The Aviators Thread

When I think about the RAF Avro Lancaster bomber, I think of small elegant pilot watches 🤔
https://www.fratellowatches.com/hands-on-zero-west-db-2-lancaster/

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I'd forgotten about bungee launches. We used to watch them from a distance while hiking/camping around Long Mynd in the 1960s. At school we had a "primary glider" -- one like this:

It was launched by bungee across the sports field, sometimes reaching an altitude of 5ft AGL but never reaching the other side. Only members of the RAF section of the CCF were allowed to attempt to fly it, so as I was in the Army section I never got to have a go.

Peter Arnold: "" No worries that Spitfire will fit into my garage ! ""
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Sadly, when we moved house, my simpit project didn't fit in the new garage 🙁

I'm guessing you were trying to replicate an aircraft cockpit. Any type in particular?

It was back in the days of IL2, so early 2000's, when Hyperlobby was packed with players and most maps had multiple aircraft to choose from. I set it up to be able to fly anything from a Yak 3 to a Douglas A-20.

Back in the 90's I worked with the cockpit design team for a certain military aircraft company - I was lucky enough to have the job of creating full size cockpit training aids for student pilots (all flat pack cardboard!). Was a really interesting time too, as the transition from clockwork to glass pits was in full flow. I got to create mockups of design concepts - that was heaps of fun. I really miss those days - going to work was an absolute blast.

The main panel in the pic above is based on a popular fast jet trainer... Not exactly accurate for a WWII sim 😀

Could apply to buying and selling watches also...

Image courtesy of Aviation Humour via Facebook

Talking about good judgement and pilot dexterity: Knowing how to exit a " vintage "glider and land with your parachute
Or how a US $ 1800.00 parachute can save Your life.
Modern day high-tech gliders have the option for an underseat airbag which pushes the pilot out of the cockpit!
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Here's my Lancaster but it isn't very elegant.
It's 43mm diameter sits on my wrist like a mid upper turret.
My dad told me he once had a go at the controls of a Lancaster when they out on a test and made out it was easy
But his mate Les wrote "The pilot called up Bill and asked if he would like to have a go at flying it ? So my dad went forward from his rear turret and took over.Les said it was like being on the big dipper and the rest of crew were unanimous in wanting him back in his turret where he belonged"

I'm amazed that the broken glider wing could remain airborne for way longer than the pilot in his parachute. Goes to show you how light and aerodynamically efficient modern gliders are.

Brilliant!!

Talking about gliding...
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Mankind’s obsession with flight… Two centuries practical flight?
Legend has it that already in 1506, polymath/inventor Leonardo da Vinci successfully flew sailplane scale models form a hill top in Regresso – Fiesole, just 3 kilometers North of Firenze – Tuscany Italy.
Known as the Piazzale da Vinci, the Monte Ceceri plateau has a memorial stone commemorating Leonard da Vinci’s flight models experiment.
In 1792, English engineer Georges Calley was the first to fully understand lift aerodynamics, building models by 1803 and flying a man-carrying glider in 1849. Despite Calley’s publications, nobody showed interest… in 1891 German Otto Liliental began hang gliding from a hill near Berlin.
Between 1920-1924, the "Wasserküppe" near Gersfeld in Germany became the birthplace of modern gliding as the site held annual competions, visited by aviation pioneers such as Anthony Fokker, Heini & Edgar Dittmar and Alexander Lippisch.
Remember the 1919 Treaty of Versailles restricted Germany of both production and use of powered aircraft.
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May I recommend the 2001-2006 publications as British glider pilot Martin Simons finalized his 3 book-series “ Sailplanes ” documenting glider aircraft design in over 25 countries from 1920s wooden Pelzner hang gliders, over metal gliders to modern day carbon/Kevlar completion sailplanes.
Over 800 pages with digital 1/50th scale diagrams of every possible glider, from the Vampyr, Windspiel, streamlined Fafnir and the 1930s tailless “flying wing” Horten gliders to solar-powered sailplanes, Simons’ book series still remains the reference on the history & design of sailplanes!
(Photos: MoonwatchUniverse)
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Monte Ceceri - Fiesole Florence Italy = Leonardo da Vinci (spring 1506)

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Sailplanes 1920-2000 by Martin Simons

Fuel for the day.