Tutor needs a hand

Don't complain if you car doesn't start, and you need a push. The following is the standard method of starting the Avro Tutor's Armstrong Siddley Lynx engine. What's not evident is the pilot has to wind like crazy on the spark-magneto at the same time.


What a whole field of these needing starting for a days training in the 1930s RAF would have been like seems beyond belief.


But eventually it worked, and despite the rain, we were treated to another fine Shuttleworth display.


The aircraft is the sole survivor of the type in the world; likewise it's Lynx engine is the only working active example in the world as well, and provides numerous challenges for the engineers.


The lovely scheme was recently applied after the machine was refurbished and recovered a couple of years ago. The beautiful 'sunburst' scheme is the colours of the RAF's Central Flying School Aerobatic team - forerunners of the modern RAF Red Arrows.

James