icebob

Hi Alan, It was because of a combination of developments that ended with the FAW53 version we had inported into Australia, our versions went from 53/53A to I think 56/59. The first was fitting bigger fuel tanks (Venom F3 version- ghoast 102 engine)that made the aircraft unstable with 1/2 full tanks, a thinner wing profile for higher speed(F5 to F9- ghoast 104 engine), clipped wings and hard points for rockets and bombs for ground attack, larger flaps and airbrakes, arrestor hook, larger undercarrage and extended oleos for carrier landings, larger engines, converting to 2 seat requiring more strength in fuselage and redesign of wing stubs, issues with tail and stability/control imputs at high speed, turbulance from the extra air intakes, blanketing of main intakes for the Ghoast 105 engine and last but not least fitting the American radar AN/APQ65 and fitting of bubble canopy that could be ejected underwater. The other handy thing was most wings /tail booms from most veriants were interchangable between venom and vampire of the same versions, the only way to keep variants parts together was the DeHavaland part number system. The RAAF fitted another "brand" of engine in thier aircraft but i did not have anything to do with them so can not comment. Bob.

Hi Shane, Yes I do remember him,sort of, I think he was at 805 Sqdn,Venoms then he was off to Canberra but I as a midshipman had little to do with him, as at that time he was a Commander,we both were on different paths, he was more management and me learning the ropes and trying not to kill myself. From my copy of the September 1965 Navy list I was back to the Naval Collage . I think from memory I was back at the collage for some navigation or aircraft application course or other, got my Sub Lt. promotion soon after that and did 2 years at sea. Bob.

Hi Vev, Thanks I will, but i will run away if you put a spanner in my hand though, ha,ha. I will send you a PM closer to the date. Bob.

Grab part A firmly in your left hand and part B in your right hand then you...................

Hi, Thanks Vev, I will be down there that week, must go and look at them, as long as "she" is sent off shopping, my wife has had her fill of "stinky jet aircraft" I will be in Frankstone then. Bob.

Hi Turbo, oh yes, maybe we should merge this thread with the cought short thead,ha ha. This project would be a very expensive one, I know a reco engine 2 years ago in the USA cost $1M, then the conversion to electric start, the Navy aircraft did not have the benifit of that, can not see being able to get the "Coffmann" cardridges made now. I could see a couple of issues just from the photos on ebay that are months and months of work to fix. As well do not know the condition of the plywood cockpit area either? Bob.

Hi Turbo, No got in and fixed it how it should have been in the first place, it had one of the "early" "maxerett" anti skid brakes, never worked properly, always after deck landings spent days trying to get the puckered steel deck back into shape, ha, ha. Going through the list of "crashed" venoms was like a reunion of sorts, very sobering though, knew most of those pilots and most of the venoms in great detail. Those were the days when everyone was bulletproof. Bob.

Just some additional information. Delivered 1954. Purchased for £45,000. Noted in Navy service still wearing A79-840. We are told that it also wore N6-840. Coded 928 and 958 between 1954-58. Coded 804 from 1963 on. This aircraft is unusual in that although it was largely modified from T.34 to T.34A standard, it retained the original style of fin (and tailplane end-fairings) rather than the gently curving filleted type that the T.34As shared with the RAAF T.35s and T.35As. Withdrawn and reduced to spares 07/06/65. Remains sold 14/07/71 or 15/10/70 for $100 to Mr Parnell of Melton VIC, representing the Fogarty Flying Club. It was lacking ejection seats and instruments. On display Ballarat Aviation Museum Vic 1992. Owned by P Crowther of Ballarat. Noted at the rear of the Museum in 2002 without its tail. Acquired by Evan Campbell at Nhill, Vic. Currently offered for sale on EBay.

Hells Bells, Talk about nightmares coming back to haunt you. This was the aircraft I went hard left in and put into a culvet in 1964, port brake unit frozen on. Bob.

Hay Ultralights, Thanks for the trip down memory lane, the Wessex was worse, sometimes it would not "clear" and if you got some turbulance "just after" you got your own back and maybe someone elses too. Vomit was worse though. Bob.

Hi, It would depend on the seller and how they feel about the sale. If a Betsometer fails the test area then it is unsafe for flight, would you as a potential buyer feel good if the seller flew it and "went in" because of failed fabric. I would want someone to tell me long before takeoff. The test can be done in corners anyway and the small dimple goes of a passed test in four to six weeks anyway. You can get the Betometer new from that well known Australian trike company for about $40 plus post. The EAA video is a good one to explane the process and the publication he quotes on the video is a free download from EAA and other sources anyway. Bob.

Hi Mick, Had a similar problem many years ago, the log book is yours, if you did not pay for it first up then you owe them the cost of the book, maybe that is why it was kept. You need to go there and check the log book is up to date before asking for it, if it is not get them to correct that while you are there(and pay for the book-blonde wig time). If the school will not give you the book, send them a letter requesting it within 14 days and tell them you will pick it up. If after the 14 days you do not have your book write to your local CASA office, put your blonde wig on and ask them what you should do to get your logbook back. I think your logbook will as by magic appear at your place, I know mine did. Bob.

Hi All, Thanks, yes he is very special and I am a very proud Grandfather too. When i think of what he said and how deep a thought it was i get a lump in the chest. Our fishing trips always end up as a "back to nature" trip, there is butterflies,trees, clouds and birds to wonder over and the fish are his special focus oh mud puddles too, ha,ha. Bob.

Hi Ally, Thanks, he is a wonderful child, as i am sure those of us fortunate enough to have kids or grandkids with disabilities find out. Friday we are having him over for a sleep over so I will get on the web site here and let him "read" all of this. Bob.

Hi dazza, Yes he is a wonderful child, we all get lots of hugs and his communications skills are getting better now, he still has the lisp. He in a joy to have around. Now I have a flying companion, well when we are not fishing. Bob.

Hi, Yes I do but that's the way he said it Bob.

Hi All, Yesterday(Sunday) was one of the best days I have had in a long time. A good friend of mine loaned me his C185 to take my 10yo grandson for his first flight. The lad was so excited which in some ways was a concern as he has downs syndrom and has poor bowel control. Anyway as we were at Camden I took him over to see some of the gliders and talk to the people there and a big thank you to them all for being so kind and understanding with him. Well we took off up towards Katoomba then over The Oaks at about 4000 and back to Camden. The grandson was blown away with all the sights and sounds and had the biggest smile. When we got just over the end of the Katoomba township he turned to me and said"Is this the angles backyard"? Well you could have blown me away and if i wasn't flying would have given him a big hug. I told him yes this IS the angles backyard and that is why poppy loves flying. He has booked me for another flight sometime soon after I take him fishing. Bob.

Hi, You could be right FT however not knowing the current staff I could not make any comment but in it self is an issue, wouldn't it be "nice" to have a staff photo in the mag on a regular basis so you could recognise staff members, with the areas that staff member works in. Yes there appears to be a staff retention issue again not knowing the dynamics/politics internally at the office it is hard to form an informed comment about it. What is projected externally is a bit rough(not in looks guys/gals). Guernsey, that sounds good but $10.000 would not be enough for what we want in IT staff, at current costs that about a day per week for 40 weeks at current pay scales. To me there are a number of concerns. 1. Do not know the basics of administration - that is for example i register an aircraft then staff member A logs it in, staff B processes and staff member C mails out, I now know who to contact about a defined issue. 2. Aircraft registration lists should be up to date at the very least 1 month behind, it is after all just a data base. 3. Follow ups of old registrations, expired, suspended and the like on a regular basis. 4. Mechanical how to's and technique updates, quality control ,OH&S and the like. Just a few random articles in the mag, no concerted effort of these subjects. Look at the how to videos on the EAA web site? 5. Incident/accident reports and evaluations of same published promptly. 6. Recruiting of new members and staff. 7. A consistant and approved by RAA of high quality promotional pamphlets and "on loan" large banners and other items that a fly-in organiser could either purchase or was given, so a constant image of RAA is presented to the public all over this country. I see very little PR work done from RAA. Bob.

Hi Turbo, Too true but was that rise redirected to another area/s of RAA and a "she'll be right "as far as staff is concered. I can not remember any word of a staff/company structure audit so may never been done, I feel now is the time to do that before more cracks appear that may be critical to the growth of RAA.

Hi, winsor, I must agree with you about RAA under staffing, this may be a bigger problem than we understand, you can only run for so long with staff shortages before the cracks start appearing. More staff would give all members more support,that is physical, advertorial and other like fly-in's, more support, more members. I also think that the staff at RAA are not computer savy, for example when Ian does an update you see the "update in progress" on the web site, on the RAA web site I have never seen that. sounds like RAA HQ needs to either send a staff member to TAFE or employ someone with much more than basic computer skills. We hear about the upgrade of the site but how big is/was this upgrade, even someone part time would make a hugh difference, just one less problem needing fixing. I know I hear this a lot, go and help out, give up some of my time but that is a short term fix, what is needed is consistancy and growth of a paid employee/s. Yes I know that may include a price rise but i think most of us woud bite the bullet and pay a little extra to get better and more accurate service and support. Bob.

Just my 2cents worth, has anyone got any evidance of RAA followup of all those cancelled rego's? If not then it could happen that all of them are still flying now wouldn't that look bad and be bad for the organisation? The fact that the aircraft rego list is so out of date is more than just slack it shows that RAA are makinging it a lower priority, should thay? Bob.

When i first started flying in the 1960's i had one instructor ask me was i planning hard landings or was that a crash? I got the message. Bob.

Hi David, Yes the big C but this time i beat it. Just recovering from the methods of beating it.Still a wonderful Christmas.

Marry Christmas to you all, it will be a good one for me, I am out of hospital and home on Christmas eve, WONDERFUL. So this year with the whole family here, all of us together it will indeed be a great Christmas. Bob.

mine is me after my last flight on retirment.