We need more

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bob2s
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Re: We need more

#261 Post by bob2s » Sat Jun 26, 2021 1:56 am


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Undried Plum
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Re: We need more

#262 Post by Undried Plum » Wed Jun 30, 2021 10:24 pm


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TheGreenGoblin
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Re: We need more

#263 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Sat Jul 03, 2021 7:03 am

Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

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Alisoncc
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Re: We need more

#264 Post by Alisoncc » Sun Jul 04, 2021 4:42 am

I like it, I like it. The Lightning story that is.

On returning from the Gulf I spent a year on 60 MU at RAF Leconfield, playing with Lightnings. 60 MU was tasked with carrying out major services on Lightnings. Got to take them apart and put them back together again. They were a pig to service. All the avionics was packed into little hatches alongside the engines, which used to get very 'ot. If cabling wasn't correctly positioned, it wasn't that unusual to find them smouldering after a flight. Spent a lot of time making up new looms to rewire the buggers.
Rev Mother Bene Gesserit.

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Re: We need more

#265 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:07 am

The only time I have got within feet of a Lightning, was in the hangar at Thunder City, the company is now non est. The aircraft seemed to leak like sieves and to have drip trays in places you wouldn't expect to see them. I asked about this and was told that this was typical of the Lightning in a tone that implied that I shouldn't bother my pretty little head with this. Of course all this was true, the Lightning was well known in the RAF for its leaky plumbing, but the lack of "bovver" in the Thunder camp soon turned to tragedy thereafter and precipitated the beginning of the end of supersonic ride and lost a man his life. Perhaps their mantra should have been " we need more maintenance!"
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

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Alisoncc
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Re: We need more

#266 Post by Alisoncc » Sun Jul 04, 2021 6:36 am

TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:07 am
The aircraft seemed to leak like sieves and to have drip trays in places you wouldn't expect to see them. I asked about this and was told that this was typical of the Lightning in a tone that implied that I shouldn't bother my pretty little head with this. Of course all this was true, the Lightning was well known in the RAF for its leaky plumbing,
Not so. Perhaps your inadequately serviced one leaked. T'was not known in the RAF for it's leaky plumbing. So there. Wasn't an aeroplane anyway. It was two rocket engines with a pilot in a capsule on the front, stuck there with araldite. Either Speedy or Boac used to fly them. They were brave guys.
Rev Mother Bene Gesserit.

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Re: We need more

#267 Post by Boac » Sun Jul 04, 2021 6:56 am

Less bravery than enjoyment!

I can assure Alison that the excellent work done at the MU producing 'watertight' airframes did not last in service. I have before told the old adage that if your Lightning is not leaking onto the apron it hasn't been refuelled.

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Re: We need more

#268 Post by ian16th » Sun Jul 04, 2021 7:08 am

Noisy damn things them Lightnings.
111Sqdn came to Akrotiri when the Javelins at Nicosia couldn't catch the Turkish F100's.
We had an AI21 bench built in the Radar Bay and a Fitter (Fighter) posted in.
Cynicism improves with age

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Re: We need more

#269 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:04 am

Alisoncc wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 6:36 am
TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:07 am
The aircraft seemed to leak like sieves and to have drip trays in places you wouldn't expect to see them. I asked about this and was told that this was typical of the Lightning in a tone that implied that I shouldn't bother my pretty little head with this. Of course all this was true, the Lightning was well known in the RAF for its leaky plumbing,
Not so. Perhaps your inadequately serviced one leaked. T'was not known in the RAF for it's leaky plumbing. So there. Wasn't an aeroplane anyway. It was two rocket engines with a pilot in a capsule on the front, stuck there with araldite.
What is it about Sunday mornings and me? Last weekend at about this time I upset the Scottish waitress in a Perth hotel by asking for a full English breakfast. This Sunday by telling a senior Lightning maintenance specialist that their charge leaked like a sieve! What next today? What other awful carnage can I wreak before dinner? =))

We need more tact! ;)))
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

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Re: We need more

#270 Post by Boac » Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:26 am

I'll look up some on-line 'wokeness' courses you can take. :))

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Re: We need more

#271 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:36 am

Boac wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:26 am
I'll look up some on-line 'wokeness' courses you can take. :))
Most kind of you Boac. I must warn you though that the last time I was sent on one of those I fell asleep and caused even more upset! :)
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You must have somewhere
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Your destination remains
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Re: We need more

#272 Post by Boac » Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:56 am

I am confused - woke people surely should not be unkind if you need to sleep? Are you sure it was a genuine 'wokeness' course? After all, neither you or they should be upset in the fine tradition of 'wokeness'. There are imposters around, you know.

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Re: We need more

#273 Post by Undried Plum » Sun Jul 04, 2021 9:00 am

TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:04 am
We need more tact! ;)))
Now say that in Afrikaans.

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Re: We need more

#274 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Sun Jul 04, 2021 9:22 am

Undried Plum wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 9:00 am
TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:04 am
We need more tact! ;)))
Now say that in Afrikaans.
Dis ontmoontlik in Afrikaans! :))

My nuwe beleid is om taktvol te wees. :ymdevil:
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

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Re: We need more

#275 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Sun Jul 04, 2021 9:46 am

Boac wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:56 am
I am confused - woke people surely should not be unkind if you need to sleep? Are you sure it was a genuine 'wokeness' course? After all, neither you or they should be upset in the fine tradition of 'wokeness'. There are imposters around, you know.
It is funny that the awoke and/or the awake often to tend to offence. :)
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

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Alisoncc
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Re: We need more

#276 Post by Alisoncc » Sun Jul 04, 2021 12:40 pm

TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:04 am
This Sunday by telling a senior Lightning maintenance specialist that their charge leaked like a sieve!
Don't take offence GG. I used to like Beverleys, Twin Pins and Chippies, as well as Vulcans and Lightnings. But all time favourite were Vulcan B2's.
Rev Mother Bene Gesserit.

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Re: We need more

#277 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Sun Jul 04, 2021 12:41 pm

Alisoncc wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 12:40 pm
TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:04 am
This Sunday by telling a senior Lightning maintenance specialist that their charge leaked like a sieve!
Don't take offence GG. I used to like Beverleys, Twin Pins and Chippies, as well as Vulcans and Lightnings. But all time favourite were Vulcan B2's.
No offence taken at all Alisoncc. Always interesting to listen and learn from those who actually fettled these wonderful beasts. ;))) :-bd
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

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Re: We need more

#278 Post by Alisoncc » Sun Jul 04, 2021 1:12 pm

Boac wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 6:56 am
I have before told the old adage that if your Lightning is not leaking onto the apron it hasn't been refuelled.
Because the Lightning used so much fuel for takeoff and climb to required altitude it was standard practice to fill them up and then add a little bit more. Often the fuel in the bowser would be colder than ambient temps, and as it warmed up from sitting out on a pan after refueling it would expand and drip. Aircraft leaving Leconfield only needed enough gas to get them home, back to their squadron, so we never had any overflow.
Rev Mother Bene Gesserit.

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Re: We need more

#279 Post by Boac » Sun Jul 04, 2021 2:02 pm

er..... not quite1

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Re: We need more

#280 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Sun Jul 04, 2021 2:04 pm

A case of, "we need more fuel", rather than beer... =))

What was the endurance of a Lightning F.1A interceptor over the North Sea? Or is it still necessary to shoot South Africans who ask such questions? ;)))

I read somewhere that the Lightning could zoom climb to about +-80,000 feet, or was that an exaggeration, akin to a big tie or a watch in the aviation bragging rights sense sense. I imagine that at that sort of altitude, the aircraft was more ballistic than aerodynamic. I also imagine that things could have gone tits up, literally, very quickly, if the aircraft was mishandled at its apogee?

I am blithering away here and I guess only Boac can answer these questions and he's buggered off! =))

Another case here, namely one of, we need more Boac's.

Edited to say - I guess, I shall have to drag out my book on Teddy Petter to see if I can glean any answers to the many additional questions now accumulating in my addled transom. Questions like "What was the Lightning like to spin? Did it recover easily? What were the reference speeds etc. etc. So many questions, so little time.
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

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