which actually managed to keep all of its 10 engines running!

Those were the days!

 

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Very impressive! Some wonderful scenes Simon.

 

Back to my book - Empire of the Clouds!

 

BEB 

[Josip Vrandecic -Mes]

Hi Simon ,as a young ,I had no possibility to watch these documentaries ...so thanks indeed.

Jo

[Stephen Grigg]

Excellant ,enjoyed that a lot,flying right over the crowds in those days.

[Steve W-O]

Very nice, watched the whole thing.

 

But how strange you chose that year, as yesterday I was looking at this

 

 

 

Which is an RAF Christmas card my father sent my mother that year !!!!

 

Still have lots of things, his RAF record card, his bar book from the officers mess at Cranwell. Nobody else in the family wanted it, so I end up carrying it all round the world when I move

[Terry Walters]

Posted by Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 31/12/2010 01:30:35:

Very impressive! Some wonderful scenes Simon.

 

Back to my book - Empire of the Clouds!

 

BEB 

 I read this just before Xmas - it's brilliant and depressing and if this is your era - BUY ONE!!

 

Great video - thanks Simon - you beat a bit of nostalgia!!

 

TW

[Jack Critchley]

I enjoyed all those shows from a priviliged viewpoint as I was working there in Supersonic

Aerodynamics Design office on a project that was later named Concorde. For me the most memorable items were from the Isle of Wight--Tyson flying the Saro Jet Fighter Flying Boat  inverted so low that the top of the fin was scraping the main runway (ALMOST) and the Princess Flying Boat giving his diversion in the event of engine trouble as Fleet Pond (Ho Hum!!).    Ah Well--back to electrifying my Foss Middle Phase.

 

 

[Pete B]

Some great memories there, although 1949 was bit early for me.........

 

I was born and grew up in Aldershot. I can remember my Dad taking me up to Windy Gap (before H & S was invented) and seeing the English Electric P1 (Lightning prototype) passing very low overhead. I can just remember the Black Diamonds (Hunters?) and the Yellowjacks. The Hawker P1127 Kestrel, etc etc,

 

My great uncle Bill was a driver at the RAE and had the melancholy task of transporting some of the victims of the Derry crash.

 

In the early '70's I worked at the RAE (R14 Maths, for anyone familiar with the place). Sleepy Valley, as it was known locally! My boss, Dick Sizer, had been part of the engineering aircrew of the Brabazon back in the '50's. There was a partwork called 'History of Aviation' published in the '70's and Dick appeared in the Brabazon photo, standing on the airsteps.

 

I must dig out some of my slides and photos one of these days - I can't remember what's on many of them. 

 

In 1972, I took an afternoon off to watch one of the trade days with a mate. We spent the afternoon standing just outside the South Gate, near the drivers' rest room, just behind the Swan PH. The following day, the Breguet Atlantique went in right where we'd been standing..............

 

I never realised at the time that, getting on for 30 years later, I'd be involved in the disaster planning for the event!

 

Pete

[Ross Clarkson]

Awesome, now thats how you do it!!

The Bristol Brabazon looks as if the Pilot literally had to yank that nose wheel off the ground first by pulling the yoke in a jolting action! Brilliant, loved it.  

[Jack Critchley]

Great stuff from Pete B, but if I may........It was Dick Sizer's uncle John who was one of the crew on all the first Brabazon flights........I knew them both from about 1942 and now live about 1/2 mile from Dick.

Uncle John was remarkable in that many years later while a school teacher up North, he was listed in Jane's "All the Worlds Aircraft" as an aircraft manufacturer because he had designed a "home-built "which I believe was a school building project.

[Pete B]

It's a small world, isn't it, Jack? Thanks for that, I stand corrected - I'd always been under the impression that it was Dick himself. I'm sure he wouldn't remember me - I was a mere SMO and he was the Head of Department - but convey my best wishes should you see him!

 

Pete

[Simon Chaddock]

Just realised an error.

The Brabazon only had 8 Bristol Centaurus, It was the Princess flying boat that had 10 Proteus.

[CARBON_ROD]

That bit about Farnborough brought back some memories ,I did'nt make the forties but fifties well! used to go every year on my own i was about 11 or 12 yrs and it was only a £1 to get in ,If my memory serves me well i saw the prototypes of the V Bombers ie: Vulcan,Victor ,Valiant, .Also the P1 English Electric Lightening ,and of course the Black Arrows of 111 squadron ,and on and on .They were the days definitely . TD PS And no crowd rules either and very low fly pasts ,The really did fly by the seat of their pant .

Edited By taildragger on 06/02/2011 14:54:28 O ! Just remembered my daughter gave me farnborough display vid for fathers day so i got 50 yrs of displays right from 49 up to 60s i think .

Edited By taildragger on 06/02/2011 14:58:54

[Lindsay Todd]

Simply wonderful stuff