leccyflyer Posted August 25 Share Posted August 25 Heads up for full scale aeroplane fans - Guy Martin's new programme - Top Gun - is on telly this evening on Channel Four. Starting at 21:00. Set your recorders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted August 25 Share Posted August 25 Yes, spotted that last night, all set to record. I like Guy Martin - one of life's real decent characters, both incredibly brave on the track and who genuinely appears to not have a selfish bone in his body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Carpenter Posted August 25 Share Posted August 25 On record ! SWMBO won’t allow me to watch it live while she’s in room. 🥺Prefers to watch people suffering in A&E ! ☠️☠️ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Stephenson Posted August 25 Share Posted August 25 I just checked this, it's actually on channel 4. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Walby Posted August 25 Share Posted August 25 18 minutes ago, Andy Stephenson said: I just checked this, it's actually on channel 4. That'ts a lucky break...could have ended up with another holiday program... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted August 25 Share Posted August 25 Edited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted August 25 Share Posted August 25 Talking of Guy Martin and motorbikes.......I like Henry Cole's motorcycling and shed searching programmes and follow him on Facebook. Recently, he sent out a survey of his 'followers' asking what other subjects might be of interest and would make a good programme. I know he did a series based on metal detecting, no doubt after the popularity of the series 'Detectorists' but I didn't feel it worked very well TBH. Not keen on his antiques and upcycling programme either. Anyway, if suggestions he was looking for then unsurprisingly, I put down Aeromodelling.........R/C model aircraft have featured in a couple of his programmes and I know him and his son have dabbled with the hobby in the past. Paul Heckles test flew an R/C Hurricane that they found in an old garage with other junk, after it was refurbed IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted August 25 Author Share Posted August 25 Sorry gents - the link that popped up on my feed definitely said Channel Five and I didn't check. I don't watch the motor racing and it said it was on directly after that, which apparently is also on Channel 4. Thanks for the edited title John. 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Acland Posted August 25 Share Posted August 25 Guy Martin brings me out in spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted August 25 Share Posted August 25 (edited) I thoroughly enjoyed the programme - very entertaining.☺️ Tim Edited August 25 by Tim Hooper 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted August 26 Author Share Posted August 26 Yes, I thought it was an excellent programme and some very nice flying shots - got to get that Swiss Venom maddened soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Walby Posted August 26 Share Posted August 26 Good program and who is the helicopter pilot or pilots as they get top marks for the camera shots. keeping up with fixed wing + ground circling shots over the airfield. And his tolerant neighbours, I just bet they love his next project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 (edited) A good programme - maybe tried to pack a bit too much in - would have preferred more detail. The home made jet engine was little more than an outsized blowlamp, don't know why they bothered with that tbh. Plenty of that sort of nonsense on YouTube. Missed a trick by not demonstrating a model turbine rather than messing about welding bits of metal together just to make loads of flame and vapour. A scandal that there's no proper museum dedicated to Frank Whittle. The Science Museum has most of the prototypes and there's a good although small exhibition of Whittle's contemporary, Frank Halford and his work at London Colney - both are hardly known other than by those who are familiar with the Jet story. Edited August 27 by Cuban8 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan p Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Midland Aviation museum at Bagington Airport Coventry has a very good display hall devoted to Whittle and his contemperies both british and german . With information and display items. Don't forget he was born in Coventry! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 I've often wondered what may have resulted in a collaboration between Frank Whittle and US rocket pioneer Robert Goddard. Well, I suppose the notion of any form of collaboration between the two is interesting although extremely unlikely as both men were very differnt in character but highly individualistic and anxious to keep control of their ideas. Quite apart from the security and secrecy aspects of of which our jet and supersonic programme fell foul of with America after WW2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Taylor Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 As you alluded to, certainly in that era, maybe still, the Americans don't share, they take. Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zflyer Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Probably best keep those observations tp ourselves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted August 27 Share Posted August 27 Apparently the USA was gifted the technology, and improved on it . Exploding centrifugal compressors ? The USSR bought the technology, then "reversed engineered" it . Wood was mentioned, Oak ? Wonderfull Martin Baker ejector seats but no mention of procedure if a take off attempt goes horribly wrong.....🤔. Very good TV program even showing some real "incidents" of the time. Even old aeromodellers will have learnt/be reminded of one or two things.... Humour can be/is a good educational tool.... " If showing signs of electrocution, sweep him off the bench....! "....just as long as the broom handle is a "Dehavilland ". Guy, your a very well paid lucky beggar, but I like you . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 (edited) 20 hours ago, Rich Griff said: The USSR bought the technology, then "reversed engineered" it . In Stanley Hooker's autobiography 'Not much of an engineer' (a must and very entertaining read that I always dip into now and again) he bemoans the Atlee government of the time, who for reasons best known to themselves decided to provide Stalin with RR Nenes. Amusingly, Hooker admits that they did such a good job of the reverse engineering, they even copied the mistakes! 😁 BTW, the RAF museum at Hendon that I used to visit very regularly when I lived nearer to it, once had a Martin Baker display with a little notice giving the running total of lives saved by the products. It always was up by a few dozen on every visit. Wasn't aware of the jet display at Coventry - thanks for the heads up on that, a definite stop off when we see family up that way again. Edited August 28 by Cuban8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Ace Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 21 hours ago, Rich Griff said: Apparently the USA was gifted the technology, and improved on it . Exploding centrifugal compressors ? The USSR bought the technology, then "reversed engineered" it . Wood was mentioned, Oak ? Wonderfull Martin Baker ejector seats but no mention of procedure if a take off attempt goes horribly wrong.....🤔. Very good TV program even showing some real "incidents" of the time. Even old aeromodellers will have learnt/be reminded of one or two things.... Humour can be/is a good educational tool.... " If showing signs of electrocution, sweep him off the bench....! "....just as long as the broom handle is a "Dehavilland ". Guy, your a very well paid lucky bugger, but I like you . Martin Baker do manufacture a bang bang seat; zero feet altitude and zero speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Ace Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 On 27/08/2024 at 09:48, Cuban8 said: I've often wondered what may have resulted in a collaboration between Frank Whittle and US rocket pioneer Robert Goddard. Well, I suppose the notion of any form of collaboration between the two is interesting although extremely unlikely as both men were very differnt in character but highly individualistic and anxious to keep control of their ideas. Quite apart from the security and secrecy aspects of of which our jet and supersonic programme fell foul of with America after WW2. !as far as I'm aware, there was no collaboration: but just for interest, SaundersRoe made the SR53 fighter. Rocket and turbine power combined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 A bang bang seat in the JP during that time period ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 - Moderator Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 I remember reading that the big piston engine makers were not happy about Whittle's jet development [ could see the writing on the wall? ] And then how was it that development of Whittle's Power Jet team unit was handed by the Government to the Rover car company! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 22 hours ago, Rich Griff said: Wood was mentioned, Oak ? As far as I’m aware, it was moulded ply/balsa sandwich as they used Hornet (and from info on the ‘net, for the two seater version, Mosquito) based nose sections. Interestingly, the prototype was all metal - perhaps some bright spark at Hatfield noticed the similarities to the new Hornet’s front end, which was being developed around the same time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 (edited) If you can come across Robert Goddard's biography 'This High Man' - I had to import it from the US as an ex-public library book - it's well worth a read as it draws so many parallels with the Whittle story i.e official and government disinterest, chronic underfunding and an almost total lack of understanding from those in high positions who should have known better. To say nothing of brilliant men who both wanted to do things on their own terms, which didn't endear them to those in authority and who controlled the purse strings. Still many lessons not learned today. Edited August 28 by Cuban8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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