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Old 07-27-2020, 11:29 PM   #901
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

[QUOTE=Jim Brierley;1913288]I know nothing about airplanes other than I'm smart enough to not jump out of a perfectly good one. I worked as a mechanic etc.

yes Jim. I jump out of an aeroplane rather regularly. Always stationary and on the ground. Like you, I'd never jump, I'd prefer to ride it down. gary
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Old 07-28-2020, 09:51 AM   #902
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

Quote:
I like the 2 cycle Detroit engines ! The 53, 71 and 92 series engines I thought were good engines. They were screamers.
I worked in a lot of diesel power plants, some of them used 6-71s that ran at 1200 RPM, they were fairly quiet, some of the power plants used 6-71s that ran at 1800 RPM and they were real screamers. There was also 8V71s, 8V92s, 12V92s.
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Old 07-28-2020, 05:27 PM   #903
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My Friend David tells me-

My long-time friend and cropduster pilot David tells me the number of sprays cotton required on the Ord River irrigation area was 43 insecticide per season. That is when he worked there some years ago. No conservative person wants to see that. Conservative people include pilots and farmers. Today insecticide sprays are generally 6 as a result of genitally modified cotton to repel the insect pest heliothis. Isn’t that a great advance?
David also pointed out another error I made in a previous story about drought and fire. I said livestock were transported to better areas for adjustment. Of course not. For agistment, yes. I do know the difference but computers do their own thinking and changed the word to something quite unrelated but I did spell it incorrectly in the first place. My portrait is below.
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Old 08-04-2020, 04:59 AM   #904
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

I had thought I'd done this one but can't find it.


Nothing but Ford Model A’s.

I was spreading fertilizer, based at Guyra which is in the New England high country of northern N.S.W. My next job was for a farmer by the name of Moffit. I arrived at his airstrip very early in the morning and he drove out to meet and brief me in his Ford Model A. I was more interested in his car than his job; a Tourer cut back and made to a ute. I was only 23 at the time but my affection for Model A’s had been developing since my school days. Very shortly his son drove to the airstrip in a Model A and I dreuled over that as well. Then a third son arrived in likewise, a Model A.
I asked just how many A’s they had and it was 10 or 11, I don’t recall. They took me to a shed and showed me one in original and almost pristine order. A two-door town sedan or maybe a Victorian, I don’t recall that either. I asked how come they had so many and they said they bought them at clearing sales. They paid in the order of 10 pound each for them. Even today I commend them for their foresight and keeping them sheded.
Today the dad has passed and I know at least one of the sons is retired in Armidale. And now for myself, I am just an old cropduster. 47 years have passed. But I betcha those cars haven’t aged a day. They remain the most appealing car ever built to date. Well I think so anyway.
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Old 08-07-2020, 08:24 PM   #905
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To deny responsibility.

An experienced cropduster I once knew, and I’m going to give the phoney name of Jack, lost control of his aeroplane on takeoff. He ran off the airstrip and crashed.

It was sometime later I got to chat with him and of course I asked how this had happened. He told me he had never being able to figure it out and also mentioned the government aviation authority couldn’t figure it out either.

A bloke on that airfield pointed out to me that the aeroplane was a dual seater Piper Pawnee. A few of these aeroplanes had been modified to dual for the purpose of training cropdusters. It made for a very cramped cabin for two people. In addition, the pedals were small and close together. There was not a great deal of room for four feet.

What had happened was this. Jack was the sole pilot and he had his left foot planted on the left pedal, just where it should be. Pilot sits on the left in all dual controlled aeroplanes. But Jacks right foot was also planted on left pedal of the second pilots controls, who sits on the right . Understand? Jack had each foot on a left pedal and the more he endeavoured to correct directional control the more it headed left. He was unintentionally aggravating the situation.

This situation is easy to understand and I am told it became mandatory to insert a petition between the left and right pilots set of pedals and thus prevent similar accident happening again.
The first picture is of a standard Piper Pawnee and the second is the cab of the modified by widening aeroplane. Notice how cramped the pedals are. These pictures came from the internet. I have never seen one with the V strut as the picture depicts. I guess that would keep the correct feet on the correct pedals as well.

Why couldn’t he accept he made an error? I guess he could accept it but didn't want to admit error to another pilot. Silly. The accident was unfortunate but not to concede error was foolish. We all learn by reviewing the reason for accidents.
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Old 08-10-2020, 04:44 PM   #906
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The Gentlemen’s Coffee Club.

In Ozland we have a men’s shed organisation. I see on the internet you in the USA have likewise. Probably copied it from us here down-under.
images-13.jpeg

Well I joined the organisation. It provides a workshop with wood work machinery. I’ve always wanted to have this machinery but resisted because I can’t justify the cost for such relatively small amount of use and the wood shavings and dust would make my messy shed even more messy.
When I first established business in this region, the Riverina, many of my customers were my age, now 40 years later they are still my age of course. They are retired and they too are members of the “men’s shed”. This is great, I always liked mixing with farmers and have great rapport with them. About half our time there is spent drinking coffee and jaw wagging. I enjoy it.
It might be pertinent to mention, I’m currently building a set of hungry boards for my ute, which I call, and you all know as “woofa express”.
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Old 09-10-2020, 06:31 AM   #907
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Peter Hamilton’s frustration at Cairo.

1976. A cropduster had an engine failure near Cairo, enroute England to Sudan.
A new (overhauled) engine was airfreighted to Cairo and an engineer by the name of Peter Hamilton was sent to install it. Middle East bureaucracy stifled every attempt to retrieve the engine from storage at the airport. Also to travel to the aeroplane because it involved travel through a military zone. Peter sort their equivalent of the minister of defence to do both but that didn’t seem to carry any authority. Peter seemed to be stymied.

We all have moments of brilliance, some call it a light bulb moment. Well Peter had one. He took a small white cardboard business card with a cropduster aeroplane and his name printed on it. Took a cork stopper from a bottle of cognac, inked it, stamped this card with it and then signed over top. This plus the letter of permission gave him unobstructive access to both engine and through the military zone to the downed aeroplane. He did run into difficulties after the fitting of this engine. The ministers document did not say he could return. I do not recall how he overcame this; some 43 years have elapsed since Peter told me of this difficulty.

The aeroplane was subsequently flown to Sudan and I happened to fly it their next cotton season.
Flying in Sudan, one requires tolerance and patience. There was no point in becoming frustrated or disheartened but simply accept the conditions under which they work administrate. Next story I’ll tell you a few things about my work and experience there.
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Old 09-11-2020, 03:25 PM   #908
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Cotton spraying in Sudan.

The capital of Sudan is Khartoum, a city of some 5 plus million. Located where the Nile river branches in 2, the Blue Nile runs south south east and the White Nile south south west. What I remember about Khartoum was the overbearing smell of urine when the day warmed up, the magnificent London Plain Trees lining the banks of the river and General Gordons all steel boat moored there with steel shutters to block incoming lead projectiles. And about Sudan, drivers regularly tuning vehicle horns for max volume. Noise and brightness of flashing lights signalled priority expected.
The Blue Nile supports an extensive irrigation area known locally as the Gazera. It was in this area I worked spraying cotton. In many places cotton as far as one could see. Featureless of terrain and landmarks, just cotton, mostly in 90 fedan (acre) blocks. Because the landscape was featureless, navigation to the area we were to spray was difficult and never got easier with experience.
Farming was all by hand, that is no tractors or cotton pickers. All hoes and shovels. Each farmer was allotted 10 fedans of which the rent was paid by the compulsory growing 5 acres of cotton from which the government deducted payment for rent, water, transporting, milling and marketing the product. The remaining 5 acres the farmer could choose his crop and most elected peanuts which they called groundnuts. Spraying the cotton was easy apart from the difficulty of identifying the blocks. As I said the country was featureless.
Housing was constructed of either adobe or straw, depending on the status and wealth of the home owner. Our quarters were adobe and our meals and conditions very basic but up market as compared to the locals. The operator I flew for was a national company, set up by a British operator and we had 12 aeroplanes. They were crewed by 2 New Zealanders, 3 Dutch, a Spaniard, a Dane, 3 English, a Lebanese and myself. I had 3 months in Sudan and went there because we had drought at home. It was a wonderful experience. Never the less I was glad to arrive back home to a land were life, business and administration occurred in an orderly manner.
Of the very few pictures I have of the Sudan, here is one of some grass roofed houses The camels were owned and valued by a local resident. They are amusing insofar as they have the most awkward walk.
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Old 09-13-2020, 05:21 PM   #909
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Old 09-14-2020, 03:50 PM   #910
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for those of you who opened my last story and found none; please pardon me.


Some Additional Thoughts I have on Sudan.

Khartoum airport had a junk pile of aeroplanes. Some old and outdated and some I don’t know why were there. Another roof only hanger housed two Piper Cubs. They must have laid idle for some years. The tires were partly flat and the roof lining had collapsed. They were dirty from sand drift. Otherwise they were in excellent condition and I’m sure they would have started and flown with new fuel and oil. There was a foot track worn to that hanger. I reckon every one of our pilots made several visits to view them and wondered how they could get to take them to their home. I certainly did.

There was a hanger with several expensive single engine aeroplanes, all maintained and I suspect hadn’t been flown for a long time. I was told they were owned by a vet who had been given a fortune by a wealthy sheik from a middle east country for having saved his favourite horse.

Duty free liquor was available but only one of our blokes could get admission to the premises. The Spaniard who was wise enough to bring an airline uniform with bars and braid. His appearance made him look official. The locals placed importance on appearance.

The lost baggage lockup. About an acre in area, fenced in and piled maybe 15 feet high. This had been exposed to the weather for years. I felt no attempt had ever been made to return it to the owners. Much of it was upmarket and expensive.

I wrote a story of a reprimand I had with and airtraffic controller that is worth a read. Number 388 on 12 Dec 2018.

I made a good friend with a Dutchman, a scallywag named Jerry. Jerry never had any money and would borrow from me. Never returned. Mainly he would purchase liquor but I’d help him consume it.
Kids would come to the aeroplane and when we’d finish a job I would lift kids, random selection, one at a time of course into the plane. There they would sit for a short time, then Jerry would lift them out and give them a lolly. They would have been village heroes for quite some time. One day whilst Jerry was loading, a Jack donkey mounted a Jennet and pushed her into the propellor and killed her. A donkey was a very prized possession. Jerry bought the distraught owner, a kid another. Gary's money of course.

We had one pilot I found selfish and disagreeable. Jerry had good reason to dislike him. This fellow had a camera, 35mm in those days, and because there was no access to photo services he would send this canister of film home to his mummy to be developed and printed. Jerry took his camera to a brothel, took a few shots of girls in a most personal and revealing pose and returned his camera from whence he had taken it.

Now the beer. The first mouthful I took I spat out. Jerry laughed and said I’d take only a few days to cultivate a taste. Jerry was correct in his prediction. It was labelled “Camel” and I reckon it was made from camel shit and straw stubble.

The chemical we sprayed was all insecticide. We were required to make 9 runs across each block. In the past some pilots cheated and cut short the number. The block inspector had wised up and sent his deputy to watch. He was given a tin and 9 stones which he used to make tally.

And sometimes the kids would throw stones at the aeroplane. I’d chase them around their adobe villages, they’d run like mad and enter houses, any house, but I would buzz it until they left for the shelter of another. A bit like aerial mustering cattle. I’d end up chasing the biggest crowd of kids, there could have been 100 in all. That would stop them. It was quite amusing really.

And for the airline pilots reading this, my departure from Sudan on the national airline; 7 attempts were made to intercept a departure radial. Pilot got it on the 8th.

Yes, I have many memories of Sudan. Mostly good but other memories of frustrations. Don’t forget to read 388 on 12 dec 2018.
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Old 09-19-2020, 03:44 PM   #911
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My Radial Engine Experience.

Radial engines are mostly 9 cylinder (radials must be an odd number or multiples of odd numbers e.g. twin row). The cylinders are steel and the heads are aluminium and screwed to the cylinders. Very occasionally, following overhaul, some leakage between cylinder and head would occur.
A Pratt and Whitney 1340 cubic inch radial powered the first Airtractor I bought. In a short period some 5 cylinders leaked at the joint. The Australian dealer insisted they be replaced. Because they didn’t wish their products’ integrity to be questioned they said it was of my doing for I was a hard man on aeroplanes.
An aerial application operator who owned some 52 DeHaviland Beavers had their engine overhaul workshop based in Melbourne, only 200 miles from me. I later consulted them and they said this leakage sometimes occurs. They advised me to simply clean the cylinder at the joint and change it only if it continues after having flown 100 hours. I have had 15 or 16 engine changes during my time of radial ownership and never had reason to change another cylinder for that reason.

My first aeroplanes had 6 cylinder, horizontally opposed engines. The fuel consumption was between 50 and 65 litres per hour depending on the horsepower they delivered. Now my new aeroplane was powered by a R1340 and had a fuel consumption of 140 litres per hour. This volume made me somewhat nervous. So to reduce my cost I operated on low power. The oil consumption did not settle below 10 litres and hour and that too made me nervous. The alternative was gas turbines (jet) and cost some $300,000 each which I couldn’t afford. That is about half of what they cost today.

This engine and subsequently other R1340's I subsequently installed were overhauled in Los Angles by Aero Engines Inc. At this time an engineer from that company, a gentleman by the name of Vern Truman was in Australia and came to see me. He set me straight on the use on power setting; use more. I subsequently observed that production was proportional to fuel burn. Burn more, produce more. Simple. To clean the cylinders induce a Mercury outboard product called ‘quicksilver cleaner” through the engine manifold pressure gauge with the engine running about 700rpm. That was when the manifold pressure was low and the vacuum would suck it through. The super charger would distribute it to the cylinders. Do this then follow it with inducing Marvel Mistry Oil about once each 100 hours when finished for the day and the cylinder trash would be blown out the exhaust in the morning.
I operated the R1340 in an Airtractor for 5 years then traded it for an Agcat powered by R985 which I mostly had overhauled in Melbourne. I operated 3 Agcats; they were productive and easy to fly.
I bought a gas turbine Airtractor in 1994 and the fuel consumption averaged 170 litres an hour. 240 on takeoff. The production did head skyward and the cost of Jet fuel was only 35 cents per litre. I used to purchase it by the tanker load. Aeroplane operators today would be envious because my fuel cost was only 15 percent of my gross income. One should not fly these radial engines at night because one sees a blue flame flowing about 3 foot out the exhaust. One knows this is fuel burned after being exhausted and this too did initially created some anxiety. You may by now think I am a nervous person.

I have never known the composition of Marvel Mystery Oil so I looked it up, and here it is. I have seen it written about in this forum.

Marvel Mystery Oil is an automotive product of the American Marvel Oil Company,[1] founded by Burt Pierce in 1923.[2] It is used as a fuel additive, oil additive, corrosion inhibitor, penetrating oil, and transmission leak stopper and seal relubricator.
It is composed primarily of petroleum distillates, including mineral oil (60–100%), mineral spirits (10–30%), tricresyl phosphate (an antiwear and extreme pressure additive in lubricants, 0.1–1.0%), ortho-dichlorobenzene (a softening and removing agent for carbon-based contamination on metal surfaces, 0.1–1.0%), and para-dichlorobenzene (a precursor used in the production of chemically and thermally resistant polymers, <0.1%).
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Old 09-23-2020, 02:03 PM   #912
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This clip is part of an article from an Australian newspaper. The artist is a well known fellow, long passed, whose art is selling for big prices. It (obviously) is a rural scene during times of drought.
I would guess the motor car is a T and one will notice it is a RHD which is Australian and many other countries as well of course. And below is a cut and paste (part of) from the newspaper.

In a dry landscape, this haunting Drysdale could set a new record.

Lynne Clarke, daughter of renowned Australian artist Russell Drysdale, has a vivid memory of ‘going to the pictures’ as a young child in the 1940s.
“I remember seeing Pinocchio and having nightmares for years,” the 82 year-old says. “I found it horrifying. I didn’t like going to the cinema much.”

Russell Drysdale 1941's Going to the Pictures (detail).

She laughs. Back then, the movies were a big outing, she says. Later, as a teen, she would treasure family movie nights on a Friday or Saturday.
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Old 11-06-2020, 12:48 PM   #913
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It can be a curse, but I like it.

On the 1st September my telephone service and internet failed. Both were running again a few days later but in the interim I mistakenly changed my passwords several times and nothing helped. Passwords to email and PayPal and other important sites. I dug myself into a hole so to speak. I became confused, frustrated and miserable. My eldest son said I should call the computer manufacturer who would help me. They did just that and I had a whole new computer, just like I had unpacked it when new. No kept documents, no pictures, no email history or addresses. No nothing. I spent hours over 2 days on the phone to my second son who lives in Honkers. He has long known I am a slow learner so he took control, i.e. remote from halfway around the world and yes, everything was quickly restored. One month and 2 days following my email failure.

I had received some 295 emails. Today, some weeks later, I have made only small progress with more than 200 left to open or respond to. They seem to arrive nearly as fast as I read and can reply. As you know I read and write for the Ford Model A Forum. Many people who read it have communicated with me and I owe them a response. So please don’t think I have elected to ignore you. On the contrary.
This is the reason you have not had a story from me in about 2 months.
I don’t enjoy the novel aspect of my computer but I do like information it provides me. For example a once large city now has a population of just 1. What has happened? Likewise what has caused wars, or depressions. The beliefs of some religions or how some exceedingly wealthy families acquired their money (no resentment from me). How to maintain my Model A or bake a cake. These stories and many others are found on the internet, on youtube. So much information is available. I have never before in my life being so well informed.
Well I have faced many difficult situations. Drought, fire, financial hardship etc but it only takes one almost insignificant happening to make me low and downcast. The curse and complexity of cyber.
On the positive, internet down allows time to tend your garden or other things needing your attention. This internet information is still available when it comes back on line.
So now it is running well I will start writing again, perhaps not as prolifically as in the past but there are still more stories to tell.

So I have told you of the pleasure I have had from the internet but I must say I found it to be a curse when I can’t make it perform. I have a river outside my back door and the fish came so close to eating Apple.
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Old 11-08-2020, 12:21 PM   #914
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

A quite unrelated story to Model A's, even aeroplanes.

Some folk continue to be confused in the transition from imperial to metric measurement, (including Gary at times). Here's one such story.

Red Legged Earth Mite is a tiny fellow which infests many crops and pasture. Many dairy farmers would require a whole farm spray in the spring time. Whilst there are several insecticides that are registered for such use one was imidine. Not widely used but popular because it doesn’t taint the milk. The chemical is applied at less than 0.6 oz/acre or 240 mils a hectare. A very very low rate.

I had a 900-acre spray job north of Jerilderie. I arrived, my loading truck arrived and so did the farmer in his ute. I asked where his chemical was and he said his workers were loading it at this time. I thought this a bit odd. 4 and half 20 litre tins, why didn’t farmer bring it with him. The chemical arrived, the whole 45 tins of it. Now something had gone wrong.

That evening I called the agent and he was angry. Not at me, for I was simply the messenger. At himself. He had put the decimal point in the wrong place when he placed the order with the manufacturer.

I made a point of never bringing it up again.
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Old 11-12-2020, 04:38 AM   #915
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

Perfect in nearly every aspect.

My wifes name is Patricia and I call her Patsy. She is a great woman in every aspect except mechanics.
The Model A club sent a bag of goodies which included a cotton towel with a circular hole in the centre. Well she fitted it to my 28 ute around the nice chrome cap in the front of the engine cowl. The one which has a temp gauge in the top. When I pointed out to her it was for the fuel filler cap to catch the drips off the fuel nozzle Patsy said “but that is where you put the fuel isn’t it?
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Old 11-12-2020, 01:57 PM   #916
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Default Model A related story

My Dad was raised on a dairy farm in Lapeer, Michigan (I was also raised on the same farm). He told a story of a friend of his at high school that drove a Model A from his family farm to school every day. His car had no radiator, no brakes and no starter. He would park it on a hill at home to get a rolling start and at school the other kids would give him a push at the end of the day. Not sure how he got it stopped. The main attraction was when he arrived at school in the morning as everyone would gather around and watch his glowing red engine crackle and pop as it cooled down. I am now sure how long this went on, but Model A Fords can take a lick'n and keep on tick'n!
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Old 11-12-2020, 03:15 PM   #917
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Originally Posted by David Russell View Post
My Dad was raised on a dairy farm in Lapeer, Michigan (I was also raised on the same farm). He told a story of a friend of his at high school that drove a Model A from his family farm to school every day. His car had no radiator, no brakes and no starter. He would park it on a hill at home to get a rolling start and at school the other kids would give him a push at the end of the day. Not sure how he got it stopped. The main attraction was when he arrived at school in the morning as everyone would gather around and watch his glowing red engine crackle and pop as it cooled down. I am now sure how long this went on, but Model A Fords can take a lick'n and keep on tick'n!

Never had to worry about a cracked block leaking water into the oil, did he!
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Old 11-16-2020, 10:17 AM   #918
woofa.express
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

In an endeavour to tidy up my computer files I came across this story. I'm uncertain whether or not I have posted it previously. Because of the doubt here it is.

Initiative and Resourcefulness of a small farming community.

Oaklands NSW. A farming community, population (from the internet) of 238. It’s not greatly different to other farming communities in Australia and probably worldwide.
The community had a footy club, made up of mostly farmers and sons. The footy ground is well-kept but the club house/meeting room really needed upgrading. Well the local shire council decided they would provide a grant to go towards a new facility and in addition demolish the old structure. Great.
Well when a team of council workers came to tear it down they discovered it had been clad with asbestos sheeting. They were not able to proceed. This is why.
Asbestos was a mineral fibre and was mined in the West Australian town of Wittenoom. In the early ‘50’s this town was booming and had a population of more than 500. Today 3. Reason? Asbestos fibre caused an illness called Mesothelioma. This is where the carrier develops emphysema and this is frequently fatal. Even the products produced using asbestos were considered most toxic. In this case a building. To demolish it special conditions had to be met. Protective clothing and breathing filters need to be worn. Asbestos products were required to be wrapped in plastic and buried in a registered rubbish tip. Complex and costly.
Well government inspectors arrived to make an assessment and what did they find. Not a sign of this toxic product. It had vanished and not a soul knew a thing about it.
Oaklands is like most rural communities, people have initiative and are resourceful. You know a bureaucrat when it arrives on scene. When you see his lips move you know you are in for nuisance and trouble. Past experience tells you so. And no doubt a licence or permit will need to be issued for whatever you have in mind. It will be compulsory. There will of course be a fee attached.
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Old 11-16-2020, 12:36 PM   #919
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

I admitted earlier that I know very little about aircraft, but I do have a story about them. While in the Army, I was sent TDY (temporary duty) to Benbecula, a small island off the West coast of Scotland. Every 10 days a new Missile unit was flown in, to fire a missile as a training exercise. three C-124's and three C-i30's were the transporters. The 124's carried a bigger load than the 130's, and used piston engines for power, 27 cylinders I think? The airfield wasn't very long, so when the 130's flew out, they would taxi to the end of the strip and hang their tail wheel out into the sand, hold the brakes, give it full throttle, let go of the brakes, and I think said a little prayer. As they left the strip they would lose altitude as they flew out over the ocean! Exciting to watch but I bet a bit scary for the pilot. The 130's, with their turbo-prop engines and lighter load, would taxi almost to the end of the strip, ease into the throttle, and at about 3/4 of the way down the strip, would become airborne! A bunch of show-offs, and not as exciting to watch!
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Old 11-16-2020, 12:56 PM   #920
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

Not related to aircraft, but sort of a continuation of the above posting, and maybe a type of aircraft? These were Corporal missiles, maybe 25' long and about a 25 mile range. If the missiles were completely gone-thru, with new seals installed, the were about perfect. They fired a couple that were just taken out of storage and fired, without going thru them. One of these took off from the pad, flew maybe 50' high and did a graceful arc into the ocean. We retrieved it with our 10-ton tow truck. We took our boots off but merely rolled our pant legs up a foot or so! The other one that had not been gone thru fired off in a normal way, headed down course, and went way farther than it supposedly had the capability of doing. It went out of range of the radar and as far as I know may still out in orbit somewhere! BTW, that was the coldest water I have ever been in! Benbecula is so far North that it never got dark the whole 3 months we were there. The sun would set, and a half hour later would rise! There was a beautiful beach on the island, so a few of us decided to go for a swim one Sunday, big mistake! We only went in about up to our Nuevo's, then quickly ran back to shore. It's a wonder that I was able to have any kids after that episode!
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