Hey Bud, look what I found!

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-19/us-military-f-35-fighter-jet-debris-found/102872216

 

It looks like aircraft crashes always occur in series

 

Not the first time a jet flies on without a pilot... sometimes a crash site is declared "Nuclear" to keep curious people away
1950 SAC Convair B-36, 1970 F-106 Delta Dart "Cornfield bomber", 1989 East German Mig 23 Belgium, 2023 F35 JSF...

The most amazing mishap ending in a tragic crash was the July 1966 Cuba overflight by Capt Hickman's U-2 spyplane as he got unconscious after a possible problem with his Oxygen supply and the U-2 flew on southwards. As the glider-shaped reconnaissance aircraft passed over a US Air Base in Panama, a B-57 Canberra bomber tried to spot the aircraft but couldn't reach the high altitude ending 3 kilometers below the U-2 without reporting anything useful. The pilot probably died in flight.
After 4400 kilometers the U-2 crashed into a 3000 m high mountain southeast of La Paz in Bolivia !

 

80 years ago... manned V1 flights
In August & September 1943 German pilots volunteered to fly a manned version of the Doodle Bug V1 flying bomb, Fieseler Fi 103 Reichenberg.
Two German female pilots flew this human pilot guided V1 contraption: Hanna Reitsch and Erika Fisher.
The German wanted to create a pulse-jet powered fighter aircraft Me 328 but it only reached "glider" status and never became operational.
I first learned about these Reichenberg "manned missiles" in the early 1980s while watching the 1964 movie "Operation Crossbow". Of course the manned V1 "aircraft" never launched from a ground based ramp but were dropped from a twin-engined Heinkel He 111 bomber. Once operational, an Arado would carry these V1s but it never became operational.
(Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
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A Duxford day today and grabbed a couple of shots.... Not everyday you see this rare pair together (under slow restoration)......
Able to get in there now Tom Cruise has departed (allegedly ;0)
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@Omegafanman Are you referring to these two??

 

Very much enjoyed your pictures from a mechanical standpoint and absolutely love the Speedy at the end.

 

What a collection. Even a Short Sunderland flying boat. And a Concorde?! Looks very crowded in that hangar though.

 

They have a few hangers (all rammed) on that site + the airfield and restoration companies. Well worth a visit. Yes good spot on the Concorde. I love the old style tube train grab handle in the cockpit. She is a prototype so flew to the limits and beyond for sure....

Concorde G-AXDN forms part of the Duxford Aviation Society British Airliner Collection and is proudly on display in the Airspace hangar at IWM Duxford

Concorde 101 | On board with a Test Engineer | Imperial War Museums (iwm.org.uk)

The British and French pre-production aircraft had several changes in design compared to the earlier prototype Concordes. These consist of a lengthened fuselage, smaller passenger cabin windows, a new glazed visor design and the aircraft were fitted with the Olympus 593-4 or 593 Mk 602. The pre-production aircraft were used to further develop the design of the final production aircraft. Other changes to the design included a different wing plan form that of the prototypes, a larger fuel capacity, and different air intake systems. Both the two pre-production Concordes differed in size and design from each other, the French one which built last, being close to the final production design.
G-AXDN flew faster than any other Concorde! You are able to view this airframe from below and above thanks to a platform within the hanger. It is also possible to visit the interior at selected times. The Duxford Aviation Society are doing a super job looking after this airframe, she is in wonderful condition and shows no signs of her age. While onboard G-AXDN, you will have a chance to view the flight deck, and view all the amazing research equipment that is still in place from the Concorde development days, she is so well looked after that you could even begin to feel that Mr Brian Trubshaw, the notable top BAC test Pilot and the last man to fly this Concorde, was about to board her for a test flight.
Concorde G-AXDN is one of two airframes known as a pre-production Concorde. She was used to further develop the design of the production aircraft that would be finally delivered to the airlines for commercial service. The changes made to the pre-production design compared to the two prototypes included a different wing plan form, more fuel capacity, different engine design standard, different air intake systems etc. G-AXDN was the first aircraft to be fitted with the new nose and glass visor design seen on all production Concordes today. She also flew higher and faster than any other Concorde history. (This is not to be confused with the fastest crossing from New York to London by BA Concorde G-BOAD). Concorde G-AXDN differs in design from the other French built pre-production Concorde 02, F-WTSA. So she is rather unique and therefore well worth a visit, as you will see nothing like her in design anywhere in the world.

 

Got a memory jogger from another forum.
Found some old mementos.

 

There's even a Lockheed U-2 " spy plane "

 

I'm impressed by the effort of the filmmakers to reproduce the unique sound of a pulse-jet engine.

Now, knowingly hijacking this thread into an entirely different rabbit hole, here's a video showcasing one guy's hand-made pulse jet engines mounted to go-karts, bicycles, tricycles, skateboards, and even a snow sleigh.

 

A cracking aircraft, the Chipmunk. We had one at Culdrose, used mainly for glider tows. Managed to hitch a jolly one summers day, up and down the Cornish coasts, with 'smudge' Smith driving.....amazingly stable and responsive.

 

Got the 421 back from the avionics shop after 7 long months... Unfortunately, it has to go back for corrections. But once all the kinks are worked out it'll be a real nice one to have around.

 

Tempus Fugit... almost 40 years ago !
" Call to Glory "
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Never heard of this TV show. What was it about? Tried Googling it but not finding much.

 

Image courtesy of Avgeekery.com via Facebook

 

Chicago Midway lol

 

First time in Utah. As a flatlander from the Midwest, it was strange hearing from the controller: "I can give you discretion to one three thousand, three hundred; that's as low as I can get you."

 

Yup, the state's high point is at one three thousand, five hundred, and probably not very far from where you snapped the photo. Maybe Vernal or Green River?