Post amazingly cool pictures of aircraft (Volume 3)

[Writhing]

Please excuse the quality as pics were taken on a potato phone. This is Airforce 1 flying over Thurston, Suffolk at 1931 yesterday.

[Writhing]

Or it would be if the pics had uploaded.

[Ayahuasca]

[Yertis]

Ayahuasca said:

I'm guessing (hoping) that perspective is at play there, and he's not that low...

[Eric Mc]

I think he is. Probably shot during the Falklands' War.

[Ayahuasca]

I believe taken from a ship during the Falklands war, the Sea Harrier seems to be missing a Sidewinder so perhaps returning from a scrap.

[FourWheelDrift]

Yertis said:

Ayahuasca said:

I'm guessing (hoping) that perspective is at play there, and he's not that low...

I think it's this high up, line of sea level directly below. (level though, not going down a bit like my terrible line)

[Eric Mc]

How do you work that out?

[RizzoTheRat]

I love this one by a USAF photographer at an airshow the other day

[FourWheelDrift]

Eric Mc said:

How do you work that out?

I used my eyes.

[Eric Mc]

FourWheelDrift said:

Eric Mc said:

How do you work that out?

I used my eyes.

OK.

So no triangulation or any other recognised technique.

Fair enough.

I assume that the picture was taken by a crewman standing on the deck of a ship - most likely Hermes or Invincible. You could use a fairly scientific technique knowing the height of the deck above the water - although calculating if the ship was on top of a wave crest or in a trough would affect the height of the deck above sea level. Knowing the height of the cameraman might also help.

[Trevatanus]

Yertis said:

Ayahuasca said:

I'm guessing (hoping) that perspective is at play there, and he's not that low...

A bit like my post from 22nd May of the F35

[Ayahuasca]

Trevatanus said:

Yertis said:

Ayahuasca said:

I'm guessing (hoping) that perspective is at play there, and he's not that low...

A bit like my post from 22nd May of the F35

The maximum height the Harrier pic could be taken from is about 30m being (I believe) the approximate height of HMS Invincible / Hermes's bridge. If it was taken from the deck it would have been a lot lower maybe 20m. The Harrier is about 14m long and its wingspan is about 7m. I am guessing it was about 40m from the camera. I would guess it is something like a fuselage length high. Half a fuselage length high if taken from the deck.

[Eric Mc]

Sounds plausible - so pretty low then.

[mylesmcd]

often wondered if the % water in the air would effect the air intakes at that level much....

[naturals]

mylesmcd said:

often wondered if the % water in the air would effect the air intakes at that level much....

I'm no meteorologist or physicist, but I'd imagine it'd be a fraction of the water you get flying through a cloud or a rain shower. Some engines have igniters that you can turn on to guarantee combustion in these circumstances. I think I've used them once - certainly civvy jet engines can take a load of abuse and not miss a beat.

[LP12]

naturals said:

Some engines have igniters that you can turn on to guarantee combustion in these circumstances.

The igniters (or continuous ignition) aren't there to combat moisture per sé, but icing - generally in the reagion of +5 to -2 C in visible precipitation.

[RizzoTheRat]

Older engines like the Pegasus use really basic fuel injectors that are incredibly stable. I think the issue with water/ humidity is more with the compressor, and in the case of salt water, deposits on the blades.

[naturals]

LP12 said:

The igniters (or continuous ignition) aren't there to combat moisture per sé, but icing - generally in the reagion of +5 to -2 C in visible precipitation.

I've no idea of the specific reasons but our SOP is to turn it on during heavy turbulence (even with no moisture visible) and during heavy rain (any air temperature).

[Jake899]

Judging from the colour, it looks to be an 809 squadron cab. These were split between Hermes and Invincible as combat replacements.
The Pegasus had a very interesting fuelling system, I can recommend a read of Pegasus: Heart of the Harrier, a wonderfully written book about the engine development. Over it's service, the thrust almost tripled. Amazing considering the diameter of the engine couldn't change, and though the length increased, the centre of thrust was always able to be maintained. The injectors pointed forwards into the airflow rather than back into the engine, this atomised the fuel more efficiently and kept the heat in the combustion chamber evenly distributed. It was one of the first turbines to have this feature.