Following in Great grandpa's footsteps

[Deskpilot]

Seems like my Great Grand-kids are taking a liking to flying and following in my footsteps

 

 

Tattershall Lakes Country Park, UK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SDQDI]

That is a nifty looking playground.

 

 

[Neil_S]

Seems like my Great Grand-kids are taking a liking to flying and following in my footsteps [ATTACH]52227[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]52228[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]52229[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]52230[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]52231[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]52232[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]52233[/ATTACH]

Tattershall Lakes Country Park, UK

You did wing-walking??

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Yes, and I fell off one. Actually, my first posting in the RAF was to 47Sqdn Blackburn Beverleys at Abingdon, Oxfordshire. We often had to clean the soot from the top of the wings and that required a stiff broom and lots of soapy water. A safety harness was mandatory of course and actually saved me from the long drop. Slippery stuff soap. I was left dangling between the engines until a "Giraffe" (pump up ladder) was bought out to rescue me. The mighty Beverley was a magnificent plane to work on and I wish I had more time with them. Only one exists today it has had its spars cut so will never fly again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Neil_S]

Yes, and I fell off one. Actually, my first posting in the RAF was to 47Sqdn Blackburn Beverleys at Abingdon, Oxfordshire. We often had to clean the soot from the top of the wings and that required a stiff broom and lots of soapy water. A safety harness was mandatory of course and actually saved me from the long drop. Slippery stuff soap. I was left dangling between the engines until a "Giraffe" (pump up ladder) was bought out to rescue me. The mighty Beverley was a magnificent plane to work on and I wish I had more time with them. Only one exists today it has had its spars cut so will never fly again.[ATTACH]52240[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]52242[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]52241[/ATTACH]

Hi Deskpilot,

 

Also being a Pom I am familiar with Abingdon, but I used to live near Southend airport. When you mentioned Beverley aircraft I thought I recalled one at the Historic Aircraft museum near Southend airport. Sure enough - a check on Google confirms it. Here is a link to a picture of it :-

 

Blackburn Beverley C1 XB261 Southend 18th April 1976

 

Cheers,

 

Neil

 

 

[old man emu]

My grandson turns five tomorrow. He's already a familiar at the local airport, and with a bit of luck he'll have his first flight this week. Because Emus can't fly, the flight will have to be in a C-172 flown by one of the local flying school instructors, but I can't wait to see his face as the plane gets airborne.

 

Elephunt is my co-pilot

 

 

 

[IBob]

Hi Deskpilot,Also being a Pom I am familiar with Abingdon, but I used to live near Southend airport. When you mentioned Beverley aircraft I thought I recalled one at the Historic Aircraft museum near Southend airport. Sure enough - a check on Google confirms it. Here is a link to a picture of it :-

 

Blackburn Beverley C1 XB261 Southend 18th April 1976

 

Cheers,

 

Neil

Hey Deskpilot, as spotty ATC cadet wi me beret down over me ears, I was at RAF Abingdon early 60s...)

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Hi guys, thanks for your responses.

 

IBob, I was there in late 60 to late 61 then went off to Yatesbury for my 'fitters' course.

 

Neil, I visited Southend regularly as I was raised in Thundersley. In later years I went the see their Bev and was so saddened by it's condition. The cockpit had been vandalized due to being totally open to young kids with no appreciation of the aircraft. Most gauges has been smashed and part were stolen. Very sad. It's gone to that great airport in the sky now.

 

OME, enjoy that flight, nothing like taking first timers up, especially the children. This is one of my grand-daughters when she visited from the UK. Note the foam, makes headsets 'one size fits all'.

 

 

 

[johnm]

patent the 'foam cranium headset adjuster' Deskpilot .................... with the right package and wrap you could make some serious money from that

 

 

[IBob]

Deskpilot....the Beverley! I'm pretty sure a whole shower of us were taken for a fly in one; and some other spotty little cadet fiddled with some floor latches, with his feet, from where we were sitting, and a floor hatch popped open and scared the bejesus out of us all.

 

Well, it was a 4 engined transporter, that I know.

 

How those RAF bases must have dreaded drawing the short straw for ATC summer camp! But very happy memories for me...)

 

 

[Neil_S]

Hi Deskpilot,

 

Very familiar with Thundersley - I used to live in Leigh-on-sea!

 

Used to fly various model gliders and small RC planes down on Leigh tip. One landed in Leigh Creek on a Christmas Eve, and I got very wet and cold wading in to rescue it. My mum was less than impressed :)

 

Cheers,

 

Neil

 

 

[onetrack]

some other spotty little cadet fiddled with some floor latches, with his feet, from where we were sitting, and a floor hatch popped open and scared the bejesus out of us all.

Here's the modern equivalent of fiddling with floor latches ...

 

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Here's a true story re the rear floor hatch in the tail boom. The para exit hatch is located at the rear of the 'upper floor' of the plane, just in front to the toilet door. On one para exercise, a soldier was in the loo when the hatch was opened. He stepped out and fell to his death. After that, a safety device was was fitted to prevent the toilet door being opened when the hatch was open. Ground floor paras went out via doors inset in the Clam Shell cargo doors. For heavy dropped like vehicles and supply pallets, the clam shells could be taken off, and wind director(vortex generators?) fitted. Back to the top floor, It was possible to open another hatch (in the loo I think) that enabled one to climb out onto the tail plane. Great view from up there, but not when flying

 

The plane could also be fitted with rockets to assist heavy load take offs but I never saw them in action.

 

 

[DenisPC9]

Hi guys, thanks for your responses.IBob, I was there in late 60 to late 61 then went off to Yatesbury for my 'fitters' course.

Neil, I visited Southend regularly as I was raised in Thundersley. In later years I went the see their Bev and was so saddened by it's condition. The cockpit had been vandalized due to being totally open to young kids with no appreciation of the aircraft. Most gauges has been smashed and part were stolen. Very sad. It's gone to that great airport in the sky now.

 

OME, enjoy that flight, nothing like taking first timers up, especially the children. This is one of my grand-daughters when she visited from the UK. Note the foam, makes headsets 'one size fits all'.

 

[ATTACH=full]52252[/ATTACH]

The smile being a mandatory

 

 

[riverduk]

I love seeing old aircraft being revisited here, especially ones, like the Beverly that I have never heard of til now, along with the reminiscing of gents who have spent many more years than I committing aviation, thanks to you for sharing your thoughts, memories and experiences with us all. It is also great to see the next generation/s getting that chance to fly as well.

 

When I was learning to fly it was all about me learning to fly, it was just something I had to do, later after receiving my passenger endorsement, my first passenger was my then 24 yr old son, after that something changed, it was no longer just about me, but about who could I share this amazing experience with?

 

I have had the pleasure of sharing my flying with many over the past 6 or so years with the youngest being a neighbours 10 yr old daughter to the oldest being a lady at the Aged Care facility where I worked at the time who was 86 years old, it has included family, friends, work colleagues, my mother in law (no jokes please, she was like a mum to me and recently passed aged 88) and my beautiful wife, who vowed "never to get into something like that!" I now wait for the first of my grand children to turn 10, (my self imposed minimum age for the trike) it still gives me 18 months to convince his mother he will be safe as "I haven't left anyone up there yet."

 

I have come to realise that flying is bigger than me, it is so special to be able to share a flight, especially a first flight with some one, to see and feel their delighted at getting airborne and knowing you have given them a special memory that will last a life time and I am sure there are many on this forum who know that same feeling, cheers all

 

 

[Marty_d]

Seems like my Great Grand-kids are taking a liking to flying and following in my footsteps [ATTACH]52227[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]52228[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]52229[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]52230[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]52231[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]52232[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]52233[/ATTACH]

Tattershall Lakes Country Park, UK

Lovely looking aircraft... bit concerned about W&B, and the port wing doesn't look like it'd produce much lift...

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Lovely looking aircraft... bit concerned about W&B, and the port wing doesn't look like it'd produce much lift...

Looks can be deceptive. That wing just keeps bouncing back into the correct position.

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Riverduk, what you have written is a beautiful description of "what it's all about" . Most of our experience is just that. Passing the thrill, pleasure and whatever else, on to non flying friends and relatives. My mothers response was "Nice, but not as good as a Jumbo" She was in her eighties at the time. Now she's 100.5 and unfortunately, blind.

 

As to the Beverley, one of the unsung heroes of the RAF. Served all over the world where our soldiers were sent and did a magnificent job. It's replacement, the Argosy, nicknamed the whistling tit, never equalled it in capability but was a bit faster.