Found it...War Time Flight Trainer

[Flying Trucker]

Goodly morning all...

Here is a Link you might find interesting:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/bleep/SimHist5.html

With Reference to the below post...

http://205.252.250.26/cgi-bin/yabb25/Ya ... 1330648826

Now these World War Two Flight Trainers actually had motion the way I read it...
Just like the Link Trainer...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_Trainer

Sure would like to have got my hands on one of those Handley Page Halifax Flight Trainers.

Of course Graphic Cards are much better and standard today on computers.

The DC3 Flight Trainer we had for Instrument Training/Crew Training had a map on a table about the size of a Pool or Billiards Table where the Chief Pilot sat and watched your progress...

There was lots of room in my old hangar for a four engine Flight Trainer which I never thought to pick up...

Nothing like a good four or two piston engine Flight Trainer to fill in an afternoon after one retires....

And

Look Chief...no engine oil leaks...

Now all I have is a computer desk...several flat screens...and the old girl to rock my computer chair on wheels and make engine sounds...

[Flying Trucker]

Oh Doug "Hagar"...Oh Paul "Fozzer"...Oh Mark "Ozzy72"

Have you seen one of these Halifax Simulators in a Museum over there.

Would like to know if they were an actual front section of the aircraft.

Does anyone have any photos of the inside by any chance?

[Hagar]

Oh Doug "Hagar"...Oh Paul "Fozzer"...Oh Mark "Ozzy72"

Have you seen one of these Halifax Simulators in a Museum over there.

Would like to know if they were an actual front section of the aircraft.

Does anyone have any photos of the inside by any chance?

Hi Doug. Just seen your link. First I've heard of these Silloth Trainers. I doubt that there are any left now. C might know.

[Flying Trucker]

Good afternoon Doug...

Thanks for getting back to me...

The below was taken directly for the Link in my above post:

The Silloth Trainer was designed for the training of all members of the crew, and was primarily a type familiarization trainer for learning drills and the handling of malfunctions. As well as the basic flying behaviour, all engine, electric and hydraulic systems were simulated. An instructor's panel, visible in the photo, was provided to enable monitoring of the crew and malfunction insertion. All computation was pneumatic, as in the Link Trainer. Silloth trainers were manufactured for 2 and 4 engined aircraft throughout the war; in mid-1945, 14 of these trainers were in existence or on order.

[Hagar]

Good afternoon Doug... :)

Thanks for getting back to me...

The below was taken directly for the Link in my above post:

The Silloth Trainer was designed for the training of all members of the crew, and was primarily a type familiarization trainer for learning drills and the handling of malfunctions. As well as the basic flying behaviour, all engine, electric and hydraulic systems were simulated. An instructor's panel, visible in the photo, was provided to enable monitoring of the crew and malfunction insertion. All computation was pneumatic, as in the Link Trainer.

Yes I saw that. I don't know what they mean by "computation" but the fuselage in the photo looks pretty stationary. Perhaps it's in an unfinished state.

PS. I found another interesting article here --> http://www.raes-fsg.org.uk/18/The_Cambridge_Cockpit/

[Flying Trucker]

Hi Doug

Yes I read that Link when doing some research about four engine piston powered aircraft like the Lancaster and Halifax.

I was looking for a four engine flight simulator with motion like in the the Link and a chap at the bugsmasher field told me what he could remember about them.

I thought he was talking about the Silloth Trainer as there was a Wellington Simulator designed after or around the same time as the Silloth Trainer.

Gosh I sure would like to see some inside pictures and find a little more information about the Silloth Trainers.

I also found this Link very interesting and it was taken from the above Link you posted...which by the way is the third or fourth time I read it this week...

http://www.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/history/el ... hours.html

I am sure Mark would find the Spitfire part interesting...

[Flying Trucker]

Just found this Link Doug...

http://www.ronaldv.nl/abandoned/airfiel ... mbria.html

Taken from the above Link:

In 1942 Wing Commander Iles developed the 'Silloth Trainer', a forerunner to the modern flight simulator.

It was presumably built around parts of a a Hudson fuselage and fitted up with electrics and pneumatics to simulate engine sound, instrument readings, and movement.

[Hagar]

Just found this Link Doug...

http://www.ronaldv.nl/abandoned/airfiel ... mbria.html

Taken from the above Link:

In 1942 Wing Commander Iles developed the 'Silloth Trainer', a forerunner to the modern flight simulator.

It was presumably built around parts of a a Hudson fuselage and fitted up with electrics and pneumatics to simulate engine sound, instrument readings, and movement.

Interesting. His knowledge of roller coasters & developing mechanical musical instruments would no doubt have helped.

[Flying Trucker]

Hi Doug...

I found it strange but the Vickers Wellington Flight Simulator came out during the Silloth Trainer.

Now to me the Avro Lancaster and Handley Page Halifax probably the best two bombers from the Second World War were much more advanced than the Vickers Wellington.

I know the Halifax had a computer on board to balance bomb and fuel load when primary and secondary targets were selected.

The DeHavilland Mosquito would carry the same load as the American Boeing B17 (on a Long Range Mission), the Mosquito was only twin engine and faster and from what I read, much more accurate to deliver a load with.

I think the Americans under Lend Lease were delivering there North American B25s also.

So, not sure why they would design a Wellington Flight Simulator during that time period because the Silloth Trainer could simulate four and two engine aircraft like the Handley Page Halifax, Avro Lancaster and the Douglas DC3/C47/Dak and the DeHavilland Mosquito.

[Hagar]

From what I can make out there were several teams working on similar projects. The pneumatics on the Silloth trainer weren't too reliable & the Wellington simulator developed at St Athan used a different principle for the motion. Eventually it would all be hydraulic based.

[Flying Trucker]

Good morning and thanks for the replies Doug.

Have spent considerable time trying to find out more about Flight Simulators during the 1939 to 1945 time period.

I do not think there is much on the internet about this topic.

The odd location and name are dropped but when I get to the site the information is either not there, incomplete or written by the same author...

Fascinating subject this Flight Simulator topic is...