Me too – it does come up now and then on ebay, but maybe its the dealers who are buying them and thus inflating the price!

Peter Amos (of The Miles Aircraft Collection) has done a very thorough and major update of the Don Brown original and very much hopes to finalise publication soon.

After a brief bit of library research, I can add that Tranum apparantly was one of the few professional parachutists in Britain by 1930. Over Easter 1929, he performed a number of public parachute jumps from Avro 504 G-EBWO over the promenade at Caversham Bridge in Reading – one of these resulted in a ducking in the Thames when he misjudged a change in the wind conditions….

On 2nd March 1930 he gave a demo during an air display at Brooklands with a Russell-Lobe parachute – only to drift in strong winds and end up in the famous sewage farm! On 9th June 1930, he parachuted from 3,000ft in front of 20,000 people as part of a 4-hour ‘Air Fete’ at Woodley Aerodrome, Berkshire. Perhaps others know of other appearances by him elsewhere?

The Lanc + one Spitfire & a Hurricane appeared at Farnboro’ some time after the main display had ended and proceeded to give what seemed to me to be a full display shortly before 6pm. Maybe the SBAC wanted to validate their routine before the weekend’s public days? Not sure if they eventually landed as I had to attend to other matters and then depart myself.

Very interesting to read of Ron Paine’s part in this Magister’s history – but people may not yet know that Ron passed away last month on 13th June at the age of 90. He had a fascinating and distinguished aviation career starting as an apprentice with Vickers Aviation at Brooklands in 1928 and ultimately becoming the first MD of British Midland Airways in 1965! He was of course probably best known for his postwar air-racing with the Hawk Speed Six G-ADGP. When Adrian Brook first brought ‘KPF to a Brooklands fly-in a few years ago, Ron was delighted to be reunited with one of ‘his’ Magisters – having worked for both 16EFTS and Wolverhampton Aviation.

Just to add that the airfield was closed to flying in 1969 and then sold off by MoD in 1976. Like several others, I feel sure I should recognise the pilot in the centre of the photo but I just can’t think of his name!

Apologies if its been covered elsewhere recently, but what’s the brief history of this B-25 then? Not a Hannover Street veteran?

Many thanks robbelc – looks like I didn’t miss very much!

Interesting photo! I wonder where it was taken and when – pity the website that shows it has no such info……