The Flying Bedstead or Thrust Measuring Rig (TMR) to be more precise with its official title was designed and built by Rolls-Royce at their Hucknall Flight Test Establishment in Nottinghamshire during the 1950s to explore Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VSTOL) using the new jet technology. It developed eventually into the Hawker Harrier aircraft which was so successful and even the new F35 Lightning. Much later NASA also developed a similar craft in the form of a Moon Lander.
Well, the Flight Test Establishment closed in the 1970s and the Hucknall Flight Test Museum (HUFTM) is now on the same site keeping the heritage alive. HUFTM, in conjunction with the Rolls-Royce Hucknall Model Aircraft Club, has now launched a new Flying Bedstead modelling competition.
The competition is to produce the most lifelike flying scale model and is aimed at modellers worldwide who – due to Covid 19 regulations and limitations – will send in still images and video clips of their model flying for judging. Marks will be awarded in two categories – Static and Flying, with 50% of the available marks in each category. This means that you can enter even if your model does not fly.
The competition will run until the 1st of January 2022 and what better project for the Covid Lockdown than to enter this competition.
A panel of judges from both HUFTM and the R-R Hucknall MAC includes an engineer that helped build the original aircraft in the 1950s which now resides in the Science Museum, London.
Models can be scratch built or adaptions of commercially available drones and can be of any scale and use any power source from propellers through to Electric Ducted Fan units and even full gas turbines if the contestant wishes. As there are no surviving drawings of the aircraft competitors will design and build their model from available photographs.
Type “HUFTM Flying Bedstead Competition” into your internet browser and take a look at the Youtube Competition Video for all the details of how to enter, and at the same time see some great Rolls-Royce Flying Bedstead images – many of which have never been seen by the public before.
The competition is free to enter, find out more information and how to enter below.