At 15:05 23/12/2008, you wrote:
Maybe we should set up an online season contest for Blaniks.
I have heard a story about a chap who ran the RAF gliding club, and
used to do stunt flying in Blaniks at air shows. Things like diving
them into gravel pits to give the crowd a thrill as if they were
watching the demise of the alfoil monster. At one show, they put an
army parachutist in the back seat, who fell out at the top of a
loop. Apparently that was a little too realistic for most spectators
and certainly the organisers. Probably resulting in the usual grounding.
The claim was also made that this same pilot rolled inverted while
on tow behind a Chipmunk. The tuggie, not to be outdone, immediately
inverted the Chipmunk.
Perhaps that is what's missing with modern gliding.
The gentleman in question was Andy Gough, who I saw give some very
polished airshow demonstrations in the late 60s and early 70s. He
also flew from Aston Down to Belgium one day during I think the 1958
(or maybe 62) British Nationals. After retiring from the RAF he was
employed to run the RAF Gliding & Soaring Association as a civilian.
Andy had been seen one day thermalling a Blanik inverted under a
nice-looking Cu, and disappeared (as they allow in the UK) into the
cloud - only to emerge 2000 feet higher up out of the side if the
cloud 5 minutes later, still inverted (and in full control).
Stories of Andy's exploits were almost as famous as those of the
aerobatic pilot Neil Williams, who suffered a spar failure in a Zlin
and landed the aircraft by inverting it and rolling out on VERY short
final - rather like the "wing fallen off" model video a few weeks ago
- but that was in about 1968.
Unfortunately Andy was later killed in a Blanik when the controls
became jammed by a spanner of eastern European origin that had been
lost in the Blanik factory.
Wombat
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