Me 109, Rans S6, Keith Miller, Convex mirrors

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12 years 11 months

Posts: 6,535

It's not possible for a title like that to make any sense - is it? A friend of mine has just realised a long held dream. He recently bought a Rans S6 with a 2.2 Jabiru plus a few bells and whistles.

We were flying just the other day using that excellent justification for avoiding work - familiarisation. I was in the right hand seat doing a bit of 'window shopping' when I noticed a small, about one and a half inches in diameter, convex mirror on the panel directly opposite me. I was struck by the amount of rear view space I could see behind me.

This little gadget, in a way that I wouldn't have though possible, gave me and the left hand seat a really good wide angled view of what was behind. This was helped in no small measure by the generous spread of perspex which is a feature of this aircraft.

When taxying to the hold and commuting along the taxiways after landing, I often thought how useful it would be to have a rear view mirror giving me some idea of what was behind me before commencing to turn one way or the other. My friends Rans was the only aircraft of many that I can remember that was fitted with a rearview mirror.

WW2 fighters had them of course which brings me to the Me109/Keith Miller part of this yarn. The Australian, Keith Miller was one half of a fast bowling duo; Ray Lindwall and Miller. They played in the Australian Test cricket side during the !940s and early 50s. In addition Miller had been a fighter pilot during WW2 and might have fought in the Battle of Britain. Some years later, Miller was in this country and being interviewed by Parkinson. Parkinson said something to this effect:

"Keith, tell us what it was like being part of a successful Australian Test side"
"Was it very stressful?"

"Er not really". "I'll tell you what stress was?" "Stress, was a dog fight and then looking in your b****y mirror to see an Me 109 up your a**e" "That's stress".

Wholesale collapse of audience.

I'm going to fit a Rans type mirror to my Zenair.

John Green

Original post

Member for

19 years 5 months

Posts: 9,821


I'm going to fit a Rans type mirror to my Zenair.
John Green

Good idea...you don't want to be surprised by some wayward Bf 109s. :D

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,606

My old Maule had one, but then it did tow things in a previous life.

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14 years 10 months

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Mirror

John, If you make that mirror demountable, you can fix it on a stick so you can inspect for something or other through all those inspection holes you're going to make. :diablo:

Member for

12 years 11 months

Posts: 6,535

Chewbydoo,

Beaten you to it. I've got a smart, cheap readymade on a telescopic handle that has an angled head so I don't have to angle mine and get a pain in the neck for other than the usual reasons !

John Green