The Motormouse Xmas quiz 2006

TobyV · Post by **TobyV** » 20 Dec 2006, 21:27

Ben Watson wrote:Come on Pete... put us out of our Misery... I certainly can't find any more out about who crewed the Vulcan a Farnborough.

Ah, if only I had my copy of "The Vulcan Story" by Tim Laming

Chris558 · Post by **Chris558** » 20 Dec 2006, 23:01

Q.10 - I believe was the Sycamore.

AllanL · Post by **AllanL** » 23 Dec 2006, 00:41

Q8. Flight from Croydon to Paris, then train to Marseilles to board the P&O service to Alexandria, then train to Cairo and back in an aerial carriage to Karachi. (You could probably get a charabang from the Imperial offices in Victoria to Croydon as well)

Post by **Bridon Bear** » 23 Dec 2006, 11:30

I think Q4 is maybe a 'trick question'....as far as I know, the Vulcan at that time was only fitted with one seat as Despatch Dragon rightly says for 'Roly Falk'.

In this respect it could be considered as a 'Single Seater'........is this the answer we are looking for?

Regards.

BrianG

Post by **TSR2** » 23 Dec 2006, 18:25

Hi BB I found an article on the web that mentioned Mike Webber was on board for one of the flights, and I have a cockpit shot somewhere which shows two seats on the flightdeck, (although probably no other seats down below)

Post by **Bridon Bear** » 23 Dec 2006, 19:12

Hi Ben....that's the thing with these events, conflicting reports in print and on the web. I have 3 different Vulcan titles here and the one that I gleaned the most information from was 'Avro Vulcan' by Robert Jackson. I rechecked the text quoted allegedly from Roly Falk himself and his report is quite conclusive that there was only one seat fitted in the prototype VX770 at the start with no pressurisation restricting the maiden flight to 10,000 ft. This was acheived on 30th August 1953 where during the flight some U/C fairings had come adrift. The display very soon after (where he did a climbing roll... :shock: ) at Farnborough prevented landings for security purposes and after 5 displays accompanied by the famed Avro 707's, the aircraft was grounded for a few weeks where the main U/C fairings were strengthened, some repositioning of cockpit instruments, pressurisation and the fitting of a second ejection seat.

The only mention of another crew member by Roly in his narrative is to Squadron Leader Charles C Calder (who in March 1945 had captained the first Lancaster to drop the 22,000lb Grand Slam on an enemy target) who first flew in the Vulcan after joining Avro as second test pilot on February 18th 1953.

As mentioned above...what we see in print cannot be taken as 'Gospel' but there we go....perhaps someone else can confirm or deny what the true answer is her....Motormouse...'Where for art you?

Regards.

BrianG :Christmas:

Post by **TSR2** » 23 Dec 2006, 19:27

Sounds like another book I should add to my collection Brian!

My pictures must be from early '53 then. :think:

Post by **DaveB** » 23 Dec 2006, 20:28

Have a look here... http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepage ... lkhist.htm

I corresponded a few times with John, the son, last year.. maybe the year before when we were both bidding for Avro707 pictures!! He was kind enough (after winning the bid) to send me copies of the shots plus scanned pages from a rare Avro707 flight manual

Check out his family history!! :shock:

Surprising who you meet on the internet!

ATB

DaveB :tab:

Post by **Bridon Bear** » 23 Dec 2006, 20:41

Interesting that Dave....the reference to 'reduced complexity' and 'no apparent neccesity for more than a crew of one on early flights' seem to bear out that there was only Roly on board for the Farnborough flight...

All we need now is Motormouse to let us know what the Q4 answer is that he is actually looking for......

Regards.

BrianG :Christmas:

Motormouse · Post by **Motormouse** » 24 Dec 2006, 18:35

Ok guys its' time to put you out of your misery....sorry been working (foggy) nightshifts...anyway without further ado..

Q4..the answer is only Roly Falk, it was indeed flown as a single seater, proof you don't need all those extra crew eh!

Q8..well two of you got the answer in a roundabout way..the first time
it was 'flown' the passengers spent more time and travelled more distance on trains and other means of travel than the plane. This was because the necessary entry and overflight permissions for British aircraft hadn't been granted yet.

Q10..Bristol Sycamore

ttfn

Pete