Midland Air Museum

had a look and rather embarrassed to say i didnt take any pictures on that level sorry mate !!

No problem mate. I'm rather embarrassed that I forgot to ask our friendly FAA chap about the Beaufighter cockpit and Typhoon front end!

Nice ones Terry.

Thanks Andy. Here's another batch.
Moving outside, into the very changeable weather, and some of the larger exhibits.
PICS 1 to 3. The Armstrong Whitworth Argosy, an aircraft that I have a special affinity with, having completed my 'Para' course on this type, 40 years ago exactly, and a type from which I subsequently made a number of jumps, day and night. This is a large (for the time) twin-boomed transport, powered by four Rolls Royce turbo-props, which earned it the nickname 'Whistling Wheelbarow'. The civilian version, shown here, was a pure freighter, with large, bulbous doors at nose and tail, which swung open to one side, allowing 'straight-through' loading/unloading, a sort of predecessor to the maritime equivalent of 'Roll on Roll Off'.
The military version had a fixed nose, with a bulbous radome centrally placed, giving it the obvious nickname of 'Flying T*t'. The tail hatch opened with a lower ramp and upper door, rather like the C-130, allowing the dropping of heavy loads such as vehicles, whilst paratrooping doors were situated on each side, at the rear.
Curiously, the civilian freighter had a bare, unlined interior, whilst the military version had padded and fully lined and coloured wall cladding in the main hold.
PICS 4 and 5. Reached by a vertical, retractable ladder, the flight deck is way above ground, 'suspended' over the cargo hold, and accommodated the pilot, co-pilot, navigator/radio op, and flight engineer. Our friendly guide opened this especially or us. Mick is seen here trying to figure out if we can get away with it without anyone noticing!
PICS 6 and 7. Still on board the Argosy, with Karl doing his 'Wir gegen bomben England' impersonation, and me reliving the parachute exit technique! (the doors on the military version opened inwards.)
PIC 8. The beautiful Hawker Hunter F6. This one has live electrics, and the cockpit can be accessed in better weather. It is actually on loan from the USAAF !
PIC 9. The diminutive Hawker Sea Hawk carrier-borne fighter, with the Hawker design influence clearly visible.
PIC 10. A.W. Sea Vixen.
PICS 11 and 12. This Fairey Gannet (trainer version) is about to be prepared for re-painting, after a long hunt for the correct 'Aluminium' paint.

Thanks again for your interest, and I'll post another batch tomorrow.

More great stuff. Question: how does the turboprop on the Argosy work with the rear of the engine stuck in the boom? i.e where's the exhaust?

Thanks Andy. The exhausts are similar on all the engines, and like the Viscount - they are located on the rear of the engine housing, at the side or underside. You can just see them on this military Argosy at Cosford, on the starboard engines, above the Percival Provost.
The booms actually extend from the mid chord of the wing, blending forwards into the engine nacelles, so no different really to a 'normal' set up.

Thanks Terry.

A little later than intended, but here's the next batch.
PICS 1 to 6. The Hind helicopter, and some interior and cockpit shots. Again, this was opened up especially for us. The rotor blades were removed to prevent the aircraft being lifted by wind. Karl and I both felt a little strange looking around this beast, knowing that, not that many years ago, it would have been a type we would have been hiding from, if a conflict between East and West had kicked off!
PIC 7 , Former Royal Danish Air Force Starfighter.
PICS 8 and 9. F-86A Sabre, recently handed over by the IWM, and ready for re-paint.
PICS 10 to 12. F-4 Phantom, an actual Vietnam veteran with a MiG to its credit.

I'll post some more very soon.

Real nice pics Terry!

Thanks Wayne. I'll post another batch soon.

Beauties Terry.

good stuff Terry, where we going next ???

got to pick better weather next time though !

How about Mick and I come up your way, go to Sunderland, then on to the Museum of Flight at East Fortune? Overnight stay for us for Sunderland, then all three of us overnight in Jockanese land. Next spring, of course - during those four days when we have a pretend summer!!
Also want to do East Kirkby again, and some of the Norfolk and Suffolk stuff (as in Gary and Tony's thread).

sounds like a plan, can sort out cheap rates at my place and its only 400yds from A1 and 20 miles from soondaland !

Sounds good. We'll sort something in the New year then !

Good shots Terry!

Thanks Hugh. Sorting the next couple of batches, and hope to post some more sometime tomorrow.