ARCo/HFL Come Out To Play, Duxford – 24Apr10

With the Spitfire Society holding their AGM at Duxford, John Romain had made an offer for the Society members to visit the ARCo/HFL restoration facility before and after their meeting. Parked on the grass outside were 4 Spitfires, a Hurricane, Buchon, Stearman and ‘Taz’ the Harvard. JR took Spitfire MkLF IXe PL344/TL-B for a display during the morning.

That I though was it, flying wise, until they departed later that afternoon to North Weald for the Gathering of Veterans. How wrong could I be.

During the afternoon, PL344 went up again for some aerobatics, followed by the T9 and then the HAC Hurricane. During this period, Maurice Hammond arrived in his T-6D Harvard ‘Fools Rush In’, and after a short visit, departed. Then the Buchon, T9 and LF IX went up for some formation flying that developed into a tail-chase. After the Society finished their meeting, they were back in the compound and the T9 was airborne again with probably a Spitfire veteran on board. It rendezvous with G-BMFD, a twin engined Piper PA-23 that had arrived at lunch time, which was being used as a camera ship. The HAC Spitfire and Hurricane then departed and joined up with the camera ship as they headed south for North Weald. Just before 17.00, the Buchon, T9 and LF IX fired up their Merlin’s, followed by a scramble type take off and a 3 ship beat up of the airfield.

The only down side to a very enjoyable day was the high cloud, or was it volcanic ash?, which diffused the sunlight and the haze didn’t make for good lighting conditions photography wise, although I have come away with bright red arms and face.

Brian