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spitfire

We sometimes rent a cottage just at the end of Ladybower Reservoir in Derbyshire. A couple of years ago (maybe more) two Spitfires flew over followed by two Lancasters. They were on their way back from a flying display. Amazing!
 
LadyP, there are only 2 flying Lancasters left in the world, the Memorial Flight Lancaster and one based in Canada, some time ago the Canadian one visited this country and they did fly together so you were very lucky to see a rare sight, probably will never happen again. I was fortunate enough to fly in the last Lancaster Squadron in the RAF 82 Squadron 1949 to 51 in Africa , and that is were the Memorial flight Lancaster came from. Eric
 
Astonian said:
THE BIRMINGHAM SMALL ARMS COMPANY [ BSA ] SUPPLIED LEWIS GUNS ,TO THE BRITISH ARMY.
PRODUCTION INCREASED FROM 30 GUNS PER WEEK IN 1914 TO 2,OOO PER WEEK BY 1918.
US ARMY COLONEL ISSAC NEWTON LEWIS DESIGNED THE AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN
BEST WISHES TO ONE AND ALL ALAN;; Astonian;;
Click to expand...
As someone who knows nowt about engineering, i find it fascinating how in WW1 they fired their machine guns through the propeller, & If it ever went wrong?
 
Hi Eric, yes, we were very lucky indeed. Although our 'landlady' had something to do with the luck. We have always gone into Buxton on Sunday afternoons but she popped round to say that the planes were coming over and we should stay around. We got our chairs positioned in the garden which overlooked the dam and watched the Spitfires fly up the Derwent Valley. Then came the Lancasters which flew very low over the reservoir, circled over us, back down the valley and repeated the run. Wonderful. I realise how lucky we were to see both together and as you say, this may never happen again. I shall tell my brother, who was with us at the time, that you flew with that squadron. He's due for a postcard so will write it tonight.
 
Smudger, that has also intrigued me, I thought if the timing goes wrong you shoot of your own prop, and how do they account for increased RPM of the prop when you open the throttle? Like you I have no tech knowledge so do not know the answer. Eric
 
LadyP, I should hasten to add I was not a pilot merely a wireless operator but flew over 2000 hours in the Lancaster, I loved them. Eric
 
The machine-gun synchronisation method was devised by Antony Fokker and first fitted to the Fokker E1 which surprised the British and French pilots at the time. The system was simple - the propellor hub operated a cam which triggered the firing of a round only when the propellor was horizontal during its arc. Apparently it was very reliable, and Vickers pinched it by examining shot-down and captured German aircraft. Prior to that, crude 'deflector plates' were bolted to the inside face of the propellor to deflect bullets - they went anywhere, and I've read that more than once a pilot was killed or injured by deflected bullets. I believe later systems were electrically-operated.

G
 
Dave M, Yes I read about that, I wish them all success, it will be a very lengthy and costly business, I have even made a donation !! Eric
 
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