• Welcome to the new B.I.R.D. Forum. Please be sure to read the "New Member / New Registered ? Please Read" thread in the Coffee Shop. This contains some important information. To become a full member ( £5.90 a year ) simply click on your user name near the top on the right I hope you enjoy the new site ................ Jaws ( John )

Obscure but interesting fact thread

slim63

slim63

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Jaws said:
Been mentioned a few times but always worth an outing
When they first ran top speed tests on the Honda Blackbird, the rider was asked why he kept feathering the front brake
He assured everyone he def was not !
They eventually found it was the wind pressure on the brake lever
Which is why, right through the entire production run from 1996 to 2008,the front brake lever is a different shape to the clutch lever, having a tapered leading edge

As far as I know, this was never replicated on any aftermarket levers, so is a good way to spot if the bike has ever had to have a cheap replacement for any reason :)
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Had the same effect on a bike with bar muffs fitted, over about 70 they pushed in enough put the brake light on
 
Jaws

Jaws

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Lee337 said:
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Watching that, the firsst thing that strikes me is that it is more like a giant glider, the second is, why does it not topple over once landed ? !
 
Martin L Batley

Martin L Batley

Been there, and had one
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slim63 said:
Had the same effect on a bike with bar muffs fitted, over about 70 they pushed in enough put the brake light on
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When dispatching I used motocross guards to stop the muff pressing against the levers. Also had the added advantage of allowing me to keep a bag of sweets in there for long journeys.
 
Jaws

Jaws

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Martin L Batley said:
When dispatching I used motocross guards to stop the muff pressing against the levers. Also had the added advantage of allowing me to keep a bag of sweets in there for long journeys.
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So I was not the only one then !!!
 
Squag1

Squag1

Can't remember....
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derek kelly said:
My Father a flight sergeant in the RAF during the wowa spent much of the time secretly developing radar in a unit above wigfalls on Roundhay road in Leeds.
After the war he was put forward for an MBE, he refused it & that was the end of his promotions.
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Why did he refuse???
 
Cougar377

Cougar377

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andyBeaker said:
Bet someone working in RAf radar told you that!!

There was one instance apparently when a fastener on the outside of the aircraft had not Ben installed correctly and it produced a massive radar image. One of the issues Skunk Works had to overcome was that they could make the plane's electronic signature disappear but the pilots head was visible on radar screens!!
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Only one F117 has ever been officially lost in combat....shot down over Yugoslavia in 1999. The weapon system used against it was a variant of the Soviet SA-3, which was first known to exist in the very early 60's.
Two missiles were fired, but only one hit. It was detected when it opened it's bomb bay... acquisition to shootdown took 17 seconds.

The pilot and the commander of the missile battery later became good friends.
 
Cougar377

Cougar377

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Jaws said:
Watching that, the firsst thing that strikes me is that it is more like a giant glider, the second is, why does it not topple over once landed ? !
Click to expand...
It does but by the time it leans over it's stood still and the wingtips are reinforced to cope with it.
Once it stops the ground crew fit temporary outrigger wheels to the wings to allow it to taxi back to the hangar.

These same wheels are ditched at takeoff.
 
andyBeaker

andyBeaker

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Martin L Batley said:
When dispatching I used motocross guards to stop the muff pressing against the levers. Also had the added advantage of allowing me to keep a bag of sweets in there for long journeys.
Click to expand...
I never had any issues with my muff on the Blackbird.
 
slim63

slim63

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Martin L Batley said:
When dispatching I used motocross guards to stop the muff pressing against the levers. Also had the added advantage of allowing me to keep a bag of sweets in there for long journeys.
Click to expand...

I threaded a piece of thick wire off a garden fence through the muff which sorted it a treat
 
Squag1

Squag1

Can't remember....
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derek kelly said:
He said that he was relatively safe at his posting whilst others were losing their lives, he would have felt guilty accepting an award.
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But he was instrumental in saving lots of lives I'm sure.
 
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