SUMMER 2016 JOURNAL OF THE SHUTTLEWORTH VETERAN AEROPLANE SOCIETY In this issue: Flying the Nimrod - first impressions Land Rover Fire Truck 1930 Challenge International de Tourisme Part 2 David Bremner’s Bristol Scout 1 PROP-SWING SUMMER 2016 Journal of the SVAS, the Friends of the Shuttleworth Collection REGISTERED CHARITY No. 800095 President: Princess Charlotte Croÿ (Twickel) Vice President: Ken Cox MBE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: PHOTOGRAPHIC SECTION To be nominated Paul Ferguson SECRETARY: COMMITTEE MEMBERS Kevin Panter Jim Box, Paul Ferguson Edward Forrest, Bill Grigg, James Michell, Alan Reed, TREASURER: John Edser Neil Thomas SVAS Contact Details: MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: Answerphone: 01767 627909 Ron Panter Email: [email protected] Web: www.svasweb.org EDITORIAL PANEL Editor: Bill Grigg Shuttleworth Web Site Assistant Editor: Paul Ferguson www.shuttleworth.org PROP-SWING is printed by Character Press Limited, Icknield Way, Baldock, Herts, SG7 5BB, and published at the office of Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society, Old Warden Aerodrome, Biggleswade, SG18 9EP. We welcome letters and contributions for possible publication. These should preferably be typed. Shuttleworth-related subjects will be given priority. Prospective contributions, and also requests to reprint material from the journal, should be addressed to the Editor C/O Old Warden. PROP-SWING welcomes advertisements, which should be in pdf format. Rates on application for Whole, Half, Third or Quarter page. Discount for three or more identical consecutive insertions. Full page type height is 185mm; full type width is 120mm. Please contact the SVAS at the above address. PROP-SWING is published three times a year (Spring, Summer and Winter). Copy dates are 31st January, 31st May and 30th September. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Society. Front cover: David Bremner’s Bristol Scout flying from Old Warden Darren Harbar 2 Editorial Bill Grigg irst I should report that we’re all very sad here to have lost Rita, our popular and much appreciated Membership Secretary, after a long and brave battle against Fcancer. An obituary by John Edser appears on page 13. When I wrote in the Spring editorial that we couldn’t expect more sold out ‘Vulcan type’ shows soon, I didn’t know the Collection would get the Red Arrows for the first 2016 show -and the weather forecast for the display day would be amazingly good. As most of you are probably aware, that completely kyboshed any chances of a future career as a clairvoyant. So, are we rejoicing that the Collection made lots more money than it usually does at air shows, which addition to the funds will help “Keep them flying” and so bolster a major raison d’étre of the SVAS? Well, not universally, as unfortunately some members, used to turning up and paying on the day as most of us have in the past, were unable to get in to the show. I can understand their surprise and sympathise with their disappointment, although it was nobody’s fault that demand exceeded supply of entry tickets. There may be a return to ‘normal’ numbers of spectators for the rest of the year (indeed, that’s what happened at the excellent June show but, mind, I’m not making ANY predictions!). There have been lots of suggestions as to what should be done about the new ‘sold out’ phenomenon if it should persist, all of which have received due consideration. Given a venue that’s limited in the number of people it can safely accommodate, it became very evident that there’s no new course of action that will please all the people all of the time except, as laid out in our recent letter to members, to book tickets in advance to make sure of attending a particular show. Further on air shows, our Chief Engineer, Jean-Michel Munn, has told me there should be a greater chance of seeing the Edwardians flying during the new format Saturday shows. This because they won’t be restricted to a programmed slot but can be wheeled out and flown whenever the weather’s suitable (OK, given that this is England in summer...). He’s very anxious that they should be flown regularly to give the pilots more experience and both aircraft and pilots will be available all day, ready to seize their chances. Lastly, the Library at Shuttleworth has bound CONTENTS sets of Flight and The Autocar up to WWII, once The Hawker Nimrod 4 the property of Richard Shuttleworth, and which SVAS & Collection News 11 are extremely useful for research. Unfortunately at Photo Section selection 16 some time in the quite distant past, when things Noticeboard 19 were not as well organised as of late, one volume Aero Workshops 20 of each has ‘gone astray’ – Flight for 1923 and Vehicle Group Report 22 The Autocar for 1938. I realise the value of such Land Rover Fire truck 25 items but think it worth mentioning as, if some kind person ever has such magazines that they’d 1930 Challenge International 29 be willing to donate they can be assured of a very Clayton & Shuttleworth 32 good and appreciative home for them. Bristol Scout Type C 35 3 The Hawker Nimrod 2 – My First Impressions Peter Holloway Darren Harbar remember the call as if it were yesterday. Hard to imagine that it was August 2013. “Would you be available to display the Nimrod in a few weeks’ time?” Being a I modern phone, there was no curly cord to stop it hitting the floor. (More on ‘hitting the floor’ later.) Came the day, and after a glorious ‘chop’ flight with the famous Charlie Brown in my Magister (he enjoyed it too), I found myself sat in the cockpit of the mighty Nimrod, surrounded by HAC engineers, and leafing through the now-familiar Notes. The owners were there too. The initial brief was to learn how to start the thing, no mean feat as I will explain, and “taxy around a bit to get the feel of it”. What could possibly go wrong? Ahem… I broke it… All was going swimmingly well when it came to the noisy bit. Having presumably decided that a Hucks Starter – familiar to all at Old Warden and used for starting the Hawker Hind – wasn’t really the thing to be driving from one aircraft to another around the pitching deck of an aircraft carrier (!) the Nimrod is blessed with an ingenious air-start system. This sequentially fires charges of compressed air and fuel into the cylinders. An instant start is assured, that is, until I got involved. After several attempts, all we got was a concentrated blast of flame and smoke from the rear, left cylinder. With dwindling air pressure, running out of ideas, interest and with ‘Low Tea’ lights flashing, back it went into the hangar. 4 “It’ll be something simple, see you in a week or so”, were engineer Geoff’s fateful words of optimism. Almost two years later, with the damage finally repaired and with lots of almost convincing “it wasn’t your fault” reassurances from the owners in the interim, I found myself back at Duxford on the Thursday before Flying Legends 2015, to finally check it out in preparation for the weekend. Came the day (we’ve been here before!) and there was the magnificent aircraft out on the flight line with an array of red ‘Remove Before Flight’ pennants fluttering in the warm breeze, covering everything from wooden exhaust bungs to pitot head. It’s difficult to put into words what an impressive, fabulous aircraft the Nimrod 2 is. The lack of a rear gunner’s cockpit and the presence of an arrester hook beneath are the things that set it apart from the Shuttleworth Collection’s Hawker Hind, this is every inch a fighter. Descended from the earlier land-based Hawker Fury, the Nimrod is a significantly smaller, lighter machine than the Hind - a whopping 600 lbs lighter at maximum all up weight (4,050 lb - 1,841 kg). The wings, four feet shorter in span than those of the Hind, are also swept back to a greater degree. These differences with the addition of a faired headrest to support the pilot’s head during catapult launches, complete the picture of a faster, more nimble machine. Paul Ferguson With engineers on hand to help place my boots as I climb in, I am soon wriggling into the seat parachute. The cockpit opening is small, the seat quite low, making it difficult, with only one elbow per arm (!), to fasten the straps. The HAC engineers were on hand to help. I suggest the engineers might like a tea break and in their absence sheaf through the copious Handling Notes. I cross-reference them with the controls and it begins 5 Darren Harbar to make sense all over again. The instrument panel is dominated by the breeches of the two Vickers .303 machine guns. As I scan the cockpit, I see further indications of military purpose. This is also the first aircraft I have flown with an ‘Arrester Hook Up/ Down’ lever! The quality of everything I see is simply stunning. I shake my head and smile many times at the privileged situation I find myself in. After a quiet 30 minutes I feel as ready as I will ever be and it’s down to business. I check the control movements and apply the brakes collectively and differentially, checking the pressure gauge and hearing the reassuring hisses. In deference to the value of the aircraft, its historical importance and the fact that we can’t point the airfield into wind (remember this is a naval fighter) the brakes have been subtly improved by the fitting of later types and are operated using the two now-redundant spade-mounted gun triggers.