The Aircraft I'd most like to See…

If only they were real 🙁

It’s always the noise that lets them down.

If somebody could just crack that one.

Moggy

Remember seeing those model Wellingtons fly at the LMA show at Cosford in 2002. A 3-ship formation flying low over the airfield made you stop and stare. If only…
Nicely flown as well.

Regards,

Paul

Hi Moggy,

Wellingtons? How about these???

Cheers,
Neilly

I’ve got much the same view as Moggy. For me it would have to be some of the unsung heroes. Of all sides. We’ve all seen Spitfires, Hurricanes, Mustangs, B17’s, a myriad DC-3’s / C-47’s, the two Lancasters, and we all recognise what they stand for.

But so far there’s only one airworthy Gladiator. One Bf109E. One Blenheim. Three Zeroes.

No Stirlings. Anywhere. At all. Same with Albemarles. And Rocs. Martinets. Hectors. What about Bombays and Bothas? They also served. As did Henschel HS129’s. Heinkel 177’s. Messerchmitt Me-323 Gigants!

No flyable Wellingtons or Halifaxes. Or Battles. Or Fulmars, Skuas, Defiants, Marylands, Baltimores, Bostons, Mosquitoes. Beaufighters. Focke Wulf Condors, Ju-88’s, Ju-87’s, SM79’s, Me110’s.

All these aeroplanes. All those brave young men who flew, fought, and died in them. And no flying examples left to remind us and stir the memories of those who CAN remember, or the imaginations and thoughts of those of us who can’t.

What a shame. 🙁

If anything were to come out of the FAA museum to fly, for me it would have to be the Wyvern. What a beautiful beast that is and that engine – wow.

Ill second the Horsa(or even better a Hamilcar!) and the Cierva.
There is a static replica Horsa being built at Shawbury, they have a Dak too. Don’t know what the BGA would think at such a big glider!
Wish Shuttleworths C30 would go the whole hog from taxing to flight. There is a Pitcarn model flying in the states.
I would love to see a mass paradrop at a airshow. Either 5 Daks(not difficult to find) or how about 10 C130’s? Why has this never been done at a show? Or has it been done abroad? Sure beets a Spit 😉 .
On another subject anybody see the South African flypast this week?
3 SAA 747’s in a formation break over Cape Town!

Hi Andy, Melvyn,
I quite agree. we rather took it for granted when it was flying – now… 🙁

The Glider combo is a good point – part of what airshows are about is to see things that people don’t know or remember about.

My top ‘want’ is to see an Autogyro (not an eggbeater Moggy – they tended to only ‘beat the ground’ when hit with the resonance probs) – ideally a Cierva / Avro C30 Rota.

I corresponded with Old Warden about the possibility of getting their machine flying – but though they were interested, the difficulties of full (to airworthy) restoration ruled it out. (Though they taxiied it very hapilly – outlines the difference!) – Also, the difficulties of flying a ‘marginal a/c’ like this with serious aerodynamic tricks and problems no-longer acceptable put the tin lid on it.

The a/c is not at Fantasy of Flight with Kermit. Sad, but safe, and raised money for what IS flying at OW – fair enough.

And the Spaniards built and flew one too. Hurrah. (Now to see it – I think it frightened the pilot… 😉 )

Thanks Andy for those pics. You are lucky that you’ve got somthing as this in the UK. The Gladiator is one of the nicest planes for me. I would love to see one in Belgian markings one day. Maybe…

For me it would just have to be the Wellington.

An aircraft that bore the brunt of the Bomber Command task until the four-motors arrived, it would make such a superb complement to the Lancaster.

Being without one of the early bomber aircraft is like having Spitfires, but no Hurricanes.

Moggy

I second the Kiwi! That would be absolutely superb to see!

Regarding the Flycatcher.

This was not retired in an airworthy condition. It had a fundemental vibration problem that was literally shaking it to pieces. John Romain had a structural faliure while flying it and inspection showed a lot of cracks. It was simply worn out.

If it were to be seen in the skies again I would not want to be standing underneath it! Whilst it appears to be an unnecessary grounding it most definitely was the correct and safe thing to do.

MH

Okay, this is going to be a little controversial,…. but I’d love to see a full-size flying Horsa glider towed behind a C-47/DC-3 resplendent in D-Day invasion stripes.

Imagine it, being towed up and released, landing at the airshow. Then a force of authentic Paratroops come pouring out of it when it rolls to a stop.

Spits and mustnags in appropriate colour schemes providing air-cover…

hmmm,….your (and ours !!) CAA wouldn’t go for a flying Horsa unfort… 🙁

Hi Stieglitz
As you like the Gladiator.
Here’s a couple for you.
One taken back in the dark ages when she was painted in RAF colours and one taken a couple of weeks ago at Old warden.
All the best
Andy 🙂 🙂

The one I would love to see in the air is the Gloster Gladiator from the Shuttleworth. I have seen it once during a visit to OW in 1999 but it didn’t fly that day. I just adore that biplane and I like the sound of a Bristol Mercury engine. I once heard that the sound from the Sabena Oldtimers Lysander.

I hope TFC can make good progress with their project to bring a Gladiator back to flying condition.

Yes, seeing a flying Gladiator would really make my day.

J.V.