Finally today G-DELF, the first of four L-29 Delfins to make up the new ‘Red Star Rebels’ display team, took to the air for its first post restoration flight.
Two aircraft are ready for flight, with the other two nearing completion, the work has been performed by a band of about ten dedicated engineers and painters at Hunter Flying Limited at St Athan.
The new display team is the vision of Gerald Williams and, who along with Mark Southern, conducted the flight today.
L-29 Delfin G-DELF 17 Feb 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
L-29 Delfin G-DELF 12 March 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
L-29 Delfin G-DELF ‘Red Star Rebels’ 11 May 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
L-29 Delfin G-DELF ‘Red Star Rebels’ 24 May 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
L-29 Delfin G-DELF 27June 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
L-29 Delfin G-DELF 27June 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
L-29 Delfin G-DELF 27 June 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
It’s been great to witness these aircraft arriving on a trailer, being made airworthy, painted, and taking their first flight!
By: Mike J - 19th June 2013 at 22:42
I see the team are down to fly at Manston this weekend. Is this their display debut? Their website and Twitter feed seem to have stagnated.
By: pagen01 - 9th September 2012 at 17:12
Thanks JG, must admit it’s great to have the oportunity to get the pics in the first place, thanks to you and HFL.
Unfortunately I didn’t manage to record the work done with G-DLFN as I did with the others.
L-29 Delfin D-FJET 24 May 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
It arrived from Germany as D-FJET
Despite being in overall good order, it required a large amount of work to change the Viper and other systems mods and make back into standard Delfin.
L-29 Delfin G-DLFN 6 Sep 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
L-29 Delfin G-DLFN 5 Sep 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
The three complete Red Star Rebels Delfins
L-29 Delfins G-DELF, G-BYCT & G-DLFN 6 Sep 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
L-29 Delfins G-DELF, G-BYCT & G-DLFN 6 Sep 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
By: paul178 - 8th September 2012 at 21:32
They really look the business in that colour scheme,thanks for the pics!
By: jetguy - 8th September 2012 at 14:41
nice pics James.
By: pagen01 - 6th September 2012 at 22:09
Three up, and looking good!
L-29s Delfins G-DELF, G-BYCT & G-DLFN 6 Sep 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
L-29s Delfins G-DELF, G-BYCT & G-DLFN 6 Sep 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
By: Wyvernfan - 27th July 2012 at 07:37
Impressive line up.. especially against the backdrop of the airfield and hangars, as take away the distant airliners and the first photo has a lovely 1960’s look about it!
Rob
By: pagen01 - 26th July 2012 at 21:06
First time that the two Delfins flew in formation was today, hopefully another one will be joining them soon.
L-29 Delfins G-DELF & G-BYCT 26 July 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
L-29 Delfins G-DELF & G-BYCT 26 July 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
L-29 Delfin G-BYCT 26 July 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
By: doric57 - 6th July 2012 at 14:55
simulator
You can fly a Delfin L29 at the topgun flight simulator centre in Manchester, I went last year, they use the cockpit section of a once operational L29, maybe the team should check it out even try some of their manoeuvres, its a very good simulator.
John.
By: Fencher24 - 3rd July 2012 at 22:09
Awesome! Can’t wait to see the rebels at the heldair show 🙂
By: jetguy - 3rd July 2012 at 18:38
Camlobe,
As soon as we get the 4th up and flying, very soon now, we’ll have little get together and find a few T shirts.
Thank you too for your experienced hand and valueable input.
By: pagen01 - 3rd July 2012 at 16:08
Nicely said!
Hope they got a bit of Champers as well.
They did,
L-29 Delfin G-DELF 27 June 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
By: Camlobe - 3rd July 2012 at 15:37
Only found this today. I am so behind the drag curve. Doh!
Nice to see Martin, Derek, Bill and Barney quite rightly enjoying the limelight. Hope they got a bit of Champers as well. Great work by these guys and a few others to get these girls back up in the air safe and looking good. Phil and Jason’s paintwork skills speak for themselves.
Hats off to John and Nadine Sparks of Hunter Flying for their stirling efforts, especially with the CAA, to get this far relatively quickly.
Jetguy, I salute you for having the cahoonas to come up with this plan and to stick with it through everything so far. It’s been emotional:D. Oh, and Myrddin is still waiting for his ‘T’ shirt…well, that makes two of us. Mine is medium, Myrdd’s is XXXL:).
Good luck with the other two (or maybe more???).
camlobe
By: pagen01 - 28th June 2012 at 20:35
Another one up!
Well Jetguy must be in contact with the all mighty, the weather was thick low cloud and rolling fog until he announced that he would be taking the second Delfin up for its first flight!
G-BYCT has needed an incredible amount of work to make if flyable again, but the team have done it!
L-29 Delfin G-BYCT 22 Feb 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
L-29 Delfin G-BYCT 12 March 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
L-29 Delfin G-BYCT 13 June 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
L-29 Delfin G-BYCT Red Star Rebels 28 June 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
L-29 Delfin G-BYCT Red Star Rebels 28 June 12 by jamtey71, on Flickr
By: jetguy - 28th June 2012 at 10:19
G-BYCT due to fly today with G-DLFN next week.
The engineer crew have been outstanding.
By: pagen01 - 28th June 2012 at 09:18
The guys have worked miracles really, with a lot of extra hours (and patience!) put in. The Delfins have all required a lot of work (both physical and coming to grips with the paperwork/manuals), with at least a complete breakdown and strip, inspection, rebuild, and paint. Engines and other major items have also had to be changed, and airframe restoration undertaken with some examples, it’s fair to say that G-DELF was probably the one in best condition at the beginining though and as such has provided the learning for the others.
Also fair dues to Gerald who had the idea and has had the commitment to see it through, in the face of many doubters it has to be said!
By: Wyvernfan - 28th June 2012 at 07:56
Thats a pretty quick turn-around James, from arrival by road to flight. So i’m guessing she was already in a pretty good and complete condition!
Rob
By: Black Knight - 27th June 2012 at 23:28
I remember my flight in DELF’s stablemate G-MAYA with Brian Green out of Manston. Fantastic ride & only time I’ve blacked out 😀
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June 27, 2012 at 9:24 pm