>-I don't know where Robson got his information to make his 'wheel spat'
>speed calculations, because the works Spitfires were not fitted with rear
>wheel spats in the 1965 Le Mans race!! They were tried at Silverstone and
>produced no speed advantage whatsoever so they were not used. Another major
>reason the spats were not used was because they also proved themselves a
>distinct disadvantage when it came to wheel changes.
This gives further credibility to an observation made to me recently by a
devout Triumph enthusiast (who must remain nameless) who challenged Mr.
Robson on another alleged 'faux pas' in one of his books. I am told by my
informer that this august personage turned on him and snapped "I'm an
author, not an historian."
Maybe so, but if you seek to earn a living by writing about any historical
subject, should it not be a foregone conclusion that the words you write are
true? Many will assume this to be the case. This is why I never have bought
a book written by Mr. Robson, though I have read many belonging to others. I
feel my money is better spent on historical accuracy, even if the minutiae
of detail may tend to be irrelevant. Moral? If you can't get your ducks in a
row, don't drive them out of the pond.
Jonmac
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