Anzac Day 2015 - Australia & New Zealand

This is the Forum of Squadrons, Crews and Aircraft of Bomber Command & Related Luftwaffe personnel and aircraft.
User avatar
ME453
Wing Commander
Wing Commander
Posts: 719
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:37 pm
Location: Dorset but nearly Somerset and Wilts
Contact:

Re: Anzac Day 2015 - Australia & New Zealand

Post by ME453 »

Prop swinging today Adam....went down for a lesson but we agreed that it was too "lumpy" for any meaningful instruction in the air, so we had some on the ground! "Fuel on, throttle set, contact!" Hard enough work on a warm sunny day, the engine wasn't behaving itself so we had to tickle the carb a couple of times. But as you mentioned, I gained a lot of understanding about the system, throttle settings etc for differing states of engine temp which will help with my overall "feel" of the Tiger Moth. No certificate issued...but it is in my logbook!
Max
www.ordinarycrew.co.uk
Dedicated to the crew of Lancaster ME453 467 squadron
User avatar
K4KittyCrew
Air Chief Marshal (RAAF)
Air Chief Marshal (RAAF)
Posts: 3635
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:55 am
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland - Australia

Re: Anzac Day 2015 - Australia & New Zealand

Post by K4KittyCrew »

ME453 wrote:Prop swinging today Adam....went down for a lesson but we agreed that it was too "lumpy" for any meaningful instruction in the air, so we had some on the ground! "Fuel on, throttle set, contact!" Hard enough work on a warm sunny day, the engine wasn't behaving itself so we had to tickle the carb a couple of times. But as you mentioned, I gained a lot of understanding about the system, throttle settings etc for differing states of engine temp which will help with my overall "feel" of the Tiger Moth. No certificate issued...but it is in my logbook!
Max
Max, your halfway there, a few more hours like that and you may find yourself in a hanger selecting your crew! :)
Kitty
K for Kitty Crew - Winthorpe, 1661 HCU's - stirlingaircraftsoc.raf38group.org/
630 Squadron - East Kirkby
" There is nothing glorious about war with the exception of those who served us so valiantly"
kookabat
Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Posts: 150
Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2010 12:28 pm
Location: Melbourne, VIC

Re: Anzac Day 2015 - Australia & New Zealand

Post by kookabat »

That's more like it Max!

On alternatives to flying, I remember driving out to Camden one morning and cresting the hill overlooking the airfield to find it socked in by low fog (it was winter when I was doing it) that wasn't anywhere else but over the airfield. So instead of flying we taxied out and spent the first half an hour or so doing high speed taxi runs to practice keeping it straight before the tail comes up.

Then it cleared enough to take off, so we did... only to look back and discover that from the air it wasn't so clear and we'd have trouble getting back in again. So we buzzed off to play with some hot air balloons that were nearby to wait for conditions to improve for the scheduled circuit lesson.

One advantage of flying in winter (and there's not many) was that the air was normally very still in the early mornings when I would typically go out. In fact you knew it was a 'Tiger day' when the balloons were up!

Picking and choosing when you go flying based on conditions was, I suspect, a luxury that those learning to fly in Tiger Moths in wartime didn't have... but then again they weren't paying for it!! :?
Remembering the crew of 467 Sqn Lancaster LM475 PO-B Jan-May 1944
www.somethingverybig.com
User avatar
K4KittyCrew
Air Chief Marshal (RAAF)
Air Chief Marshal (RAAF)
Posts: 3635
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:55 am
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland - Australia

Re: Anzac Day 2015 - Australia & New Zealand

Post by K4KittyCrew »

kookabat wrote:That's more like it Max!

On alternatives to flying, I remember driving out to Camden one morning and cresting the hill overlooking the airfield to find it socked in by low fog (it was winter when I was doing it) that wasn't anywhere else but over the airfield. So instead of flying we taxied out and spent the first half an hour or so doing high speed taxi runs to practice keeping it straight before the tail comes up.

Then it cleared enough to take off, so we did... only to look back and discover that from the air it wasn't so clear and we'd have trouble getting back in again. So we buzzed off to play with some hot air balloons that were nearby to wait for conditions to improve for the scheduled circuit lesson.

One advantage of flying in winter (and there's not many) was that the air was normally very still in the early mornings when I would typically go out. In fact you knew it was a 'Tiger day' when the balloons were up!

Picking and choosing when you go flying based on conditions was, I suspect, a luxury that those learning to fly in Tiger Moths in wartime didn't have... but then again they weren't paying for it!! :?
Great stuff, Adam. My wife's family owned a farm which overlooked Camden Airport ( they lived at Cobbitty ) ............ and having spent many a year viewing the airport, I can relate to what you are saying.

Thanks for your input.
John
K for Kitty Crew - Winthorpe, 1661 HCU's - stirlingaircraftsoc.raf38group.org/
630 Squadron - East Kirkby
" There is nothing glorious about war with the exception of those who served us so valiantly"
Post Reply