Gliders > Slope Soaring
Retroplane... In Ireland !
Spinifex:
What is happening to Retroplane 2009?
No posts since April.
I have considered going to Ireland for it.
I have been thinking of building a 3 metre scratch built Kranich II in the livery of a full size one that we flew in the Cork Gliding Club from about 1959 until September 1962, when it was flown into the Irish Sea (deliberately) during the filming of "The Running Man".
Reputedly it was retrieved and sold to a Scottish gliding club, but I can't trace it.
Its earlier history is that it was one of five flying in the UK and it belonged to the Cambridge University Gliding Club. It was supposedly built in Sweden.
Somewhere in my brother's attic in Cork, is a 6" square piece of 1mm ply from the tailplane, with a Luftwaffe certificate of airworthiness stamp dated May 7, 1941 (when I was four days old). I got this during a tailplane rebuild on it, that I worked on in 1961. (premature dropping of two-wheel dolly U/C resulted in the dolly bouncing up and shearing the complete starboard half of the tailplane off).
I was operating an Aldis signal lamp to the winch driver, but he did not stop the tow and they launched to about 800 ft. After release they flew Ok and they did not realize their tailplane was damaged. They got down OK and after landing they said it was sluggish and they thought that the dolly had not released.
If any of the old crew (Noel Barrett, Tommy Kerrigan, Stan Cussen, Peter Otter etc.), have any photos or details of the Kranich, I would love to have them so I can get working on the project. Sadly in the intervening near half century, others have caught their final thermals.
Ron:
Hi John,
That's a fascinating story.
Do hope you get the info you require for that project.
Fred:
Do you know (probably do) that a report of Retroplane 2007 appeared in the Vintage Glider Club's magazine 'News' dated 'Spring 2008'.
I just joined the VGC and in my joining pack was that very magazine.
The report was by Chris Williams, and contains many photos one of which is of you with your Opel Rak.
It seems Chris has been persuaded to keep VGC readers up to date with events in the scale glider world.
http://ww.vintagegliderclub.org
Fred:
--- Quote from: "Spinifex" ---What is happening to Retroplane 2009?
No posts since April.
I have considered going to Ireland for it.
I have been thinking of building a 3 metre scratch built Kranich II in the livery of a full size one that we flew in the Cork Gliding Club from about 1959 until September 1962, when it was flown into the Irish Sea (deliberately) during the filming of "The Running Man".
Reputedly it was retrieved and sold to a Scottish gliding club, but I can't trace it.
Its earlier history is that it was one of five flying in the UK and it belonged to the Cambridge University Gliding Club. It was supposedly built in Sweden.
Somewhere in my brother's attic in Cork, is a 6" square piece of 1mm ply from the tailplane, with a Luftwaffe certificate of airworthiness stamp dated May 7, 1941 (when I was four days old). I got this during a tailplane rebuild on it, that I worked on in 1961. (premature dropping of two-wheel dolly U/C resulted in the dolly bouncing up and shearing the complete starboard half of the tailplane off).
I was operating an Aldis signal lamp to the winch driver, but he did not stop the tow and they launched to about 800 ft. After release they flew Ok and they did not realize their tailplane was damaged. They got down OK and after landing they said it was sluggish and they thought that the dolly had not released.
If any of the old crew (Noel Barrett, Tommy Kerrigan, Stan Cussen, Peter Otter etc.), have any photos or details of the Kranich, I would love to have them so I can get working on the project. Sadly in the intervening near half century, others have caught their final thermals.
--- End quote ---
Hi John,
Working on the event, quietly ! And we had to prepare this year Retroplane too !
All good now for 2009, we have the location for Base camp :D
An E-mail with all the details will be sent soon to the ones who have booked a spot to the event. :D
Very good subject that the KranichII is ! On my (looonnggg) list of projects !
What type of documentations are you looking for ?
Do a search on the Retroplane (http://www.retroplane.net) website.
Ron:
Hi Fred,
Did you get my email about Retroplane?
Ron
Fred:
Hi Ron,
Yep, just saw that :D
I'll reply to you tomorrow with all the details :D
Fred
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version