Merlin Air Day at Rolls Royce Hucknall

[mybrainhurts]

Saw this in my local rag last night, so went to investigate today.

Rolls Royce's Hucknall airfield is close to the M1, between J26 and 27.

It has all the makings of a nice little gathering, with lots of car exhibits, a nutter with a Rolls Royce Meteor on a trailer and a handful of aircraft displaying.

The Meteor was glorious when it ran, P51 display superb, but the BBMF Spitfire and Hurricane didn't make it because it was too windy to leave Coningsby....good job it wasn't windy in 1940.

I reckon this could grow into a nice event for those who live not too far away.

[Eric Mc]

The problem weith the wind affecting the BoBMF Spitfires and Hurricanes is that they fly off a concrete runway at Conningsby. Powerful tailwheel aircraft were designed for operations from grass where they are far less prone to the effects of crosswinds.

[Balmoral Green]

Damn, I wish I'd known about this, it's not that far from me.

[GTIR]

Are Simply Red playing?

[PimpmyHotwheels]

Was that in Nottingham?

[Famous Graham]

There aren't many things that make me regret moving to Edinburgh.

But this is one of them. And Duxford. And RIAT.

And Thruxton...and Goodwood...argh!

[sebhaque]

Along the same lines, R-R Bristol are holding a "Families Day" on the 3rd July with many interesting aerospace dealios. I work on site so I may be in the know about tickets....

[Six Fiend]

sebhaque said:

Along the same lines, R-R Bristol are holding a "Families Day" on the 3rd July with many interesting aerospace dealios. I work on site so I may be in the know about tickets....

I have some plane buffs a work (we're in and out of RR every day on jobs). Any info would be much appreciated...

[OllyHill]

I was at this too - you got some much better pics than I did - good afternoon out, just a pity not too many people flew in thanks to the gusts.

[sebhaque]

Six Fiend said:

sebhaque said:

Along the same lines, R-R Bristol are holding a "Families Day" on the 3rd July with many interesting aerospace dealios. I work on site so I may be in the know about tickets....

I have some plane buffs a work (we're in and out of RR every day on jobs). Any info would be much appreciated...

I'll pick up one of the leaflets at work tomorrow and let you know. I left mine at my parents' house in London - doh!

[King Herald]

mybrainhurts said:

The Meteor was glorious when it ran, P51 display superb,

I saw one similar to this at Weston Hall a year or two back, sounded wonderful.

But it begs the question: why not put it into a vehicle instead of on a trailer?

Even if they trailered the vehicle there it would be better.

[mybrainhurts]

King Herald said:

But it begs the question: why not put it into a vehicle instead of on a trailer?

You do know that's the fastest trailer in the world, don't you...?

[King Herald]

mybrainhurts said:

King Herald said:

But it begs the question: why not put it into a vehicle instead of on a trailer?

You do know that's the fastest trailer in the world, don't you...?

The one I saw at Weston Park had a mahoosive prop on it, and when I fired up I was waiting for him to start scooting off across the grass like some giant hydroplane.

[aeropilot]

Eric Mc said:

The problem weith the wind affecting the BoBMF Spitfires and Hurricanes is that they fly off a concrete runway at Conningsby. Powerful tailwheel aircraft were designed for operations from grass where they are far less prone to the effects of crosswinds.

Because on an old RAF grass airfield such as at the old RAF Hawkinge before they built on it some years back you simply pointed the aircraft into the wind from which ever direction it was coming from, and then opened the taps and roared/bounced across the grass.

[davepoth]

aeropilot said:

Eric Mc said:

The problem weith the wind affecting the BoBMF Spitfires and Hurricanes is that they fly off a concrete runway at Conningsby. Powerful tailwheel aircraft were designed for operations from grass where they are far less prone to the effects of crosswinds.

Because on an old RAF grass airfield such as at the old RAF Hawkinge before they built on it some years back you simply pointed the aircraft into the wind from which ever direction it was coming from, and then opened the taps and roared/bounced across the grass.

True enough. When I was an extra in the stupid British bit in the stupid film Pearl Harbor, I got to have a bit of a chat with the Spitfire pilots there. They had had to change the filming because the wind had swung around, and they couldn't take off unless the wind was near-enough head on.