It's 'Recognising Former Colleagues On The News' Time Again

[major_clanger]

Blimey. Watching the news report on the Battle of Britain Anniversary Service earlier (my Skype call to darth_hamster was briefly interrupted by a four-ship of Tornadoes inbound to Westminster for the fly-past) I see that the lesson was given by the Chaplain-in-Chief to the RAF, the Reverend (Air Vice-Marshal) Ray Pentland. Who I remember as the newly-commissioned Rev (Flt Lt) Ray Pentland, CofE Chaplain to the Initial Officer Training Course at Cranwell back in 1990.

I seem to remember him being a bit skinnier in those days. Mind you, he was running round Stamford Training Area with us young officer cadets, so that's hardly surprising...

Comments

[hairyears.livejournal.com]

Ask the ground crew what it is that scares them most about the Lightning, and they'll probably say: "The tyres".

The aircraft has a very thin wing, and the undercarriage retracts into the wing, so the weight is supported on a very narrow tyre... Which.must therefore be inflated to a very high pressure.

I heard one of the old codgers at English Electric (the same chaps to ground-tested the engines running on coal dust) mention a figure of 40 atmospheres; I find that figure very difficult to believe. But then again, three patches of rubber 4" across is a very small area for a lot of weight.

As for the performance... I believe the F-22 can out-climb the Lightning. But nothing else can: shame about the 80-minute flight endurance.