East Fortune PFA Fly-in.

The Vans RV-8 is slightly bigger in the cockpit area, allowing bigger people (“high on the bubba scale” – whatever that means!) to fly in them. They also have redesigned wings, increased fuel capacity and bigger engines.

Check out http://www.vansaircraft.com for a better look-see.

Wonder when we’ll be getting one of these at East Fortune…? Remind you guys of anything…??

Daz – no worries 🙂

Merlin – not a clue! They all look pretty similar. I’m sure it’ll be something like the roundness of the engine cowlings or some such.

Hi Futurshox,

Lucky I can tell my ar*e from my elbow at the best of times I had no idea the Doll was an RV-8 I have only just been familiarised with the RV-4. Looks pretty similar.

Anyone know what distinct differences they have if there are any between them.

It is?? Sorry futurshox! Hope you don’t mind, but I remembered seeing it before and was hunting for it on the net! Hope it was OK to use it, though.

Actually, the shot of the ‘Beautiful Doll’ RV-8 is mine, which I took at the New Braunfels, Texas, EAA fly-in earlier this year:

clicky

The couple that owned it were very enthusiastic and even wore T-shirts depicting the aircraft, as her crew 🙂

Scott,

I’m not really involved with the Radio and Radar Display at East Fortune. Since I can’t make it there on Wednesdays, it’s difficult to become active within the APSS. However, I am in contact with the radar guys and have been feeding them information, particularly for the model of Drone Hill CH station, such as drawings of towers, aerials, etc.

I’ve seen a few models of CH stations in my time and they’ve without exception been pretty rough and ready (to say the least). The APSS model of Drone Hill is going to be cracking! The towers are fantastic, reproduced in etched brass. The landscape has been surveyed by chartered surveyors and is accurately contoured. We’re still trying to tie up the exact function of a few of the buildings, but it’s looking pretty good. With period photos from me, they’re going to be able to add fascinating little details, such as camouflage netting over pillboxes, etc.

The rest of the display, which I’ve not been involved in, is excellent. The working H2S paraboloid is superb and it’s always great to see the TSR2 terrain-following radar, but they have other plans in the pipeline whihc should make a superb display. For example, it has been discovered that the museum is sitting on two Type 7 radar transmitters. These were Ground Control of Interception radars as used at Dirleton and are almost certainly the only ones of their kind left. Hopefully, they can be incorporated into the exhibition with details of night air defence and bomber interception techniques. This, of course, will all tie in very nicely with the Beaufighter when it is restored – sometime in the next thousand years or so!

RV-8, RV-4….!

I think the Beautiful Doll version is American-registered – it certainly appears to have an American registration on the tailfin, but of course it might have been imported.

Ian – my fave shot is either the FW190 on its own, or parked next to the RV. Reminds me rather of a photo I saw of the OFMC Buchon parked next to the BBMF Spit Mk2, almost as if they’re ready to go up for a bit of one on one 😉

DazDaMAn – It’s an RV-8

That P-51 lookalike is based at Deenethorpe. I had a ride in it a few years ago, ended with a very exciting landing to say the least. It handles alot like a Chipmunk.

Hi Ian,

Did you by chance have anything to do with the radar room at East Fortune.

Very nice working displays in there and a most informative talk and demo from the volunteers.

Daz,

where was “The Doll” photographed about.

I must admit the RV-4 lends itself rather well to be a Mustang look alike. The big Bubble canopy really does it aswell as the big square tail.

And finally a picture with the RV-4 “mustang” in front being flanked by the FW190.

All pics were taken using my credit card sized mustek digi camera. Hence why some pictures have a little bit of the aircraft cut out or slightly off centre but it does the job for me. Hope you enjoyed the pics. Thats the last of them until I get my 35mm developed but I cant remember what I took with that. Could be all copies.

Anyway let me know what your favourite picture out of this lot is.

A rather nice Cessna 182.

Me and my Shadow.

Well not actually mine it just so happen to remind me of the song.

How’s about an Auster.

A Sky Arrow. Another one I had to check the register for. I very much like the look of this one. Very sleek.

The AN-2’s engine cranks out about 1000 Brake Horse. But hey who’s counting.

Anyone for an AN-2 ?

Next a Chipmunk.

Sorry it took so long guys but here is some more pictures.

Just a general view of the aircraft. Note the Europa kit on the end. Very nice close up.

Merlin,

I couldn’t make the event due to work, so I’d appreciate seeing some more of your great photos. Cheers.