Fantasy Airshow

[Eric Mc]

JonChalk said:

Simpo Two said:

JonChalk said:

Messerschmitt Me 163

The only ever rocket-powered plane to fly....

What about the Bell X series? Though they were air launched.

True, though a touch difficult to see at their normal operating altitude

I probably should have been a bit more accurate - only ever rocket-powered war plane (or commercial plane) to see service...

There have been quite a few rocket powered aircraft over the years. The nature of rockets (short period of thrust provided) only ever makes them useful for experimental or thrust assist purposes.

[Eric Mc]

take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey said:

Always liked the weird and experimental stuff


Bell X-15... In fact an x plane airshow would be amazing.

Do you mean this -




or this -



The top picture is the North American X-15 and the bottom picture is the Bell XV-15

[LukeBrown66]

Rockets are indeed very simple, but also very very dangerous. Imagine flying the 166 Komet, those men were impossibly brave when you factor in the landing situation.

[CanAm]

wolfracesonic said:

JonChalk said:

Equus said:

The Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka, saw operational service too.
.

Had to google that - never heard of it - more like a one-shot human-guided missile, but you're right.

You probably wouldn’t want to see one at an air show though! ‘Oh, he’s not going to land at that speed is he...?’

At least the Natter apparently flew well as a glider. And as it was designed for the pilot to “eject” and land by parachute at least they wouldn’t have had to land with the notoriously explosive fuel (C-Stoff and T-Stoff) left in the tanks like the Komet.

[take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey]

Eric Mc said:

Do you mean this -




or this -



The top picture is the North American X-15 and the bottom picture is the Bell XV-15

The North American... I'd got Bell in my head from searching for the Avrocar... I'd erroneously recalled it was a bell project - searching for Bell Flying Saucer as I couldn't remember any of the details at all.

Some coincidence that Bell did have an x(v) -15 though.

[Eric Mc]

Yes - the numbering system inadvertently ended up with two "15s" being used - although many years apart.

As far as rocket planes are concerned, Bell built various permutations of the X-1 (X-1, X-1A/B/D and E) and the ill-fated X-2.

North American only ever built the one rocket research aircraft, the X-15 - although you could argue that the Space Shuttle was only ever a research vehicle.

[Yertis]

Back in the realms of what might realistically be possible, and noting that I replied to this thread last time, I'd like to see the Collins Foundation F4, the Norwegian F104, and the Swedish Viggen and Draken. Pakistan could bring a Mirage 111, India could bring a Jaguar. Croatia – MiG 21. Iran – Grumman Tomcat (I accept that that is practically possible, but not realistically so).

[Equus]

CanAm said:

t least the Natter apparently flew well as a glider.

So did the Komet... indeed, in the realms of 'realistic' fantasy air shows,, I believe there's one (a replica) still flying as such: LINK

[Eric Mc]

Yes - the 163 grew out of tailless glider designs created by Dr Alexander Lippisch. It was a good glider - and handled quite well. The problem was its powerplant.

I've never heard of anybody conducting gliding tests using the Natter. If anybody could provide a link I would be interested to read about such trials.

[conkerman]

And to close out have a thunderscreech do a flypast/fast taxi, to clear the place out quickly.

[take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey]

conkerman said:

And to close out have a thunderscreech do a flypast/fast taxi, to clear the place out quickly.

Tu-95 at treetop height would work too.

[Eric Mc]

Plenty of Tu-95s still about.

[rev-erend]

EE Lightning.

Used to get on a bus from Cheam to Biggin Hill in Kent to go to the airshow, aged 14 on my own
and was amazed with the sight and sound of the Lightning.

Guess kids don't do this these days.

[Yertis]

Did anyone else read 'Thunder and Lightnings' by Jan Mark? I read it when I was about 9 or 10, it was quite reassuring to learn I wasn't the only boy who stood about staring into the sky. Just remembered I still have it on the shelf here.



A more robust attitude to symbolism in those days.

[lufbramatt]

Yertis said:

Did anyone else read 'Thunder and Lightnings' by Jan Mark? I read it when I was about 9 or 10, it was quite reassuring to learn I wasn't the only boy who stood about staring into the sky. Just remembered I still have it on the shelf here.



A more robust attitude to symbolism in those days.

Yep, remember reading that when I was in year 4 and doing a book report about it IIRC it was about the Lightnings being replaced with Jaguars?

I'll have to get hold of a copy of that to read with my lad.

[Dr Jekyll]

lufbramatt said:

Yep, remember reading that when I was in year 4 and doing a book report about it IIRC it was about the Lightnings being replaced with Jaguars?

I'll have to get hold of a copy of that to read with my lad.

More a case of Jaguars replacing Phantoms so releasing Phantoms to replace Lightnings.

[lufbramatt]

Dr Jekyll said:

lufbramatt said:

Yep, remember reading that when I was in year 4 and doing a book report about it IIRC it was about the Lightnings being replaced with Jaguars?

I'll have to get hold of a copy of that to read with my lad.

More a case of Jaguars replacing Phantoms so releasing Phantoms to replace Lightnings.

I'm only remembering the book which was based around Coltishall

according to wiki:

"The last Lightnings left Coltishall in September 1974 when No. 266 OCU departed.[6]
The Lightnings were replaced by the Anglo-French SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1, with the first Jaguar unit, No. 54 (F) Squadron, arriving at Coltishall on 8 August 1974"

[CanAm]

Eric Mc said:

Yes - the 163 grew out of tailless glider designs created by Dr Alexander Lippisch. It was a good glider - and handled quite well. The problem was its powerplant.

I've never heard of anybody conducting gliding tests using the Natter. If anybody could provide a link I would be interested to read about such trials.

There's not much, but it's mentioned here:- https://www.military-history.org/back-to-the-drawi...

[Yertis]

lufbramatt said:

I'm only remembering the book which was based around Coltishall

according to wiki:

"The last Lightnings left Coltishall in September 1974 when No. 266 OCU departed.[6]
The Lightnings were replaced by the Anglo-French SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1, with the first Jaguar unit, No. 54 (F) Squadron, arriving at Coltishall on 8 August 1974"

Yes that's exactly what it's about.

[Eric Mc]

CanAm said:

Eric Mc said:

Yes - the 163 grew out of tailless glider designs created by Dr Alexander Lippisch. It was a good glider - and handled quite well. The problem was its powerplant.

I've never heard of anybody conducting gliding tests using the Natter. If anybody could provide a link I would be interested to read about such trials.

There's not much, but it's mentioned here:- https://www.military-history.org/back-to-the-drawi...

I've read lots about the Natter over the years. I just hadn't read that they had been tested as gliders beforehand.