Merlins! 8 Of Them!

[mercuryg]

 

Over Coningsby yesterday, wish I could have been there!

[mercuryg]

And....https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=efer_GCo-Ag

 

Just....wow!

[Vic Patterson]

What a sight! What a SOUND!

I followed "Vera's†flight back to the U.K. it created quite a lot of interest, wouldn't it be fitting to see a Spitfire and Hurricane do a a flypast with them.

Thanks for the post Mercury!

[Adam Hogg]

 

What a sight! What a SOUND!

I followed "Vera's” flight back to the U.K. it created quite a lot of interest, wouldn't it be fitting to see a Spitfire and Hurricane do a a flypast with them.

Thanks for the post Mercury!

 

Have to agree with you Vic But what about 16 Merlin Engines 2 Lancaster's, 2 Hurricane and 6 Spitfire's?

Or is that a little over the top?

[threegee]

Background info:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/aviation/11033148/Two-Lancaster-bomber-planes-fly-together-for-first-time-in-50-years.html

[John White]

Have to agree with you Vic But what about 16 Merlin Engines 2 Lancaster's, 2 Hurricane and 6 Spitfire's?

Or is that a little over the top?

Not at all Adam.

 

Not a fixed wing I know, but served well in war & peace. I would add this much loved beauty:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUIKxnS6tQc

 

Who in trouble in Northumberland over the years wouldn`t recognise that sound & be gladdened by it!

[Vic Patterson]

That must take some skill! and nerve! Seaking, I only remember the Sycamore and Whirlwind!!

[mercuryg]

Vic,

 

the two Lancasters did fly with a Spitfire and Hurricane escort shortly after that video was taken. There is footage of it, and they are intending to perform as a four-ship flight at airshows over the coming month. Perhaps most anticipated is Vera and Thumper's appearance, at RAF Waddington next week I believe, with the legendary XH558, the last flying Vulcan. Three Avro bombers together! I would love to see that!

 

Now for the pedantry: Adam, as for your fantasy flight (entirely achievable, by the way, although I'm not sure the BBMF would risk flying both of its Hurricane's together, they are very, very rare) you should be careful about the number of Merlin's involved; a good number of Spitfires were powered by the RR Griffon, not the Merlin!

 

**Forgot to add, I can see Malcolm as the archetypal Spitfire pilot, moustache (yes, that is the correct spelling) at the ready, sitting in his mess hut with a tin mug of tea and his pipe, awaiting the call on the blower to 'scramble'. Tally ho chaps, let's bag us some Hun!

Edited August 16, 2014 by mercuryg

[Malcolm Robinson]

Actually Merc I call my mate Ginger and we tally ho quite often!

He is quite fanatical about WW11 airplanes especially bombers (I think?) his parent were both in Bomber Command. I will introduce you......

........................and you called it right I would love to have taken up a PV-12 powered MkV Spitfire....................................................................................................................................

Once we put up border controls on all the entrances to Bedlington, Stakeford Bridge, Plessey Bridge, Attlee Park Bridge and of course the two roads from Mor....peth we gonna need air crew to protect our ground forces protecting those pinch points!

[Vic Patterson]

Just spent quite a bit time looking at footage of Thumper and Vera, along with so many other old aircraft. I have quite a few videos of aircraft and airshows on VHS (what's that?) and was wondering if I should convert them to the latest form of storage, but looking at the availability of much more and far superior on the internet I don't think I'll bother!

(This is my old profile picture! not Malcolm, but I can see the resemblance!)

[Malcolm Robinson]

Just sat and watched 'The First of the Few' the story of how the Spitfire was conceived. ........................................................................................

Serendipity or what?

[Vic Patterson]

Vic,

 

the two Lancasters did fly with a Spitfire and Hurricane escort shortly after that video was taken. There is footage of it, and they are intending to perform as a four-ship flight at airshows over the coming month. Perhaps most anticipated is Vera and Thumper's appearance, at RAF Waddington next week I believe, with the legendary XH558, the last flying Vulcan. Three Avro bombers together! I would love to see that!

Thank you Merc' I am "Following†XH558 and a few sites on Facebook, looking forward to the pictures.

 

Was the movie on TV Malcolm?

Edited August 16, 2014 by Vic Patterson

[Malcolm Robinson]

Yes just been on Vic...

[John Fox (foxy)]

 

Thank you Merc' I am "Following” XH558 and a few sites on Facebook, looking forward to the pictures.

 

Was the movie on TV Malcolm?

 

Vic.

 

Here's some pics I took In June 2011 over  Douglas Bay Isle of Man,  it gave a very impressive display during TT week 

 

[Vic Patterson]

Thanks Foxy, great photos, can almost feel the ground shaking! (good camera? good photographer? or both?)

[threegee]

Just sat and watched 'The First of the Few' the story of how the Spitfire was conceived. ........................................................................................ Serendipity or what?

 

Yes indeed, "WAKE UP ENGLAND" and "DOWN WITH THE GOVERNMENT"!

 

 Whoops, sorry, should have posted that on the http://www.bedlington.co.uk/community/topic/3492-crash-2-the-sequel/ thread!

 

Anyway, Lady Houston, Nige needs your massive cheque now!  "Three million unemployed"?  In your dreams Lord Clegghaw! 

[mercuryg]

"can almost feel the ground shaking!"

 

What memories this brings back! In my younger days, when men were men and women were not men, I lived a very short distance from AVRO (then BAE) Woodford, the very place where both the Lancaster and Vulcan - as well as many other aircraft - were both first tested,  and where many were built. The place was a hive of activity back then, with engines tested all the time, and XM603 - the only remaining Vulcan in anti-nuclear flash white paint - was kept and regularly taxied, although not flown (she is currently being cleaned up to act as the new gatekeeper for the Avro Heritage museum which will remain on site when the rest of the airfield, now sold, is redeveloped for housing. The noise when they fired up her engines (apparently the last remaining zero-hours examples belonged to her and were later transferred to XH558) was incredible, and could be heard from miles away.

 

We frequently had Vulcans come in or servicing/upgrading - including those that were detailed to fly on the infamous Falklands raid - as well as Victors, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Harriers, Hawks and a variety of commercial aircraft, as well as the last project to occupy the factory, the Nimrod. The annual airshow was the local event of the year; it became known for offering a more unusual selection of aircraft than most other shows and, as such, was one for the enthusiast. Such was the importance of the show that it managed to secure the very first appearance, at a non-international and non-trade show, of perhaps the finest aeroplane of all - Concorde; I was there, six years old, in 1971 and remember the gridlocked traffic, the packed field and the utterly spellbinding approach and fly-past of that quite astonishing machine. What a day that was for a kid like me!

 

Other favourites: one of the last years, watching two utterly mad Russian test pilots tail-sliding Sukhoi SU27's on a glorious summer day; a Harrier flying sideways down the crowd line, still incredible to watch even thirty years later; and, finally, 558 herself, in her younger days, performing a short, violent and earth-shaking take-off that had every car alarm in the place set off. Wonderful days.

 

One final little anecdote before I sign off; one renowned test pilot was so impressed with its astonishing, fighter-like handling, that he barrel-rolled one over the Woodford factory to show off its ability. Onlookers were impressed, but those inside the place had to duck for cover as the shock wave shattered all the windows in the factory roof.

 

** One further infamous story: one year, the US Air Force agreed to send an F1-11, then a rare sight at UK shows. The time came, the announcer gave his spiel, we heard a faint sound but saw nothing. After a few minutes of radio silence it transpired that the pilot had mistaken Manchester International, Ringway, for Woodford, and gave the rather alarmed tower crew a nice display.

Edited August 18, 2014 by mercuryg

[John Fox (foxy)]

And after all that  where were you last night? Table 25 was vacant!

[mercuryg]

I was there. I have developed stealth technology.

[John White]

I was there. I have developed stealth technology.

 

Who said that!

[Vic Patterson]

 watching two utterly mad Russian test pilots tail-sliding Sukhoi SU27's on a glorious summer day; a Harrier flying sideways down the crowd line, 

Tail-sliding, that would be a sight to see!

I was working at Farnborough air show about 1974 and saw several Harriers square dancing! going side to side and dipping their noses! all to the music. There is an Scotsman in Calgary trying to sell his Harrier, $1.3 million!

[mercuryg]

"There is an Scotsman in Calgary trying to sell his Harrier, $1.3 million!"

 

Shall we all club together? Would be the ideal way of getting from Choppington to the Lion.....

[Malcolm Robinson]

Strategic air cover……..first fighter for the Independent Republic of Bedlington!

[mercuryg]

Let's declare war on Ashington for a laugh.

[mercuryg]

Incidentally, this afternoon - weather permitting - sees the two Lancasters and the Vulcan flying in formation. Pity I'm a few hundred miles away.