Saw a Vickers Vimy Today

[Wannabe Cubdriver]

Watched the arrival of a reproduction Vickers Vimy this evening. She is going to recreate the Alcock and Brown journey across the Atlantic. Got to poke around a bit and take some pics, an amazing machine, and just beautiful. More info on their site www.vimy.org. Blue skies and tailwinds to the crew.
Cheers!

[SJ]

Very cool!

sj

[Tom Jones]

How'd it sound? When it came into Flabob a couple of years ago, the BMW V12's made it sound like a pair of angry ultrlights! It looked great but the sound was WAY out of character.

[Sgt. Rock]

Saw this in AOPA news letter.
VICKERS VIMY BIPLANE TO BEGIN ATLANTIC CROSSING
A U.S.-built replica of the Vickers Vimy bomber biplane is en route to St. John's, Newfoundland, to tackle a reenactment of the successful 1,622-nautical-mile nonstop crossing of the Atlantic Ocean first made in 1919 by Royal Flying Corps pilot Capt. John Alcock and navigator Lt. Arthur Whitten Brown. Pilot Steve Fossett, who set a record with his nonstop around-the-world flight in March, told ePilot that, just to be safe, he will carry a satellite phone in his luggage in case the trip to Clifden, Ireland, ends in the water. An emergency GPS system also will be available, but the plan is to complete the flight with a sextant used by navigator Mark Rebholz, a Boeing 747 captain for United Airlines. Fossett said he will carry 1,158 gallons of gas for the bomber's two Orenda OE 600 engines and expects to cruise at 65 knots or better. If the tailwind now forecast for the crossing develops, the trip can be made in 18 hours. Fossett's job will be to fight the Vimy constantly to keep it "from doing its own thing." Flown hands-off, the Vimy starts to turn, but Fossett said he has never explored what comes after that.

Rock

[Wannabe Cubdriver]

Tom, it actually sounded pretty cool, but not really circa 1919. You couldnt hear the valves slapping or see oil dripping everywhere :lol: I guess the two Orendas will be much more reliable for flying across the pond. It was still magical to see though. The Hangar is open again today, so I may get another peek.
Cheers!

[fobjob]

I'm kinda confused...the Vimy had Orendas at first, which is considerably more than it's original horsepower(350 HP per side), then it went to the BMW engines, which broke down, and couldn't show up to Oshcosh the year I went there to see it.. :bad-words: and now is apparently back to Orendas again??? I thought it sounded great with the Orendas......from the documentary of the Austrailia flight...like a giant piano being strummed.... :o