Planes etc.

[al_kaholik]

Earlier in the month I was lucky enough to get hands on access to a number of restricted areas at RAF Coningsby. One of the RAF's fighter bases, very close to my heart as I grew up very near and my brother spent a few years working there.

All pictures are cleared for use and overall the bits that I wasn't allowed to photograph were very, very interesting.

Home to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) and a number of Typhoon and Tornado aircraft it made for an excellent and informative day.

There are more in my Flickr.

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The cut-away from BBMF's Rolly Royce Griffon (37 litres of British made power) complete with modified superchargers (used for low altitude ground-attack Spitfires). These engines featured variable boost control for the supercharger with an automatic altitude correction system to maintain boost pressure across the operating heights, fuel injection, variable valve timing utilising oil pressure (No, Honda didn't invent this with VTEC) and Cro-Mo camshafts.

Cam and followers by a_t_b321, on Flickr

Inside the BBMF hanger, everything being stripped and prepped over winter - Lancaster without propellors

KC A "City of Lincoln" from the underneath BBMF's Dakota by a_t_b321, on Flickr

Propellor by a_t_b321, on Flickr

Spitfire by a_t_b321, on Flickr

I now get art filters...

AWACS by a_t_b321, on Flickr

Gloomy Typhoon by a_t_b321, on Flickr

Typhoon touchdown (nearly) with the 40-150 @150mm!

Typhoon by a_t_b321, on Flickr

And the origin of the expression "the whole nine yards" referring to the length of the magazine track in the back of an AVRO Lancaster bomber to the tail end gun. Giving it "the whole nine yards" meant emptying the magazine at an enemy aircraft. Also reputed to be that of the US B-17, but I'll stick with the story I've heard. The title of the photo is a little mis-leading as it doesn't show the whole nine yards!

The whole nine yards by a_t_b321, on Flickr

[al_kaholik]

Re: Planes etc.

Lancaster by a_t_b321, on Flickr

[Phill D]

Re: Planes etc.

Really envious of the shots you can't post as the ones you have are excellent, especially Gloomy Typhoon & AWACS. What a great insight behind the scenes, thanks for posting.

[Jim Ford]

Re: Planes etc.

Cam and followers by a_t_b321, on Flickr

Hmm, as an ex RR quality engineer I would have liked to have seen the camshaft bearing cap castle nuts correctly split-pinned!

;^)

(OK - I know it's only a museum piece!)

Jim

[Zuiko]

Re: Planes etc.

That's a great set of pictures, Alex, and very interesting and informative. I love the Dramatic Tone art filter shot and particularly enjoyed your explaination of "the whole nine yards."

[Wee man]

Re: Planes etc.

As above re 9yds, super shots.

[Peter_Hartland]

Re: Planes etc.

I particularly like the AWCs image out of a good set

[Bluegrass Jim]

Re: Planes etc.

Hello Alex,
Great shots, it's a fantastic place, I was there a few years ago when we were on holiday and did the BBMF tour. The planes are in spotless condition and make you realise how brave the pilots were to go up in them over occupied territory night after night (especially the bomber crews). I love engines of all sorts and the Merlin in particular, it's fantastic that Rolls-Royce were able to keep improving the Merlin into the Griffon all the way through the war. When we were there we saw the Lancaster and Spitfires flying on a summer evening which was a real hair on the neck standing up moment.
Regards Jim.

[al_kaholik]

Re: Planes etc.

Thanks for all the comments.

As mentioned it's home for me, every weekend of the summer tranquil country life was shattered by the booming Merlin engines overhead as the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster tore through the sky. It's a distinctive and evocative sound.

I did take some more shots of the supercharger assembly, art in technology and incredible to think how engineering was done back then, interestingly the visit was through work and with the old A stock on the Metropolitan line there were some parallels of engineering and the maintenance of such old pieces of equipment.

Lancaster average lifespan was 16 flying hours in the war and they were built with the expected life span to be 40 hours! Of the thousands built there are two still flying and KC-A has now clocked over 1500 hours. Incredible and humbling.

Some of the stories I could not do justice telling. I will however inform you that 'tail end Charlie' was most vulnerable and often the first to be attacked. Because of this and the crew's dedication, they often requested all the glazing to be removed from the rear turret so that they could see the enemy coming sooner; think demisting/deicing your car... So they would fly a sortie all the way from UK airspace in a turret with no glazing with wind chill for the remainder of the flight wearing clothing which offered little protection from the elements to protect the rest of the crew the best they could.

There was some talk of how the Typhoon has evolved eight years down its evolution time line in six months as a result of deployment to Libya. The aircraft was purchased for a very different role and had been adapted to meet the needs of the changing political involvement of the armed forces using it. It is slender and highly advanced but continually being upgraded and improved upon.

I'm pleased people have enjoyed the dramatic tone photos, as I mentioned I do get it now.

Jim, the boys at BBMF in sure would love to hear from you. All the staff are hugely passionate and dedicated to keeping these beauties on the air. Best include a roll of lock wire with the letter

[Jim Ford]

Re: Planes etc.

Jim, the boys at BBMF in sure would love to hear from you. All the staff are hugely passionate and dedicated to keeping these beauties on the air. Best include a roll of lock wire with the letter

I'm not familiar with the RR Merlin - it's just that the unlocked nuts 'leapt' out at me from habit!

I worked at Rolls-Royce sort of by default. I served my apprenticeship with The De-Havilland Engine Company, which through a series of mergers ended up as Rolls Royce (for the worse!). I worked mainly on gas turbine helicopter engines, but also a bit on the De-Havilland line of civil piston engines (the 'Gypsy' series).

Although plagued by teething problems, I always admired the mighty Napier Sabre - the ultimate high performance piston engine. It was a shame Napiers went, they produced some fine and innovative engines. Same with Bristol Engines.

Jim

[StephenL]

Re: Planes etc.

A fascinating set!

[Wee man]

Re: Planes etc.

One of our last surviving tail end Charlie's lives close to my brother in law and talking with him really makes you sit up and think when you hear things which he took for granted. Only in September did he get awarded a medal linked to his duties, his first words were for his pals who never made it back!

[Willom]

Re: Planes etc.

One of my favourite subjects for photography is machinary, especially engines, as good engineering is often very artistic. Lucky you for having the opprtunity to get close to the Griffon.

Although plagued by teething problems, I always admired the mighty Napier Sabre - the ultimate high performance piston engine.

My Dad often took me to VSCC races at Silverstone, my favourite car was the Napier-Bentley which has a 24l Napier Sea Lion engine. Although not quite in the same league as the Sabre it was always a sight and sound to behold.

Will

[Greytop]

Re: Planes etc.

A really interesting bunch of shots there, thanks for posting.
I like the moody art filter shots

I hope you don't mind but one small 'anoraky' comment, the image titled Spitfire is actually a Hurricane Mk IIC, PZ865 I believe

[al_kaholik]

Re: Planes etc.

Thanks Huw