The NW Cat fires up

The Cat finally departed North Weald for the South of France around noon today. Let’s hope they have a safe trip to Israel. Sorry to see the old girl go.

YR

It’s nice to see these old machines fly again.

I hope everything goes well for the new crew.

Chuck Ellsworth

It was doing its first test flight today – about 45 minutes. I was out in the Bulldog and came in to land just as they were waiting to go.

Nice short run then off it went for some very gentle manoeuvres circling out to the east. Glad it all went safely.

YR

Airborne again

I saw the Cat in the circuit at North Weald this evening (just before 6pm). I’m not sure if it was an air test, or a departure for distant shores. It may even have been inbound to North Weald – I didn’t see it for long enough to know its whereabouts in the circuit.

We were down on Tuesday in the C150… first time we have flown in and a very nice welcome we were given as well.

Was great to see the Cat running and the Yak’s zipping around.

And they got there as well, despite some nasty looking weather, watch out for their return tomorrow evening 😀

The Berlin Airlift film is still supposed to happen, but who knows when!

Re Monday afternoon: we should all have Flypast Forum badges or a funny handshake to recognise one another.

Another lost formation day today. A few Yaks departed despite a low cloudbase and poor viz. I managed to do the air test of the Bulldog in preparation for Sunday at Abingdon.

The Cat’s departure is now delayed for “political” reasons, can’t say more.

The only high point was Janie and BBD meeting up over the field late afternoon to fly to Kemble. So the sound of two Merlins relieved the gloom today.

YR

Affirm. And Charlie Bravo. YR

Ah! That was me you were talking to on Monday afternoon then. I was tempted to mention the forum as well.

Thanks YakRider that brings back some great memories, what ever happen to the movie that the C-54 were going to be used for and are the engines atleast turned monthly. If not someone needs to go out and hand pull them throu or give them a good hard run.

Affirm. And Charlie Bravo.

YR

Yakrider: Are you the guy who flies the Southend Yak-52?

Some pics of the C54s just after they arrived. They haven’t moved since. The only difference today is that they have baffles in front of the engines.

The formation school is flying today – albeit only formation take offs and landings.

Here are a few pics from earlier in the week when they were flying three sorties a day.

YR

The C54s and a Dak that was on maintenance at the time.

A couple of the MATS C54…

And the silver C54

Part of the formation school line up. Now a total of 14 Yak 52s and 2 Extra 300s

At the ORP on Tuesday

A formation take off

I believe the B-25 was formally at Southend Airport, then Duxford with Aces High, moving to North Weald about 1985/86 (Reg. N9089Z/cn.108-34136) . I could be wrong but am pretty sure, pics enclosed first at DX circa 1985.Second is at NW date not certain but in better nick than now.

i would love to have enoth money to buy the B-25 at NW, looks like its in a real sad state. Who is the current owner of the B-25?

Stephen Gray, I believe.
I think buying it would be the easy bit. Moving and storing it is where the fun starts.

On a side line, I couldn’t help notice the Formation School Yak-52s all lined up in the background. Looks like it’s been grounded by bad weather. Pity. Now there is your souce for new display pilots (referring to an earlier thread).

If this is the old AC plane then their is ownership dispute between MARC(Tallichete) and AC that explane it ratty shape. Now YakRider any good pics of the C-54 in the background just wondering if this is the old North Atlantic Transport Command plane.

It was based at Larwance Mass Airport

What’s its net scrap value? Not much I guess.

i would love to have enoth money to buy the B-25 at NW, looks like its in a real sad state. Who is the current owner of the B-25?

Hi Yakrider,
Thanks for sharing. I just wanted to say a ‘thank you’ as it’s like we are ‘there’ (but better still without the wind, rain & cold…)
Cheers

What is the monetary difference in a restoration if you went for a static instead?? Especially as knowing our weather I should think there is some quite major corrosion in parts of the airframe…

Sadly I doubt I’d be allowed to spend $200k on anything that doesn’t involve bricks and mortar… unless you guys know a cast iron scheme making lots of millions and staying the right side of HM Government (sic)?