I first came across Eugene Bullard in either a ‘Cross & Cockade’ or ‘Over the Front’ journal about 25 years ago. Since then I’ve pieced together bits and pieces on him, including a couple of biographies written about him. I’ve got a lot of time for his story and what a life he had.

David, I totally agree. The RE8 is appallingly badly displayed at Duxford. It hangs among the rafters with no context and no real indication of it’s importance as a type. It would have been better in the Grahame-White building at Hendon, being as you say an original example of the type. It could have been displayed at Lambeth even. To my mind at least, The Great War has been largely ignored by Duxford. The D.H.9 isn’t really shown to any great advantage where it is, either–ditto Bristol F2.B.

Excellent stuff.

Great story. Thanks for sharing it with us all.

and not a Spitfire in sight…

Well that’s a positive for it. ;);)

Yes, the Brazilian replica (not sure replica is quite the right word) went back to Brazil in the case that it came in. It was never flown at OW. The Mag-Men example is better than that but probably not by much. The trouble with the Demoiselle and the Antoinette was that they had to compromise so much to get useable machines for the film. They actually ditched the wing warping on the Antoinette mid-way to give some sort of control. What’s left of that aeroplane is apparently in Switzerland but we’re told it suffered a fire. Had the recently departed aviation trustee have stayed, I fear we would have acquired that too.

It was apparently the flier from the film. It remains to be seen if it’ll ever fly again.
More news after delivery.

Making young folk (and old) happy on a nice day out–as above by Moth Minor.