In one of the Wings of the Wierd and Wonderful books by Eric Brown, he recounts how during the war he and another test pilot were sent to Liverpool to collect two new American aircraft; only to be confronted with two Sikorsky Hoverflys, which they had to teach themselves to fly from the manual!

If you can find it this is probably one of the most entertaining and inspiring piece of aeronautical writting you’ll ever find.

Steve.

Thanks Scion, please keep us posted as to progress, as personally I find these sorts of planes far more enthralling than the heavy metal world of warbirds; probably because most of my aviation experience has centered around the ‘lighter’ end of the aviation spectrum.

Once again many thanks Steve.

I suppose we’re quite lucky in some respects in that Air Atlantique have their classic flight which of course operate both Dakotas and DC6 as well as others (Personally I’d really love it if the DC6 did pleasure flying). Then there are slightly further afield the Dutch and Swiss constellations and the Red Bull DC6.

All of which I guess proves it can be done. But like all these things I would imagine the limiting factor is very much the available funding. Followed by availability of a suitable airframe (no Brits flying and I believe just one Viscount in Africa; which may well be grounded by now). And then of course there’s the CAA, and the need for a competant design authority.

So my guess is that we won’t see a return to flight by any of the great prop linners, and we should concentrate on keeping those that do fly up where they belong.

Steve.

Thanks Mike, it sounds like it might contain some truth then…..

Somebody once told me, that the tyres had a very short life, and so when practicing touch and goes they didn’t let the wheels contact the runway…

I don’t know if thats true, but if it is it seems pretty incredible.

Steve

Hi Mike,

Yeah I can go for that, especially if the glider was a Sedbergh!

Steve.

Just Googled the Uraguayan Navy Wessexs – they look super. And it set me thinking would there be any insurmountable barriers to a Wessex being returned to flight and operated in the UK? As it seems that for a chopper she has quite a following. Indeed if it were a civil varient would it be able to do pleasure fllying? all be it one would hope in military colours.

Steve.