h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I want to know more!

Really?.. Try here at http://www.h2g2.com/A240850
This effort never got finished 'cos DD's article on Kingston pipped mine to the post, ah well.
BTW, I loved your articles on the aircraft of the IoW and especially the IoW space program, great!
I have fond memories of the Saro 53 performing at Farnborough in the late fifties.
All the best A.M.

I'm envious - I wish I'd seen the Saro 53 fly - okay, I've seen pictures, I've seen many actual Saro planes on the ground in real life - I've even seen documentaries of them, but to see one actually flying, and hearing it for yourself - nothing could ever be like the experience of being there.
Did you get to see the Princess?

No, regretfully I don't think I ever saw the Princess. I'm sure I would remember it if I had. I went to all the Farnborough shows from (I think) '55 to '61 which was after its time I think.
You're right about the Saro 53's rate of climb mentioned in your article, it was phenominal. I saw it perform in the '57 and '58 shows, it was a pretty aircraft but fast. In the days of the 'four minute warning' its effectiveness as an interceptor fighter depended on its ability to take off and gain height quickly. At the shows the pilot would light up the rocket motor (De Havilland Spectre ?) at about croud height, stand it on its tail and climb away almost vertically.
The engine produced a white hot flame almost as long as the aircraft studded with a diamond patterned shock wave. The noise was incredible, you could physically feel it beating against your chest.
There was lots of other great experimental stuff going on then including a SR helicopter with blades powered by tip rocket jets. It was a Skeeter if I remember correctly. The Black Knight, or at least a mock up of it was on display in the static park.
I think was a more powerful development of the Saro 53 that didn't get off the drawing board SR 177 ? That would have been quite something!
Regarding the IoW, wasn't one of the Schneider Trophy races held in the Solent? A good article, No?
All the best A.M.

Yes, the Princess was on display in '52 - sometimes I feel as if I was born in the wrong decade. I would have loved to have been there to see the SR53 fly.
I think you're right about the engines - but I could check.
And yes, the SR177 was a larger and faster version of the SR53, and work on building them was started, and stopped when the current government came to the conclusion that fighter planes weren't neccesary if you could build enough missiles cheaper. Crazy idea, not practical, but it cost a lot of workers their jobs. I wrote about it in my approved article here:
http://www.h2g2.com/A431272
And yes, a lot of the Schnieder Trophy competition did take place in and around the Solent - I've seen some old film of the planes being stored around East Cowes. I'd love to find out more, but I don't know that much about it at the moment. Be assured that when I do I'll write all about it!

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