Folks,

Sir Humphrey explains Brexit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFBgQpz_E80

Gents,

Roger,

You're right, I do manage to get by with the unstable weather although some of the outdoor activities apart from biking suffer; gardening is behind schedule and I had hoped to get some evening swims in, in some nearby lakes, but a lot of fellow swimmers are either on holidays in a warmer part of the world, or not really too keen, like I, to go swimming when you're not quite sure if the weather will suddenly turn nasty, like a thunderstorm with it's obvious dangers of lightning.

Today was fairly good for biking with dry and not too windy, mostly sunny conditions, and it looks like Tuesday and Wednesday may also be OK.
.
Yes, the Me 163 Komet rocketplane was designed by Lippisch and watching the video I did not spot the reference to it being a 162. Perhaps an error on the page which has later been corrected? The Heinkel 162 was indeed the larger jet propulsion plane.

Regarding the 163 being towed, I think they didn't want to risk blowing it, and it's pilot up by using it's propulsion system. These planes were more dangerous to their pilots than to the enemy because they blew up in great numbers. And they did indeed only carry fuel for approximately 10 minutes of burn, usually climbing vertically to gain height and then attack the enemy bomber formation before gliding in to non-powered landing. The simulated combat in the second video is taken from the game War Thunder; good graphics but horribly incorrect modelling of flight characteristics such as fuel capacity.

Folks,

MG:

I hadn't even noticed the combat was video capture from a game. Yes, poor FM. Both the 163 and the so called Buzz Bomb or V1 used a kind of detachable trolly gear for taking off only. And that volatile rocket fuel made the 163 a flying bomb. There were so many explosive accidents during fueling it must have taken either very brave men to fly the things or pilots that held a gun to their own heads (Monty Python-like) to get into the cockpit.

Now for something entirely different:

In reference to your atom bomb video, I thought of something I did not mention at the time. The Doomsday Clock. The Doomsday Clock is a symbol which represents the likelihood of a man-made global catastrophe. Maintained since 1947 by the members of The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists' Science and Security Board, the Clock represents an analogy for the threat of global nuclear war. For the last two years, the minute hand of the Doomsday Clock stayed set at three minutes before the hour, the closest it had been to midnight since the early 1980s.

In its two most recent annual announcements on the Clock, the Science and Security Board warned: Quote: "The probability of global catastrophe is very high, and the actions needed to reduce the risks of disaster must be taken very soon. In 2017, we find the danger to be even greater, the need for action more urgent. It is two and a half minutes to midnight, the Clock is ticking, global danger looms. Wise public officials should act immediately, guiding humanity away from the brink. If they do not, wise citizens must step forward and lead the way. "

Chilling.

Folks,

It really is silly to mention our almost perfect summertime weather when our friends and thousands of tourists on North Carolina's Outer Banks are suffering without power and merchants and hostelries face possible financial ruin.

Residents have been in the dark since Thursday morning, when a crew working for PCL Construction, the company building the new Herbert C. Bonner Bridge at Oregon Inlet, accidentally drove a steel casing into an underground transmission line.The mishap cut off power from that point south to Ocracoke, the southern terminus of the Outer Banks, a string of barrier islands spanning most of North Carolina's northern coast. It might take two weeks to repair. This time of summer is the hot spot for tourism on our coast. Now through the Labor Day holiday is the big tourist boom that accounts for much of the profits for so many for the entire year.

On top of that misery, there is a named tropical storm churning in the Atlantic. I need to look into that. I don't know if it is headed out to sea or up the coast our way. We are getting into peak hurricane season. Those NC barrier islands can take a real beating when one of those monsters comes calling.

Folks:

Fittop:

You may wish to see this interesting training film about the venerable B-52. We thought the B-17 was a tough old bird. This is amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihAEyZ25qfU

Folks, JRT:

Remember the incident, but you brought back the training film memory. Thanks for the info. I did not know it was on the net.
I marvel at the strength of the design, including the ability to turn the wheels so one could land in a crab while the wheels went down the runway.
Actually practiced that a couple of times. The North weather could get mean fast.

The tail-less flight was as impressive as the A-10 and F15 half-wing saves.

There is a lot of respect for American design, labor and manufacturing practices. -Notwithstanding the choice words I uttered when wind took a heavy door from my hand and then slammed it onto my head when I was pre-flighting an OV-1 Mohawk.
I had to admit Grumman built one tough bird and that I had a hard head.

These days I wonder about the "fly-by-wire" flight controls seeing as how cars controls can be hacked. I remember the Douglass lady chastising the senior pilots about their "1940's thinking." when the DC-10 was introduced.
The surprise to me in the Far Eastern disappearance was that while the airline companies can download all sort of info inflight, the manufacturers can also do so. My question would be: Who else can?

I am almost feeling guilty for being able to enjoy fairly decent weather on this first day of August with below average temperatures, even a promise of slight amounts of rain tomorrow.
The folks is North Carolina's Outer Banks can not do the same since tourists or not, some will have to stay on to mind the daily trials without the benefit of customers, income or electrical power.and the conveniences it brings.
That's got to be hard work.

Folks,

Fittop:

Hopefully, the storm will move out to sea and not add to the problems east of us. Even inlanders in our state are used to long power outages when the big storms come inland. The last one that cut our power came when my wife was using oxygen. We had a few extra tanks but her main source was a rather large machine. We did not have a generator so when the power went off so did the oxygen.

After the storm passed crews began the huge task of clearing, repairing and restoring. It took quite some time. Crews were brought in from other states. In our city, the work began in the dark and ran 24-7. Those fellows were marvelous. When they finally got to our street, I went over to the crew chief to have a chat. My very wealthy next door neighbor at that time (the one with the yacht in his compound) was already there complaining that his power should have priority because he had five chest freezers full of expensive food. The crew chief was about to send my neighbor packing. The work was done in an orderly fashion, no exceptions. "What's your problem?" the man in the gold hard hat asked me as my neighbor was about to protest. I told him about my wife. No exceptions or not, our house was reconnected to electricity next. We'd already lost all the food in our single chest freezer and fridge.

Gentlemenses,

all this talk of weather and flying. Well, I had a good day today involving both. Typical Florida summer weather here; 93 F and storm cells. Annual on the 177 is complete and was finishing final reassembly in the hangar. Putting all the wheel pants and landing gear fairings on. I am experienced with it since I have removed it all to go to fly-ins at grass fields before. Not difficult, but lots of screws. All went smooth enough. Then did a a thorough preflight to check everything after all the disassembly and reassembly associated with the annual. Then hand drag it with a tow bar out of the hangar to fire it up. Waaaaiiiittttt a minute. What is that sort of grinding noise coming from both wheels ? We had re packed the bearings and adjusted brakes; could that be it ? Moved it back and forth and ... no, that's not it. Lay on the ground with a flashlight and start looking. Definitely sounds like something metal is rubbing rubber. Could the screws though the metal backplate that holds all the fiberglass be too long and rubbing the tires ? Didn't before. Looked for marks that would show. None. Now I'm stumped.

So it all comes back off so I can check the tires and brakes. Ahhhhhhhh, there's the culprit. Adjustable rear plate has some recent wear on the forward edge. So the new tires of a different manufacturer must be slightly bigger even though the 600 x 6 is the same. Alright, how to resolve this. Looking at the rub marks on the plate it appears a simple grind of a 1/8 to 1/4 inch should do. Or maybe removing the screws and sliding the plate a bit instead. That seemed more like a professional fix than grinding.

But nothing ever is as easy as first thought. Got 5 out of 6. The last screw crosstip slot was mangled and no phillipshead would get a grip. So it was going to be cutting the screw head to see if I could make a good slot for a flattip screwdriver. Well, that didn't work. So let's just continue and just cut off the head. Bit of time and cussing and eventually it surrendered. Now on to the next issue; the adjustable slot was already at furthest allowance. So I was going to have cut some more length into the six slides. Bit of a #%&*$# because there was no way I could get the oddly shaped bracket into a vise. So slow cutting while hand held. Now I had the additional length. Get new screws and retainers and put it back together. Looked good, but many of my failures in the past had looked good too. Put all the pants and fairings back on. Now my wrist and hands were getting tired after having done about a hundred fasteners this morning.

Drag it out and .... no noise. Smooth rolling. Oh my God ! Had I actually done something right without requiring three tries ?

Engine started smoothly. Ran good at idle and power loads. Brake test was good. All gauges had correct readings. Flaps worked. Control surfaces good smooth movement. Magneto check smooth. Really smooth. Cleaning plugs and replacing a couple had really helped. Short taxi with another steering and brake check. Oh my. No problems. New tires felt better than the old ones. Surely it wasn't going to go this well was it. Comm with tower and taxi out to run up point. Run up checklist went completely normal. Comm with tower for takeoff, staying in the pattern for landing. Everything absolutely normal. Engine running a bit better than normal again due to some plug maintenance. Taxi in and shutdown. Get out and relook everything. No problems. Restart and back out for another takeoff and stay in the pattern for touch and go. Everything good so powered to do the go. Told tower I was departing the pattern to the west. Flew over the cemetery where my parents are buried and did my blessing and thanks for having been good parents. Gave me the foundation to do things like this. Out to the coast. Never out of sight of the field just to be cautious. Cells of cumulus clouds. Did the ballroom dance with some of the strays. Wheeled and soared and swung. Watched a large cell pouring rain along the highway and one town. Watching a rain cell from the air never gets old.

Then back to the field to wrap things up. After flight check found no issues.

It was a good day.

Fittop, don't have any past background with you, but I take it you flew. Share a bit with me ?

Folks,

OG:

Thanks for posting. That was very interesting. You clearly have much experience and the many skills so useful to the private pilot.

It must be nice. Congratulations. Having completed your hard work you may now enjoy all the perks and privileges of owning the beautiful 177. If your aircraft was being used for compensation or hire you would have enjoyed all the fun of a thorough inspection every one-hundred hours. That alone might make it worthwhile to start an Everglades charter service. I don't know much about it myself but I've heard rumors. Don't you find that pesky FAA requirement to have a certified mechanic around during the annual kinda redundant and unnecessary, as it spoils some of the most difficult fun?

My son is actually considering buying a (used) plane. If he does, I suppose we'll be enjoying all the same fun you had. There's the pre-purchase checkout and one fine day, a year later, his first annual. Oh, yes, and somewhere along the way, he might even consider and be lucky enough to actually get his private ticket. He can dress sloppy at times, so his shirttail is probably already out, ready for cutting off. Do they still do that? I don't really understand why he would NEED a license. Experience must count for something. He's been flying that sports car or that truck of his for a year already.

Gents,

I manage to pick my way between the showers to get my biking done. This "summer" is a case of unmoving or unchanging patterns. Usually there is an exchange between low and high pressure areas over time; this year, there's been no such exchange.

Fittop; I fully expect that Mossad is also able to hack the avionics of civilian aeroplanes. I can't imagine them not considering a 911 scenario over Israel and how to deal with it. If this is the last you hear from me, consider my thesis proven.

Folks,

As if we didn't have enough worries, now, thanks to MG spilling state secrets on the internet, we have to worry about a probable drone strike near Copenhagen.

Of course, if Denmark has the same secret and the needed equipment to protect the noble citizens of that kingdom, then, because the system is still being perfected, there may instead be an accidental Drone strike in Finland or one harmlessly out to sea. If the latter, there'll likely be free fish floating belly up around Denmark for weeks.

No doubt in my mind precautions have long been made to be able to exert some controls over unfriendly aircraft of every kind. 9/11 woke everyone up to a known but perhaps ignored threat. There was a rumor that all planes were retro fitted with a secret anti terrorist button. At the pilot's discretion, that secret button could be pressed instantly causing anyone with a Middle Eastern passport to be dropped out of the plane. This seemed frightfully unfair to the ACLU and certain other concerned organizations who brought suit and now anyone protesting they are not a terrorist will only be asked to put on a parachute and jump from the plane. If this is more than a rumor, the system has yet to be tested.

Hello Chaps!

I saw that bit about Sir Humphrey explains Brexit when somebody put it on Facebook Timeline today.

I had a few quid in my Steam account so I added another £2.22 and downloaded Cliffs of Dover (my cd don't work because code tied to previous pc) but it wont kick off. I validated the files bit no go. I might try the forum for a tip if there is anybody left on it.

Maybe in the distant future the next attempt at a Battle of Britain sim will concentrate on a dedicated pilot career which seems to have been what most players really wanted instead of a make-do cover. Your efficiency and grading at EFTS and OTU would pitch you into a front line squadron which actually represents your chances of survival probability, improving as valuable experience is gained. That is just for a start, followed by complications of command and individual pilot management and rotation, discipline, morale, weather, promotion, awards, advanced operational courses like gunnery and navigation, R/T procedure, supply and aircraft servicing etc. We also want to change the way the Battle can be won (or lost) instead of slavishly taking the stage-by-stage path which has been established historically. Completely ignore what happened after the first week of July 1940 and manage it from a new perspective. Blessed with the benefit of hindsight the Luftwaffe commander may not divert attacks onto London but continue against the airfields. The Defiant debacle needn't happen. Station them in 12 group away from 109s. Make them flyable! Keep hammering RDF etc. The top brass can react according to the possibilities confronting them on a day-to-day basis or you can run Bentley Priory yourself. Imagine each squadron commanded by an online player reacting to directives from a Group Commander (Park, Leigh-Mallory) which is overseen by a Campaign Manager (Dowding) who decides the battle plan and dishes out the orders from his ivory tower. Dedicated players would sign up and run the same battle for weeks or months if desired. Married simmers need not apply...

Then, all that remains is to appeal to a niche market which would make it profitably worthwhile. Easy.

Folks,

The sky is overcast today.At 10 AM the temp is 74°F., the high is expected to level at 88°F. Ther is a 3 mph breeze blowing from the SW.

I agree. You've obviously done some thinking on the subject. And, as you point out, it is rather difficult to get rich flogging flight sims for the PC. Sad, really. What may be needed is a crazy, fabulously wealthy man or woman who will gather a crack team of experts in the various disciplines and create an open source BoB sim along the lines you suggest Dux but entirely without a profit motive. Ummm. Well, yes, LeRoy that is probably unlikely to happen. But wouldn't it be nice if it did?

I've been reading. There is good news for moderate heavy drinkers staggering about. Scientists now claim older folks who drink alcohol moderately heavy (is that possible?) live longer. I'm not quite clear on how one goes about drinking heavy in moderation but I'm game since they claim it might mean I'll hiccup well into my eighties. Who knew Jack Daniels created something that is so good for you? Of course, there is always a tiny insect in the ointment. I suspect you may make it to your righties but without your original liver. There is another caveat, living long in an alcoholic haze means you may not remember much of it.

Raise your glasses now (Dux raise your bucket). As we begin our own healthy regime of moderately heavy drinking, we toast those gentlemen and ladies laboring for our good health in distilleries across the world. May they also live long and prosper.

Chaps,

Rog,

I am inclined to agree with the findings of those learned and sensible scientists of which you speak. In fact I was inclined in all directions last night when I consumed a fair amount of whisky and lager.

The upper crust and landed gentry are swigging wine and shorts all day and they usually hang on into their nineties. The late Queen Mother could down several half pint glasses of gin and walk a dead straight line - I once read - and hit 101.

Our British ancestors in far-off times drank nothing but beer usually because drinking from a river or stream could finish you off in short order.

You may speak of gin and beer when you are quartered safe outta here; when it come to penny-fights and Aldershot it. Ah, but when it comes to slaughter, you'll do your work on water and you'd lick the bloomin' boots of him that's got it.

Gents,

Guess what. We've had rain and thunderstorms today.

In other news, the National Danish female football team apparently have reached the final in the European Cup by beating Austria in the penalty shootout competition following a gaol less match. I didn't watch as I'm not a big fan of football but well done to them. If they can win the final on Sunday it will be mayhem and celebrations in the tiny kingdom.

Speaking of kingdom, and bearing in mind the scientific evidence that drinking will prolong life, and considering Old Dux' brilliant observation regarding the landed gentry,perhaps including even members of the House of Lords and thereby close relations to royalty (This is becoming quite a desperate attempt by me to tie everything together in one unifying principle, I tell you);

Prince Consort Mark Philip is retiring from official duties. At the age of 94 I can't say I blame him, well done to keep at it as long as he has. Some English contacts I have suggest that perhaps he was metaphorically also raising his index and middle fingers in the internationally established gesture of,.... well you know, the rude salute.

Any thoughts on this Gentlemen, Dux??

I can empathise with male pride being kept under for just so long, before the ego rebels at being not even number two, but being nothing more than a Consort. A kept man.

Perhaps this is what is troubling our own Prince Consort; Henri de Laborde de Monpezat; Married to our queen, Margrethe II. He has officially retired from his duties some 18 months ago and it is thought that part of his reason for entering into retirement is that he finally gave up hope of ever being afforded a grander title, like King of Denmark and is bitter about it. The tabloids report that the couple are unofficially separated but of course being married to a royal, they cannot divorce without a major upheaval to the Danish Monarchy. This evening we learn, that he wishes to be buried, not beside his wife, but probably in his home country of France.

Such sad speculations make me happy to be a mere commoner. Yet I can't help thinking; it must be soul destroying for a proud man to be not even number two, and always walk in the shadow of your wife. Perhaps it is also a sign of a way of thinking, and defining yourself that is old-fashioned. Surely it must have been possible for such men to make themselves number one in some specific area, and shrug if off because after all, King, is what you name a dog.

Chaps,

Jens,

Phil has always been OK in my book. Throughout the many decades it has been mostly the shouting, anti-royalist, lefty minority who have denigrated him. However, he has remained strongly supported by the majority even in his many delightful ( and intentional ) gaffes.

Folks,

At 10:30 AM our temp was 74°F. The high for this Friday is expected to be 87°F. There is no recorded wind except in the general vicinity of the local baked bean factory's testing room. The humidity is a smothering 91%.

Dux:

Phil?

From over here he seems a good chap for a Royal. Only HM the Queen is held in higher regard. HRH Anne may be the hardest worker I've read. Philip is well regarded here. Especially considering what humiliating restrictions he has been forced to endure since the early 50s. Walking a few paces behind his wife, always deferring to her at least in public. Having to change his very name before the wedding. Speaking of which, loosing Mountbatten the way he did must have been a very low point in his life indeed.

It is not for me, a common colonist, to comment further on HRH Prince Philip. I will only add that over the years he has said some things in public that brought smiles to many faces and gasps from as much more. I will simply post some of his greatest public gaffes. The man says what is on his mind. Kinda refreshing in a way say I. It may well have caused HM the Queen some higher than expected expense for aspirin, however. I wish the Duke well in his retirement.

Prince Philip has completed 22,219 solo engagements since 1952 - but not all of them have gone to plan. Here is what he said:

"If it has got four legs and it is not a chair, if it has got two wings and it flies but is not an airplane, and if it swims and it is not a submarine, the Cantonese will eat it."

"How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to get them through the test?" (to a driving instructor in Oban, Scotland, during a 1995 walkabout).

"If it doesn't fart or eat hay, she's not interested." (on the Princess Royal)

In Germany, in 1997, he welcomed German Chancellor Helmut Kohl at a trade fair as "Reichskanzler" - the last German leader who used the title was Adolf Hitler.

"If a cricketer, for instance, suddenly decided to go into a school and batter a lot of people to death with a cricket bat, which he could do very easily, I mean, are you going to ban cricket bats?" (in 1996, amid calls to ban firearms after the Dunblane shooting).

"I declare this thing open, whatever it is." (on a visit to Canada in 1969). (my personal favorite of the 96 reported)

In other news

Using what looks to me like the innards of a large Mr. Coffee machine, scientists have spotted the ever elusive neutrino bouncing off nuclei.

Up to now, I thought they found neutrinos down in deep pools of water created for that very purpose. Trillions of these infinitesimal buggers pass through our bodies every second with maybe only one per week actually grazing a particle of our bodies. I think we all agree that is a good thing. That rarity has made life miserable for physicists, who have indeed resorted to building huge underground detector tanks for a chance at catching the odd neutrino. Perhaps they would rather the things lopped off the odd ear or burst a spleen now and then so they could keep track? Ain't science great?

I dunno what neutrinos are good for. Perhaps spotting those neutrinos will lead to the development of the first time machine? Thus allowing HRH Prince Philip to go back in time and not say what he said hoping not to say anything worse in the process.

Folks,

If memory serves, HM Queen Margrethe II Of Denmark is 3rd Cousin to the Queen of England. They are reputed to be very good friends. Of course, through HM Queen Victoria marrying off her children, half the Royals in Europe are related to the English throne sitters. Perhaps this is a good thing? I dunno. That relationship cut no ice when Germany's cousin Willy so churlishly decided to make a big deal out of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. Such a big deal in fact that he just had to don his spiked ornamental helmet and join with the Central Powers of Austria-Hungry against Britain, France, Ireland and Russia who were part of an alliance called the Triple Entente. Of such simple matters "The War To end all Wars" was begun.

Despite such close relations, the total number of military and civilian casualties in World War I was more than 41 million: There were over 18 million deaths and 23 million wounded, ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history. The total number of deaths includes about 11 million military personnel and about 7 million civilians.

Folks,

It is a warm 74°F. in my tiny part of our world. The time is 10:30 AM. There is a 6 mph wind out of the W and the humidity is 63%. The high for the day is predicted to be 85°F.

I've read that a 'Lucifer' heat wave is a 'major' threat to Europe

Between 1981 and 2010, there were, on average, 3,000 people killed annually by weather-related events.But this could soar to 152,000 annually between 2071 and 2100, according to a study in the Lancet Planetary Health journal. Climate change is responsible for 90% of the increased risk, while population growth, migration, and urbanization make up the other 10%.

I'm not sure how they can predict this change in the future when no one can reliably predict the weather for Wednesday on a Monday. If they are correct then there may be far hotter biking days in Denmark as a result but I do not think our pal, Jens, had anything like that in mind.