Spiv wrote:
"Vaughan Sanders" wrote in message
...
"D. Patterson" wrote in message
...


Definitely in some areas, definitely not in other areas, and
competitve in many other areas. For example,
the de havilland Comet air disasters occurred
and ruined that aircraft's reputation and
opportunities for commercial success because
British industry failed to heed American engineering
studies regarding metal fatigue.


This is balls. The most extensive research into aircraft frames and metal
fatigue was the Comet after one fell from the sky. It was solved )(square
windows were replaced by oval windows and other changes. ALL this research
was given to the USA. They implemented in in their bombers and commercial
planes.

No, *this* is balls. April 8 1954 was the last of *three* Comet crashes
through the same cause. October 19 1954 was the date of publication of
the crash report giving metal fatigue as the cause. July 15, 1954 was
the date of the 707 prototype's first flight.

The 707 was a better, safer plane than the Comet. End of story.

(snip)

The reason the Spits could not pull out of sound barrier breaking dives was
solved. The whole of the rear small tail wings were swivelled and it was
solved. An experimental Spitfire was fitted with these in WW2. The Miles
52 had them and the drawing given to the Americans had them and the Bell X-1
had them.

Jeremy Clarkson last year did a humorous TV prog about clear British
inventions that the USA claim as theirs. The Miles 52 was featured. He
interviewed US X-21 designers who said they invented the swivelling rear
wings and made the X-2 work. Then Clarkson showed pictures of the adapted
Spits and the Miles 52 and the drawings given to the US too. Parts of the
programme were hilarious. He did one the other night on the computer and
how Colossus officially didn't exist, giving a free path for the USA to
walk.

I quite like Jeremy Clarkson, but if watching the occasional bit of TV
is the sum of your knowledge about aviation (as it appears), you should
maybe go away and read up a bit more before posting here.

(snip)

DeLorean had a good track record, came up with a good idea to create
employment in conflict struck Northern Ireland. What the government spent
on the project was less then any social unemployment benefits they would
have had to give out. So the British government didn't loose, but didn't
win, when DeLorean was found to be a crook.

They lost, big style. Don't kid yourself.

John