And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
once read that early on in design of the Spitfire, RJ Mitchell placed someone in an ordinary straight-back chair within proposed confines of a cockpit. Then proceeding by hit ‘n miss, imagined logical placement of all instruments and operating gear. In short, cockpit design of Spits may have been accomplished by use of ergonomic principles. It’s noteworthy of Mitchell’s design that even though he died before full production, his basic design carried through adoption and wartime production. Joseph Smith, his assistant and successor, carried design to ultimate maturity. Then there’s the beauty, wonder and music of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. Once upon a time, start-up of an older PC was to a 10-20 second sound clip of a Merlin cranking up. Shutdown was to the tune of a low fly-by. Whadaya expect from a guy that looks up every time a plane flies over? I’m just glad cows don’t fly!
Yes,that unmistakable sound makes me joyous and not as widely known the Griffon which is even sweeter. I have thousands of hours sitting in front of Rolls-Royce engines and never had a hiccough but because I flew the F-104, the howl of the J-79 makes me shiver.
I've read that the Spitfire's instrument layout was very odd to American pilots who flew it, as in many of the instruments seemed almost randomly placed where they could fit it, making scanning the instruments quickly in flight was harder than in other aircraft. The tightness of the cockpit made reaching some controls a challenge for larger pilots. They all flew like a dream, though.
In D DAY livery
ReplyDelete6/6/44: Two of my uncles had front row seats to that Normandy show. God Bless them!
ReplyDeleteonce read that early on in design of the Spitfire, RJ Mitchell placed someone in an ordinary straight-back chair within proposed confines of a cockpit. Then proceeding by hit ‘n miss, imagined logical placement of all instruments and operating gear. In short, cockpit design of Spits may have been accomplished by use of ergonomic principles.
ReplyDeleteIt’s noteworthy of Mitchell’s design that even though he died before full production, his basic design carried through adoption and wartime production. Joseph Smith, his assistant and successor, carried design to ultimate maturity.
Then there’s the beauty, wonder and music of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. Once upon a time, start-up of an older PC was to a 10-20 second sound clip of a Merlin cranking up. Shutdown was to the tune of a low fly-by. Whadaya expect from a guy that looks up every time a plane flies over? I’m just glad cows don’t fly!
Yes,that unmistakable sound makes me joyous and not as widely known the Griffon which is even sweeter. I have thousands of hours sitting in front of Rolls-Royce engines and never had a hiccough but because I flew the F-104, the howl of the J-79 makes me shiver.
DeleteI've read that the Spitfire's instrument layout was very odd to American pilots who flew it, as in many of the instruments seemed almost randomly placed where they could fit it, making scanning the instruments quickly in flight was harder than in other aircraft. The tightness of the cockpit made reaching some controls a challenge for larger pilots. They all flew like a dream, though.
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