Nev Haycox Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 A program not to be missed by the look of it. LINK . Enjoy, Nev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 Seen the trailer Nev, this one's a must. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john melia 1 Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 cheeaz nev i would have missed it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFlyer Smyth Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Just seen the trailor for this. Missed the original thread. So just bumping it to make sure no one misses it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I've set it up to record just In case I get in the shed to do some building and forget about it, or sit down to watch it but slip into my frequent Friday night coma and wake up after it's finished. From the trailer it looks like a must see, I'm fascinated by the early post war jets that had so much promise yet were eventually almost completely wasted by our endemic political stupidity and short-sightedness. Can you tell I'm showing my age and regularly shout at the television. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 ... and if anyone does miss it, you should be able to catch up by watching it online on iPlayer on BBC's website ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Haycox Posted November 7, 2013 Author Share Posted November 7, 2013 Please note that this is a 2 part series so set those recorders for next week as well.Nev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Thanks RS, will do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Depron Daz Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 I'll be recording this, thanks for the heads up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eifion Herbert Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Watching it now, slightly behind live. We have a Venom (or is it a Vampire) on a pole down by the old Grove airfield. Quite nice to seee footage of one flying! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Bennett Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 we have a hunter on a pole in the town center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza58 Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Not a bad programme all in all. Factually incorrect in a number of places but great clips of aircraft of that era. Gazza Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Very enjoyable, but I got the impression that the presenter had commissioned the program just so he could blag a flight in the provost he was like the proverbial Cheshire cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Yes I enjoyed it. The analysis of the failures of the industry was a bit superficial and focussed on one cause only I thought. But hey who's going to complain - they can say anything they like as far as I'm concerned as long as they keep on showing lots a lovely film and video of 1950's aeroplanes! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 The clips of the planes were most interesting. My biggest complaint is he rather skipped about a bit as far as the time line was concerned showing jets that were actually a 'generation' apart but then I suppose not everybody is interested in the finer detail. The Nene story is probably even worse than he portrayed. At 5000lbf thrust it was when it first ran in 1944 undoubtedly one of if not the most powerful turbo jet in the world. So much so that the UK government could not see a practical use for it as it was physically too big to be used in a fighter and too thirsty to use in a bomber. It was licenced to the US as the Pratt & Whitney J42 to be used in the Grumman Panther so one can imagine the US annoyance at RR being granted a licence to export 40 to the USSR as a 'good will' gesture by the Labour government. Of course its relatively simple design really suited the Russian technology of the period so it must go down as one of the greatest political 'faux pas' of the 20th century! Edited By Simon Chaddock on 08/11/2013 23:52:23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 Posted by Frank Skilbeck on 08/11/2013 22:39:21: ... I got the impression that the presenter had commissioned the program just so he could blag a flight in the provost he was like the proverbial Cheshire cat Having had a flight in one myself I wouldn't blame him in the least! Quite a few things mentioned in the program that I wasn't previously aware of - like the Nene's being sold to the Russians, or the pilots of the American spy-planes being Brits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 Just watched it on iPlayer. I found it very interesting - I would love to have a flight in a 2 seater jet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Carr Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 Quite a few things mentioned in the program that I wasn't previously aware of - like the Nene's being sold to the Russians, or the pilots of the American spy-planes being Brits. Yes that was the bit that grabbed my attention as well John, never knew that A really enjoyable programme overall, some excellent film footage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 Posted by John Privett on 09/11/2013 00:02:56: Quite a few things mentioned in the program that I wasn't previously aware of - like the Nene's being sold to the Russians, or the pilots of the American spy-planes being Brits. I also understood that the RAF also flew some converted Canberras in this role and they were capable of flying as high as the U2. That was one thing he glossed over, he mentioned how successful the Meteor was, but the Canberra was pretty successful and built under license by the US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez Saunders Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 Beautiful exciting silver jet aircraft of the 40 50 60's what an era but with the black cloud of armegedon hanging over us because of these imerging technology's exacipated by the nuclear element. May have been a little vague and off with some facts,but there was so much going on in these years to cover in a one hour program. I don't think it was widely known that the U2's were some times piloted by British air crew ? I think it was a interesting and well done and look forward to seeing the next episode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearair Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 Now you've watched the programme fly in the jet! A shamless plug on behalf of the Newquay Tourist Board, The Classic Air Force here Sun, sea, surf, some of the best slopes in the country and fly in a classic jet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 Posted by Bearair on 09/11/2013 09:36:12: Now you've watched the programme fly in the jet! Indeed! I had a little browse around on youtube last night and came across a set of videos by somebody else showing his flight in a Mk 5 JP - the same Mk that I had my flight in, though not the same aircraft. It certainly brought back memories of my flight and gives a good indication of the experience. It's the sort of aircraft most PPLs with a little extra training (and a bit lot of cash to pay for the fuel!) could fly - or in my case a non-PPL with just enough spare cash to share the costs of a one-off flight! The videos are worth viewing full-screen rather than just embedded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 Yep enjoyed it thoroughly & looking forward to part 2 A couple of points that stuck out for me was the bit about the Labour government "selling" jet technology to Soviet Russia.....I think they actually GAVE it to them but on the strict understanding that it wasn't used in military applications.....of course you could trust everything Stalin said but it seems incredibly naive now doesn't it? And the other thing was the bit about the Americans TELLING the UK not to supply Comets to the Russians in case they copied them & built a bomber capable of flying over US territory.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 I recorded it and haven't had the chance to sit down and really enjoy it yet, but have had a quick flash through. Brief shots of the AW52, Supermarine 510, 535 and 508, Hawker P1054 and the promising P1081 that was lost in the crash that sadly killed Wimpey Wade. The DH110 disintegration at Farnborough remains chilling. I remember Bill Gunston writing that although De- Havilland made brilliant aircraft, they also had a habit of making ones that came to pieces. The investigation of the 110 crash revealed that the D-box leading edges which are fundamental to the strength of the wing had no internal stiffening. The wings failed at the point just outboard of the booms and broke upwards. That left the centre section still lifting and the centre of pressure moved so far forward that the plane pitched violently up and pulled so much "G" that the whole thing flew to pieces, even the engines becoming completely separated and flying like missiles into the crowd on the hill. I knew someone who was there on the day and he told me what he saw. The detached outer wing panels remained attached to the booms and tail and fluttered down in one piece, you can see it happening in the film shot. De-Havilland substantially re-engineered the110 to create the tough Sea-Vixen, but when you look at the early Comet you do wonder if the obsession with minimising weight lead them to take risks that they should have been more aware of, even with the standards and limited knowledge of the time. The fuselage skins of the Comet 1 were only 18swg aluminium. Eddie Rickenbaker was then a director of Pan-Am and intended to buy the Comet. However after a test flight he said that it was so flimsy that he could feel the fuselage skins pulsing in and out as the pressurisation pumps worked. He said that after that they shouldn't buy it and clearly with hindsight, he was right. The donation for free of the Nene engine design and working examples to the Russians by the Attlee government must rank as one of the all time stupidities. We know that in those days his party included a lot of people with strong Communist leanings, some of it covert. However even then what was going on in Eastern Europe behind the falling Iron Curtain was increasingly obvious and it really was inexcusable. The Yanks were dead right to be cautious of us after that and who can blame them for warning us about keeping the Comet technology away from the Russians. Edited By Colin Leighfield on 09/11/2013 11:16:21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 Not a mention of the first Jet fighter to see combat sevice in WW2 the Me 262 In my opinion a far more advanced design than the Meteor Aircraft such as the Vampire, Hunter, Mig 15 and Sabre incorporated a lot of design features pioneered by the Me262. The programme is very biased towards us Brits. I suppose we need to remember when Britian was a World leader in the world of aviation . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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