The Manchester Evening News is reporting this evening that the attempt by the Museum of Science and Industry to achieve in Manchester what AV Roe was able to manage in Walthamstow over a century ago has been a flop.
Its all a bit disappointing, and maybe symbolic of something about modern life. The team of Mancunians who put together a replica of the first all-British plane failed to get their plane (piloted by Judy Laden) off the ground. They made only two attempts and now intend to put their 'replica' plane in a museum. This raises the philosophical question though as to whether it is a plane if it has never actually flown.
The team, all ex-workers from the former Avro factory in Woodford, Formby spent four years constructing their version of the original Walhamstow made aircraft. It seems a sad waste of effort. I'm in no position to know the technical reasons why these modern people were unable to match AV Roe's 1909 achievement. Who knows the reason? Maybe we will never know now they seem to have decided to give up on the project to make a working replica.
It may not see a tactful suggestion at this stage, but maybe if they carry on trying to get the plane to fly they might have more success if they try to take off closer to sea level on a hot summer day on Walthamstow marshes, more closely matching the likely conditions when the first flight took place.
I gather that if their crate didn't fly, it's only about fifty yards behind the one that did. If they keep on trying, they'll get a good result one day: it works for the pharmaceutical companies...