N.O.S.

I was taught engineering design by an old guy Reg Parker, who told me that he in turn was taught engineering design (in Bristol I think) by the man who, in his younger days, developed the first British synchronisation (interrupting) gear for firing a machine gun through a propeller.

The concept was developed into a practical device in 1915 by a Dutch aviation engineer Fokker from an earlier invention (whose?) which was a distinct improvement over a French pilot's method of installing bullet deflectors on the propeller blades, though it did work OK :schocked: . The British quickly copied / developed a similar system to Fokker's - perhaps this was where Reg's tutor was involved?

Now that's what I call engineering! :bow:

NO! What you have there is a Russian "Powered Track Boot" -

It's like a roller blade boot, but with a track, powered by a small 2-stroke strimmer type engine in the rear section behind the heel of the boot (see vents). I think there might be a clip of these in use on Youtube :dunno:

What you think is a gun is in fact the emergency cut-out switch.

:what:

Richard - try that link again, I've modified it and works ok now.

On a point of slightly related interest, I have just taken custody of a 9ft roll of wallpaper containing (in fairly small writing) a family tree on my mother's side, the work of a deceased aunt.

It starts with my grandfather, and ends with "Ethelred the Unready", the young king born in 968 :schocked:

And this was done in the days before computers, let alone the internet :schocked:

It was basically a lifetime's work, involving a great deal of travelling to inspect church records. Just be thankful for what information you can find out there, however frustrating it might be at times :computerterror:

The main thing is to get an approximate date of manufacture, from a body recognised by DVLA. You may well need a valuation , again from a recognised body, for insurance purposes.

The easiest way to do both of these is via your area MV group, who should have a person appointed for this task. Often they can do this by photographs, which makes life easier. There may be a nominal fee, but it goes to a good cause!!

You might also need to get the vehicle weighed, £5 at a nearby public weighbridge (lots about).

This is how I go about it.

Tony

So, more will come soon, but I don't want to clog up the thread!

 

Oh, I don't think there would be any complaints in that respect..... ;-) Thanks.

Dakman, you owe me a good night's sleep.

Couldn't get to sleep thinking about your "all in a day's work" post. I kept trying to imagine a smartly dressed TWA pilot at San Fransisco airport, struggling to turn the prop over, and it just didn't seem right.

So can you enlighten us more -

1) Was this the norm, and part of working for a small provincial airline?

2) Did you wear smart attire, or a pair of coveralls a la Insp. Dalgleish in his flying days?

3) Did you fly to destinations where there was someone to do all these checks for you, or was this a result of you flying the last of the breed, hence no ground support at all, or was it because you were flying to minor airfields where there was no support anyway?

Answers awaited with interest (before bedtime!).

Tony

Richard - I believe it's a De Dion / Bouton petrol powered machine, adapted by Simms and called the Simms Quadricycle.

Rick - I'll raise you a Davidson - Duryea 3 wheeler, same year but later.....

I've scrounged this pic from a great little book - The Illustrated History of Military Vehicles by Hogg and Weeks, 2004, found some years ago in a discount bookshop. Might still be available?

Just found another reference to this vehicle with further views, on a nice little site -

http://www.geocities.com/pentagon/quarters/1975/armcar1.htm

Worth a look sometime just to place our 'own historic' vehicles into context.

I've got back as far as 1898 with this "contraption". Isn't evolution amazing.........

Nice, very nice - like reading a book - leaves a bit to the imagination.

Whereas, Run out to the Jimmy -

Run out to the Jimmy, looking as you get near as nearly all the pre-drive checks can be done from a distance (is she sitting level, any pools of antifreeze or oil slicks underneath?), kick a few tyres as you circle around to the driver's door, open and slide up onto the bench seat, winding down window as you go, pump the gas pedal a couple of times as you tweak the choke and turn on ignition, gun the starter motor and ease back on choke as the motor splutters into life, check flies are done up and hair is tidy in rear view mirror as you wait impatiently for a little heat to get into the engine, and then engage clutch, select 2nd gear and ease the girl into motion, and - well, that's it really

(Oh yes, wonder if brakes will still be operational when you arrive at your destination) :whistle:

O.k., no comparison at all, is it!

Honey, I've shrunk the truck! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

And there's the T shirt I ordered with my overalls too........... :whistle:

 

Oh yes, and there's the T shirt I ordered with my overalls too........... :whistle:

Steve, while you are on a roll, I notice your props are only 2 blade, not 3. I assume 3 blades would not work in miniature - too much load?

1. You shouldn't have revealed this is a model :schocked:

2. I just love the oil streaking over the wing surface behind each engine - I take it this is real and not a weathered painting effect? :-D

Great pic Paul ( Sorry - Simon!!!) -

I am hoping to take a B17 flight this year, and was looking at the Collings Foundation for a flight, simply because someone had recommended them - any reasoning behind your choice of operator?

Different coloured dress. Red on right, Blue on left.

 

Well done, Pop.

Since I don't have an address for you, I'll 'pop' down the local tonight and spend the £10 wisely for you - Adnams best ok ? :whistle:

Your starter for "10"........

What was different about the 'nose art' girls on either side of the Memphis Belle?

Mark - if Jack gets heavy just remind him there are still a few overalls deliveries outstanding... :whistle: :evil:

we might have to go and see if we can find this when we are in Normandy in a couple of months time!

 

Here is another view of Montebourg - it saw heavy fighting, and apparently was eventually rebuilt exactly as it was before the destruction.

What are the left guys sitting on, is that .50cal ammo?

 

Must be, that or packed lunch boxes :-D There's another trailer full in right background too.

1st small pic on right ??

Looks to be a British vehicle, but am unsure what, at the mo,....anyone. :dunno:

 

Not so sure - when enlarged, looks to be left hand drive, has Bud wheels on front, and cab/rad/chassis boxes suggest Mack or White, or White/Ruxtall, check out p.93 in Observer's F.V. Directory (Vanderveen) :dunno:

I don't mean Bud wheels, I mean those Spigot type foreign thingies

If this thread is open to other fly posters, here's an airfield scene I picked up at a W+P stall last year - was it specially posed or just an everyday scene I wonder................

Thank you for doing that, Goran - much appreciated.

Dodges forever!

Tony

Goran -

That rework of the chaplain jeep pic is excellent.

If it does not involve too much work, is there any chance you could do the same with the first tipper picture?

Thanks,

Cheeky Tony