My library just grew again 2015...

[kitnut617]

I bought another one of the Aeroplane Magazine's Company Profiles y'day, the 'De Havilland (Military Types)', issue and wholly wonderful it is too.

While flicking through it one pic jumped out at me, one of the prototype Hornet, RR915, and it quite clearly shows that this aircraft was NOT fitted with opposite rotating engines/props! 

The starboard prop is a RH one, just like the port prop. I've searched high and low on the Net and only found one other pic of '915 and it has it's engines running in that pic and it's on the ground at a display so it's impossible to tell which way they are going.

Has anyone else noticed this on that particular airframe?

Photo in the Putnam that shows the second prototype, RR919, with two RH rotation engines.
No mention in the text, but I'm wondering if there was a production delay on the R-R end so they
were completed without handed engines in order to get on with flight-testing?

Yes, that makes sense. It must have taken a while for RR to get it all sorted.

I can't find a single pic of '919 on the Net anywhere.   

I have the book 'The Hornet File' published by Air-Britain Kit, there are a number of photos of the prototype as it first appear in this book. In these photos both props turn in the same direction as a single Merlin engined aircraft although they were the Mk.130.  Part of the original spec was for the Hornet engines to also be contra-prop but was dropped in favour of the 'handed' props. They were initially installed the other way around to how the production aircraft had them.  There's some photos of it like that in the book.  One thing I've noticed is that wiki says the Merlin Mk.130 was installed in the starboard nacelle and the Mk.131 (which had an extra gear in the PSRU to turn the prop in the other direction) installed in the port nacelle, which would be correct if it was this prototype. The production aircraft had them the other way around.

[Weaver]

Got a Waterstone's gift voucher for Christmas, so I went to the big one in Manchester and got Dave Forster & Chris Gibson's Listening In. I nearly bought Flying Cars by Patrick J.Cyger there too, but didn't. Good job too: an hour later I wandered into The Works in the Arndale Centre and there was Flying Cars at 1/3 the Waterstones price. so then I did get it....

Obviously I havn't had a chance to read it properly yet, but Flying Cars looks like an excellent resource for the Whiffer and at £5 from The Works, it seems like a no-brainer. It's chock full of illustrations and photographs of all manner of vehicles, from the earliest and wildest fantasies, through the ones that actually saw metal cut, to the future projects that are still live, even if only as cool CGI. It goes into the history of the flying car idea as well as it's cultural significance, and if the section on Moller is anything to go by, it's hard-headed rather than starry-eyed.

Article about the book here (note the RRP!): http://www.prewarcar.com/magazine/previous-features/flying-cars-the-extraordinary-history-of-cars-designed-for-tomorrow-s-world-016191.html

[Go4fun]

I got Brotherhood of War VI; The Generals" by W.E.B. Griffin and I have to say he tied his knickers around his neck while wearing them an half mast this time.
On page 275 he described in a *explanation  "TOW: Tactical Optical Wire-guided rocket, a shoulder-fired missile with the impact power of a 155-mm artillery shell, intended to be used against tanks".   
Seeing as the book was copyrighted in 1986 I don't understand how he could have gotten it so wrong unless he went through official channels. The Army was still telling us MOS 11-Hotels it was a Top Secret weapon even though pictures and technical data had appeared in "Soldier of Fortune" magazine in 1982!
Being a 11-H and 11-H6 (Antitank Platoon Sergeant) I knew by heart "Tube-launched Optically-sighted Wire-guided MISSLE was the correct name for the beast. And firing it off the shoulder? Pure Hollyweird fantasy! Man-packing the thing around was at least a three man job with the tripod, targeting computer and launcher/sighting head. and required everyone to also carry extra rounds. Of course the Rules of Engagement said it was "For use on enemy equipment only and not as an antipersonnel weapon." made it useless if rushed by Infantry...
UNLESS you thought fast and designated your target as a rifle, bayonet or canteen cup! Those are equipment after all. 
The more I read of Web the more I find his lack of research appalling.

[NARSES2]

Some Bookazines in WH Smiths

Aeroplane Magazine's Company Profiles  'De Havilland (Military Types)

Aeroplane Illustrated Aviation Archive -

  US Bombers of WWII. OK, but wish they'd included some of the types that just missed WWII, or at least the US's involvement, and saw second line service.

  RAF Inter-War bombers. Including 2 of my favourite names for aircraft. Bolton Paul Overstrand and Sidestrand 

[rickshaw]

Just added to my library:





All three are quite good books.  Townsend's is another reminder of what happens when Strategic and Tactical over-reach occur in war.  When coupled with incompetence in command it's just a disaster waiting to happen all too often.   The Bowman book is a surprisingly good rendition of the Wellington story.  The last is quite interesting and delves into several plans I'd never heard of, as well as the usual ones we all know.

[zenrat]

...Including 2 of my favourite names for aircraft. Bolton Paul Overstrand and Sidestrand 

With you there Chris.  I am also keen on Westland Wapiti.

[Leading Observer]

Postman just delivered John Baxter's The Alternate Luftwaffe

[NARSES2]

Postman just delivered John Baxter's The Alternate Luftwaffe

Which volume ?

[NARSES2]

Was getting a book for a mate who's currently in hospital and as I had a "£5 off if you spend £12" Smiths voucher I needed to find a book for me.

Eventually got 1913. Interesting as it's a translation from the original German publication thus will have a slightly different take on the situation then what we in the UK are used to. Is in an easy read style as well. Chapter's are months and then broken down into smaller chunks each looking at one aspect/person. Ideal for a travel companion.

What attracted me to it as I was flicking through was the author speculating on the fact that Hitler and Stalin possibly passed each other on a regular basis in the park ! Apparently they were both in Vienna in the January and both took a stroll in the same park at the same time.

[Hobbes]

The Aeroplane Special on TSR.2.

[Thorvic]

Airfix 2015 Catalogue

[Leading Observer]

Postman just delivered John Baxter's The Alternate Luftwaffe

Which volume ?

Volume 1 -I ordered it direct from John in Australia. A bit pricey, but I had some spare cash and treated myself. I managed to get Vols 2 & 3 and his Alternate RAAF/RAN GAS book from Aviation Book Centre

[PR19_Kit]

The Aeroplane Special on TSR.2.

I haven't seen that about anywhere Harro, what's it like?

[rickshaw]

Was getting a book for a mate who's currently in hospital and as I had a "£5 off if you spend £12" Smiths voucher I needed to find a book for me.

Eventually got 1913. Interesting as it's a translation from the original German publication thus will have a slightly different take on the situation then what we in the UK are used to. Is in an easy read style as well. Chapter's are months and then broken down into smaller chunks each looking at one aspect/person. Ideal for a travel companion.

What attracted me to it as I was flicking through was the author speculating on the fact that Hitler and Stalin possibly passed each other on a regular basis in the park ! Apparently they were both in Vienna in the January and both took a stroll in the same park at the same time.

1913: When Hitler, Trotsky, Tito, Freud and Stalin all lived in the same place

Just think how much trouble five bullets would have saved the world...

[jcf]

Why would you want to assassinate Freud and Tito?