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Military tyres....


nileseh

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5 hours ago, Escape said:

While making comparisons, a P38 at speed on Insa Special Tracks sounds like a Lancaster or other 4-prop bomber on fly-by. 🙂 

I made this exact comparison when I fitted a set to my 90.

I can only imagine what 4 Merlins sound like up close.

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You are not wrong. Once in a lifetime chance at an air show in the early 80's the ropes were 20 foot behind the Lancaster and a  Dakota and we ( the crowd) were allowed to stay for start up and taxi for the flight .

 

Will never forget it 

Steve 

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Massive threat digression, but worth it - I saw the Lancaster and Vulcan together at Little Gransden in Bedfordshire, and a year or two later saw the two Lancasters in formation at the same show.

It’s amazing to think the same man designed the Lancaster and the Vulcan just a decade apart.

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I saw a Lancaster with Spitfire escort do a fly by at Farnborough airshow about 25 years ago. Very impressive! Later that same day we also got a B1B with 2 F15s in a similar display. As was the STO of an empty C17 (just in front of us) and the Harrier 'dancing/hovering' above the runway. That was my first visit to UK, good times...

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Been to RIAT twice, and seen BBMF flying, lovely sound from the four merlins, impressive stuff.

Vulcan - saw XH558 flying during its final year, saw it as a youngster as well, brought back so many memories.

Also when young saw the B52 at Farnborough,  with its 8 jets throttling up about as close as I could get, immensely impressive.

Typhoon is impressive, and the new Lightning brings  a whole new edge to the ear crackling roar it produces even when at 10,000 feet.

The last three aren't reproduced in a land rover unless you are crashing, but it has brought back memories.

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I saw the pair of Lancasters down here a few years ago when the Canadian one was doing the show's with the remaining British based one.

 

They did do a taxing service, not sure if it's still going, where you pay to sit in it whilst they taxi down the airfield.

 

I missed the last Vulcan flight at Bournemouth by 3 seconds as it disappeared behind a building i was working on..the sound was incredible.

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The is a Lancaster being restored by two farmer brothers, whose third brother was lost in a Lancaster during WWII.  They do open days and taxiing trips.  They are aiming to get the aircraft flying again, but have had a lot of opposition along the way.  I think it might be this one, but the brothers have probably passed on by now.  https://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/lancaster-restoration/

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  • 1 month later...

Quite interesting where this thread has gone. From military tires (not necessarily ever intended to travel on pavement so an obvious lack of concern in the acoustics) to the acoustic similarity with classic aircraft.  Happily, I am also a pilot and very much taken with all of the aircraft mentioned. Thank you all for contributing.

I recently put Michelin XPS LT215/85R16 on my 1993 110 NAS, but still in search of a suitable replacement for the XCL 750R16 on the Military 110.  I'll probably try to find the Goodyear G20 (i think that was it) unless something else comes along.

 

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10 hours ago, nileseh said:

I recently put Michelin XPS LT215/85R16 on my 1993 110 NAS, but still in search of a suitable replacement for the XCL 750R16 on the Military 110.  I'll probably try to find the Goodyear G20 (i think that was it) unless something else comes along.

 

The Michelin XZL (direct replacement for the XCL) is still available and at a comparable price to many other tyres these days. They aren't too bad tbh, bit noisy on the road and not the best mud plugger, but work well on some terrains. Also very very tough, I liked them for green laning. They do look a bit small and skinny these days.

The G90 is available, never run them myself. But I never hear good things about them. I probably wouldn't waste the money.

Really depends on what you are wanting to do however. There are lots of good tyres out there. If you aren't really going off road, then an AT or road biased tyre would make a whole heap of sense.

If you do plan to off road, then there are arguably better tyres these days than the XZL.

If you aren't doing massive milages, you might just be better off buying a remould. The classic BFG MT pattern and similar is still easily available and generally cheaper than anything like the XZL. Most people wouldn't know it wasn't the right tyre.

Might be worth looking at 235/85R16's as well as 7.50 x 16's.

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I'd take XZL in a heartbeat, but I don't think I can get them in the US. I think you're right on the size: 235/85R16 is a better size, but I needed to replace them on the 110 NAS quickly, wanted to use Michelin and that size had been discontinued in the XPS. Only the 215/85R16 was immediately available. Speedometer reads a bit high, otherwise they seem okay for sound on the highway, fine for general off-road and passable in snow. 

I'm fine with tall and skinny tires.  I have spent quite a bit of time thru all sorts of terrain in Washington and Nevada on XCL 750R16 mounted on a 1989 Range Rover classic, lifted with the anti-roll bars removed. Always came thru with finesse.  

I have time for a leisurely search on the ex-MOD 110. I'll spend more time looking for the XZL.

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36 minutes ago, nileseh said:

I'd take XZL in a heartbeat, but I don't think I can get them in the US. I think you're right on the size: 235/85R16 is a better size, but I needed to replace them on the 110 NAS quickly, wanted to use Michelin and that size had been discontinued in the XPS. Only the 215/85R16 was immediately available. Speedometer reads a bit high, otherwise they seem okay for sound on the highway, fine for general off-road and passable in snow. 

I'm fine with tall and skinny tires.  I have spent quite a bit of time thru all sorts of terrain in Washington and Nevada on XCL 750R16 mounted on a 1989 Range Rover classic, lifted with the anti-roll bars removed. Always came thru with finesse.  

I have time for a leisurely search on the ex-MOD 110. I'll spend more time looking for the XZL.

Missed that you are in the USA. In that case you will have totally different tyres available.

I believe the BFG KM3 is available in 7.50 x 16 (and 235/85 I think). You can also get them in 255/85R16, which is a nice size and fits a lot of narrow rims. Although you may find you want a small lift to fully clear them. Interco sell some good looking tyres if you want something off road biased in a bigger size. If you struggle to find the sizes you want, remember you can always switch to 15" rims and run something like a 31.10.50R15, which should give you very good choice. I'm currently running 33.10.50R15 General Grabber X3's on my pickup (not a military one). Nice all round tyre tbh, way better than the XZL at almost everything.

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