A great thread topic! Thanks for starting this one…

Personally, i always like the civilian schemes. For example, look at the 3 privately owned Elstree based Spitfires over the years:

1) G-AHZI – M. L Bramson’s black and cream Mk.II(a) ‘Josephine’ in 1946/47.
2) G-ASJV – The famous MH434 with Tim Davies in the mid-60’s.
3) G-FIRE – Spencer Flack’s Mk.XIV in the 80’s.

I remember a great deal of fuss being made when Spencer Flack painted his Spitfire in the red house colours. (People seemed to accept it on the Hunter and Sea Fury) but a RED SPITFIRE, sacriledge old boy!

Spencer’s comment to anyone who questioned him about this choice was invariably the same. He would ask “…and what colour is yours?”

Out – Roxeth

Yes… I absolutely agree with everyone so far. Ray was great!

I first saw him fly MH434 at Biggin Hill around 1974 and was totally captivated by his display, not least when he disappeared into (and reappeared from) the famous valley.

Another vivid memory is showing up at Elstree one Sunday afternoon (circa March 1981) knowing Spencer Flack’s G-FIRE was close to completion and arriving just in time to see Ray taxiing out for the first of several test flights. Fantastic!

Ray (and Mark). Gentlemen, we remember you.

Out… Roxeth

I well remember first encountering ‘The Black Knight’ as a youth at the Biggin Hill Air Fair circa 1974. He was there with T-33 and Sea Fury. He had a stand in front of the Silver Star where his two sisters were handing out ‘Black Knight’ printed brouchures. They both seemed incredibly glamorous and they let me hold his Flying Helmet with the knights logo on it. Wow!

To me, at that time, OHB seemed larger than life, very mysterious, sinister even, like some kind of new British Super-Hero! All this made a tremendous impression, as that was one of my first airshows.

I believe (i read somewhere) that OHB had plans to paint the second Silver Star in a mirror image white colour scheme as ‘The White Knight’ and fly a duo display. It is rumoured that this was practised at Duxford in in late 1977 with Neil Williams being ‘The White Knight’! Sadly this never came to fruition…

Thanks to Wyvernfan for posting the great photo!

What a character, What a shame…

Out – Roxeth.

PS. Attached are two recent paintings featuring OHB. The first is titled ‘Steeds of The Black Knight’ and the second is called ‘Black Sky and Knight’
(They are not for sale…)

Excuse me, but get what into perspective excatly?

Out… Roxeth.

They are planning a new series (set post-war) entitled ‘Foyle’s Peace’.

According to the Mail on Sunday (who had a short article about it on August 24th) both Michael Kitchen and Honeysuckle Weeks will be reprising their roles.

Worth looking forward to…

Out… Roxeth

I saw John Farley stand MH434 on it’s nose at Biggin Hill, 16-6-91, when ‘running up’ at the end of the runway, just prior to opening the air display. Sadly, I didn’t get a pic of it.

I just came across this post and have trouble believing it can be true!

I know John Farley did fly MH434 on occasions. There’s a photo somewhere on Google of JF at the controls.

Does anybody have any further information on this incident. I’ve never heard any mention of it before…

Out… Roxeth