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Queen of the Skies


Question No. 1  

46 members have voted

  1. 1. How Should she be finished?

    • Gear up, doors closed in flight look (Easy storage)
      19
    • Gear down, possible doors open , parked looking (Not so easy storage)
      27


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Hi Guys,

I am in witha very special Concorde, which I am keeping hush hush till later, at the moment I am working on my bus but Once thats done I'll start on Concorde, she'll be pretty much straight from the box as I am not too bothered about the mistakes, If shes on the ground I am going to look at possibly doing her doors open with some interior views.

However I need your folks help on how to finish her, please find the poll above and submit your opinions.

James

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Well my idea exactly would be cargo door open, Front port door open with possible air stair and rear starboard door open, with again air stair to sit in a very nice Diaorama..... however I will have to deffinetly hone in my skills by the time I started and decide what should happen to her when I was finished.... maybe a donation/auction if she looks any good.

Alot would depend on the images I could get.... I think a trip to East Fortune is for sure.

Edited by RAF Colonel
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Strong arguments for building her on the ground, but to my mind Concorde's proper place is in the skies. I remember the first time I ever saw one - I was working in Reading and heard this loud roar. I looked up and saw the unmistakeable silhouette through the wispy clouds, heading for Heathrow. A beautiful aircraft and a crying shame they got rid of her.

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I remember as a very small child, my uncle taking me out the car at Heathrow to stand and watch Concorde take gracefully to the sky..... we were both there on that overcast day as Concorde arrived at East fortune... Lastly the Image I will always remember and is ingrained in my mind is her final flight when the cockpit windows were opened and Union Flags were waved....

My only interest is to do the old girl a service either closed up or open, If it looks under par I wont be happy and I'll feel as though Ive let her down, the scheme I have chosen is fictional however the role is not a thousand miles away from what she did do. Thats all I will say for the time being some clever clog will figure it out!

James

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I'm with him ^

As to the rear starboard door, I'm probably wrong but I dont think I've ever seen a pic or any indication that Concorde had airstairs used on a rear door - except on the one at Duxford coz I've been in it :)

I have seen pics of catering vehicles loading the food through this door using a portable extension as the truck wouldnt fit up to the door

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My only interest is to do the old girl a service either closed up or open, If it looks under par I wont be happy and I'll feel as though Ive let her down, the scheme I have chosen is fictional however the role is not a thousand miles away from what she did do. Thats all I will say for the time being some clever clog will figure it out!

James

The first thing that springs to mind is in a PANAM scheme a la the Orion spacecraft from 2001: A Space Odyssey. But I'm sure your actual plan will be even better.

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I saw an image of the rear starboard door having an air stair up to it on a Landor scheme Concorde, it also had the cargo rap up to it and ground crew were tossing luggage off the side of the airstair onto the ramp. The image is Below,

Loading-of-Rear-Cargo-Hold.jpg

Hahaha I do have two concorde's but I have a pretty big storage issue! so Building too is out of the question for now.

And Gordon nope... as much as I think the Clipper Sonic would look Gorgeous it isnt my lady today!

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First time I've seen an airstair at a rear door....go for it then :)

..and nice pics of the one in NYC; bet it wont look so pristine after a few New York winters - depends how weell they look after it I guess.

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The origional plan was for a rear air-stair as in 727/ 1-11!

I think the Yovelton proto-type has this set up

I'm sure I remember the 'corde at Yeovilton having a rear airstair- it was the entrance for the walk-through. . .

And, James, I always thought that The Queen's Flight (when it was that) should have had a Concorde . . . :smartass: ?

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Well done to Gaz! Gold star to that man!

Yes my Concorde is going to be an RAE/BAC Concorde of no. 32 (The Royal) Squadron, Royal Air Force circa 1970-1980. She will be painted in RAF Air Transport Command colours and have the Registartion R-AFA/G A joke on the part of the RAF Board issuing the serial, but realistically her call sign 'Royal Air Force One' when flying the Queen or senior members of the Monarch or "Royal Air Force Alpha' when flying the PM or senior members of the cabinet.

I have a full story and will either stick it up the top before I start or do it once I am finished the bird, however because she didn't exist any variation in the her size can be attributed to her Military use, as well as a few more aces that will need to be shown later on!

James

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If you can get a nice mount for it then "in flight". I'm sure it'll be good what ever you choose.

Such a stunning design, which would never be considered financially viable these days.

I look forward to seeing the output of this GB.

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I remember climbing down Yeovilton Concorde's rear air stairs as well (I know I have pictures of it somewhere). Considering the aft fuselage was different on those early birds, I have a feeling it was something they got rid of on the production variants to give the planes a bit more fuel capacity. It could also have been something unique to just the prototypes to allow for test equipment to be more easily loaded as they packed those first birds with a lot of stuff!

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Yes my Concorde is going to be an RAE/BAC Concorde of no. 32 (The Royal) Squadron, Royal Air Force circa 1970-1980. She will be painted in RAF Air Transport Command colours and have the Registartion R-AFA/G A joke on the part of the RAF Board issuing the serial, but realistically her call sign 'Royal Air Force One' when flying the Queen or senior members of the Monarch or "Royal Air Force Alpha' when flying the PM or senior members of the cabinet.

I have a full story and will either stick it up the top before I start or do it once I am finished the bird, however because she didn't exist any variation in the her size can be attributed to her Military use, as well as a few more aces that will need to be shown later on!

James

this is going to be interesting....

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  • 3 weeks later...

Specification C.44/52 - Aircraft Requirement, from The Ministry of Supply, London to Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnbrough, 1952

Dear sir's,

I have been requested on behest of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and all those serving on the air staff board, Sir Winston Churchill, Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Civil Aviation, the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Labour and National Service to put towards you a request for a new aircraft.

We understand that recently you have started experimenting with engines capable of supersonic flight, as per the request made for jet bomber aircraft made in 1947, as I am sure as you are also aware the Americans and Soviets are also looking towards getting a commercial jetliner into supersonic flight. It is the opinion of the Prime Minister and all those (Including Her Majesty) forenamed that America and the Soviets should not succeed in that pursuit. The specifications we require are simple an aircraft of any design that can Reach Mach. 2 and is suitable to carry human passengers safely. Failure to meet these specifications could result in the downfall of British Aviation Production as we could be left trailing behind the United States of America in attempting to sell our supersonic aircraft to commercial bidders.

Additionally the Royal Air Force (RAF) has relayed concerns that at the current moment in time there is no appropriate aircraft to support Her Majesty, The Queen and her family and senior Government officials on Transatlantic journeys, with all current aircraft being either too small or under powered for the role of a major sate visit to parts of the Empire and Commonwealth. The Prime Minister Himself has extended concern that the Avro York Which has faithfully served him for the last 10 years is starting to suffer the ill effects of extended service, Lord Mountbatten has also extended comment that whilst in his official capacity of Viceroy to India he had gone through 3 Avro York's, each wearing out faster than normal due to the extreme heat experienced in the region.

Her Majesty the Queen has personally asked, with support of the air ministry, that if this ambitious pursuit of a commercial supersonic jet aircraft is achieved that at least 2 be produced with all military technologies for defence of the Queen and as much Luxuary as can be achieved within a flyable aircraft to make her majesties aircraft a figure of this countries dominance in the remainder of the empire and in the world. This aircraft is to be both a symbol of the crown and government and an effective transport vehicle. Future reference to this aircraft is to be in the way of Air Force One in correspondence to the air board, or those fore mentioned or by the designation "Alpha Foxtrot One". The Queen is willing to commit some funds from the royal household to the development of the aircraft once a suitable engine has been developed. The Minister of Defence, Sir Winston Churchill, has also stated that should the aircraft development be successful he would consider purchasing an unconfirmed number for troop transport and possibly to serve in a bomber capacity.

The Minister of Civil Aviation and the Air Staff Board wish to extend to you their best wishes and reassurance that if you need support from either the RAF or Politically you shouldn't hesitate to ask.

Best Wishes,

Edited by RAF Colonel
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Nope Dad was a Mechanic, then Taxi Driver,

Uncle was a Bomb aimer in the RAF

Aunt was a typist in the Glasgow Procurator Fiscals office.

I however did public speaking and debating and have had to make formal statements in the past as well as mock up statements for various activities so I am quite use to doing it, but watch this space, weve started in Mid- 1952, watch was we travel the life of Alpha Foxtrot One. Using imitation statements and plays on real historical events.

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Aunt was a typist in the Glasgow Procurator Fiscals office.

I however did public speaking and debating and have had to make formal statements

that explains it.......will be watching (and reading) with interest :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Prime Minister, Mr Winston Churchill's, speech to the Commons,

Prime Ministers Question Time,

28th May 1953

"My fellow statesmen, this the year is the year of change and of innovation and of course of promise. In my first order of Business I would like to officially state that Parliament will not assemble next Tuesday, Tuesday the 2nd of June 1953, as I am sure we all know that day is the date of the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, and as such Mr Speaker, I have requested in the interests of political fairness that today's Prime Ministers Questions be extended by 10 minutes to give my Hounourable Gentleman, the Leader of the Opposition of the Opportunity to fairly question any issues of today's statements or of any matter which he sees fit.

As I have previously stated this is a year of change and innovation, We have came through the war triumphant, Britain has proved itself to be at the forefront of military technology with the assistance of our allies in the United states, we have proved that through the Royal Navy, Supported by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Merchant Navy and the Navies of the Commonwealth Britain Very much still rules the wavies! Our Army although now turning its hand to Peace time Operations, stands guard against the the constant threats from the East and from perverse and Corrupt leaders who wish to destroy our hard earned Peace. But Once again there is a battle for the skies of not only Britain but western Europe, The Iron Curtain is falling, we will very soon not be able to freely move vehicles into our assets in Western Germany, particularly those in Berlin, Soon we will not be able to safely send ships into the Baltic, to Sweden without fear of encountering hostile ships and submarine crafts. Once again it falls to the skies, we must continue to support the people in western Berlin, and protect those in Western Germany as well as Those here at home from any sort of Aeronautical attack, we must evolve our Royal Air Force, and make sure their Finest hour is never forgotten but is repeated any time the aerial safety of this country is at risk, we must not only look at how we can possess the strongest or biggest bombs, but look at how we can make our aircraft the fastest, how we can transport our men around the globe in the shortest period of time and from there we can look at deploying weapons on these aircraft.

As such, I have approached the Minister of Aircraft production and late last year myself, along with other interested parties laid down specifications to this countries aircraft producers, in those specifications I have asked for an aircraft that can safely transport quantities of people at supersonic speed. This country and its aircraft producers are at the forefront of technological advances, through the Comet we brought the world into what is now being called 'The Jet Age.' It should be our focus to remain at the forefront of the technological advances of the avaition world and be the first country to operate Supersonic aircraft both militarily and in a civil capacity.

In previous years of coronations it has been customary to give the monarch a gift represent that as a gift from the people, in the past these have been coaches, trains and of course Yachts, with the permission of this House and from the Air Ministry I would like to propose that the first aircraft produced as part of Project Alpha Foxtrot One be given to Her Majesty the Queen as a Coronation present from this country. I have been assured from staff at Rolls Royce and the Royal Aircraft establishment that such an aircraft could successfully be produced within 10 years, if not sooner."

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