Z06 Burnout

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Hah - off topic now - sorry....

but the same issue also shows Solartron Electronic Group Ltd -

1961 | 1442 | Flight Archive

Where my dad (RIP) was employed in the R&D Transducer Team - developing pressure transducers that found their way into all manner of products including as I recall the Tornado. I spent many an 'open day' enjoying guided tours of their premises and production facility at Cove Farnborough. I still have some of the early cutaway samples he designed and made for display at the SBAC show. From machining to electron-beam welding, he did it all... They also used to have a super firework party too, before they went on to become part of the Schlumberger empire and now? - well passing the site yesterday, it's now the storage area for B&Q (DIY) and a housing estate... Oh how times (and defence budgets) have changed....:sad:

Sorry for thread drift - reminiscing over...

 

[Keith]

Sorry Keith (and as it's already been answered) I used Google for specifics as it was 'before my time' :laugh: although the 'SH' prefix gave it away really.

Whilst Googling, came across this interesting site with a lot of early Flight magazine info - one of which listed your early employer..

1961 | 1441 | Flight Archive

Varied career you've had I suspect....

Great find Paul thanks! I had some happy days there (including my first girlfriend) and at Yeovil during the environmental testing of the SH3D AP Unit. It's funny, but if that program had rolled into another MOD project, I would have been really happy to continue that line of work because I really do like technical stuff although totally untrained. What I was able to bring to the party was an ability to interface between the engineers and the front line of environmental testing and unit prototyping - 2 distinct philosophies that are not destined to communicate with each other in a disciplined way.

Want a laugh? When the program came to a very sad end, just up the road was (still is) a rather large industrial complex previously known as Briggs Motor Bodies was hiring, so I went from white collar to blue & joined the Ford Motor Company as a welder on the Fort Cortina small body parts production line, but that's a different story for another day. Varied? I scarecely believe it all myself.

No regrets whatsoever...