From the press release:
BIGGLES BIPLANE ON BBC TV
7.30pm Monday 23rd January 2012
BBC East ‘Inside Out’
The story of the six year-long restoration of the “Biggles Biplane” Royal Aircraft Factory BE-2 replica will be broadcast on Monday, 23rd January at 7.30pm. The programme will form part of the BBC ‘Inside Out’ programme in the BBC East region and may be shown in other areas too as well as being available on i-Player.
“Biggles Biplane” is a replica of an early First World War BE2c, Britain’s first purpose-built military aeroplane. Assembled at Sywell Aerodrome, Northampton in 1969 for a film featuring Capt W E John’ fictional hero Biggles, the aircraft was also used in TV series such as BBC TV’s ‘Wings’, but crashed in the USA in 1977.
The remains were ‘lost’ until discovered in 2005, in a barn in upstate New York. Owners Stephen Slater and Matthew Boddington acquired the remains and returned them to the Northamptonshire airfield which was its birthplace.
Presenter David Whitely and the team first began to follow the aircraft’s progress in 2006 and have been regular visitors to the workshop ever since. They were also able to capture the emotional moments last May when the aircraft made its first test flights with Matthew at the controls. It was a particularly special moment as his late father Charles Boddington flew the replica aircraft on its maiden flight in March 1969 from the same airfield.
By: l.garey - 23rd February 2012 at 15:58
A great bit of film Steve. Well done to all.
By: low'n'slow - 23rd February 2012 at 13:18
Been meaning to update this for a while. Thanks to Martyn Steggels sending us the vital file, the BBC Inside Out feature from 23rd January is now on YouTube. Enjoy!
By: DragonRapide - 25th January 2012 at 07:02
Fantastic – and emotional – coverage for a wonderful project – great to see Blue Max and Low’n’Slow getting the recognition they deserve for their achievement. Well done chaps – hopefully will see the Biggles Biplane myself this year!
By: l.garey - 25th January 2012 at 06:07
Sadly not available on iPlayer outside the UK
By: JonL - 24th January 2012 at 04:21
And if the stories I hear are to be believed, is to be dismantled and shipped to the UK as an exhibit in the RAFM.
A.
I thought that was Don Subritski’s Vickers Vincent….
By: BSAA1947 - 24th January 2012 at 00:39
A lovely piece of restoration work and a fantastic, flying tribute to the Boddington brothers. Well done Matt and Steve!
Ian
By: The Blue Max - 23rd January 2012 at 19:38
981 is doing insurance for kids.
If you keep watching its on in a bit;)
By: TonyT - 23rd January 2012 at 19:34
981 is doing insurance for kids.
Ahh it just advertised it.
By: low'n'slow - 23rd January 2012 at 17:32
Inside Out also apparently on Virgin Media channel 858……
By: low'n'slow - 23rd January 2012 at 17:25
Its going to be a good night to be in front of the TV.
Biggles Biplane on at 7:30 followed by “The Real Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, BBC-2 9pm, an hour-long documentary on the round-Britain microlight rally, with author of the book “Propellerhead”.
Excellent! No phone calls please!
By: low'n'slow - 22nd January 2012 at 16:23
As a prelude to tomorrow evening’s broadcast, here’s a link to the original BBC Inside Out feature shown back in 2006:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfhNHFg7PXo
.
By: Robert Whitton - 22nd January 2012 at 16:20
The Biggles Biplane is what it says on the tin!
What a fantastic piece of work, bringing her back to the UK and restoring her to flying condition. Its the only flying “BE2C” that I will ever see. Perhaps those that whinge should state their expertise in undertaking similar work when posting.
By: Andy in Beds - 22nd January 2012 at 02:17
Oh yes, the latest replica from TVA (other than a second Albatross DVa), is a superb RE8, which was in the air yesterday!
And if the stories I hear are to be believed, is to be dismantled and shipped to the UK as an exhibit in the RAFM.
A.
By: JonL - 21st January 2012 at 23:54
If you want replica, you’ll have to go and see the Vintage Aviator’s lovely examples in New Zealand (as well as an original). The Biggles machine is lovely though, and conveys the atmosphere of that early period of aviation.
Oh yes, the latest replica from TVA (other than a second Albatross DVa), is a superb RE8, which was in the air yesterday!
By: avion ancien - 21st January 2012 at 21:37
That is your interpretation of the dictionary -apologies for using brackets instead of inverted coma’s
Brick wall – banging one’s head against – oh well – over and out!
By: waghorn41 - 21st January 2012 at 20:42
Relica? Copy? No, it doesn’t matter a jot. What matters is that people took the time and effort to create this marvellous piece of aeronautical engineering. It is a work of art, a delight to behold. I had a close up view at Sywell last year prior to attending an evening talk about it. Sod the dictionary and scale, it was built for a purpose and fulfils that criteria admirably.
By: David Burke - 21st January 2012 at 19:06
Avion – Thus even if this aeroplane is not an ‘exact copy’ and is on a smaller scale, it would appear that it is entitled to describe itself as a replica.
That is your interpretation of the dictionary -apologies for using brackets instead of inverted coma’s . How we determine what a replica is is somewhat subjective.
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January 20, 2012 at 8:54 pm