by Nick Anderson | Jan 11, 2021 | Plane Tales
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Whether the weather be cold,
Or whether the weather be hot,
We’ll weather the weather,
Whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not!
Nowadays, however, we are blessed with more ways to get the weather than one can shake proverbial sticks at and, certainly in the world of aviation, it’s all remarkably accurate even if it’s presented in a rather archaic code. Of course even that is pretty advanced when compared with the early days!
Hippocrates
Galileo’s thermometer
Early weather forecasting equipment!
The wrecking of the Royal Charter on the Island of Anglesey
Robert Firzroy, the father of met forecasting.
Gp Capt Stagg who forecasted the weather for Operation Chastise
The US Bureau of Metrology
An early radiosonde met balloon
A decode aid for aviation forecasts
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson, NOAA, Fenners and the RAF.
by Nick Anderson | Jan 9, 2021 | Plane Tales
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The pride of the Air India fleet, their first Boeing 747 was named after the Emperor Ashoka. The first of the Maharaja-themed aircraft it epitomised luxury and was, “Your palace in the sky.” On this New Year’s day, however, its flight would last only a few seconds.
The Emperor Ashoka Boeing 747
The cockpit
The Engineer’s station.
The interior of a Maharaja-themed Air India aircraft
The famous Jharokha styled windows
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Air India PR, Oliver Cleynen, Snowdog, Mitchel Gilliand, Shahram Sharifi, Dharma and Searchtrail67.
by captjeff | Dec 26, 2020 | Plane Tales
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‘Twas the night after Christmas, when all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…
All images produced by Nick Anderson Photographic
by captjeff | Dec 19, 2020 | Plane Tales
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It’s starting to look its age, it’s frayed at the edges, wrinkled and has bits that might fall off. No, not me, my first venerable old Royal Air Force logbook. So before it comes apart completely, I think it might be time to punish you again with a few more stories from its pages.
The Westinghouse AWG 11/12 radar.
43 Sqn F4 Phantom FG1 on QRA.
Engaging a USAF EC130.
Engaging a USAF EC130.
My treasured Blue Peter badge.
The Boy Pilot, John, Ballex and Budgie… heroes of the Blue Peter Special!
The AEW Avro Shackleton.
Another Bear.
The F5 Aggressors in their distinctive Soviet camouflage.
You can’t meander around a Leander! An RN Frigate.
Hunting Jags over the wilds of Scotland.
The RAF Piddle Pack!
An RAF goon suit (aircrew Immersion Suit).
Images under Creative Commons Licence with thanks to Daderot National Electronics Museum, the Royal Air Force, UK Crown, Mike Freer of Touchdown Aviation, USAF and the US Gov.
by captjeff | Dec 12, 2020 | Plane Tales
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Many of my aviation heroes are complicated people of nuance and contradiction but not this man. As I reflect on his life, so recently ended, I remind myself of his uncompromising, direct manner but also of his enormous courage and skill that brought Charles Edward Yeager to the world’s attention.
Yeager grew up helping his father out on gas drilling rigs.
Yeager joined the Air Force as a Private and became a mechanic but he soon made his way into pilot training.
He was initially given a P39 Aeracobra to fly.
He was sent to Europe to flight, flying the P51 Mustang.
He named his own aircraft Glamorous Glen.
He qualified as an Ace in one day and then shot down a jet powered Me262.
After the war Yeager qualified as a Test Pilot.
Even as a very junior Test Pilot, Yeager was offered the chance to pilot the Bell X1.
Yeager finally took the X!, now named Glamorous Glennis, over Mach 1 becoming the first to break the sound barrier.
Yeager completed a long and successful career in the USAF.
Chuck Yeager passed away in 2020.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to SMU Central University, USAF National Museum and the USAF.
by captjeff | Dec 1, 2020 | Plane Tales
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The RAF Chinook helicopter has proved to be a versatile and determined workhorse for the British Armed services but none more so than the airframe Bravo November. This remarkable machine was the sole surviving Chinook of the Falklands war and it continued to operate in many operations in the Middle East. Even more remarkable was the bravery of it’s pilots, four of whom received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
A US Army CH47A.
An RAF Chinook.
Argentinian forces invade Stanley.
British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Government House at Port Stanley.
HMS Invincible leads the task force out of British Waters.
The Atlantic Conveyor embarking aircraft.
The Argentinian submarine Santa Fe, previously USS Catfish.
An RAF Vulcan.
The sinking of the Belgrano.
The sinking of HMS Sheffield.
The sinking of HMS Antelope.
An Argentinian Super Etendard.
The Atlantic Conveyor ablaze.
Bravo November… the last Chinook.
Commandos marching across the inhospitable terrain of the Falklands… into battle.
A 105mm howitzer.
An upgraded BN during operations in the Middle East.
BN also served in the Afghan conflict.
Bravo November continues to serve to this very day.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to the Royal Air Force, SPC Glen Anderson, the Argentine Navy, the Imperial War Museum, USN, Jefediahspringfield, Martin Sgut, Martin Otero, Royal Marines and the Ministry of Defence,
