QE2 and Concorde

[Clydebuilt1971]

On the subject of Concorde it is 19 years since the final flights of this fleet of majestic aircraft.

https://www.facebook.com/gavin.stewart.754703/posts/3420191961548154?notif_id=1666598261057273&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif

I hope this link to me Facebook account works as the words are perfectly.....

Gav

[Lynda Bradford]

If you have a look at previous posts by forum member George C Griffiths there is a good description of his Concorde experience including the fabulous menu.  George has sent his Concorde photos that I have uploaded to the gallery.

A good addition to the menu previous posted is the photos of the delicious food.  A bit of luxury before joining QE2 for the return journey to Southampton.

.......and you can see more in the gallery album.

[Rob Lightbody]

From John Chillingworth on LinkedIn - reposted with permission  See attached amazing photos.

QE2 AND CONCORDE

I thought to finish this week's posts we would end on the unique Best of British relationship. 40 years ago, when I was on leave, I had a call from Concorde's senior Captain Dave Leney, who asked if I was busy on Thursday as British Airways was inviting me to be part of the flight crew for a return flight to Miami via Washington. After some thought, as we normally do the Tesco shop on Thursdays 🤔 I decided to do the flight 😀

Captain Dave Leney, Jock Lowe and Bill Brown, who I knew from their QE2 Trips were my flight crew and a great bunch. I had to put up with having to do the flight in the jump seat with the occasional break for a sandwich. seriously its one hell of a life experience that I was fortunate to experience several times.

At Washington airport I had my photo taken with the stewardesses on the wing of Concorde, yes I took my shoes off. We overnighted at Miami's Coconut Grove and came back the next day.

on one particular occasion I was in Cunard's Southampton office finishing some reports and then at 10.00am went to Heathrow for the 1pm Concorde and then was in Cunard's New York Manhattan office at 12.30pm.

[Chris Thompson]

I remember on the Trans Atlantic crossings that an announcement from the bridge would give the time of a Concorde passing overhead.
Went out on the deck, could not see it but the Sonic Boom was like two Cannon shots!

[Chris Thompson]

I was fortunate to have a chat with one of the Concorde Pilots who came onboard to give a lecture.
He solved a mystery for me....growing up in North Devon, Concorde would fly over on her way to Heathrow twice a day.
During the winter we heard sonic booms, during the summer we did not. Complaints to BA were fobbed off saying it was
atmospherics etc.
When asked about this the pilot gave me a grin, looked around and told me that for all the advanced technology flying the
plane was mostly done using basic instrumentation, a calculator and the MK1 eyeball!

During the summer they could clearly see the Southwest peninsula coming up and would throttle back to sub-sonic.

During the winter however they would look for the glow from Bristol as a sign to slow down, being to the West
of Bristol she was still supersonic when she flew over my house!

[Andy Holloway]

During my years with Cunard both on Vistafjord and QE2 I often attended the Concorde lectures, and was on QE2 on a trannie when the Air France one crashed, the lecture was immediately pulled and the lecturer left as soon as we arrived in NY.
Having been to a far number of different lectures by different pilots I always joked with my children that I would be proficient in taking off and landing but wouldn't have a clue what to do in-between!