Concorde.org.uk

On DVD for the first time are these in-depth voyages into the developmental years of quite possibly the greatest passenger aircraft of all time – Concorde. A celebration of the Anglo-French Concorde project showing the illuminating journey of discovery from the initial extensive aerodynamic experiments to the first flights and rigorous testing of the prototypes, through to the inaugural scheduled supersonic passenger flights. These official films are presented uncut, many are previously unseen and all provide an unrivalled insight into the aeronautical marvel of its time.

Concorde Volume 1 • 1964 – 1969

Concorde – Birth of the First Supersonic Airliner 1964 – Early promotional film about the project.

Concorde Progress 1964 - Highlights include Olympus engine research in a Vulcan test bed, construction of variable geometry intakes and exhausts, and the kinetic heating test beds.

Concorde – The Great Collaboration 1966 – An overview of the design and technological challenges met at the outset of the collaboration between B.A.C. and Sud-Aviation relating to materials, aerodynamics, structure and performance and the range of tests and laboratories employed in order to answer questions about thermal stress, supersonic shockwaves, material fatigue, air flow patterns etc. Also features the delta- winged BAC 221 and HP115 planes, the low speed handling qualities of which informed the Concorde development process.

Concorde Takes Shape 1967 – A review of the production progress made on Concorde prototypes 001 and 002 during 1966 and 1967. Includes extensive ground and air testing of the Olympus 593 engine and the airlifting of Concorde components between the Filton and Toulouse productions by means of an R.A.F. Belfast transport plane.

Construction of the First Prototype 1967 – An explanation of the division of different sections of Concorde prototype manufacture between Sud Aviation in Toulouse and B.A.C. in Filton.

Concorde Debut 1967 – The roll-out of 001 and an explanation of the tests and testing equipment it will be subjected to, this event being the “start of the Concorde learning curve”.

Concordes Fly 1969 – A report of the first flights of the Concorde prototypes 001 and 002, their joint flying display at the Paris Airshow of 1969 and the Queen’s Birthday Concorde Flypast over Buckingham Palace.

BONUS FEATURE – Concorde Materials Specimen Heat Tests 1964
BONUS FEATURE – Roll-Out Ceremony for Concorde 001 at Toulouse, 1967
BONUS FEATURE – Concorde Shackleton Parachute Trials at Henlow, 1967

Concorde Volume 2 • 1969 – 1976

She Flies 1969 – The definitive film account by celebrated director John Edwards of the first flights of both Concorde prototypes 001 and 002 as flown by André Turcat and Brian Trubshaw respectively. 001is seen taking off from Toulouse in March and 002 from Filton in April of 1969, the latter seen arriving at R.A.F. Filton, its next test bed. A dual-language film celebrating the Anglo-French collaboration that was Concorde.

First Flight of Concorde 001 1969 – “I can say now it flies pretty well”:AndréTurcat,Test Pilot at the Press Conference following the scenes of Concorde’s first test flight from Toulouse.

First Flight 002 1969 – Brian Trubshaw piloting the first 22-minute flight of Concorde 002 from Filton to R.A.F. Fairford, some five weeks after the first flight of 001 in France.

On to Mach Two 1971 – The achievement of the prototypes to routinely reach Mach Two (1350 m.p.h.) and the start of the conveyance of passengers, albeit only airline representatives and government officials who sat in a limited seating area behind the 10 tons of on-board test and monitoring equipment.

Concorde – World Shrinker 1972 – A retrospective of Concorde’s 1972 Demonstration Flight World Tour traveling 46,000 miles and visiting 12 countries. Also gives an insight into the exhaustive ground testing at the R.A.E. Farnborough and Toulouse.

Concorde Gives Up Smoking 1973 – A celebration of the 602 Olympus engine with its annular combustion chamber and the modified exhaust nozzles included from Concorde production model 02 onwards, which addressed the concerns of the very vocal detractors who argued that the very visible exhaust fumes could pollute the stratosphere.

Concorde – Faster Than the Sun 1973 – An impressionistic celebration of Concorde taking-off, in-flight and landing in various destinations including Rio, Johannesburg, Beirut and Singapore.

Concorde Flight 1973 -A B.O.A.C. liveried Concorde model, fully passenger loaded, undergoes extensive cockpit pre-flight checks before taking off. A vision of a B.O.A.C. Concorde era which never came to pass!

Supersonic Preview 1975 – Derek John, the then Commercial Director of Sales at B.A.C., celebrates Concorde and, in the context of its “proving flights”, addresses some of the concerns of its detractors: the harmful effects of supersonic travel on the stratosphere, its climatic impact, airfield noise, exhaust pollution and the infamous “sonic boom”.

Supersonic Inaugural 1976 – Passengers’ thoughts and eulogies on the occasion of the inaugural scheduled passenger flight from London Heathrow on 21 January, 1976.

BONUS FEATURE – London to Sydney Air Race 1969 with Concorde and Sheila Scott
BONUS FEATURE – 8ft Wind Tunnel Testing at R.A.E. Bedford 1970
BONUS FEATURE – Illustrated Interview with John Edwards, Director Of “She Flies”

Both CDs are available at Amazon.co.uk.