Thats right… They’re parked there for officer cadets at Cranwell to practice guarding aircraft. Seems a strange place for them really, but thats their role. I’ve not seen them up close, but I’m told they’re in a bad way. Can anyone shed any light on that?

Lies and lack of transparency wont be the downfall of 558, those of us who have given vast amounts of time and money wont allow that to happen, Sponsorship in my opinion was never going to happen putting aside the **** ups etc there is simply nothing in it for a sponsor, no logos on the aircraft being the main problem, yes you could put something on the chute but it would rarely be seen and it’s the same for the bomb doors. Thats one area where a change in thinking has occurred, they now realize that her future rests on a lot of us giving a little rather than ignoring the “little people” and waiting for the big generous company to come tootling up with millions for ****** all in return.

100% agree. You have hit the nail on the head. However, I dont think the lack of transparency does anything for their cause, and I know of many many people who wont give money to 558 because of it.

Are you guys in the real world?
The only changes needed at TVOC are the way in which their money is raised. I have never met a more dedicated and selfless group of people than all those involved in this project and at the Vulcan to the Sky Club.
Suggestions that changes need to be made to personell are so wide of the mark it’s inbelievable. These guys have raised millions, returned the only complicated historic aircraft in the country to the air against the obvious wishes of the CAA that it should never happen and it’s still not enough for you to realise that you have a unique team in place.
Projects all over the country are failing right now because of lack of sponsorship including several in our own aviation preservation sector. Television programmes that aways featured sponsor ads at the start, middle and end no longer have them. Companies are simply not sponsoring anything. This isn’t the fault of the TVOC, it’s the unpleasent real world they have to live in like the rest of us.
You seem to think that the begging bowl has been put away – it hasn’t. Fund raising is continuing and has to, because of the lack of commercial sponsors. This is a different financial world to that of years ago when the project started.
Yes, changes are needed. Changes to their income aspirations, not the personell. Changes in their financial model were announced on 6th March and those changes will no doubt be made public in time.
I know of several small airlines who would love to be able to run a single aircraft on £150k a month – even their flight crews cost more than that.
To those people that pledged money and then do not honour their pledges I feel nothing but disgust and there is no place for them in our society. The comedian who pledged £100k with no intention of paying – on the day before the appeal closed – should be charged with fraud.
This is a worthwhile project and it can only improve the quality of airshows across the country this year but the financial difficulties will not go away. They must still continue to raise a sizeable amount of money.

I’m sorry bravoalpha, who was it you said was way off the mark? There is no doubt in my mind that change is needed. Even people who are very close to the project (both inside TVOC, and out) accept that change needs to be made. The current set up has non existent public relations and is about as transparent as milk. I think change will being new vigor to the project. I know we’re being told that the recession is the reason for the lack of sponsorship, but thats absolute cr*p. Sponsorship was long gone way before the recession. I’m not saying that change within TVOC will change the sponsorship situation, but it may well encourage companies to re look at the project. The current team have done a great job in getting 558 back in the air, but they’ve done a lousy job at keeping her there. Lies and a lack of transparency will be the downfall of TVOC / 558, not the public’s love for the aircraft.

Delighted that Steve Connor could make it to Old Warden to record the first flight of my Storch, here –

http://www.flyingmachinestv.co.uk/

HP

HP,
Thats a beautiful aircraft you’ve got there. I genuinely think that the Storch is one of the best looking aircraft of the war.

Do you think you could spend 5 mins and give us a bit of the story… Or point me in the direction of the story? How did you come to own the aircraft, and was it a difficult restoration? Are there still spare parts around for the Storch or has that been a challenge in itself? If some were to come to you and say, hay HP, I’m thinking of restoring a Storch, what would you say? Go for it… Or find something else?

Either way, you’ve got a beautiful aircraft there. I’m planning to visit Old Warden soon. Is she on public view?

Regards
927

Hello Laurence,

If you can make your way to Scampton (or even just as close as England!) then I would be more than happy to take you flying in her.

I will find the cam photo I have of her and post it on here. I don’t have an electronic copy of it so I cant post it now. But I shall get it sorted and make sure you get to see it!

I also thought that the T7’s were always silver, but my photo shows that that’s not the case!

As for landing… It’s a challenge every time!

Just the one from me… Taken at Scampton on Aug 08

Which victory parade exactly, and was it only Poles that were excluded?

When you say ‘sold them short’ do you mean Britain as a nation?

Don’t get me wrong I’m not condoning the treatment of Poland (or any other formerly independent state) by the Soviet Union as the Iron Curtain descended, far from it, but I personally don’t see what Britain could have done. I agree Poland should have been free and Poles should have been free to return home…

…but how would you (as Britain’s government) have achieved this?

The victory parade that marched through London at the end of the war. I’m no expert, but as I understand it, yes, it was only the poles who were excluded… because Churchill didn’t want to upset Stalin.

If we went to war to free occupation of Poland, then we should have left it in the occupied hands of Stalin… Thats my main point!

No. Poland grabbed a part of Czechoslovakia following the Munich agreement.

Best wishes
Steve P

Are you sure about that?

Lets not forget the the Poles were fighting for the freedom of Poland, and for the freedom to return to Poland; as in part so were we.

Lets also not forget that we sold them short, and will forever be in debt to them.