Post amazingly cool pictures of aircraft (Volume 2)

[DJFish]

MB140 said:

Friend of mine who I still work with today spend years on the Canberra PR9. I remember him telling me of a story that happened many years ago where they were operating remotely and got extended.

The Canberra used a starting cartridge. These things were bloody lethal. Once ignited they produced there own oxygen and a Byproduct was cyanide gas. When starting you had to stand upwind.

Anyway they were transporting a set of starter cartridges when one ignited. They all abandoned the wagon and called the fire brigade.

Unfortunately these things self ignite and produce oxygen so are impossible to put out. Apparently the people there all just stood and watched as it melted the wagon and the road.

I’m not saying it’s true, it’s probably one of those urban myths you hear of. A bit like the English electric lightning that went and did a circuit with an engineer at the controls (only that one is true (apparently).

Amazing that the Canberra first flew in 1949 and is still going (albeit a licence built version on new wings).


(Thanks Wikipedia)

[Eric Mc]

NASA operates three of these . They had operated two for many years but a couple of years ago they resurrected a third one from the Davis Monthan storage facility and returned it to flight.

[MB140]

eccles said:

MB140 said:

I believe there was also a valiant that went for a small flight during a ground run demonstration. Thankfully one onboard was actually a pilot and put it back down pretty sharpish.

Are you thinking of the Victor at Bruntingthorpe a few years ago?

Yep that would be it. Too many v too choose from lol. There is video footage on YouTube somewhere.

[NDA]

FourWheelDrift said:

NDA said:

What is the pilot doing in there that he couldn't do from elsewhere?

Navigators hole and what dirty little things they got up to in there - https://youtu.be/ofeJ5phFhDk?t=87

Very interesting - thanks.

[Escapegoat]

Eric Mc said:

NASA operates three of these . They had operated two for many years but a couple of years ago they resurrected a third one from the Davis Monthan storage facility and returned it to flight.

Interesting. What can they provide to NASA that a more modern aircraft cannot?

[MB140]

Escapegoat said:

Eric Mc said:

NASA operates three of these . They had operated two for many years but a couple of years ago they resurrected a third one from the Davis Monthan storage facility and returned it to flight.

Interesting. What can they provide to NASA that a more modern aircraft cannot?

I would imagine high altitude research around 70,000 ft. They go pretty high although you would have thought they have U2 for that if they really wanted it.

Other than that no clue. Maybe someone else could elaborate.

[MartG]

Escapegoat said:

Eric Mc said:

NASA operates three of these . They had operated two for many years but a couple of years ago they resurrected a third one from the Davis Monthan storage facility and returned it to flight.

Interesting. What can they provide to NASA that a more modern aircraft cannot?

Cost of continuing to fly them is way lower than developing a new aircraft which could perform the mission

[irocfan]

MB140 said:

Escapegoat said:

Eric Mc said:

NASA operates three of these . They had operated two for many years but a couple of years ago they resurrected a third one from the Davis Monthan storage facility and returned it to flight.

Interesting. What can they provide to NASA that a more modern aircraft cannot?

I would imagine high altitude research around 70,000 ft. They go pretty high although you would have thought they have U2 for that if they really wanted it.

Other than that no clue. Maybe someone else could elaborate.

U2 is a bit harder to fly (take off/landing)?

[FourWheelDrift]

U2s can't carry the same weight or size of equipment that the Canberra can at the same altitudes.

[Escapegoat]

FourWheelDrift said:

U2s can't carry the same weight or size of equipment that the Canberra can at the same altitudes.

Interesting. I'd have guessed that there was an equivalent role (or at least a role with sufficient overlap) that was covered by the USA's home-grown aircraft.

[MB140]

irocfan said:

MB140 said:

Escapegoat said:

Eric Mc said:

NASA operates three of these . They had operated two for many years but a couple of years ago they resurrected a third one from the Davis Monthan storage facility and returned it to flight.

Interesting. What can they provide to NASA that a more modern aircraft cannot?

I would imagine high altitude research around 70,000 ft. They go pretty high although you would have thought they have U2 for that if they really wanted it.

Other than that no clue. Maybe someone else could elaborate.

U2 is a bit harder to fly (take off/landing)?

Yep I had the privilege of riding in the chase car BMW M3 when one came in to land. They literally hook the dolly wheel on to the wing before it falls over. Mind you it will stay upright with aileron authority down to about 30 mph. By which point you have to have the dolly clipped on or it has to use the car or go around.

[Eric Mc]

Escapegoat said:

FourWheelDrift said:

U2s can't carry the same weight or size of equipment that the Canberra can at the same altitudes.

Interesting. I'd have guessed that there was an equivalent role (or at least a role with sufficient overlap) that was covered by the USA's home-grown aircraft.

NASA has used U2s as well. I reckon it depends on what is available at the moment and the costs involved in refurbishing and operating the aircraft.

[Ayahuasca]

This should really be in a ’pics of planes I am glad I am not going on’ thread.

An old Venezuelan 737 that looks like it could still be on its original tyres let alone everything else. Don’t see many low bypass first generation turbofans these days.

[Eric Mc]

There are still quite av few MD80/90 family airliners around - although gradually diminishing.

[FourWheelDrift]

Ayahuasca said:

This should really be in a ’pics of planes I am glad I am not going on’ thread.

An old Venezuelan 737 that looks like it could still be on its original tyres let alone everything else. Don’t see many low bypass first generation turbofans these days.

Venezuela seems to be where most end up - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Boeing_737_o...

[MartG]

[Opel-GT]

[Ayahuasca]

[yellowjack]

Ayahuasca said:

Operation Manna?

[Dr Jekyll]

Apparently it flies pretty well