12 Gun Hurricane - reprise

[timmo]

Markus - like Beau, you've asked the wrong person!! I never counted, but thought that we had some 11 secs at 1100 rps. Spurred to search evidence, I see conflicting figures. One suggests 333 rpg. Again, I was taught good firing range but never why - ie weight of fire. Again, I was never taught how much it took to get a kill on various e/a.

Beau - not nagging - just thought I might have failed you! Well I have, really.
Although I ran a 'Weapon Development Unit', I was sadly lacking in awareness of the job in hand. Also, we did not do comparative tests between Marks, flying 9 types in 3 days, as I once did, one just accepted their characteristics without critical comment. The XIV's weight 'aggressiveness' was simply the engine. So different to the sweetness of the Merlin. (I'm told by my romantic Wife that when Merlin died, he said he would be back when we needed him!!)

I find it very difficult to re-examine life in the past for 2 reasons:
1. Naivity at the time - too young for my age.
2. Short term memory.

Sad, isn't it!!

= Tim

PS I really had to struggle to serve this up for a friend.......John Elkington Journal / Blog 1 FEB 10

 

[beaupower32]

Thanks for the insight, all this is really intresting.

 

[timmo]

Meant to say - in passing - called in at Charleston AFB en route Christmas Island for our first H Bomb trials in '57.

Thanks for the steak!!
= Tim

 

[beaupower32]

Glade you like the steak. What were yall doing for the H-Bomb trials?

 

[timshatz]

Tim, thanks for the info. Pretty good stuff. Always thought the early marks of the Spitfire were probably the best flyers. They looked a lot more balanced. Then, as the engine power and aircraft weight went up, the easy flying characteristics were replaced with power. The early ones were also the prettiest (IMHO).

Always liked the Hurricane too. Seemed easiest to fly, even easier than the early Spits.

 

[timmo]

You're welcome, Tim.

Monsieur Beau -

1. Weather recce - setting up a pattern of weather.
2. Installing Microbarographs in the islands.
3. Shipping recce - warning shipping.
4. Bomb photography - b/w still - like this - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/photo04/RAF2/xmasis.jpg colour cine.

Flying Shackletons - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/photo04/RAF2/shack-1.jpg

It never rained in Xmas Is - until we got there - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/photo04/RAF2/xmas4.jpg

= Tim

 

[vikingBerserker]

Very cool!

 

[beaupower32]

Cool, Im really enjoying the experiences your sharing with us.

 

[Wildcat]

Agreed! It's an honour to have you on board Tim! I see you flew my favourite aircraft of WWII, the mighty Vengeance! Did you fly in in combat, or was it simply a squadron hack?

 

[timmo]

Another apology! So sorry, Wildcat - lost the link.

Vengeance? No. Used it mainly as a comms a/c (in India in '44) for bringing the Parry's Gin in!

= Tim

 

[Wildcat]

Thanks for the reply Tim, seems the vengeance was put to good use! What was she like to fly mate? I would love to hear your impressions of the beast.