Posted by SteveBeaver on Monday, August 19, 2019 @ 08:27 PM:
This event just concluded in Gera, Germany and featured some lovely flying from Bückers, Zlins, a Piagio/Focke-Wulf 149 and at about the 14:30 mark, a beautifully flown Fournier RF4D
Enjoy:
https://youtu.be/Hb6swQpKVQ0?t=871
Posted by Donald on Tuesday, August 20, 2019 @ 05:47 AM:
Lovely graceful flying.
Decades ago at a display at my local airport I had grown a little jaded with all the slam-bam, hard-edged aerobatics ... and then the Skyhawks came on and flew the most mesmerising, balletic display in their RF4s and 5.
Posted by Bob Grimstead on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 @ 03:28 PM:
Beautiful, precise and highly skilled Fournier flying right there!
I wish I knew the pilot's name. I'll try to find out.
That footage was taken by my friend and very competent videographer, John Tempest.
He has persuaded me to enter my Fournier RedHawk in the freestyle event next year, before I'm too old.
I don't yet know the dates, but when I do I'll post info on our 'Events' thread.
Fourniers forever, Bob
[Edit by Bob Grimstead on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 @ 03:28 PM]
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Posted by SteveBeaver on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 @ 04:20 PM:
You might like this one too. Some of the best aerobatic flying I have seen in a long time.
4-point stall turn/hammerhead anyone?
https://sbeaver.com/Bucker/index.php/74-news/latest/1341-benoit-dierickx-at-vwac
Also by John Tempest.
Posted by Bob Grimstead on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 @ 05:42 PM:
Wow! Just WOW!
That is some seriously imaginative and skilful flying.
I think I've found out the name of that RF4D pilot from the list of competitors: Moritz Kirchberg, RF4D, Classic, Germany
I must try and raise my game before next year's contest!
Happy Fournicating, Bob
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Posted by SteveBeaver on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 @ 07:30 PM:
Moritz Kirchberg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTgIGyriJnI
Posted by Jorgen on Thursday, August 22, 2019 @ 03:03 AM:
Absolutely fantastic!
It doesn't hurt that the guitarist Pat Metheny and harmonica player Toots Thielemans (RIP) are favourites of mine, beautiful, lovely.
Bückers and Fourniers can be considered twin spirits as aerobatic mounts in my opinion, keep them coming! Thanks for posting that Steve, but I think I will start with a 2-point hammerhead turn :D :D :D
May the 4's be with you/ Jörgen
Posted by Donald on Thursday, August 22, 2019 @ 08:15 AM:
| Quote: |  | Originally posted by SteveBeaver
You might like this one too.
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Very much I did. Beautiful flying, excellent camera work, dreamy music, a gorgeous Jungmeister...and NO smoke!
Thanks for posting Steve.
Posted by Bob Grimstead on Thursday, August 22, 2019 @ 08:28 AM:
Hi Donald,
Do I gather then that you don't like to see smoke from an aerobatting aeroplane?
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Posted by SteveBeaver on Thursday, August 22, 2019 @ 08:52 AM:
Benoit Dierickx, the pilot of the green LOM Jungmeister is also a champion RC model pilot. You would have to go a long way to see better model flying than this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnB7L-O2VJo
Particularly the landing at 8:50
Posted by Bob Grimstead on Thursday, August 22, 2019 @ 09:09 AM:
Aha, Alex Papana's Jungmeister in miniature.
This guy has superb hand/eye coordination doesn't he?
As you say Steve, that landing is pure poetry in motion.
It is very interesting the way he has incorporated some model-style flying into his full scale repertoire.
I am looking forward to seeing him flying next year.
For those of you who, like me, prefer slower rolling (and occasionally tumbling) airplanes, here is some Zlin footage from VAWC '19.
https://youtu.be/G3gh1wTjSZs
https://youtu.be/BFwV5UIWbMA
I must go and practice to improve my performance!
Happy Fournicating to you all, Bob
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Posted by Donald on Thursday, August 22, 2019 @ 03:54 PM:
| Quote: | | | Originally posted by Bob Grimstead
Hi Donald,
Do I gather then that you don't like to see smoke from an aerobatting aeroplane?
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No Bob, rather that I find it often rather overdone, and to be clear, I'm speaking of exhaust smoke systems which can be switched off and on, not the solid smokes you use which, once lit have to burn to the end. These in any case seem to release a lot less smoke.
That Jungmeister didn't have smoke and I think you'd agree the display lost nothing by it's absence. Rather the opposite, in my view.
[Edit by Donald on Thursday, August 22, 2019 @ 03:55 PM]
Posted by Bob Grimstead on Thursday, August 22, 2019 @ 04:48 PM:
Your viewpoint is very interesting Donald, and to me a little surprising.
Although of course it is every bit as valid as any opinion I might hold.
I have long felt that both display and competition aircraft should trail smoke, partly because the general public is not always blessed with our pilots' eyesight, and thus often can't even pick out a small aeroplane when it's manoeuvring above 500 feet. I also enjoy watching the patterns traced in the sky every bit as much as trying to spot the pilot's control deflections and identifying the evolutions that they engender.
I suspect that contest pilots mostly don't like smoke because it shows up their 'cheats' and reveals instantly when their loops aren't circular or their rolls precisely on axis in a way that smokeless flying doesn't. They also say it reduces power, although I really can't understand why.
Again, contrary to your viewpoint Donald, I think that display smoke in particular can never be too thick (unless you're on fire, of course) and I hate the thin, weedy stuff my marine smokes dispense. I am actually currently in the process of designing a pod to contain three smokes, rather than the two smokes in separate pods that I currently use.
This is the smoke that I most envy http://youtu.be/K11NTbaxzvs
Forget a Mercedes Benz https://youtu.be/Qev-i9-VKlY. That's what I want, right there. Look at that vertical penetration! 5,000 feet if it's an inch! Eat your hearts out Extra owners!
We really must get together in person some time. I keep hoping I'll be invited to display in Scotland, but no luck so far.
All the best, Bob
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Posted by Donald on Friday, August 23, 2019 @ 02:56 AM:
That Sea Fury (my favourite prop warbird single) video is wonderful but like you it's using (I think) solid smokes. And I can see why you would envy that rather nicely drawn trail. It seems to me it's the combination of the speed of the aircraft stretching a limited smoke volume that makes it work, almost like wingtip vortices in moist air, drawing fine lines in the sky. And there are some beautiful decaying smoke trail effects in there but those must be a random product of weather conditions on the day.
No, the sort of thing I don't care for is this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2LGshaoxrs or this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPS3qQOa5P8
Two quickly snatched examples but, to my eyes, excessive. I'd sooner watch someone crop dusting!
Given my two examples I guess we must just agree to differ, Bob, but it would be a dull world were we all the same.
Posted by Bob Grimstead on Friday, August 23, 2019 @ 06:07 AM:
Hi again Donald,
Yes the Sea Fury is also my favourite warbird. I first saw one displayed at the Biggin Hill Air Fair in the early 1970s and fell in love with the huge 5,000-foot diameter loops he made. I think the pilot's name was Commander Shepard.
I now think that Christophe Jacquard's Sea Fury with its wingtip smoke generators in that clip is the best of the lot. I particularly love the way that his smoke trails break up and re-form into a series of doughnuts ten seconds or so after the aeroplane has passed through the air. I thought he called those dynamic smoke rings 'smokewinders' when I watched him display on the continent a couple of years ago, but now that term is being used for his smoke pods themselves, so I'm not sure which is correct.
It has just been announced as for sale. Do you want to go 50-50 on it? http://dl.magazinedl.com/magazinedl/FlyPast/2019/FlyPast%20-%20August%202019(magazinedl.com).pdf
Ah yes, Skip Stewart. I love the density of his smoke but I hate his flying. I think it's very, very risky relying on engine thrust all the time at a low height like that. Within the last decade we've had deaths in the USA, England and Australia from guys who have suffered either engine failure or had their propeller depart at low-level when relying on engine thrust.
Of course, really good smoke like that depends on having a high capacity engine, plus a big smoke oil tank and a high-capacity pump too. Plus electrics. I don't have any of those things in my RF4D, although I hope to have some kind of centreline smoke in my RF6B if I can ever get that finished (or even started).
This is the sort of thing I eventually aspire to (at 1:00). That Grob has a higher capacity Volkswagen engine, but I should be able to achieve something like that with the Continental O-200 in my RF6B: https://youtu.be/M0STpITP2Lc
I hope those smoke trails are thin enough for you.
I have no problem at all in agreeing to differ Donald. Your opinion makes me feel less disappointed in my own smoke, and as you say it would be a dull world if we all thought the same.
Must go. I have been invited to fly aerobatics in the Zlin again this afternoon. Now there is another wonderful aeroplane that would benefit from wingtip smoke.
All the best, Bob
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Posted by SteveBeaver on Friday, August 23, 2019 @ 11:07 AM:
The problem with smoke in competition is that the smoke trail shows the path through the air, whereas the judges are judging the path relative to the ground. On a windy day, a perfectly flown vertical upline will leave a diagonal smoke trail with the potential to mislead the judges.
The vintage championships are a little different. As well as applying "correction factors" for the age, power and originality of the aircraft, points can be gained for a nice smoke trail, well synchronized music and (I suspect) a well groomed and appropriately bushy mustache. All aimed at putting the fun back into competition, which God knows it could use these days.
Posted by SteveBeaver on Saturday, August 24, 2019 @ 01:07 PM:
Be still my heart!
https://youtu.be/IFirjLQJBBs
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