While it is true to say we all as a nation owe our lives and freedom to these guys it is also true to say that it has cost the IWM alot of money to set up these facillites for them. At the end of the day the money to pay for it has to come from somewere. The ideal situation would have been to secure sponsorship from a local company or similar at an earlier date. I think it is safe to say that without the income from the airshows Duxford would fail to be a viable place, they dont have a huge pot of cash to draw resources from.

1986 – Stanbridge / Halton or Newton ?

The aircraft on the hill is XH768. The one at Hartlebury was XA821 which was scrapped 19/09/77. The Newton airframe was probably XH972 which was scrapped in 1967. Hope that helps.

Does anyone know the definate fate of a few others? XH839 & XH872 were preserved at Changi, Singapore while XH893 was derelict there and XH895 was in use for ground instruction. I believe these have know been scrapped but I would like to know for sure. Also XH890 was lying derelict out in Zambia at the beginning of the 1970’s, things dont tend to get scrapped out there much, does it still survive? In reality proberbly not but you never know.

I think the comment made about losing sight of the aircraft behind the T2 hanger was in relation to the intial practices carried out to the North of the Airfield before Stephen returned to Duxford, it is unusual to see aircraft practicing so low ( but still at least 200ft up ) in the free airspace to the North. The aircraft was a couple of miles away so it was bound to disappear behind tree’s / hangars etc. My comments about grounding are in relation to the press, the first place alot of them look if they want information on a subject is a forum. If they look here and see us all discussing ( wrongly ) the fact that pilots have been wreckless than you are only giving them ammo.

Trumper, my concern was with the undercarriage not the flying.

Couldn’t agree more DaveB this has been blown out of proportion, bit of a non event really.