Just thought I’d bring this to peoples attention – for more details goto
and then click the news section.
Looking forward to working with her this year. 🙂
By: DGH - 26th July 2007 at 07:52
Will,
Many thanks for that. Good to meet you at Old Warden last month and shame Rapide ‘GTM went sick! On Saturday, will the Rapide giving the flights be ‘IDL in its new military markings?
Not unless you’ve got a couple of spare engines in you’re back pocket Albert! 😀
By: ALBERT ROSS - 25th July 2007 at 22:45
Will,
Many thanks for that. Good to meet you at Old Warden last month and shame Rapide ‘GTM went sick! On Saturday, will the Rapide giving the flights be ‘IDL in its new military markings?
By: Will J - 25th July 2007 at 22:37
Hello everybody…
sorry for being a bit slow on the uptake on this thread, a busy day back at Dakota towers….
Saturday will see ground displays including:
The ‘Thunder from Heaven’ D-Day paratrooper re-enactment group.
Avro Shackleton ground tours, and engine runs.
Tours of the Classic Flight fleet/see behind the scenes in hangar 7.
Merchandise stand.
Refreshments.
And aerial activity/pleasure flights including:
The mighty Percival Prentice.
The graceful Dragon Rapide.
The classic DC3 Dakota.
Take a ride on any one of these classics for just £55 per person.
Ground tour only £10 per person.
For directions see above map…(a few posts ago)… gates open at 1100.
By: DGH - 24th July 2007 at 22:03
I’ll give Will J a prod!! 😮 He’s got the latest on this weekends event and is in a better position to tell you, if he doesn’t post I’ll let you know what I know. 🙂
By: FiltonFlyer - 24th July 2007 at 20:45
Dont forget next Saturday (28th) is our ‘Back To The Forties’ open day. Plenty of lovely aircraft to view and fly-in, as well as MG cars and the Band of Brothers re-enactors.
Can anyone expand on whats happening at this event? I haven’t found much about it on classicflight.com or anywhere else on the internet. As the description is ‘Big Bands and Brylcream’ (sic), I presume there will be music? Is it open to everyone? I’m just trying to sell it to the other half!
ta,
Andy
By: BlueRobin - 20th July 2007 at 20:28
That will be much appreciated 😎 😎 😎
By the way, how about some photos of APSA, which is now flying again? If so new thread please!
By: DGH - 20th July 2007 at 20:24
For those of you with an interest in Rapide G-AKRP, she made her pleasure flying debut at Sheffield on Thursday. 🙂
Dont forget next Saturday (28th) is our ‘Back To The Forties’ open day. Plenty of lovely aircraft to view and fly-in, as well as MG cars and the Band of Brothers re-enactors.
Blue Robin if you dont post on this thread by the end of the weekend I will give you a ‘gentle poke’ to remind you of this event! 😮 😀
By: alanl - 28th May 2007 at 17:19
No worries Dave. No I won’t be going to Blackpool unfortunately, my next excursion is to Kemble, hopefully as crew in one of the participants…..:D
Hope the weather is better next week !
See you soon, Alan
By: DGH - 28th May 2007 at 14:24
Lovely pictures Moondance thanks for sharing. 🙂
Alan, thanks for the info on the tug. Next time were both there you’ll have to show me around it. Are you coming to Blackpool at the weekend?
By: Moondance - 26th May 2007 at 15:57
Shack engine run also?
Just got round to sorting out my pics. It persisted it down!
By: alanl - 19th May 2007 at 22:55
QUOTE=DGH;1116773]Well I believe one of our forumities had something to do with the tug, not sure which one….;) Perhaps they would like to tell us more. 🙂 [/QUOTE]
Okay then ,being as you asked !
It is a David Brown tug,built,I believe in the ’50’s, no idea of its previous service or how it came to be at Coventry, but if someone can tell me how to find out, that would be great.
It features on the DVD of the last airshow to be held at Cov towing another tug that is attached to the Shackleton ! It didn’t look too bad then so I know it was in working order up to 2003. It was then left outside by the new offices(Shackleton house?) for a few years looking very unloved and gradually getting rusty !
It was brought into hanger 7 last year in the hope that it could be used again, it is very usefull for towing the Daks in as it can then be driven under the wing and back out again, other wise it is all hands to the pump and a big push !:eek:
At some point it was fitted with another tractors steering coloumn and steering wheel.Unfortunately the donor vehicle must have been in even worst condition as the steering wheel crumbled away and it was then stuck in the corner unable to be driven.
I ‘volunteered ‘ to try to sort it out and set too rubbing it down, sourcing another seat, not unfortunately a correct design one, but as the budget was nil it will have to do for now. I got a new steering wheel for it, my Dad ,who was an auto electrician in his younger days, rewired it as there was no key to start it you had to use a screwdriver….
Then over the last month or so I finally got round to painting it. The plan was to push the Lancaster out with it but as the clutch is a bit fierce, may be from lack of use ,it was just parked with it instead.
I have since put some roundels on it and I hope to give the mechanicals some attention over the next few months, but it has been used more over the past few weeks than at anytime in the last few years. So hopefully it will be a familar sight moving the aircraft of the Flight around for a long time to come.
A few before pictures and some taken a few weeks ago.
Cheers, Alan
By: DGH - 19th May 2007 at 21:27
Thats a rather posh David Brown tug next to ‘KRP,looks just the part.:rolleyes:
How did the day go Dave ?
Well I believe one of our forumities had something to do with the tug, not sure which one….;) Perhaps they would like to tell us more. 🙂
I missed most of todays activities as I was in the classroom on a security course but it was pretty quite due to the lack of notice and probably the FA cup final and other sporting events. But the Prentice and the Rapide went up doing pleasure flights in the morning and the Dak in the afternoon. I was offered a free flight on the Dak and turned it down! 😮 (Yes I am mad!) Oh well of to Blackpool in a couple of weeks – anybody fancy flying in the Dak at Blackpool and saying hello?
By: alanl - 19th May 2007 at 21:19
Here are the dates for the remaining open days planned for this year.
Back to the Forties
Big bands and Brylcream
28 July 2007
Evening Skies
Sunset Flights
26 August 2007
Bonfire Night
Flights with a bang!
4/5 November 2007
DC-3 Birthday
72 years of the Dakota
16 December 2007
Thats a rather posh David Brown tug next to ‘KRP,looks just the part.:rolleyes:
How did the day go Dave ?
Alan
By: BlueRobin - 19th May 2007 at 21:09
Likewise 🙂 Send me a PM or something a few days before – it may be the only way to get my bum into gear!
By: DGH - 19th May 2007 at 21:05
To be fair there wasn’t alot of notice for this one – plenty of time till July 28th though! 😀
Be good to put another face to a name. 🙂
By: BlueRobin - 19th May 2007 at 20:58
Well there’s yet another open day I’ve missed. Maybe one day I’ll go 😮
By: DGH - 19th May 2007 at 20:41
Indeed she did – one Griffon turning in the background of the Cranberry piccy. Unfortunately this did coincide with the biggest rain shower! Sounded nice though. Here she is at rest.
By: BlueRobin - 19th May 2007 at 20:29
Shack engine run also?
By: DGH - 19th May 2007 at 20:26
Just a few piccie’s for those that couldn’t make it today.
Next open day July 28th – ‘Back To The Forties’ – Go on, you know you want to! 😀
The new Rapide / Dominie
The Jersey Heron under maintenance
A wet Cranberry – Just for Bex!
Think you can get a cream for that…….
A load of punters go of on a pleasure flight
The DC6 office.
More if you want them.
By: Will J - 17th May 2007 at 21:29
In case anybody is unsure where we are…!
Entry to all ClassicFlight.com open days is via Coventry Airports West security gate.
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May 7, 2007 at 10:50 am