Auster Club mass fly-in, Middle Wallop 21st June

Looks like a VERY fun weekend.

Ryan

I was also able to make it. We left aaround 00.00 hr and were on the field some 8 hours later, the returntrip was more dramatic, arriving home around 03.50 and up for work at 07.00 Getting too old for this kind of trips, but it was well worth it with the almost 50 Austers. Strangest one for me was the one on the pic. Had never seen one of those before. Most beautifull one for me was the Canadian AF example.

BW Roger

That ‘strange one’ is the Army AOP.9 that the late Major Mike Somerton-Rayner converted with a Lycoming engine and designated a Mk.9M (Mike!).
It appeared to have been rubbed down prior to a repaint, so hope this happens soon. Alas that ‘Canadian’ example may look beautiful, but I am a purist and I hate to see aircraft in false markings and this aircraft never served with the RCAF and is really G-BLPG.

Here are those two aircraft when I first photographed them, G-BLPG was previously G-AZIH and seen here at the IAC Auster Meet at Old Warden on 24 April 1977. Also, here is that Mk.9M G-AVHT/WZ711 only a few days after its conversion, when Mike Somerton-Rayner brought it to the Staverton Air Day on 31st March 1968.

Yep, I made it, and with some luck Verviers is already on my list. Why was it modified like that (or better said, was it modified before or after being retired by the Army)?
BW Roger

Glad that you made it – the Canadian Auster is owned by the Secretary of the Club, very nice. The strange looking one is a modified AOP9

I was also able to make it. We left aaround 00.00 hr and were on the field some 8 hours later, the returntrip was more dramatic, arriving home around 03.50 and up for work at 07.00 Getting too old for this kind of trips, but it was well worth it with the almost 50 Austers. Strangest one for me was the one on the pic. Had never seen one of those before. Most beautifull one for me was the Canadian AF example.

BW Roger

Nice shots, i’ve whacked mine up on the forum (slipped down a few pages)

Here are a few from my little digital, which doesnt want to work now (thats the problem with buying cheap….so got to get something new before Waddington). As there were so many ‘press’ photographers out there, I’m sure far better photos will eventually materialise.

Best wishes to all for a wonderful weekend.

Martin

Just like to add my thanks to the IAC for letting us come and “play”. Was a real treat to be able to play a part in the day. Hope to come to more in the future.

It was good to meet up with some fellow Forum folks too. I will get around to posting some photos soon when I get thm off the camera.

ATVB
Gary – the “real” Arm Waver :D:D….

Just returned home from a wonderful weekend……..just a big thank you to all involved and hello to all forumites met. My legs are killing me today (must have been all that running around), but it was all worthwhile.

Will try and dig some photos out, but I know a lot of people had far better cameras than myself. One chap could hardly get his larged lens camera into the rear of the 9 – was so worried at some stage that it would go through the canopy!!

Best wishes to all,

Martin

I had three Mk.3 flights too….but then again they were all in the same aeroplane. I bet there cant be many people that have flown in 3 different ones, since the war?

As to your flight home in the Aiglet, it was the Eggesford Austers going home that followed you out – the 3, the 6, 9 and the Autocar.

Certainly hoping to get to more Auster fly-ins this year Adrian, i’ll be at Waddington but aside from that nothing’s set in stone as of yet.

Planemike, I don’t have one but there should be one in a couple of days or so

Any chance of full list of all the Austers that appeared over the w/e?

Planemike

Hi Adrian, wondered if you were around, found myself very busy all weekend though. Originally there were over 70 Austers booked in and I think just over 50 turned up (I heard one person say 50 mid-afternoon). The largest i’ve seen recorded is 46, however apparently at Middle Wallop 20 years ago there were 82

Sorry to have missed you Rob! Great to meet Paul Morton and Mike Draper.
Will catch you at the next Auster gathering perhaps?

Thoroughly enjoyed today but it could have done with less cloud!

Hi Adrian, wondered if you were around, found myself very busy all weekend though. Originally there were over 70 Austers booked in and I think just over 50 turned up (I heard one person say 50 mid-afternoon). The largest i’ve seen recorded is 46, however apparently at Middle Wallop 20 years ago there were 82

Wonderful day at Wallop today. Couldn’t believe there were 49 Austers booked in and if you add those in the museum, that makes over 50 Austers at one Meet – is this a record for IAPC? Tried to find you Rob but failed.

Yes, certainly had some interesting tales too – my favourite was from Ted Maslen-Jones, who served with 656 Squadron in Burma in WW2, telling me and a few others of one fellow pilot who started his Auster whilst under fire (swinging the prop, no starter buttons) from the Japanese, dived into the seat and took off with his legs hanging out the aeroplane!

Good to meet you too Tim, hopefully see you at Coventry next weekend

Yes it was a great event – seeing c. 50 Austers together was tremendous. Good to meet some other forumites. I didn’t have opportunity or time to get to fly, but was honoured to be able to escort many of the AAC veterans and help them strap in for their nostalgic flights. They had some interesting tales to tell.

Tim

Should be at some point. In total there was around 50, as we took off all the others were taxiing to take off bar the Club Secretary – just wonder if we should count the historic flight Auster, which did taxi past us yesterday, the gate guard and the three in the museum!

Any chance of full list of all the Austers that appeared over the w/e?

Planemike

Just got back from a very pleasant flight wedged into the back of an Auster Aiglet with a lot of baggage. What a superb weekend – over this weekend i’ve flown the UK’s population of Auster III’s (all 3 of ’em!), met some fantastic people including several forum members and severely lightening my wallet (good job i’m doing some filmwork later this week). Can’t think of a better way to spend my 21st Birthday weekend

We seem to be in a new era of austerity 😉