"The Heart Of The Gnat"

[Roger Wilco]

I've just been irritating the current Mrs Wilco by playing youtube videos of Folland Gnats. ( The long winter days simply fly around here.. etc) I was hoping to come across a relatively 'clean' example of an Orpheus powering up - you know, just for whimsy..

All a bit disappointing so far in terms of sound quality, so at the risk of subjecting myself to the internet forum equivalent of having my Tom Brown pantaloons being tugged against my fireside shins - are there any known examples available for perusal?

Mick

[Renegadenemo]

I recall seeing one of Ray Hannah with the Red Arrows taxiing out and the sound was good on that one. Not sure if it was on YouTube though.

[Roger Wilco]

Yup, found it. Cheers Sir!

Its here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEIsLS_JnsE for those interested.

Mick

[Renegadenemo]

Thats the one I was thinking of. And of course Ray Hanna's famous flying under a bridge scene.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj73NTO8144

[Roger Wilco]

Thats the one I was thinking of. And of course Ray Hanna's famous flying under a bridge scene.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj73NTO8144

Superb.

(And just what is it about the Merlin growl that turns the skin of every Englishman to goosefesh!)

[bluebirdsback]

I may be wrong but i am almost sure under the blue paint on the tail fin is red.

[Jordangbr]

What is the pipework on the root of the leading edge of the tail fin?
Is it something to do with the pitot?

[Renegadenemo]

The grey is a primer that stayed firmly in place when the blue lifted. You can see the outline of features on the underlying paintwork when you get up close. The orange was under a pair of closing strips that ran along the root of the fin. The yellow, plastic piping is indeed for the pitot system.

[bluebirdsback]

Thats the bit i was talking about. The bottom of the tail fin has a definite red strip which looks like a red fin was atached and painted blue after the closing strips were fitted. Just wondering if this plane ended its flying days with the red arrows.

[klingon]

Not a chance Roberto- XM691 was a prototype aircraft, and was put out to seed fairly quickly for a jet aircraft. Plus, remember that you can see it's wings in the background of shots of K7 as she was rolled out, and the wings are still in the silver paint scheme.

Might be wrong but at the time of 691's disposal were the Arrows not called the Yellowjacks anyway?-seem to remember seeing a pic of 691 somewhere with an orange stripe on the tail end-will check my archive and try to find it