Hi All
Hawker Nimrod from Duxford and drag that replica Flycatcher out of Yeovilton and put it back in the air where it belongs.
However if this is a real dream.
Blackburn Baffin, Ripon and Shark three ship fly-by
followed by Avro Bison, Blackburn Blackburn and the Parnall fleet spotter (name escapes me at this time of day) followed by Fairey IIID, Fairey IIIF and Fairey Seal.
Anymore??
Andy

Hi all
I popped into Old Warden on Saturday.
The builders are in at present and building a new shop and main entrance (and restaurant)? The current shop has relocated to one of the other hangars and a lot of the stuff is on sale prices. Worth a look.
As far as I’m concerned just keep everything as it is.
Twenty of us went to the June flying day last year (massive picnic) and all really enjoyed it. There were three generations present in our group. The oldest, eighty years old, the youngest eighteen months.
Where else could you have a day like that?
I thought the poem read out was less preferable than the sound of the Spit’s Merlin. Also can we have the cliped wingtips back on AR501 and the early exhaust manifolds she had back in the nineties?
All the best
Andy

Sounds like my early life.
I can rember being shocked when my dad read out the sad news from The Eastern Evening News that the Lightnings were going to be replaced by Jaguars–whatever they were!!
I was even more upset when I saw what they looked like.
Growing up in Norfolk in the 60’s was a classic time.
You name it–it tried to take the chimney pots off Mum’s house.
All the best
Andy

My favourites are from ‘The Great War’.
Sagitarius Rising by Cecil Lewis, The Wind in the Wires by Duncan Grinnell Milne and my all time favourite book ever. Winged Victory by VM Yeates.
Victor Yeates was a Sopwith Camel pilot in 46 Squadron and an ace. Winged Victory is written in novel form but is a memoir without a doubt.
Yeates was dying of TB while he wrote and it has a somewhat cynical tone–which I personally think makes the book.
As far as the second World war goes–many years ago I borrowed a book from Norwich main library written by a man who flew with the 389th BG from Hethel. He went low level to Ploesti and describes Lloyd Hughes winning the Medal of Honour.
Trouble is I can’t remember the name of the author or the title.
Sadly the U.S. 2nd air division memorial room at the library was destroyed by fire a few years ago and sadly I expect also was this rather good book.
Anyone know the book/author??
All the best
Andy

James
I’m glad you feel so passionately about the aircraft.
If you really think that all of us writing to a newspaper in Hull would change this situation good for you.
I’ll stick with what I said above.
I don’t think this is the place for a personal argument but if you would care to E-mail me privatley I’d gladly continue to discuss this subject (and economics from my very cynical viewpoint on the the World).
Keep in touch
Andy

AR501

Hi Sq/L
I have the print in question hanging on my landing.
the little paragraph of text in the bottom left hand corner tells me that it represents a raid on Lille and Courtrai on Oct 9th 1942.
The first raid by the 306th BG.
It also goes on to say that the Spitfire in question took part in a diversionary sweep in support of the raid that day.
I then referenced ‘The Mighty Eighth War Diary’–R Freeman and it states that the RAF sent Spitfires as a diversion to Circus 224.
The U.S. also sent P38’s of the 1st FG as a diversion also.
Their last mission with the eighth before transfer to the middle east.
I think it’s unlikely that the Spitfires of 310 Sqn flew in close formation with the 306th as depicted in the picture.
The print was produced to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the raid.
All the best
Andy.
PS.I’ll try looking up the Mustang you mentioned later.

Mark
You’re absolutley correct about the chin cowling.
It was my memory playing up again–happens more and more.
The only other picture I have of ‘983 at Old warden is this very poor illustration.
As you can see at one point probably late sixties–someone applied invasion stripes to her.
They were removed by the time I was photographed with her.
You can probably put me right here also but wasn’t she rather sold out from under the nose s of some volenteers who’d been working on her at Duxford? Rather to their annoyance–presumably by the Shuttleworth management of the time.
I do rember seeing bits of her at Duxford in the very early eighties.
I think she was pretty much a basket case at that time.
All the best
Andy