Another sh1t-eating grin

Keith Webb · #1 24-10-04, 22:42

At the risk of annoying people here's a still from yesterday. I'm in a T6 Harvard and the P51 has just launched and is flying up to meet us for the video shoot over French Island.

The P51 in question...

And it's part owner. This is Judy Pay who also flies it, surprising many people when she steps out after landing at an airshow.

For the story and more pics, this is the place.

#2 24-10-04, 23:02

Quote:

Originally posted by Keith Webb
At the risk of annoying people here's a still from yesterday. I'm in a T6 Harvard and the P51 has just launched and is flying up to meet us for the video shoot over French Island.

Not at all, interesting stuff.

A 51D if I'm not mistaken and what an almost unbelievable set of happy coincidences; it wouldn't have existed without the original order from the British Purchasing Commission driving the specifications, the idle tinkering of Sir Stanley Hooker wondering if he could borrow one and see if a Merlin would fit, plus the designer being a self-taught, German immigrant.

Nothing quite like a plan coming together.

R.

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #3 24-10-04, 23:09

Keefy, I really, REALLY hate you...

You'd better damned well send me a copy of that video (when it's done) so I can hate you some more.

Prick.

Keith Webb · #4 24-10-04, 23:30

Quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Keefy, I really, REALLY hate you...

You'd better damned well send me a copy of that video (when it's done) so I can hate you some more.

Prick.

Sure thing, Geoff, I KNEW this would get to you... I had you in mind as I pressed the shutter release.

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #5 24-10-04, 23:37

Quote:

Originally posted by Keith Webb
At the risk of annoying people here's a still from yesterday. I'm in a T6 Harvard and the P51 has just launched and is flying up to meet us for the video shoot over French Island.

AAARRRGGGHHH!!!
Take that grin off your face this instant, you Aussie swine!!!!!!!

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #6 24-10-04, 23:40

Quote:

Originally posted by FV623
Nothing quite like a plan coming together.

R.

That ain't a movie... it's a 20 year-old American dumb television show! Surprised you know it, old boy...

#7 25-10-04, 00:12

Quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
That ain't a movie... it's a 20 year-old American dumb television show! Surprised you know it, old boy...

And you forget that I am a bit of an old fart; probably less of bit, and fart incidentally; although I could take lessons in the latter from Ballard when he's not embroiled on the leaf battle. . . . . . . .

And, you never did take a stab at the historically important untitled film quote I posted; it did spawn a feature film too - no more clues.

R.

Keith Webb · #8 25-10-04, 00:27

Quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
AAARRRGGGHHH!!!
Take that grin off your face this instant, you Aussie swine!!!!!!!

I can't... I tried to turn the smile upside down in Photoshop but I still looked too happy... Wait till you see what was beside me in the air.

Jon Skagfeld · #9 25-10-04, 00:38

Quote:

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld in Keith Webb's original message
Hey, Keith...way too cool shades, my man!

Neato DC headset...10-30s?

Ad Astra Per Ardua.

Keith...somehow or another, I edited your post and my comments are embedded therein. Aint' techno stuff great?!

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #10 25-10-04, 00:48

Quote:

Originally posted by FV623
And you forget that I am a bit of an old fart; probably less of bit, and fart incidentally; although I could take lessons in the latter from Ballard when he's not embroiled on the leaf battle. . . . . . . .

Having just been up at Skag's for the weekend and viewed perhaps a 1/4 million leaves on his lawn, would you like us to send some to Mr. Ballard? I'm sure they'll be appreciated, being Canadian, albeit without C-Broad Arrows...

Quote:

And, you never did take a stab at the historically important untitled film quote I posted; it did spawn a feature film too - no more clues.

OK, quit whingeing... I'll give it a shot. Wait out.

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #11 25-10-04, 00:51

Quote:

Originally posted by Keith Webb
... Wait till you see what was beside me in the air.

Er..... no thanks. I'm not quite like that, although I appreciate the nature of the physical reaction...

Keith Webb · #12 25-10-04, 01:19

Quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Er..... no thanks. I'm not quite like that, although I appreciate the nature of the physical reaction...

OK smart guy... cop this!

If I look to my left.....

And the launch...

Suffer!

Jon Skagfeld · #13 25-10-04, 04:40

Nice shot, off the port side...have a problem getting out of the "cockpit" when flight was over?

The CV recognition sign , as far as I can determine, is for a Mustang III of 3RAAF, in use Nov 44 to Apr 45. Sound right?

This a/c type saw service MedME.

Typical ID was FB299/CV-Y. (I can identify this a/c's history, if you wish).

Paint job doesn't look quite correct...or is it my screen?

Roundels look a wee bit suspect...aren't they 1940-41 types proscribed by Dowding, but changed later?

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #14 25-10-04, 05:26

Why are his (her?) flaps down, on the top pic? Just trying to keep formation on that stupid, redundant Harvard (which nobody worth anything would ride in anyway)?

The second pic gives me a hard-on. Sorry, but I am sworn to tell the truth, nothing but the truth, so-help-me-God. Christ, that Packard-Merlin at that altitude, under full load...

Keefy, some days I hate you! Rub it in, why don't you...

Ya git...

Keith Webb · #15 25-10-04, 05:33

Quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Why are his (her?) flaps down, on the top pic? Just trying to keep formation on that stupid, redundant Harvard (which nobody worth anything would ride in anyway)?

The second pic gives me a hard-on. Sorry, but I am sworn to tell the truth, nothing but the truth, so-help-me-God. Christ, that Packard-Merlin at that altitude, under full load...

Keefy, some days I hate you! Rub it in, why don't you...

Ya git...

As for the Harvard... what a beautiful aeroplane that is... wonderful sound, responsive... Geoff, did I mention I had a fly of the Harvard in England?

As for your comments re the second pic... all I can say is I'm glad you weren't standing behind me!

Now.... how can I rub it in a bit further...?

I know! I'll email Geoff a mp3 of the Mustang taking off overhead. That ought to do it.

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #16 25-10-04, 05:48

You bugger, I just got your email with mp3 attachment...

Keith Webb · #17 25-10-04, 06:20

As for the flaps, yes, the Harvard isn't quite as fast as the Mustang. The T28 would have been better - that can formate on a Canberra

Did you enjoy the audio?

We'd accentuated the yelps from our mate, Rob Fox who I think had more than what you said you had while watching the Mustang roar over our heads and in fact totally lost control, causing Brian, our sound man to frown at him for wrecking the audio.

Tony Smith · #18 25-10-04, 12:08

Keefy, I'll have to get you over to a Kiwi airshow. All these closed cockpits do nothing for your hairstyle. An Air-to-Air photo shoot in Fokker triplanes will really improve your german accent! Not only that, but it's too far away for Jif to attend

Tony Smith · #19 25-10-04, 12:09

"Schnitzel!! I vill get you next time, Snoopy!"

Keith Webb · #20 25-10-04, 12:51

We have those too, Tony!

There's nothing like the feel of the wind in what's left of your hair as you sideslip in to land!

And it probably makes it harder to have a smoke too, so you probably wouldn't like it anyway, Geoff.

Excellent pics by the way.

Keith Webb · #21 25-10-04, 13:02

Quote:

Originally posted by Tony Smith
Keefy, I'll have to get you over to a Kiwi airshow. All these closed cockpits do nothing for your hairstyle. An Air-to-Air photo shoot in Fokker triplanes will really improve your german accent! Not only that, but it's too far away for Jif to attend

Tell you what, Tony... when I had the hood open in the Harvard and the big camera on my shoulder it was deflecting a 150 knot tornado onto my face. It made for a bad, bad hair day. Fortunately there wasn't too much to rearrange.
The wind was also trying to pluck the camera from my grasp while also trying to smash it into my face.
Steve who was flying the Mustang commented on how funny I looked. I was too busy to see him laughing.

Hanno Spoelstra · #22 25-10-04, 14:07

Quote:

Originally posted by Keith Webb
At the risk of annoying people here's a still from yesterday.

All very much worth seeing, Keith!
Any material you can share of that radial aircraft engine hidden under armour?!?
Where/when can I order the DVD?!?

And oh, next time, please show some consideration and don't start your message with a picture of that sh1t-eating grin of yours!

H.

Hanno Spoelstra · #23 25-10-04, 14:07

Quote:

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
Keith...somehow or another, I edited your post and my comments are embedded therein. Aint' techno stuff great?!

Pressed "edit" instead of "quote"? Watch out for those moderator powers

Quote:

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
Paint job doesn't look quite correct...or is it my screen?

Awfully sorry old chap - let me know the paint numbers you used on your Mustang and I'll respray mine immediately....

H.

#24 25-10-04, 21:10

Quote:

Originally posted by Tony Smith
Fokker triplanes will really improve your german accent!

Errrrrrrrrrr, maybe not that one though. . . . . . . . .Super picture indeed.

Strangest thing, it looks like all the cylinders are stationary; and it has an exhaust pipe?

:

:

R.

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #25 25-10-04, 23:06

Quote:

Originally posted by FV623
Strangest thing, it looks like all the cylinders are stationary; and it has an exhaust pipe?

Very quick of you to pick up on that, R... I wasn't going to say anything...

BTW, my dad trained on Cornells and Tigerschmidts, always damned proud of that time. I'm still pissed I didn't spend the money for a Tigerschmidt ride when I was at Duxford in 2001. Next time.

Tony... don't worry too much about Keefy's hair... he hasn't that much of it left to be overly concerned about.

#26 26-10-04, 00:15

Quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Very quick of you to pick up on that, R... I wasn't going to say anything...

Ah, remember a few posts ago - "Student of C. Babington-Smith" ?

The mention of Harvards is interesting; Mrs.Notton's now long retired ex-colleague from one of the local and major Ham Radio emporia here (now defunct) did mention the difficulties of some aspects of Harvard flying, inverted as I recall could be very iffy and he said by comparison the BAe Hawk and the earlier Folland Gnat were trustworthy inverted at tail scraping altitudes.

When visiting, I was always intrigued why Sqdn. Ldr. Tiff O'Connor would have a small but excellent picture of a nuclear explosion hanging in the stairway, so I asked.

Try googling "Grapple Z/Halliard 1" or "Valiant XD827".

R.
-Had a wizz in a Robinson Redwing in 1962-

Tony Smith · #27 26-10-04, 10:59

Quote:

Originally posted by FV623

Strangest thing, it looks like all the cylinders are stationary; and it has an exhaust pipe?
: : :

R.

Correct, this is a replica. A little known New Zealand film maker, Peter Jackson, is turning out these replicas and hopes to have something like 20 for an upcoming film to be produced in NZ (No digital effects for him!). There are also about 8 to 10 Sopwith Camels to fly as well. There are just not enough original engines around to power that many replicas and they have had to go with something else.
The big WW1 dogfight will be a part of the easter 2005 airshow at Blenheim, NZ. These and the previous pics are from the 2003 airshow

#28 26-10-04, 22:20

Quote:

Originally posted by Tony Smith
Correct, this is a replica. A little known New Zealand film maker, Peter Jackson, is turning out these replicas and hopes to have something like 20 for an upcoming film to be produced in NZ (No digital effects for him!). There are also about 8 to 10 Sopwith Camels to fly as well. There are just not enough original engines around to power that many replicas and they have had to go with something else.

Wonderful stuff! I fully understand the engine quandary, not only that but flying a gyroscope has its moments. . . . . . . .

There are of course many replicas here, the Kemble Airfield MV show this year had several types fly in, the SE5 replicas seem popular.

What I never did understand technically was the use of something like 7/8ths scale (here), its so close to full size to be, at first sight, an inexplicable choice. I'm guessing perhaps an engine availability/size/power vs drag question, or maybe an obscure CAA ruling.

The Shuttleworth Collection does fly its selection of genuine types but you need to be there by chance on a summer evening when the wind drops and our rare occurence of still air happens, regrettably its never happened for me.

R.

Rod Diery · #29 31-10-04, 14:03

Quote:

Originally posted by FV623
A 51D if I'm not mistaken R.

Actually I think you will find that it is a CAC CA18 Mustang Mk 21 originally serialled A68-105 in the RAAF but masquerading as an RAF supplied Mustang IV of 3 Sqn RAAF in Italy in early 1945 if I'm not mistaken

Cheers
Rod

Keith Webb · #30 31-10-04, 20:27

Quote:

Originally posted by Rod Diery
Actually I think you will find that it is a CAC CA18 Mustang Mk 21 originally serialled A68-105 in the RAAF but masquerading as an RAF supplied Mustang IV of 3 Sqn RAAF in Italy in early 1945 if I'm not mistaken

Cheers
Rod

Hi Rod
I think you're not mistaken there she's a CAC built variant which for years was at the Fleetwings garage near Laverton, and she became known as the Fleetwings Mustang as a result.

Rescued by Dick Hourigan and restored by Judy Pay.