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[tonyH]

Has to be the Vulcan.

We were luck enough to be standing directly under at Naseby when the last one flew low over us, into the valley, then up the other side. The sound and the sight were awe inspiring.

Tony

[bfgstew]

My father was air engineering mechanic with Gannets on HMS Eagle.......had a few close calls with the Wyvern.....one bad landing saw the cockpit lid jettison itself down the deck and missing him by a few inches, arrestor cables snapping was another regular danger if someone was coming in a bit too eager! Luckily he lived to tell the tale, unlike the many brave soles who put their lives on the line everytime they went up.
Lest we forget

[TailUK]

Has to be the Vulcan.

We were luck enough to be standing directly under at Naseby when the last one flew low over us, into the valley, then up the other side. The sound and the sight were awe inspiring.

Tony

I saw the Vulcan on one of her last flight but nearly didn't recognise her.  I was viewing directly at the starboard wingtip so the big delta was invisible.  The aeroplane looked like something out of Thunderbirds from that angle.

[roycv]

Hi TonyH, I was in the RAF (radar tech, servicing the aircraft) when the Vulcans were around, so been up close and they are impressive.  And certainly so in a long row!
I was trained on the navigation radar (Green Satin / Blue Silk) they used which was also fed into the NBS bombing system.  The NBS radar weighed a third of a ton!  Not specially favoured by all of the crew as there was no way out if you were not a pilot.
I read a book that was labelled as fiction but clearly someone's crew experiences during the cold war and they were not happy with the way they were treated.
One of my friends when I was in the radio servicing flight had been a navigator (flying, Meteor NF 14's) but been re-classified to the radar trade (No.4, there were 22 trade groups then) maybe medical but do not know why.  But he was not happy with the aircrew he had been working with and I remember 'clashes'.
I remember on Green satin when the ground signal got 'lost' there would be a curt remark in Form 700, 'lost red light', response was 'found red light'.
  see  http://www.experienceproject.com/stories/Have-A-Weird-Sense-Of-Humor/1240622
In those days all the heroes were the pilots but it takes 30 Other Ranks to keep him, no hers then, up there.

I am afraid that the expressions in use in the late 1950's hopefully gone now was Officers and their ladies, NCOs and their wives and Airman and their women.  Does not encourage one, so to speak!

I spent my time on Canberras then on Vanguards and Comet 4's.  Then a happy release after 4 years, but no regrets, I had a good time.
regards Roy

[roycv]

Hi bfgstew, we had a few close calls too.  I was working on a Canberra (BI.mk.eight) out on the apron when it was being bombed up. I think it was a 250 pound bomb.  Four guys were heaving it into place onto the hard point when a screw sheared and the bomb dropped half hanging, then we saw that the arming propeller was turning quite quickly in the breeze. 
We flattened ourselves but there was no bang!  A large and very brave armourer was under the bomb holding it up and then help came and we went away rather shaken.  I think he got a M in D for that.

I also recall going out on my own to a Canberra just landed, the crew had fled!  There was smoke coming from the radar.  I got inside disconnected the smokey item and brought it back for servicing. 
A much cheaper outcome than the fire crew who were dieing to cover it in foam!  I think I got a polite round of applause though.
I also remember a night call,everyone out of bed, I was helpng the electricians putting an Atom bomb in place, the Wingco (who was one of the good guys) came by and said 'careful with that it's not a practice!'
The aircraft took off but never found out what it was all about.

Regards Roy

[Howard]

 a RAF Nimrod awacs a beautiful failure,


                 Regards Howard

[Captain Flack]

I was lucky enough to see both Gannets and Bucanneers fly from the deck of HMS. Ark Royal probably 50 years ago

[Yoshic48]

Hi there,

Now tell me, this is not the most beautiful aircraft you have set your eyes upon.   To me.....it portrays the true British Spirit; politicians that do not know what they have, and, they are influenced by the outside world - the Managers of British businesses who make a mess of every decision and destroy all the British industries....they do not seem to realise what brilliant designers and inventors we have had and still have.

Aye, the TSR2.   We had designed and built an aircraft far exceeding anything around at that time, but, what did the British Government go and do.....scrapped it...... :( .... what for,  :( :( :(

Yes your right on all that Start Vulcan my brother in Aus now worked on most of them and the TSR2 it would still beat some of the stuff they fly now but a mention on aircraft has to go to The English electric lightning Wow Power or what should be still around? even the Comet 4 was first flight about when I was born (ish) and yes the government here destroyed our aero space industry? my brother when to Australia in 1965 because No Jobs all gone and he's still there never been back although I have been over several times? on the new Double Deck 800 and what a great flight so we can still do it although others get a look in? Thanks for the thread

[tassie48]

WW2 EMILY IJN sea plane tassie48

[petermun]

Without a doubt, the Mosquito!

[xrad]

Stuck between Hughes H1 and ME262

[Martin (Admin)]

Do like a Handley Page H.P.42

..... just looks like it shouldn't be able to fly!

[Baldrick]

For me it just has to be the Mossie , nothing to beat wood and glue.

[Peter Fitness]

A great photo of an iconic aircraft


Peter.

[Howard]

Yes I agree must be a Mozzie  they must have been the first people to use lite-ply,
              Regards Howard.

[xrad]

lite ply was used 20 years before the Mosquito, in my 3rd tie for favorite, and probably the best looking worst flying design..the Albatross

[Yoshic48]

For me it just has to be the Mossie , nothing to beat wood and glue.

Well all people are different and choices are personal usually from all feelings over time?? So I have several special favourites; yes one of the top ones is the Mossie, as you say ground breaking in design, Power, for the time, sound, speed and carry weight, and even with holes in the wood its mostly came back. As I mentioned before The Lockheed English Electric Lightning, getting close and flying low or high speed, again sound, and power, straight up wow as a fighting intercepter it was one of the best? so through the ages I believe there are different ones for different times. With the whole thing living the experience, not just a good photo, hear it touch it fly in it and watch it and compare it with others in its time enjoy all of them I still get goose pimples at air shows. And I am from England and Rugby where Frank Whittle and his first jet engine was made.

[Baldrick]

  The Mossie was also top of Hermann Goring's hit list



Goering to representatives of the German aircraft industry on 13 September 1942.
"Look at the enemy.  I should really like to know what you would have said if I had given you the task two years ago of producing a fast bomber out of wood.  You would probably have asked: "How can such a thing be built of wood?"  The British are building one out of wood today.  It is naturally much less complicated, but it is fast and a constant annoyance to me.  It is quite a primitive thing, and there is not much aluminium in it, but it has such a high speed that our aircraft can only attack it from favourable positions.  God knows how happy I should have been if one of you gentlemen could have built me a wooden aircraft capable of the performance we demanded."

Goering at a conference on problems of aircraft production, on 18 March 1943,
"the British .... built a wooden aircraft at the right moment, which, moreover, is almost incredibly superior and unrivalled in speed.  Today these aircraft stooge back and forth over Germany, sometimes on reconnaissance, but at others not hesitating to carry out very heavy attacks without incurring the slightest loss."

[Baldrick]

Well all people are different and choices are personal usually from all feelings over time?? So I have several special favourites; yes one of the top ones is the Mossie, as you say ground breaking in design, Power, for the time, sound, speed and carry weight, and even with holes in the wood its mostly came back. As I mentioned before The Lockheed English Electric Lightning, getting close and flying low or high speed, again sound, and power, straight up wow as a fighting intercepter it was one of the best? so through the ages I believe there are different ones for different times. With the whole thing living the experience, not just a good photo, hear it touch it fly in it and watch it and compare it with others in its time enjoy all of them I still get goose pimples at air shows. And I am from England and Rugby where Frank Whittle and his first jet engine was made.

  In 1988 my son was stationed with No11 Lightening squadron at Binbrook and we went up there for the farewell flypast. FLYPAST ! , all operational planes (11 ) took off in close formation on full reheat into a vertical climb to reform and come back at Mach + to beat up the runway. Twas a bit noisy being downstream of 22 RR Avon engines all with the wick turned up full.
 The biggest problem my son had was with leakage from the fuel tanks, the stresses on the plane caused the tanks to leak like a colander and in the hangers they had to position trays below the wings to catch the fuel which leaked out

[GAZOU]

My prefered


attractive, handy , effective :
Air tractor AT802


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNjNGkPo9B4

[Yoshic48]

  In 1988 my son was stationed with No11 Lightening squadron at Binbrook and we went up there for the farewell flypast. FLYPAST ! , all operational planes (11 ) took off in close formation on full reheat into a vertical climb to reform and come back at Mach + to beat up the runway. Twas a bit noisy being downstream of 22 RR Avon engines all with the wick turned up full.
 The biggest problem my son had was with leakage from the fuel tanks, the stresses on the plane caused the tanks to leak like a colander and in the hangers they had to position trays below the wings to catch the fuel which leaked out

Yes I agree I could not make that last fly past, as before (Noise) Great I was at one of the many air shows at Gaydon where the Vulcan bombers 4 of them on the end of the runway at all times
in the scramble station, they used to do it as part of the air show, 4 Vulcan's off in 4 Min's, That was a sight as well, and one year the second aircrafts nose wheel collapsed at full throttle? they didn't get off that day, and I have seen a few RC (Model Vulcan's) flying plus other war birds as the saying goes, remember the film ( Flight of the Phinix) the German was a Model builder and as he said Model planes were flying awhile before the wright brothers? also fancy the government here selling our (Jet) motors so other countries could use them against us??   and the (USA) Black bird I have seen and heard well still mind blowing.

[jonggd]

Being a Hatfield man, growing up with my house at the end of the runway, I would have to say the DeHavilland Mosquito is the finest aircraft ever produced in this country. It sometimes frustrates me how we go on about the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster won the war. Great aircraft that they were, the Mossie really won the war, controversial statement I expect. But it was the most versatile and capable aircraft ever produced in WW2. Jon

[Howard]

As well as the mozzie I still have a soft spot for the Sunderland flying boat.
                          Regards Howard.

[LJ Crew]

My favorite(s) is/are the Mosquito and the Victor. The Mossie because, as a very young lad, I sat in one at Hatfield during the war. And the Victor because the prototype was built near my school in Cricklewood. It was moved to Radlet in the utmost secrecy by road on a trailer towed by steam traction engines! There are others, of course, the Vucan, that I saw on its last flight, and the DH4, which I have never seen, but was the aircraft my Dad flew in France. He was shot down, but survived!

[Martin (Admin)]