Bluebird Archive Photos & Films

[Renegadenemo]

I think it's safe to bet that the Haynes Workshop Manual for the Orpheus is probably Herr Project Leaderen Smitt's idea of light bedtime reading!

Hmmm - I recently read the rebuild procedure for the Lucas pump as I lay in bed. But it was all in a good cause...

[KW Mitchell]

Neil's recent pic' also shows in detail the tubular (?) structure running horizontally along the base of the fin. What was it's purpose?
Or was it merely the grafting joint for the enlarged fin?

K.
PS - thought about my Lucas Pump in bed last night - but sadly can't recall how to energize it -----------!

[ace_chris]

Hi Keith,

Interesting reading your post re. jet engine pump voltages and so forth, and your picture of your 2 turbines. What are they installed in and what turbines are they? I have a large scale turbine powered K7 so kind of find it interesting reading your's (and others!) recent postings.

WIth Kind Regards,

Chris

[Renegadenemo]

The tube has a pair of small doors at the back and some sort of ejector meccanism for the contents. I've always assumed it was designed to house a parachute or some defensive countermeasure.

[KW Mitchell]

Hi Keith,

Interesting reading your post re. jet engine pump voltages and so forth, and your picture of your 2 turbines. What are they installed in and what turbines are they? I have a large scale turbine powered K7 so kind of find it interesting reading your's (and others!) recent postings.

WIth Kind Regards,

Chris

Chris - they're in my 1/3rd scale Hawker Hunter - a bit off-topic but you asked! [/i]

Type: Jets Munt Merlin, thrust 38lb @ 118,000rpm.

See the aircraft on it's second test flight at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtzD6Yykd9g

[KW Mitchell]

It's just part of the standard Gnat fin- on the aircraft, that 'tubular' piece continues forward, along the upper back of the aircraft. On Bluebird, it gets faired in towards the forward end of the fin.

It must have been much modified, as it's cropped in height and the rudder's been removed -------.

[ace_chris]

Hi Keith, hey thanks for posting the pics of your Hunter, ok slightly off subject but that is a seriously awesome bit of kit! Reckon you've got about enough time to get a 1:3rd Vulcan built before K7 is complete. Hmmm thats a thought, getting the Vulcan involved to do a fly past whilst K7 is doing a demo run. Must be every enthuisasts (wet) dream! Chris

[Piston Broke]

Mike to correct you the tailfin wasn't "cropped" it was from the single seater fighter version of the gnat that had a smaller fin than the two seater trainer version as shown in Kieth's post the line drawing you posted is the correct version

[thewrightstuff]

Amazing how like Bluebird the whole Gnat rear end appears there...who's idea was it to plonk the fin from the aircraft on K7, anyway? Was it something thought of last minute when they realised they had one sat there on the donor aircraft, or already in mind when they sought out XM691 for it's engine?

Ken Norris had the idea to improve aerodynamic stability after they purchased XM691

Are there any pictures of the fin being put onto the boat?

Yes but I don't think the owner will post them

[KW Mitchell]

Mike to correct you the tailfin wasn't "cropped" it was from the single seater fighter version of the gnat that had a smaller fin than the two seater trainer version as shown in Kieth's post the line drawing you posted is the correct version

Yes and No! I did post the Gnat T.2 version with the taller fin.

But look at the pic' below of the F.1 version. It was still cropped for BB and, of course, has a pitot added -----------.