#link trainer

The Link Trainer is one of those fascinating objects, when I first heard that they had aircraft simulators during the Second World War I was astounded, the very notion of an aircraft sim seems very modern in an almost computer like way.  I had visions of a beautifully designed Spitfire-like structure, so as to give you a true ‘feel’ for an aircraft.

Well, not exactly Spitfire like, but in a very 1940s utilitarian kind of way the Link Trainer is an extremely beautiful object.  It seems hard to believe now that some of the Battle of Britain airmen were being asked to fly combat sorties, after only a few hours in the air and many hours in a Link simulator. How could such a strange looking object enable you to get to grips with some of the most technical aircraft of the day, and prepare you for battle.

I wanted to find out more, so last Sunday I took a visit to Boscombe Down Aviation Collection to have a flight in the Link Trainer.  Aided by guide and restorer Colin Green who has brought this wonderful machine back to almost new condition, I stepped with slight trepidation into the ‘cockpit’.  This 1952 model is a slightly more complex edition, with a few more dials and controls than the pilots of WW2 would have experienced, yet the principle was going to be the same.  Colin asked as I sat down in the seat ‘Have you ever flown before’, ‘No, only played on simulators on the computer I replied’!  I have to admit, running through my mind were questions like, how would I perform? What was the experience going to be like? Above all, I didn't want to look like a complete fool, as we now had a small audience of fellow guides and visitors looking on!  When Colin started the Link Trainer up, his main concern was that I understood that only very small adjustments were what was needed to keep the ‘plain’ in the sky as it were.

A few moments in and I can only describe the sensation as being very real, whilst I have not flown as a pilot the feeling of being in control is tangible. To start with I was doing exactly what Colin had warned me not to do, making large movements on the controls, causing the Trainer to lurch from one side to the other and spinning around too!  This is actually quite a disorientating experience, as you watch the controls to try and make sense of what to do to compensate and bring the ‘plane’ back to a position of flying on the horizon.  After a few more minutes and feeling a little more at ease, interpreting the controls and adjusting the simulated trajectory I could now see why these trainers were so valuable all those years ago.  The Link Trainer provides a very specific feel, one that enables you to gauge a feeling for flying and the very limited amount of movements needed to ‘right’, or indeed ‘wrong’ a flight course.  If you have never flown, I can honestly say this is a wonderful experience, not only from the point of view that is really does give you a sense of piloting a plane, but it is also an incredible piece of British history, I con now understand a little more about what it must have felt like back in the 1940s to have been ‘trained’ to fly.

A big thanks to Colin Green and the team for their time and help training me up, surely now I’m ready to take my licence aren’t I?

New Papercraft has been published on PaperCraftSquare: Link: http://www.papercraftsquare.com/link-trainer-flight-simulator-free-paper-model-download.html Paper Craft Name: Link Trainer Flight Simulator Free Paper Model Download Description:

This paper model is a Link Trainer Flight Simulator, the papercraft was created by Ralph Currell, the scale of the model is in 1:24. You can download the papercraft model here: Link Trainer Flight Simulator Free Paper Model Download