Model Mutt Accessories

Mossie · December 30, 2012, 12:47:52 PM

No probs Joe!

I think they're the same pod as in this pic of a Victor or very similar?

Freightdog862 · December 30, 2012, 03:35:02 PM

Thats a great Victor shot, shortly (about half a second) after it was taken I suspect the photograph landed on his arse with ringing in his ears!
Colin

PR19_Kit · December 30, 2012, 04:14:03 PM

Having heard the Valiant do its rocket assisted take-off at Farnborough I could believe it! The rocket sound was about ten times as loud as the jet engines at full throttle and it was EXCRUCIATING!

(Even louder than the Rotodyne too.........)

McColm · December 30, 2012, 11:16:16 PM

Talk about being in the right place at the right time, you need to write a book!!

PR19_Kit · December 31, 2012, 12:11:57 AM

Quote from: McColm on December 30, 2012, 11:16:16 PM
Talk about being in the right place at the right time, you need to write a book!!

Others have suggested that too, and 'In the right place at the right time' might well be a working title!

My whole life has been like that really, except when that damned pneumonia bug came my way last August.

Gondor · December 31, 2012, 02:57:32 AM

Super Sprite RATO pods........ for when you positively, absolutely have to get something off the ground !

Gondor

Mossie · December 31, 2012, 10:18:50 AM

Had a check in the Aerofax guide on the Victor by Tony Butler, the rockets used on the Victor were the Spectre, good for 8,000 lb each (the Super Sprites fitted to the Valiant gave 4,200 lb each). So you could have a go at this one if you wanted.

I found a Flight article in the achive with a good pic of the Spectre RATOG pod:
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1958/1958%20-%200170.html
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1958/1958%20-%200171.html

There were plans to fit rockets to Vulcan's too, but only got so far as a live firing on a test rig before the V-Bomber RATOG program was cancelled. The Flight article above suggests the Spectre pods would have been used on the Vulcan.

Another Flight archive piece with the pic shown earlier:
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1960/1960%20-%201354.html?search=spectre

PR19_Kit · December 31, 2012, 11:20:32 PM

Quote from: Mossie on December 31, 2012, 10:18:50 AM
Had a check in the Aerofax guide on the Victor by Tony Butler, the rockets used on the Victor were the Spectre, good for 8,000 lb each (the Super Sprites fitted to the Valiant gave 4,200 lb each). So you could have a go at this one if you wanted.

Strewth, I wonder if the loudness went up by the same factor as the thrust? They'd have had to evacuate the entire station before a QRA launch!

Rheged · January 01, 2013, 01:27:25 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on December 31, 2012, 11:20:32 PM
Quote from: Mossie on December 31, 2012, 10:18:50 AM
Had a check in the Aerofax guide on the Victor by Tony Butler, the rockets used on the Victor were the Spectre, good for 8,000 lb each (the Super Sprites fitted to the Valiant gave 4,200 lb each). So you could have a go at this one if you wanted.

Strewth, I wonder if the loudness went up by the same factor as the thrust? They'd have had to evacuate the entire station before a QRA launch!

It's part of the theory of deterrence. A full squadron launch was audible in the western USSR, which was calculated to make people take a step back and think.

Mossie · January 02, 2013, 01:49:46 AM

This might give you a rough idea. I found a Pathe newsreel that has ground firings of the Spectre (about 25 seconds in) and Super Sprite (about 1 min 5 secs in). Turn the volume up to max and you should get some idea!
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/the-rocket-race/query/Havilland

Apart from the good old period accent from the newsreader, I love seeing the boffins walking around it, the guy in the white coat hasn't even got his ear defenders on! No chance that you'd be allowed to get close to it while firing theses days, let alone without eardefenders! Oh, and the hole that's blown in the fence!