Pete TrumanWe used to get the little gliders at the local supermarket – had “dogfights” where we tried to knock the other plane out of the sky (or at least hit it). Had some rollicking big scraps in the back garden sometimes! I ended up with over 300 “kills”! 😀
I think I’ve seen these new ones before. Never picked one up, though.
Always a good bet at kids parties, hire the village hall and hand out the gliders when the dear ones arrived, saved a lot of bloodshed.
Only found these gliders at the beach shop at Widemouth Bay, unfortunately the poor weather put paid to another visit, am sure there was a silver P-51 in Duxford chequer board markings, still got the pathetic red plastic props though, would look better in black, definately worth going through the box, will try and track some more down, can’t find any reference to the company on the net, might have to wait till next years holiday. When I’ve cut the grass may enter into combat mode.
Didn’t do a Lightning, everything was WW2, mainly variations on Spitfires, griffon and merlin, P-51’s, stukas, BF109’s, FW190, P-40 and possibly a tempest, difficult to concentrate with 2 kids dying to get in the sea, stuka actually has cranked wings, undercarriage supplied on all a/c.
Pete Trumanadrians dad
You lucky beggar, Pete! Any chance you can hold up a sign to Gt Sampford next time they come by, please my Dad?
Adrian
Weekend completed with Spitfire and P-51 heading north low and fast sunday afternoon, I reckon your old man must have been unconsious after too many pints of Ridleys at the pub to have missed that, I don’t think they spotted the arrow that I cut in the lawn.
Pete TrumanCan anyone remember the inverted low level pass at the Last Last Lightning Show, we were told by the commentry at the time it was Mach 0.97, considering the appalling weather and the fact he was virtually enclosed in a cloud of condensation, that took some nerve. Unfortunately a vertical climb was not worth doing due to the weather, I doubt that conditions will be the same in South Africa.
I’ve asked this before has anyone got any video footage of that day at Binbrook, I have a video called Last Last Lightning Show, which is great but filmed at another time, that mass take off was the best I ever saw, even better than a Vulcan scramble.
Pete TrumanHow about a USAF F-106 Delta Dart, I saw them flying out of Bentwaters in the 70’s and they were noisy, Mirage 111, Saab Draken, pre- production B-2, large radio controlled model aircraft, Concorde night fighter variant ?
Pete TrumanHows Tom going to fit “Goose” into the back of a Spit ?? 😀
TNZ
He’ll borrow Caroline Grace’s, step on the brakes and let them fly right by.
Pete TrumanIncidentally, featuring Duxford’s B-29.
I assumed it was FiFi and an American production.
Nothing was mentioned about the fact that there were British and Commonwealth troops fighting the Japanese, I’m not knocking the Yanks, but any reference to an invasion of the Japanese mainland seemed to infer that it was a totally US operation.
I thought that the idea was for UK troops to invade via Burma and SE Asia as Tiger Force.
Meanwhile, Fleet Air Arm aircraft from Royal Navy carriers were bombing and strafing the Japanese mainland up to the end of hostilities.
Apart from that it was a very chilling documentary, the blast scenes were horrific, my missus couldn’t watch it.
I was amazed that someone had survived the blast from only 260 yards away.
Despite the fact that a Nuclear weapon had not been used in action before, I didn’t appreciate before how risky the operation was to the crew, having to arm the device in mid-air was terrifying.
Having spent all my life living through the Cold War, mostly in prime target areas, it made me cringe, particularly when I remember my father planning to turn our bathroom into a shelter during the Cuban missile crisis.
It was gratifying after the programme to watch the news, to see how the good old Royal Navy had been allowed to help to rescue the Russian submariners, we live in hope then.
That’s nice, a genuine steam roller just went chugging past the window.
Pete TrumanHi Folks,
As the question says, when was the last time a Mustang was flown in military ownership and operation?The answer might not be expected, and yes, me asking is a clue. It’s not a quiz, as I don’t know the answer! 😀
All answers and thoughts appreciated.
Cheers
Didn’t the Dominican Republic use them along the border with Haiti into the early 70’s, which is why quite a few more survived.
What about the Cavalier, didn’t the US military test some of these out in the 70’s.
During the Indonesia Crisis in 1965 didn’t the Indonesian airforce use P-51s which lead to the RAF practising interception flights between a Lightning and a spitfire in order to adopt the best tactics for attack, I gather it was decided to get underneath, go vertical and give a passing spray of cannon fire on the way up, more in hope than judgement.
Pete TrumanHave found out that the B-29 that crashed on Bleaklow Hill in the Peak District was called ‘Over Exposed’. Can anyone confirm that this was one of the aircraft connected with the Japanese atomic bomb attacks as an observation plane. Their are some interesting pictures of the wreck on various sites via google.
Have noticed another B-29 crash site in Scotland.
Pete TrumanMy Grandad was a Royal Marine and on his way to the far east when the atomic bombs were dropped. A lot of people don’t realize that they probably would never have been born if Japan had to be defeated conventionally.
Ditto,my father having survived the journey from D-Day to Germany returned home only to be sent to Liverpool and put on a troopship to Bombay, he arrived in harbour on the day the war was declared over, Otherwise I may have not been here to write this. The other comment, having seen the destructive power of these weapons, do you not think it has disuaded their use since.
Refering to my earlier posting has anyone any info on the B-29 crash in the Peak District.
Pete TrumanInfo for Stormbird
A few years ago we took a party of scouts to Derbyshire, The Peak District. My brother is a bit of an expert on the whereabouts of aircraft crashes up there and took us all up one of the highest peaks off Snake Pass.
We scrambled up one water course and found the mortal remains of a C-47, then fragments of a Lancaster, however the most amazing wreck is a B-29, which we were led to beleive was one of the monitoring aircraft at Nagasaki.
The wings were more or less intact along with the undercarriage, the fusalage was less intact but bits of wreckage and the engines were scattered all over the place, quite a chilling and eery spot especially in low cloud and drizzle. We did take some bits back to the scout hut where they are on display. I presume that these are the only substantial parts of a B-29 in the UK apart from the Duxford example.
Incidentally I witnessed the arrival of this aircraft and have some nice slides of the event, there were no barriers and we were able to closely approach the plane and talk to the crew. I heard that they were all killed on another flight a few weeks after.
Pete TrumanThanks, that’s interesting to see. I never knew where Black 6 had been in the intervening years. Did any particular unit/group/station claim ownership like 1 Squadron and “their” Spitfire 21?
[OT I do remember seeing the 109E that is now at Hendon on display at Biggin Hill in 1965 inside a (big) tent. It was painted an unappetising shade of green I think but I was a mere nipper at the time.]
Also check out what appears to be the Hillman Husky in RAF Blue next to the Landy (and the Lightnings) in Pic 1 on the left. Now there’s a forgotten classic. Have you seen what people are selling them for on ebay, especially the American spec LHD versions? (oh yes).
Rob / Kansan
If you looked at one of my threads from a few months ago I published a picture of Black 6 taken at Finningley in the early 60’s.
With regard to the Hillman Husky’s, in a nearby village that I won’t name, a former eccentric employee of Hillman has gathered a collection of Husky’s so vast that they fill what must be a 2 acre orchard, most of the worlds population must be in there. Sorry, been distracted by a heron fishing in my pond.
Apparently when the company folded he decided that the Husky had great
potential and collected every one he could find, if you don’t know about this place it’s impossible to see and find especially in summer when the foliage is high, but the sight of these cars packed together in such a rural environment is amazing. Apparently a few other gems lurk there as well.
Sorry to go off aviation, thought you might be interested.
Pete TrumanI didn’t know Steve Young but just went through all these tributes and got quite tearful in places, he sounded like a fantastic bloke.
Whats upset me is that on a whim I looked at the tributes that were paid to my father following his death in january and sure enough there was a very fitting contribution from Steve.
As I keep reminding myself, life isn’t fair.
I think he deserves a flypast on wednesday.
Best wishes to his family and friends.
Pete TrumanMuch movement over Finchingfield last few days, friday afternoon P-47 nearly removed roof going very fast closely followed by Hellcat and Wildcat, 2 other a/c then passed on other side of village, possibly P-51’s all heading south.
Yesterday afternoon spitfire and hurricane flying very close heading north, Easyjet had a good view.
Pete TrumanI was working in the control tower as a J/T radar fitter at Cottesmore 1962-63 and do remember we had one BoB Day, but not any details, I was probably too busy! My main memory of it was clearing up tons of rubbish the day after!
I think it was earlier than that, it was possibly the day the Vulcan crashed at Syerston, 1959? we caught the train from Nottingham to Oakham then caught a bus.
The traffic jam to get in stretched all the way from Oakham which makes me wonder whether people knew it was a special occasion, we learnt about the Vulcan on route, we usually went to Syerston which makes me wonder why my old man took a lot of trouble to get to Cottesmore, I presume he knew Bader would be there.
There was a fantastic show at Cottesmore one year when the weather was appaling but the Black Arrows flying Hunters performed at low level during a thunderstorm, I hid in a hangar.
Pete TrumanBrilliant site, unfortunately Petes furry tongue not on show, surely someone on this site was there that day.
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