Airship R33 And The Wallace 'Start-O-Matic'

The two R33 Class Airships were possibly the most successful British airships to fly. The R33 was in service for several years and used for Air Ministry trials.
Music: ‘Honeysuckle’ by Honeyroot.
Photos: Airship Heritage Trust, Air-Britain, Jack Meaden and others. Contact me if you want a credit in the description.
Newspapers and Journals: British Newspaper Archive and others.
#airship #r33 #r34 #blimp #flyingforfun #aeronca #aeroncac2 #aeroncac3 #aeronica #airknocker #flyingbathtub #douglasdc3 #douglasc47 #spitfire #hurricane #worldwar2 #ww2 #ww1 #airport #airstrip #automobileassociation #rac #aa #vintagesportscarclub #vintageaircraft #vintageaeroplane #vintageairplane #aeroplane #plane #flying #aerodrome #england #praga #oldengine #microlight #cornwall #thrustertst #vauxhall1440 #vauxhall #airplane #magneto #lathe #railway #propeller #makingapropeller #pietenpol #fordmodela #wallaceandgromit #aardman #dh53 #bristolcherub #blackburntomtit
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[@craigmclean8260]

"...it was said that Wallace would've operated the 'Start-O-Matic' himself, but he had mistakenly put on the wrong trousers that day...Plus, a rogue penguin, wearing a glove on his head, had stowed away, throwing a spanner in the works."

[@derrybelcher3286]

... and here I was, thinking everyone had lost their sense of humour regarding the first of April. Thank you! You made my day. 😂

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

My pleasure! That silly story was dreamt up on the train home to Cornwall last month. As regards the airships, it’s 99% true; Rigger Ballantyne and his cat were actually stowaways on the R33 flight westbound across the Atlantic. Ballantyne travelled home from America on a steamer but Wopsie flew home on the airship 🙂

[@yepiratesworkshop7997]

It's a great story. And told with that kind of 'seriousness' that makes one think it may be true. Kind of like that spaghetti tree story the BBC put out many years ago.@@FlyingForFunTrecanair

[@PiefacePete46]

@@FlyingForFunTrecanair : Yeah... But now we don't know what we can believe! 😋

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

@@PiefacePete46 A very satisfactory state of affairs indeed.

[@howardwilder6989]

The British sense of humor is best displayed on April Fool's Day... you guys let more line play out before hooking the fish than we do here in the States... I love it!

[@KravKernow]

Oh you really had me. That was wonderful. Bravo!

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

My pleasure, glad you enjoyed a bit of nonsense, although 99% of the airship stuff is true 🙂👍

[@willi-fg2dh]

Wallace took the credit but we all know Gromit was the brains of the outfit.

[@loomisgruntfuttock]

A cracking contraption!

[@kirbyn2010]

Your history lessons are very much anticipated and appreciated. That you included the Wallace and Grommet photo is just icing on the cake!

[@whathasxgottodowithit3919.]

I love the first of April prior to midday :-)

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

So do I but humour is sadly lacking in our modern society. Too many easily offended needy narcissists in the world. Balls to them!

[@nialloftheninedevils]

'Wallace start-o-matic', brilliant. Ill be surprised if Nick Park doesn't borrow that idea.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

I think he was the inspiration. Remember the boot that operated the kick starter on the motorcycle combination? Wallace and Gromit are wonderful.

[@rarevhsuploads4995]

Having on the day this was published 1st April 2024 literally just been to the small Airship Museum at the Pennoyer Centre in Mary St Pulham, Norfolk I can attest that the story of the stowaway on R34’s transatlantic flight of 1919 & Wopsie the cat are quite true. Indeed to add an extra detail, the cat became so famous an American actress tried & failed to buy the cat. Whilst the R34 departed East Fortune it returned to via Pulham. R33 was built at Selby, close to RNAS/RAF Howden in Yorkshire. At exactly the same time that her sister was making her record transatlantic flight she undertook a victory flight over London flying over the victory parade below with a musical band on board playing although I doubt they could be heard below. She also helped directed traffic at the 1921 Epsom Derby & was a useful learning curve for the later R-100/101 airships. The sisters were know collectively as the Pulham Pigs which is commemorated in the Pulham St Mary village sign.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

I've been researching the Pulham Pigs for ages and was going to make a serious film. An afternoon train ride home last month had me day dreaming away and suddenly I saw a better film for April 1st.

[@rarevhsuploads4995]

@@FlyingForFunTrecanairI recommend the Pennoyer Centre’s little Airship Museum in Norfolk & Yorkshire Air Museum near York which has a hanger devoted to the airships with a few bits from R100 & some general information & memorabilia on the British airships & Zeppelin air raids. The Howden airship trail has little of interest but the little town is pleasant & if you combine old photos & satellite images you can make out some positions where the railways, morning points & gas towers were located at the modern R100 energy farm. Both museums have stuff related to R33/34 but their is more at Pulham in terms of memorabilia specific to those ships. Although their is no information there as it’s a modern functioning site, I did visit Cardington last year & the scale of the Sheds 1 & 2 is impressive. I found Pulham difficult to reach as it is down a farmers lane ‘Station Road’ outside Pulham St Mary’s but some of the out buildings still survive in ruinous decay.

[@SheilaMossKing]

I'm the Pennoyer Centre's trustee with responsibility for our museum. Lovely to read you'd visited yesterday. And I have to confess, for a short while I thought something new had been discovered. Delighted I watched to the end, or my talks on airships at the Centre could have had some very inaccurate content!!

[@petergregorypottery5476]

In his absence It was sometimes quietly remarked that Wallace had an unmistakable whiff of plasticine about him, that even the aroma of a mature Wensleydale cheese had difficulty masking! We greatly enjoyed this fascinating glimpse into aviation history. The problem of starting cold engines of a "parasite" aircraft whilst suspended from an airship must have been very hard to solve.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

I suppose they used a decompressor and got the thing spinning over that way; sometimes my imagination runs riot!

[@leerogers6423]

You learn something new every day...... I'm still waiting🤣

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

Cheeky 🤣

[@kbjerke]

*"Cracking toast, Gromit!!"* 😁 And I'm aware of the effort required to combat a headwind in a sluggish old airship!! Happy April Fools' Day, Nick!

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

I seem to cope with foolish days far more easily than the sensible ones!

[@kbjerke]

@@FlyingForFunTrecanair Me, too!!

[@sablatnic8030]

Thanks - I learned a lot of stuff I didn't know I didn't know. Thanks again! Have a nice day, the first day of a brand new month!!

[@TheRidders]

Excellent watching and learning all about the amazing innovative technology of the times.

[@roum22]

I started to smell a rat at the mention of a boxing glove..

[@theinspector1023]

Didn't extensive research show that a boxing glove was, paradoxically, the best thing to use?

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

@@theinspector1023 I think you are right 🙂

[@WarblesOnALot]

G'day, Oh, I say...; What a Spifflicatingly Ripping little Yarn, Olde Bean....! Keep on keepin' on. Such is life, Have a good one... Stay safe. ;-p Ciao !

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

It's all true of course!

[@paulbennett4548]

Cracking Video Lad a nice change of pace after working all day on me Top-Bun van.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

Is a Top-Bun van fitted with a ‘Toast-O-Matic’?

[@paulbennett4548]

@@FlyingForFunTrecanair Not yet I've just got the radio and record player finished along with the record cabinet. The two tone paint job is coming along grand.

[@nigelosborne7471]

Thank you 👍

[@ClausB252]

Hahaha! That would make a fine episode of W&G.

[@nilo70]

Cheers From your newest subscriber from California 😎

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

Thanks ☺

[@hughjohnson2674]

Fantastic work❤

[@johnillsley4236]

I presume that the 1st April posting means that we can take this item as a mix of fact and fantasy. Well done on the imaginary Heath Robinson prop swinging device!😂

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment.

[@kidmohair8151]

as always, Wallace was thwarted by the intrusion into his inventions of reality.

[@WeazelJaguar]

R3minds ne of the transporter dropping to the planets surface from the mothership in Alien 👾!

[@PiefacePete46]

I'm sure you have already been told this; you have a delightful relaxing voice... the unkind might even say it is 'soporific'! With that in mind, I am wondering if your final 'fact', at 5:15, is just to see if we are still awake and hanging on every word? 🤔 A little known detail is that Wallace was married three times. I don't recall the names of wives two and three, but the 1st was definitely 'April'! I believe she was one of Britains first surfers; an activity she pursued from her teenage years, which clearly entitles her to be referred to as a 'Grommet'. (She was not renowned as a great speller.) 😜 Another delightful video. Thank you again.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

I’m so dull I often send myself to sleep. It’s quite a skill 🤣

[@PiefacePete46]

@@FlyingForFunTrecanair : Cheaper than pills! 😜

[@lawrencelewis2592]

I sure did not know this! Wallace was one busy guy! By the way, it's pronounced "Minnie-Ola" not Minola. I grew up near there.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

Minola Shimola!

[@bogusbandit3700]

wonderful April !st. prank.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

I'm amazed how many people have seen the film, it's done much better than I expected in one day.

[@markgouthro7375]

Let’s be honest, this DOES sound like something British engineers would do.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

Of course they would. Just like the Hucks Starter, another cracking contraption.

[@steamtothewest-trecanrail]

Self funded trip to the moon 😂

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

It was a bargain when compared to the Apollo program.

[@Kw1161]

Thanks for the history lesson, but weren’t Wallace and friend sued by fellow inventors named Larry,Curly and Moe for patent infringement, by that very prestigious American Law Firm of “Dewey Cheetam and Howe? I seem to remember reading about it in school…😂! Have a great day!

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

The court case failed. Defended by London solicitors 'Terribly, Terribly, Boring and Dull', this case and a later claim by a Mr McGyver were both dismissed. Costs were awarded, paid to W&G in cheese and crackers (for tax avoidance purposes).

[@Kw1161]

@@FlyingForFunTrecanair 😀😀😀😀👍!

[@mpetersen6]

Piloted by Gromet. Powered by CHEESE!!!

[@wideyxyz2271]

😁👍👍👍👍👍

[@grandpadansfixit2080]

Hmmmmm, I wonder if your new A powered roadster will have. a Kick-Start-O-Matic??

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

It will need something!

[@scopex2749]

My late father took me to see the GI-NORMOUS sheds at Cardington ( believe sadly that they are now gone to build yet MORE unwanted housing estates?) Where the R33/34 were built. It is a shame airships died a death as they could be useful load carriers in todays world using HELIUM instead of lethal Hydrogen that killed the Hindenburg at Lakehurst in 1937. The Americans have their 'Goodyear blimps' but that's it?

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

The airship sheds are still there.

[@martykarr7058]

Interesting. I thought the US Navy was the only ones to have flying aircraft carriers.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

They just copied the British

[@martykarr7058]

@@FlyingForFunTrecanair No, because ours actually had a hanger bay rather than just attaching the planes to the keel.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

@@martykarr7058 I was only pulling your tail gently! The American 'ships were marvellous; sadly the technology was not enough to save them from the reality of a harsh environment, the downfall of too many airships.

[@vf24renegade23]

The Germans also attempted it using bucker jungmeisters. They couldn't make it work.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

@@vf24renegade23 Is that so? A Jungmeister was carried from Germany to the USA as cargo in the Hindenburg. It's now on display in the NASM, Washington DC.

[@malcolmgibson6288]

🤭

[@SimonWallwork]

Ermmmm. April Fool!🤪

[@stanleybest8833]

All the derrigibles should have been outfitted for advertising. They get sharper care and structural disasters turn into casual maintenance when you pay a fix up crew.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

It was a century ago; Airships were seen as the long haul machines of the future. Lots of low grade aluminium structure, it was only ever going to last a few years.

[@stanleybest8833]

@@FlyingForFunTrecanair Nonsense. The Goodyear gondolas and fins were reused for decades.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

@@stanleybest8833 Not the same as rigid structure from the 1920s. The Goodyears ships were blimps and built decades later.

[@stanleybest8833]

@@FlyingForFunTrecanair C'mon, argue with me about what brand of shoes the aircrew wore. Don't stop now.

[@FlyingForFunTrecanair]

@@stanleybest8833 Dr Martens AirWare, with hydrogen filled soles for extra lift. Didn't you know that?!

[@martinblunden4689]

Very clever,almost had me going 😂😂😂

[@ihorkorotchenko9732]

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