A few old photos

Nice Dak shots Darren 🙂 Especially SV.

JC

Darren,
That Coventry display orchestrated by John Watts was great except the organiser (not John ) disappeared in the early afternoon of the Sunday along with his bird and all the proceeds from the gates. Trapper 69

Skybolt,

Thanks for the info, Thats the first I had heard of this. Its a shame, as the show had future potential.

Darren,
That Coventry display orchestrated by John Watts was great except the organiser (not John ) disappeared in the early afternoon of the Sunday along with his bird and all the proceeds from the gates. He subsequently filed for bankruptcy leaving a lot of display pilots unpaid. The idea for the show came from the then UK wing of the Confederate Air Force who put their misplaced trust into a real con artist. I flew a Nord 3202 G-BEFH on an aerobatic slot both days and did manage to get my tanks filled FOC plus a grand overnight stay and nosh in a plush Coventry hotel but went down the tube financially to the tune of £400. I remember I eventually got paid at the rate of 10p in the pound………….!!!! Ah well we live and learn.
John Watts along with Paul Warren-Wilson and Arthur Gibson as his partners were a real force in warbirds and it was a tragedy when John was killed in that MAC. Great bloke. RIP to both John and Arthur – who was an aerial photographer extraordinaire. His promotion photos for the North Weald “Fighter Meet” were exceptional as was his classic shot of the Arrows, Concorde and the QE2.
Fond memories,
Trapper 69

Kermit Weeks’ Lysander at Lakeland Airport in May 2003. Apologies for the quality, it was dark in the hangar and very bright outside and the door was open as it was being worked on.

Can anyone let me know if this has been transferred to the US Civil Register please.

The ARCo Lysander shouldn’t be too many years away. I have heard John Romain wants to fly it before he’s 50….

And how old is he now? :confused:

J.V.

Threads like this are one of the truly great things about this forum. My memories of old shows are mostly in my head. Pictures like this bring it all back. Thanks to everyone for sharing. I really appreciate it.

Regards,

kev35

A few pictures for Will J

Mmmmmmm…Lysander porn ~drools~

Great pics Darren, thank you for sharing them 🙂

For the Lysander fans

The three airworthy aircraft are all taken at Duxford (not all the same year). The two rebuild shots, are the IWM airframe.

Lysanders? Flying?

One right now. Old Warden.

Belgian one – bent, under rebuild.

Other UK flyer, dismantled with Kermit Weeks.

Next flyer? The CWH example, with luck. looks like a bumble-bee.

The ARCo Lysander shouldn’t be too many years away. I have heard John Romain wants to fly it before he’s 50….

Some nice Baginton pictures there (judging by the familiar Dakotas and rugby posts in the Gannet and Mustang pics 🙂 ), any more like that to share, which year was it?

Love the Gladiator 😀

Thanks all for the kind comments, I will post some more when I can.

Will,

The majority of the Baginton shots were taken at a one off show organised by John Watts and friends. It was an excellent show, full of warbirds and action. I had a really great conversation, over the fence with John that day, talking about the Catalina. It was very sad to learn of his untimely death just a week afterwards, when his Tornado collided mid air with another.

Happy to see this point debated, but a new thread would be best?

Not disagreeing with you at all. (although the situation with the Mossie will always be a sore point with me 😡 )

You made the intial comment ;)….I was just embellishing it a little :p

Lysanders? Flying?

Belgian one – bent, under rebuild.

Yes, this one is still under rebuild. It was hoped that it would be back for the 2005 season, but this seemed impossible. I heard 3 weeks ago that the SOT team is still working on it, but they aren’t putting a date forward for the first flight. I think the engine required much more work than they thought.

I wish them all the best with the repairs on their Lysander.

J.V.

At home somewhere, I will dig them out this evening (note these are NOT a historical record )

Oh yes it is! 😀

Hi Firebird,
Interesting point. Mosquito, Sunderland and Lysander were all available for Sterling purchase. NO-ONE in the UK was prepared to stump up the cash. No complaints from the UK hold water as a result for me, I’m afraid. Especially as a nice American with lots of disposable decided to buy them, fly (2 of the 3) them to the USA and look after them better than anyone in the UK did. I’m prepared to concede that Kermit’s progress isn’t perfect, but he’s at least trying. All three will be back (in the air, potentially to the UK) which again is more than was likely.

Happy to see this point debated, but a new thread would be best?

Go on Darren, hit us with some more pics to argue about?

Cheers!

More seriously it was airworthy when it was sent to the USA.

So was the Mosquito and Sunderland…. :rolleyes:

You got any pictures you care to share?

At home somewhere, I will dig them out this evening (note these are NOT a historical record 🙂 )

NICE, NICE and VERY NICE, Thank’s so muchly Darren.

Cheer’s all, Tally Ho! Ho! Phil.

Quite right OAW. Tsk. post corrected.

Apologies to those at sea level for mistaking them for the ones below sea level.

Belgian. OO-SOT

Lakland Airport alongside his Tempest II. Not a flyer yet but it was leaking oil which is promising.

Thanks for the update Nick. It’ll be leaking oil ’till 2010! More seriously it was airworthy when it was sent to the USA. You got any pictures you care to share?

Cheers

Dutch one – bent, under rebuild.

Thought it was Belgian….

Some nice Baginton pictures there (judging by the familiar Dakotas and rugby posts in the Gannet and Mustang pics 🙂 ), any more like that to share, which year was it?

Love the Gladiator 😀