A pack of Dogs and Pups on the loose around Essex

Over the weekend the Beagle Pup and Bulldog Club celebrated its 21st Anniversary with a gathering at North Weald. Saturday saw early arrivals and a pre-briefing for the Sunday flypast and formation training sorties, with a big party in the evening.

Sunday was the highlight of the event, with (I think) 24 aircraft in attendance, 18 of which took part in a formation flypast – probably the largest number of Beagle-designed aircraft in a formation outside the RAF.

A three-ship Yak formation from the Aerostars displayed before departing to Gransden, Peter Teichman put Jumpin Jacques through its paces and Paul Margetts showed what a Bulldog can do when roused! He had displayed the famous black and yellow sunburst scheme Bulldog in the RAF, which was also in attendance.

Great fun to do a synchronised start up and taxi out – a hapless Cessna pilot had just landed, turned off the runway to be confronted by 18 aircraft taxying towards him! 😮

All aircraft lined up on the runway for a stream take off at 5 second intervals within each section and 15 seconds between sections. We routed – Willingale – Boreham – Maldon – Hanningfield to run in along runway 31 at North Weald in 6 Vics. Then out to the west where we changed to echelon left for a run and break to land by sections down 20.

Synchronised taxi back and simultaneous shut down – again great fun. We heard afterwards that a number of former Beagle employees attending the event were reduced to tears, so it was an honour and a privilege to have been able to take part in this historic event.

Here are a few pics. Not great quality, as it was quite dark at times, and they were taken on a cheapie Praktika I keep in my flight bag.

First couple show some of the line up, including the ‘sunburst’ Bulldog.

Backtracking 20 to the ORP – eight in front, nine behind.

Red and White Sections from Blue 3

Blue Section from Blue 3 – a fairly loose Vic en route

YR 😀 😀 😀