Just picked up some interesting work

[wookie]

It's a shame that the name has already been used for a plane otherwise the "English Electric Lightning" would have been an ideal choice for an electric powered plane.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

It's a shame that the name has already been used for a plane otherwise the "English Electric Lightning" would have been an ideal choice for an electric powered plane.

They used to call that one "The Widow Maker"

 

[500e]

12\15 min flight time at up to 92 MPH a derivative of the S300



Light Experimental electric helicopter[/URL[/URL]]
Manufacturer Sikorsky[/URL] Aircraft[/URL]
Developed from Sikorsky[/URL] S-300[/URL][/ATTACH]

 

[KemppiFrog]

They used to call that one "The Widow Maker"

Think that was the Lockheed F104 Starfighter, when bought by the Belgium AF. The seats were a bit duff if you needed to get out quick. Over 100 pilots went down with their a/c when the engine quit. The Americans saw the light and fitted Martin Baker seats, but still sold their notverygoodones to the Belgium af. The Crown Prince had to retire from public life after it was found he had taken bribes over the sales.
KF

As for the Airbus one, have a look here: http://company.airbus.com/responsibility/airbus-e-fan-the-future-of-electric-aircraft.html

Nice looking bit of kit.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

It's a shame that the name has already been used for a plane otherwise the "English Electric Lightning" would have been an ideal choice for an electric powered plane.

In RAF Cosford they have the prototype which could have a choice of tails section with different position elevators.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I don't suppose the crash would any worse than a petrol engined craft that runs out of fuel or has a mechanical failure towards the end of it's long flight the only advantage at that point is the petrol version will be lighter so should glide further after the propulsion failure.

Ballistic parachute it the way to go with any small aircraft.

 

[wookie]

Ballistic parachute it the way to go with any small aircraft.

Saw a program a while ago on Quest all about the guy who thought it up and designed it and then started his own company just to make it, it was an absolutely fascinating program that explained some of the problems and how they overcome them to make the system work. The white ring in the above picture is what controls the size of the parachute as the plane decelerates so that the parachute doesn't just rip the plane apart by trying to slow it down too quickly. I can't remember entirely the story behind why he invented it but either a friend was killed in a light plane crash or he narrowly survived one himself which set him thinking.... well worth a watch.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@wookie Yes, I have a vague recollection of seeing that too. Must have been on other channels too, we can't get Quest where I am.

 

[Shox Dr]

Stopped by today. Gaffer turned up in a prototype Aeronca 6 with Verner radial fitted. 4.4ltr 7cyl

 

[Shox Dr]

Web site for the engines, http://www.vernermotor.com/

Their fb page is better, far more upto date

 

[Wallace]

Googled G-BTRG....... Link

 

[Shox Dr]

Googled G-BTRG....... Link

Thanks, I've had that much information thrown at me in the last few days, I'd forgotten I'd remembered that

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Not sure how I missed this thread, excellent news bud! Be interesting to see the end result!

 

[Shox Dr]

Not sure how I missed this thread, excellent news bud! Be interesting to see the end result!

Thanks, looks like this could be fun, fitting a verner to a Cessna tomorrow, welded up the exhausts today. It's going down to Sywell Airshow next week...on the back of a trailer with another mockup. I believe the Aeronca is flying down

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Thanks, looks like this could be fun, fitting a verner to a Cessna tomorrow, welded up the exhausts today. It's going down to Sywell Airshow next week...on the back of a trailer with another mockup. I believe the Aeronca is flying down

I have a Messerschmitt 109 on my bench at the moment, albeit a static rebuild for a private collection. It's massively fun

 

[Maker]

I have a Messerschmitt 109 on my bench at the moment, albeit a static rebuild for a private collection. It's massively fun

I used to have one of them hanging from my ceiling, it counts if it came out the Revell factory, right?

 

[Shox Dr]

What an ace week. Managed to get the Verner on the Cessna 120 (1947). Im not feeling it for the exhausts, so that's one of my first jobs when we come back is to rework them.


Found a few vidoes on youtube re the Aeronca testing.

 

[Shox Dr]

A cage in concept, waiting for stress analysis.

 

[Shox Dr]

Spent the weekend at Sywell Aerodrome for the LAA (light aircraft association) show. Good weather Friday and Saturday saw over 800 planes fly in. Myself and the Designer drove down with the display gear, the Cessna and a 3cly and 7cly verner engines while Martyn Martin flew the Aeronca down.

Thursday night, (sorry I forgot to take one once we'd setup on Friday morning)

The field starting fill up

Copy Spitefire with a V6 (I believe)

Sorry dont know what this is, good candidate for a Verner radial


Lots of interest in what is a very fierce market, especially when these engines have only been in production for 5yrs TBO is 1k/hrs, and the factory has well over that on test bed run engines without any problems.

 

[zx9]

It's a shame that the name has already been used for a plane otherwise the "English Electric Lightning" would have been an ideal choice for an electric powered plane.

And they (EEL) had a very short air time, climb, intercept and try to get back ASAP, the later ones I believe had more fuel but less armament. ( from memory of conversation after walking under the static one at Boscombe Down back in the days that I used to go to places like that)