Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/10/13
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]- ----- Original Message ----- From: "Adam Bridge" <abridge@mac.com> To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> Sent: Monday, October 13, 2003 5:04 AM Subject: Re: [Leica] Fw: aircraft tires > On 2003-10-12 jerryleh@pacbell.net (Jerry Lehrer) thoughtfully wrote: > > >That's a lot better! I've looked at too many airplanes in my 50 years > >in the game to want to look at any more. (My former employer, Goodrich > >Aerospace, makes all the landing gear for commercial aircraft, having > >bought out all the competition). > > I grew up about a half-mile from one of the Goodrich brake facilities. I > remember they had this huge flywheel with some monster motors and could test > aircraft brakes to destruction. They designed and tested the B-70 liquid cooled > brakes. When I was in high school - this is the mid-60s - we got to see a film > they made of that destruction test. It was amazing with foundtains of sparks and > burning metal pouring out of the brake assembly. > > The wonderful part - the plant was built ajacent to the old Waco airplane plant > that still had a grass strip. I waxed and washed airplanes in exchange for > rides, especially an insurance agent's Aircoupe with it's dural finish and > dayglow wingtips. Boy I polished that sucker all summer. > > Now the airfield is an industrial park, the Waco hangers were a part of Chemlawn > and there are acres of soccer fields. But no more fabric covered Taylorcrafts, > or UPF-7s or J-3s fly in over the trees to the east to land a field of > dandylions so white it looks like snow. > > Another age. > > Adam Not really ,just recovered the wings of a J3 recently and also airfield kids are still at the fences. simon - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html