Thread: Trivia and other useless but interesting items

Many of the older members will remember the DH-100 Vampire jet fighter aircraft. First flying in 1943, it was in service with the RAF in 1946, and the RAAF a couple of years later. First Australian production was in 1949. It remained in service with the RAAF for about twenty years, with two seat trainers staying longer (into the 70s for the RAN). While not the first allied jet fighter (Gloster Meteor), it seems to have been the first single engine jet fighter to actually fly that went into large scale production.

What most people do not know, is that while the wings and part of the rear fuselage are metal, the majority of the fuselage is made of moulded plywood, similar to the DH - 98 Mosquito bomber/fighter/recce etc and the earlier DH-92 Albatross airliner.

One hardly associates wooden airframes with jet engines!

Not so much the Long Acre but the Long Block then?

Cockerels! Don't talk to me about Cockerels!

When I get a minute one day remind me to tell you about an illegal water meter, a cop banging on our front door to get permission to check our back yard for stolen property, a relly of the Southern Italian neighbour, a stolen block of chocolate, a 12g Shotgun, the jumping beneath the rear wheels of a reversing truck at a supermarket, the death of a Rental Tenant by overdose, Mysterious Chanting & clashing of Saucepan lids simulating cymbals, the hosing down of said Chanter over the fence, the placing of a sheet of Corrugated iron on Star Pickets facing our back door, complete with a painted black cross, a 90* turning of an existing down pipe so storm water would flow over our footings.

Don't ask ok?

Oh hang on, I nearly did.

When you may have digested that one I'll tell you about the Evil Eye episode, another Cockerel connected tail.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Many of the older members will remember the DH-100 Vampire jet fighter aircraft. First flying in 1943, it was in service with the RAF in 1946, and the RAAF a couple of years later. First Australian production was in 1949. It remained in service with the RAAF for about twenty years, with two seat trainers staying longer (into the 70s for the RAN). While not the first allied jet fighter (Gloster Meteor), it seems to have been the first single engine jet fighter to actually fly that went into large scale production.

What most people do not know, is that while the wings and part of the rear fuselage are metal, the majority of the fuselage is made of moulded plywood, similar to the DH - 98 Mosquito bomber/fighter/recce etc and the earlier DH-92 Albatross airliner.

One hardly associates wooden airframes with jet engines!

No, one doesn't John, it seems a bit of an anathema.

I recall reading some RAAF Crash Reports a fair while ago ( accessible online) & one of those was of an Instructor & Pupil in two Vampire single seat aircraft. The Instructor apparently told the Pupil to "follow me down & do what I do" stuff. The Instructor passed out or so the Air Crash people believed after putting his machine into a steep dive. The Pupil did what he was requested & both plowed in to a river bank at high speed. Both died of course, but that particular accident has stayed with me for some years. Suicide was even suspected but of course there was no proof. Since those days it seems quite possible now, with that German aircraft crashing into mountains purposely in Europe somewhere.

The Vampires might have even been in your backyard.


Edited 2:25 CDST. Did a quick search but not sure this is the one It was along time ago when I first read it. It doesn't quite fit the details of back then. But it could have been or the story has been altered?

A79-83 Vampire Fighter Jet | NSW Environment, Energy and Science



I knew I had read it somewhere & this is more like the story that first came out. .

Originally Posted by NavyDiver

Unwanted males



Our rooster was my 5am alarm clock as a kid

The sad lot of the rooster in a world with too many males - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Don't any of you talk chook (where's Ray)? In varying accents and dialects, they're all saying the same thing.
"Where's me tucker Mrs/love/woman?"

Originally Posted by 4bee

No, one doesn't John, it seems a bit of an anathema.

I recall reading some RAAF Crash Reports a fair while ago ( accessible online) & one of those was of an Instructor & Pupil in two Vampire single seat aircraft. The Instructor apparently told the Pupil to "follow me down & do what I do" stuff. The Instructor passed out or so the Air Crash people believed after putting his machine into a steep dive. The Pupil did what he was requested & both plowed in to a river bank at high speed. Both died of course, but that particular accident has stayed with me for some years. Suicide was even suspected but of course there was no proof. Since those days it seems quite possible now, with that German aircraft crashing into mountains purposely in Europe somewhere.

The Vampires might have even been in your backyard.


Edited 2:25 CDST. Did a quick search but not sure this is the one It was along time ago when I first read it. It doesn't quite fit the details of back then. But it could have been or the story has been altered?

A79-83 Vampire Fighter Jet | NSW Environment, Energy and Science



I knew I had read it somewhere & this is more like the story that first came out. .

AHCSI, we always get or man, or a story.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Yes, it's a tough life being a rooster. Three of ours recently took a one way trip. The girls are much happier without them around.

Must admit I know a young gent who took a shot gun to a grumpy roster as it always attacked a VIP of his

subs v airforce.jpg Trivia but true. Only flying sub I have seen only got mostly out of the water so gets a "F" for flying

Originally Posted by NavyDiver

Must admit I know a young gent who took a shot gun to a grumpy roster as it always attacked a VIP of his

There was a Russian guy in East Brisbane who had a small furniture factory in his backyard. There was a sign at the front gate warning of a savage rooster. Hanging on a handy nail nearby was a piece of wood with a loop of string in one end to hang it on the nail. The drill was to take up the stick on entering and use it to bash the rooster when it attacked. Hang it up again when leaving. I think the poor bloody rooster was brain damaged.