Vanguard

[DaveB]

Hi Keith

I hate taking phots with the phone.. they never come out as I want, well.. rarely. I was trying hard not to get the darned thing wet and noticed I was taking video The long shot (shot 2) with the plate on it's own at the end.. that's your uncle's plate While the AA man was off to get the wrong bit for the car, the rain stopped and I was able to take a few shots for Garry but didn't have enough time to nip back. I will take some shots with the camera at some point.. on a better day and PM links when I've done so

The car.. well, the chap ended up going to Guildford and when he saw the part they had.. it was completely different to the one on my car I ended up upgrading to Relay (I only had roadside and home start) which cost £79 so he could bring the car home where it now sits still broken. I'll get it sorted IDC I have the new card fitted and am about to turn the other pc on so fingers crossed there

Glad you liked the shots even though they're pretty rough. It's a lovely little place.. nice and quiet.. you wouldn't know it was there unless you looked for it. I've passed it on gad knows how many occasions over the years and never popped in before. Not everyone gets a plate like that so he must have been very well thought of

ATB
DaveB

[Dev One]

DaveB,
Thanks again, but no problems as I think your phone photos very good.
Hope your car gets fixed Ok.
Yes my uncle was well known, talk to Julian Temple (if he is still there), he should be able to give you his history.....or even David Ogilvy if he frequents Brooklands.
Regards
Keith

[DaveB]

Hiya Keith

Yes.. JT is still there. He has a different title now but is still very much in evidence. I'm sure some of the Vanguard team will have known your uncle too as a couple were Vickers employees men and boy. Len Ridgway worked on everything from the Wellington to Concorde.. probably everything up to the 146 and Albert Pruden was one of the anti ice design team on the Vanguard.. specifically the wings. I don't see Len much as he's only there on a Saturday and Albert is usually in but his wife's ill so I've not seen him for a few weeks. I'll certainly ask around next time I'm there

ATB
DaveB

[Dev One]

The name Len Ridgeway rings a bell to me, but I should think that there wont be anyone alive who would remember my uncle as an apprentice - they would have to be 98 or older! They might remember me though, I started as an apprentice in Sept '54 & left in early '64 just before TSR2 was cancelled.
Albert does not ring any bells at this moment, but remembering names are one of my problems......even my own sometimes!
Keith

[DaveB]

Hi Keith

Len is a legend in his own trousers Funny you mention TSR2. Len was at Boscombe when the next/last flight was cancelled. By the time he'd got back to Weybridge, work had already begun to dismantle the jigs He does pop into Brooklands on a Wed every now and again but it's not often as he moved to the south coast and it's a long way for him to drive twice a week. I'll catch up with him in Dec when we celebrate PEP's 50th birthday

ATB
DaveB

[Dev One]

Just a reminder as my January 2012 Aeroplane Monthly copy has just arrived with the Vanguard Database included.
TSR2 is trailered for next months issue.
Keith

[Garry Russell]

Thanks Keith

I was looking out for that

[DaveB]

Ahh darn it. Release to the general public is scheduled for 29th (if I remember right) but I'll take a look next time I'm near the library (WH Smiths)

ATB
DaveB

[Dev One]

A little bit disapointed with the write up, seems a little light these days compared with those produced prior to the new ownership - maybe its me!
Couple of not mentioned things on the prototype - I think the first flight provided a bit of a shock as the aileron tabs were found to be oversensitive & the aircraft rocked quite violently just after take off ( I was there to see it take off!) & the gearing was changed for subsequent flights, & the Dorsal fin was changed quite quickly for the subsequent build.
The protoype build was also delayed by some months because of a jig measurement error! The tail section jig was found to have the decimals correct, but the inches wrong, but only after they found that it would not go together when mated with the main fuselage! It was I believe 1 inch too big in diameter! How it was not spotted earlier during the build I do not know.

BTW interesting to know that subscribers get their issues earlier than the general public - must be the new owners, as it did not seem to be so early when under previous ownership.
Keith

[DaveB]

Cheers Keith

You'd imagine by now that everything that could be said has been said but with something like a 'database'.. you'd expect just a tad more. Never mind.. thanks for the HU, I'll be grabbing a copy soonest

ATB
DaveB