November 17th, 2009
The Bristol f.2b Fighter makes one of my favourite aircraft sounds. Each time I record it I discover another facet of the complex soundscape it generates. The sounds the Rolls-Royce Falcon III on this machine makes sounds like the whine of a supercharger when you get downwind of it flying but I think this is the sound of the epicyclic gearing, which I think in itself is a unique feature in an engine this early.
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The picture below was taken during the display.
 Bristol Fighter, August 2009
August 4th, 2009
The BAC Strikemaster is the same aircraft as a Jet Provost (the piston version being recorded elsewhere in this blog). As a militarised trainer, the aircraft looks very aerobatic in display. Powered by a Rolls-Royce Viper Mk.535 turbojet producing 3,410 lbf (15.2 kN).
Doing a bit of digging around using the aircraft serial number, this may not be the billed Strikemaster but a T.3 Jet Provost. Some information from Jet Provost Heaven
Jet Provost T.3 XN637 was built by Hunting-Percival at Luton, and after flight tests was declared ready for collection on 31st August 1961. It was ferried from Luton to RAF Shawbury a week later (7th September) where it went to 27MU, for final preparations for RAF service began. On 5th October 1961, XN637 was issued to No 3 Flying Training School (3FTS), based at RAF Leeming in Yorkshire. This Unit had reformed the previous month as a Jet Provost squadron. XN637 remained in service, latterly as aircraft number ’13′, until January 1963 when it returned to RAF Shawbury for storage. It stayed mothballed with 27MU for nearly ten years until November 11th 1972, when it was moved to RAF Kemble for further storage, this time with 5MU. On 14th February 1973 XN637 was officially declared a NEA – Non Effective Airframe, and within a month it had been struck off charge
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Here’s a snap of the photo during the display. The serial number on the plane in the photo confirms a Jet Provost (?).
 BAC Strikemaster, Old Warden, 2nd August 2009 Recorded on 2nd August 2009, Old Warden, Beds, UK.
August 4th, 2009
Another recording of the pair of PT-22 Recruits based at Old Warden. I was contact by a guy from the US who actually flies one of these in his spare time asking for me to send him some recordings, which of course I have.
The PT-22 Recruit was the first trainer aircraft to be used by the United States Army Air Corps with a single wing (monoplane). Powered by a single Kinner R-5 Raidial. The aircraft has a peculiar sound due to a odd arangement of exhausts and cylinders (a high speed waltz?).
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Heres a photo I took of one of the displaying aircraft during the display on the day.
 Ryan PT-22 Recruit, Old Warden, 2nd August 2009 Recorded on 2nd August 2009, Old Warden, Beds, UK.
August 4th, 2009
A Mark 1 Hurricane and Sea Hurricane displaying in formation. Not something you see or hear everyday!
The Sea Hurricane is operated by the Shuttleworth Collection and the MK1 Hurricane (R4188) is a Battle of Britain veteran aircraft. More information about R4188 is available from here.
Some interesting information linking these two machines from the web site about the Mk1:
During its lifetime, it was fitted with no fewer than five Rolls-Royce Merlin III engines, and underwent four major rebuilds. It is still powered by a Merlin III (the only other aircraft in the world to retain a Merlin III is the Sea Hurricane at Shuttleworth). It is said to be the most historic fighter aircraft to have survived the war.
During the display you could hear a difference in the two engines although difficult to tell in a blind test. The Sea Hurricane is flown in a very conservative style, no suprise considering the age and rarity (of the two). At a push, the Sea Hurricane has a softer sound.
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Recorded on 2nd August 2009, Old Warden, Beds, UK. This is a quick snap I took of the Mk1 and a photo of the Sea Hurricane from July.
 Hawker Hurricane MK1 R4188 at Old Warden  Hawker Sea Hurricane, Old Warden, July 2009
July 22nd, 2009
This is a recording made last year (3rd August) of the DH.88 Comet ‘Grosvenor House’ starting up prior to a taxi at Shuttleworth. A few times a year the aircarft is started up and taxiied but not flown. A while back a runway extension was made to the airfield which I thought was to support this aircraft but still it doesnt fly.
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5 of these were built for air racing in the 1930s, 3 specifically for the MacRobertson Race from England to Australia in 1934. Wikipedia has this to say about the winning performance of Grosvenor House in 1934.
“The scarlet G-ACSS was the property of Mr.A.O.Edwards and was named Grosvenor House after the hotel which he managed. The crew were Charles W.Scott and Tom Campbell Black. When the Mollisons ran into problems at Karachi, Scott & Campbell Black took over the lead and were first into Allahabad. Despite a severe storm over the Bay of Bengal they reached Singapore safely, 8 hours ahead of the DC-2.
They took off for Darwin, but over the Timor Sea lost power in the port engine when the oil pressure dropped to zero. Repairs at Darwin got them going again, although continuing oil warnings caused them to fly the last two legs with one engine throttled back. Their lead was unassailable despite this, and after the final mandatory stop and more engine work at Charleville they flew on to cross the finish line at Flemington Racecourse at 3.33 p.m. (local time) on October 23. Their official time was 71 hours 18 seconds.”.
More information about these aircraft is available from wikipedia by following this link.
 G-ACSS Grosvenor House on display at the Farnborough Air Show in September 1988
July 13th, 2009
Sound of a pair of Harvard trainers chasing around Old Warden.
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Harvards have a very particular sound as like a Stearman there is no gearing between the engine and propeller which consequently moves very fast, with the propeller tips breaking the speed of sound as they turn.
 One of the North American Harvards taxying after the display, Old Warden, July 2009
July 8th, 2009
A recording of a North American F-86A Sabre made of 5th July 2009. This aircraft has been in the UK for a few years but will probably be sold to a US buyer by the end of the year. This aircraft is the oldest flying jet engined plane (according to the commentator during the display).
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More information about this aircraft is available from this website.
 The Worlds only airworthy F-86A Sabre 48-178 G-SABR
July 8th, 2009
The roar of a Douglas AD-4NA Skyraider (G-RAID) over Old Warden last weekend. Powered by a Wright Cyclone 3350-26WA radial engine.
The aircraft is a true combat veteran and is operated by Kennet Aviation based at North Weald.
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June 28th, 2009
This is one of my favourite recordings. Completely by suprise a formation of Hawker Sea Hurricane, Supermarine Seafire, Grumman F4F Wildcat and a Vought Corsair flew over as a prelude to a naval themed display at Old Warden, 3rd June 2007.
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This recording was taken using minidisc and an AT-822 so dynamics are limited to that hardware, the mp3 version adding a few artifacts.
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