Fairey Rotodyne

[PR19_Kit]

HELL YES! 

In the early days of the flight tests it was SO loud that the good citizens of White Waltham, where it was being tested, made such a fuss that the trials were moved to RAF Benson. Of course Service families weren't supposed to complain about such things, and anyway at Benson we had every sort of RAF aircraft as it was the Ferry Unit at the time.

I was living there, about 1/4 mile from the landing pad they used for the 'dyne, and it was HORRENDOUS! They used to fly out south west in  aeroplane mode, after a VTO, and then come in on a standard approach. About a mile out they'd start up the tip jets (and you could see when that happened as it made a spiral shaped contrail around the rotor!) and we could hear the tip jets even that far out!

True, they did quieten it down a lot in later years, and the various types of tip jets they tried are in the Helicopter Museum at Weston-s-Mare, but in the early days it was LOUD!

That may have some bearing on why I need two hearing aids these days.........

[zenrat]

Rotodyne, Thunderscreech, and Tu-95 are the three aircraft legendary for being abysmally loud.
I suspect the Thunderscreech would be the loudest.


<edit> Guiness agree with me.

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/633410-loudest-aircraft

[PR19_Kit]

The Thunderscreech actually made its listeners ill, didn't it?

I was at Fairford when the first Tu-95 to visit Britain arrived, and while it surely was loud, it wasn't as ear wrenching as the 'dyne was.

On the other hand, I'd already been 'dyned' by then so maybe I wasn't hearing as well as I could have been.... 

[NARSES2]

The Thunderscreech actually made its listeners ill, didn't it?

That's what I've read.

[zenrat]

The Guinness page I linked to above says;

...during engine run-up tests at Edwards Air Force Base, California, in July 1955, the base received noise complaints from homes as much as 40 km (25 miles) away. The screeching whine of the aircraft's propeller required all ground crew communication to be conducted using signal flags and lights. It caused men caught in the prop-wash to vomit or faint, and even triggered a seizure in one nearby engineer.

It says of the Tu-95;

That it produces a deep buzzing noise that can be heard from many miles away. Tu-95s, which entered service in 1952 and are still flying today, are so loud that submarine crews can hear them on patrol, even when submerged.

[PR19_Kit]

It says of the Tu-95;

That it produces a deep buzzing noise that can be heard from many miles away. Tu-95s, which entered service in 1952 and are still flying today, are so loud that submarine crews can hear them on patrol, even when submerged.

When the Bear arrived at Fairford, with a Tornado F3 on each wing of course, the assembled multitude (and it was a HUGE multitude too!) could pretty well hear it coming before we could see it!

'Stealthy' it WASN'T! 

[NARSES2]

The Guinness page I linked to above says;

...during engine run-up tests at Edwards Air Force Base, California, in July 1955, the base received noise complaints from homes as much as 40 km (25 miles) away. The screeching whine of the aircraft's propeller required all ground crew communication to be conducted using signal flags and lights. It caused men caught in the prop-wash to vomit or faint, and even triggered a seizure in one nearby engineer.

I've a vague memory of reading that the symptoms felt by the ground crew of the Thunderscreech were as much to do with violent changes to air pressure as to noise ?

[Old Wombat]

The Guinness page I linked to above says;

...during engine run-up tests at Edwards Air Force Base, California, in July 1955, the base received noise complaints from homes as much as 40 km (25 miles) away. The screeching whine of the aircraft's propeller required all ground crew communication to be conducted using signal flags and lights. It caused men caught in the prop-wash to vomit or faint, and even triggered a seizure in one nearby engineer.

I've a vague memory of reading that the symptoms felt by the ground crew of the Thunderscreech were as much to do with violent changes to air pressure as to noise ?

Well, a fairly basic physicists description of noise (sound) is "sudden changes of air pressure" & not all noise can be heard, either, if the pitch is too high or too low.

I seem to recall there were experiments conducted into the possibility of using Very Low Frequency sound to induce nausea & vomiting in attacking enemy troops using some kind of massive speakers.

[Rheged]

Well, a fairly basic physicists description of noise (sound) is "sudden changes of air pressure" & not all noise can be heard, either, if the pitch is too high or too low.

I seem to recall there were experiments conducted into the possibility of using Very Low Frequency sound to induce nausea & vomiting in attacking enemy troops using some kind of massive speakers.

Christopher Murphy's novel "The Jericho Rumble"  describes such a weapon.   One of the protagonists in the book describes it more or less thus:- " As a riot control weapon it is superb.  The French CRS want it.  The VLF sound affects the bowels, so if  used on a riotous mob  on the Champs Elyssee you'd have a suddenly quelled group clutching their trousers and groaning MERDE in unison!" 

The novel itself is a reasonable read, with much aviation involved, and FREE as a kindle edition.

[frank2056]

Mythbusters tested and debunked the "brown note" acoustic frequency. There are sonic weapons and annoying devices, like the high frequency sounds sometimes played in malls to get teens to disperse. Older people can't hear it.

[NARSES2]

Well, a fairly basic physicists description of noise (sound) is "sudden changes of air pressure" & not all noise can be heard, either, if the pitch is too high or too low.

Right, afraid I only did Physics with Chemistry and then Pure Chemistry at "O" Level. Dropped physics because I thought it was boring. How stupid can you get as a 16 year old ? 

Mythbusters tested and debunked the "brown note" acoustic frequency. There are sonic weapons and annoying devices, like the high frequency sounds sometimes played in malls to get teens to disperse. Older people can't hear it.

Now that's interesting. I wasn't aware of it being used as a dispersal device. I assume it's not used in the UK as we would have heard about it, no pun intended.

[Steel Penguin]

Narses the high freq systems are used in the UK, but as they are "used against nuisance kids" it very very rarely gets mentioned,  usually its when the user gets a bit too enthusiastic and turns the volume right up.  it shows on the beeb news site then.

[NARSES2]

Narses the high freq systems are used in the UK, but as they are "used against nuisance kids" it very very rarely gets mentioned,  usually its when the user gets a bit too enthusiastic and turns the volume right up.  it shows on the beeb news site then.

Ah right. I'd of expected the Guardian or Observer to have got on some high horse about it by now  Thanks for the info mate 

I wonder if it affects people with hearing aids as I might soon be getting one 

[Steel Penguin]

I don't think so, its always been put that due to the frequency its normally in-audible,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mosquito  is the article on it..

[NARSES2]

Interesting. Thank you sir