20 Years Ago Today

he died one year before I was born but I have still watched most of his races

God, I just cannot believe it’s 20 yrs ago since Senna died that tragic day. Where has that time gone,it seems like 5 or 10 yrs ago to me.
R.I.P all those F1 racers who have given their lives so that we could enjoy watching them race.
Jim.
Lincoln .7

Very much so, Axel. You might like to read this. Did you see him drive when you were a youngster or was he before your time?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/10796725/ayrton-senna-death-inside-story-imola.html

My first flight was in AGM, just about an hour before the mishap. Sad then but glad its flying again and still have a soft spot for it when I see it at shows these days.
Mark

Duxford 21 June 1987

Interesting to hear the responses to this thread!

I (like G-ASEA) was one of the volunteer line boarders with Russavia, and spent my weekends strapping passengers into GTM, or the Tiger (G-MOTH) or Chippie (G-BCIW). As an aviation-obsessed teenager, this was a wonderful time in my life. Mike Russell, who started it all, was very good at nurturing this enthusiasm; and I will always remember, and be grateful for, the wonderful opportunities that Russavia presented me with.

Most of this ended on 21st June 1987. It was a crushing double blow, with the Blenheim ending up on Denham Golf Course on the same day. It kind of felt like the end of my childhood; and it was certainly the end of an era. Russavia continued to operate the Tiger and a Jet Ranger until the end of the 1987 season, but then the Museum decided to give the concession to somebody else for 1988.

At Russavia’s peak, we were flying 25% of Duxford’s daily visitors. Not a bad job for a volunteer organisation.

I would like to write in more detail about Russavia, and will be asking for your recollections and comments once I get the project under way!

A few pictures of G-AGTM taken today at Halfpenny Green while pleasure flying. Despite the weather forecast a good days flying was had and the only rain we saw was when we turned finals at Coventry on our return. She’s back there tommorow…….:)

Hei,

And what about the Blenheim, what I understand is that is crashed only a few flights after its restoration.

Best regards,

Mathieu

Due to pilot error, not the aircraft.

Hei,

And what about the Blenheim, what I understand is that is crashed only a few flights after its restoration.

Best regards,

Mathieu

I flew in G-AGTM earlier that day. Persuaded my wife to come with me, explaining that it was the safest aircraft on the airfield! Ironically, I later used to fly with Pete Treadaway (in Plane Sailing’s PBY) and he died in a Dragon Rapide crash.

How time fly’s. 20 years ago my son (PU597) and myself as part of Russavia’s ground crew, got to Duxford early. To get ready for the airshow. The crowd line had been moved towards the runway for the first time, to get more cars in. All went well plenty of customers as normal. We flew passengers before the airshow and afterwards on these days. We watched the Blenheim take off and fly around, then it went of to do a display. I heard the Blenheim ground crew being called over the speakers to go someware. Around lunch time ( i could be wrong as in didn’t stop) Annie our manager told me the Blenheim had crashed! very sad after all the work they had done. I went back to work loading passengers. Later in the day, all passengers loaded. The Rapide taxied out, on its take of run it swung to the right. Watching helplessly it went over the barrier into the cars. Over the top of a skoda pushing in its roof, comming to a stop as in the photo’s. There was a man in the VW camper, he was shaken but ok. We where so lucky nobody got killed. I ran over to the crash site. Leaving my son at the departure area. Every body got out of the Rapide ok. All the cars where empty apart from a dog in the skoda i think. I got to the Rapide just before the fire crew got there.. The first thing to do was keep the public away and stop them from smoking. Later i got back to my son, he was upset a his favourite aeroplane had crashed. We where interveiwed by the the police, on what we had done and seen.
A few days later the Rapide was moved into the hanger and dissmantled by Arrow air services from Shipdam. Mike Russell bought G-AGTM back from the insurers. We moved the Rapide to Audley End where Ragwing started the rebuild. My father rebuilt the wooden stub wings. Mike later sold the nearly rebuilt aircraft. I didn’t see it again for sometime. But later saw it at Woburn moth rally.

Best wishes

Dave

And if anybody fancies a trip in her then why not make you’re way over to Halfpenny Green (Wolverhampton Airport) this weekend and savour her delights!! 😀

Lots of cars on the runway!

OMG, where’s a picture of the Skoda that it straddled, leapfrogged and sliced up, down both sides before it came to rest on the Talbot?

😀 :diablo: 😀 :diablo:

Bomberboy

Rebuilt and flying, here’s a pic (from airliners.net) of it in its current colours

Shame it wasn’t repainted in her Fleet Air Arm colours – looked rather nice I thought. Imagine it parked up/flying with Sea Fury, Seafire etc

Thanks PU. What a shame. I assume it was rebuilt though?

Do they still allow cars to park on the airfield edge like that after this incident?

Rebuilt and flying, here’s a pic (from airliners.net) of it in its current colours

Thanks PU. What a shame. I assume it was rebuilt though?

Do they still allow cars to park on the airfield edge like that after this incident?

What happened to the Rapide? Brake failure?

It swung while taxying, the pilot didn’t have many hours on tail draggers so didnt manage to rectify the problem as i understand it.

The accident to the Blenheim was, for me, one of those life changing events, that points you in another direction. I was so saddened by the news of its demise that I decided to go and put some effort in of my own. I was not able to get as far as Duxford, so I started to volunteer at the Mosquito Museum.

I am still there! Over half my life now – thats scary!

It is, incidentally, now also 20 years since 2 Mosquito’s were seen in the air together!

Bruce

That looks like a concertina… I mean cortina..:o … not seen one of those for a while either. Shame about the rapide… I wonder whether the talbot driver’s insurance covered him..
‘well, what happened was….. bloody airplane….. landed…… squashed car….’

What happened to the Rapide? Brake failure?

“Best thing that could have happened to the Talbot shame it took damaging a good aircraft to achieve it”

I think Mr. Currill is suggesting the Sunbeam committed suicide. NF875, c/n 6746 now a blue G-AGTM, ex OD-ABP and JY-ACL.