What's the gem for Flying Ledgends then?

You’ll usually see some veterans knocking around the place if you look around you. It’s just that most of them are quite quiet about it. And half of them would punch your lights out if you tried referring to them as ‘high profile’. Modest lads, most of ’em.

Legends

I would just like to be able to attend cos if u work in the NHS u Hardly ever get a weekend off 😡

I echo snappers comments that it would be good to get a large bunch of veterans in attendance and not exclusively signing prints / books, – are they available for the general public to have a chat with ,it seems quite difficult to chat with a high profile veteran .In the States they make a presentation to an audience and answer questions, -well they did at Reading PA – the Vets from the Easy Company ( Band of Brothers ) gave a question and answer session .

Holy thread-resurrection Bat-man!

Yeah, but at your age you’d miss.

M

I resemble that remark.

I’ll shoot for the 109E.

Mark

Yeah, but at your age you’d miss.

M

I’ll shoot for the 109E.

Mark

Personally I would’ve LOVED to see the Breitling fighters, but I only saw them arrive and do the run and break at the end of the show in 2001…never saw their full routine…

I would think the P-36 and the re-emergence of ‘Princess Elizabeth’ from rebuild would be highlights this year, but there will be other stuff to look forward to, I imagine…and possibly some stuff coming in from the States especially for thye show…

I would LOVE to see one of the 190’s at the show if I were going, likewise a Connie…

Mark

I understood that the 190ties were banned in the UK, and a 262, well maybe in 2004 when the German’s got one. Bw Roger

Is there some sort of Anti FW 190 alliance ongoing on this board?

Everytime we hear the mention of ‘those FW190’s’ there seems to be much glee that there is some sort of blanket ban on them ever appearing in the skies over the UK?

Prior to posting such ‘I thought’ remarks, a moments reflection upon the livelihoods of those involved over the past decade or so, in providing us with such a fantastic project would be in order. Perhaps the ill thought remarks could be rephrased into a question such as “I wonder how ‘those’ FW190’s are getting along with their certification and proving flights?”

Remember please that it is a commercial operation and this is a very widely ready forum by many in the industry. It doesn’t take a ‘thought’ to be repeated too many times before it becomes ‘fact’ in the minds of the masses and then goes on to grow the wrong arms and the wrong legs in the minds of the media.

Last time I saw one it was in the air, flying very nicely and made by Germans too, nice ones. VorSprung Deutch Teknik as they say etc.

A little bit of consideration please……

I would like to see Southern Cross over here but following the comments on the forum regarding numbers of propellors I guess that is highly unlikely.

[QUOTE=Saabpilot]>”When i was at Kermits place the engineer giving us the tour
>said that it will be completed then shipped straight to the
>states for testing, he was pretty certain that due to the
>complexity of the engine it won’t be flown over here.”
>
—————————————————————–

Ermmm……so this is inferring that there isn’t sufficient Sabre experience in the UK, well, there’s point there…..all though there must be a few ex-Napier Sabre engineers and fitters left to glean some knowledge from.
BUT…if that’s suggesting that there is more in the USA…..!!
Yeah, right…..LOL

I always thought the sabre was a complex engine but I was recently told by a WW2 Typhoon fitter that when the RAFM got the Typhoon from the USA they had to ask a WW2 veteran to show them how to get the cowlings off. Now that’s complex! Sadly, I suppose we may never see a Tempest V flying then 🙁

Has anyone got any shots of the following formation that I clearly remember from Duxford one year?

B17

P51 P47

P38

Plan view of formation with B17 in lead (just in case somebody gets smart!!!!).

B-17, P-51’s x 2, P-47, P-38 and P-63

Is this what you were looking for?

Steve

RE: What’s the gem for Flying Legends then?

>”When i was at Kermits place the engineer giving us the tour
>said that it will be completed then shipped straight to the
>states for testing, he was pretty certain that due to the
>complexity of the engine it won’t be flown over here.”
>
—————————————————————–

Ermmm……so this is inferring that there isn’t sufficient Sabre experience in the UK, well, there’s point there…..all though there must be a few ex-Napier Sabre engineers and fitters left to glean some knowledge from.
BUT…if that’s suggesting that there is more in the USA…..!!
Yeah, right…..LOL

Were’nt Ricardo doing the engine refurb of Kermit’s Sabre..???

RE: What’s the gem for Flying Legends then?

Er, ‘very good in the past’???

Very good would be leaving it on the British show circuit for a year before shipping it off to Florida, not just a couple of test flights in secret.

I have the greatest admiration (or is it just jealousy) for Kermit Weeks. I have visited Polk City a couple of times and his standards are extremely high. The aircraft appear proffesionally restored and well maintained. Many of them don’t seem to fly very often, but even these are properly looked after (engines inhibited etc). As well as this, the man just loves to fly! If you go, do the tour of the storage facility because it’s fascinating!

Despite all this, my original comment still stands.

However (firmly tongue in cheek), if he wants to prove me wrong by bringing the Sunderland over for a year I will happily eat my words!

RE: What’s the gem for Flying Legends then?

“When i was at Kermits place the engineer giving us the tour said that it will be completed then shipped straight to the states for testing, he was pretty certain that due to the complexity of the engine it won’t be flown over here.”

Well Alexis you’re right about the engine, there’s nobody who could rebuild a Sabre to ‘reliable’ status at present though the rest of the airframe is being rebuilt to airworthy spec and Kermit hopes that she will be able to do ground runs once finished. It is a complex aircraft and an even more complex and rare engine which you struggle to get parts for and know how for rebuilding a Sabre is getting thin on the ground. I don’t know if he will ship her straight off to the States, there was talk about the possibility of taking her to shows for ground/taxi runs and I for one would love to see it happen. Kermit has been very good in the past by getting his a/c certified and test flown over here so lets hope eh.

Tom 😉

RE: What’s the gem for Flying Legends then?

Willow…I seem to remember seeing this formation at the Spitfire Show 1996…I think I have some pics somewhere, I’ll see if I can pull them out…

Ashley

RE: What’s the gem for Flying Legends then?

OK, so that didn’t work. The formation had Sally B in the lead, with a P51 and the P47 on each wingtip, and the P38 in what the Thunderbirds would call the ‘Slot’ position.

Willow

RE: What’s the gem for Flying Legends then?

Thanks for that! Yes, it does make the point but hey, it looks SO much better with 2.

Has anyone got any shots of the following formation that I clearly remember from Duxford one year?

B17

P51 P47

P38

Plan view of formation with B17 in lead (just in case somebody gets smart!!!!).

RE: What’s the gem for Flying Legends then?

Couldn’t agree more about the comment you made about everyone getting down safe at the end of the show. Reinforces the comments about taking aircraft for granted. I learnt this lesson back in 1986. I was at the Mildenhall show on the Saturday when the vintage pair (Vampire T11 and Meteor T7 operated by the RAF) arrived from another show. I treated them with indifference because I’d seen them so many times. When the news came that they had crashed the next day I was really shocked, not only at the loss of life (and aircraft) but that on the day before I had almost ignored these classic old aeroplanes and that now I would never see them again. The lesson struck home. I now do not take any aircraft for granted. Over the years other examples, including those you mention, have served to prove this.

On a lighter note, I can remember seeing Sally B flying with a Mustang at Duxford in 1977. It was the highlight of the year for me because I’d never seen a Mustang fly before (I was only 7). We see this formation quite often now. How many people see it and think ‘should be another one on the other wingtip’ or similar? It’s a shame that we don’t know how lucky we are.

Old areoplanes are flown (at great risk) for our enjoyment, so lets enjoy them – WHATEVER THEY ARE

RE: What’s the gem for Flying Legends then?

I agree with you willow.
I remember going to airshows where the balbo at the end of the show was made up of T6 Harvards. Over the last 15 years I think we’ve been luck to have people like Stephen and Nick Grey, Ray and Mark Hanna willing to display their increasing collections to the public and put some thought into the shows. I think Philo is right we have become blasia about the aircraft, you soon miss them once the’ve gone just think of the diverse range of aircraft we’ve been privillaged to see that are not around now (P-38,Mosquito,P-63, ME109 ‘black 6’ not to mention the jets that have gone out of service in the last decade or so!) I for one am quite happy watching Skyraiders or Harvards as long as they get down safe at the end.
And you can never have to many Mustangs or Spitfires.

P.S. Just concider if the likes of Stephen Grey sells up and goes into stamp collecting we’ll be back to those Harvard balbos again.(and what would I do on a Sunday?)

RE: What’s the gem for Flying Legends then?

As someone who is very new to this forum, I am surprised to discover that I have been branded ‘childish and inane’ as I don’t consider myself either of these. If my opinions are not wanted then I will keep them to myself. The point (which I though I had made quite clear in my final comment on my previous message) was that Legends has something for everyone. Thats why I’ve been going to Duxford since 1976. Even though I am not keen on Skyraiders I would still rather see a Skyraider than nothing because I love all aeroplanes. I just love some more than others!!

However, I take philo’s last comment in the spirit it was intended and to return to the original thread (but being completely realistic this time).

I would very much like to see a Dauntless at this years Legends and as I know there is an airworthy one at Chino I don’t think that this is impossible. It would be nice to see it fly with the Wildcat, Hellcat, and Avenger, in the same style as the A36 flew with other types last year.

Willow