RE: The Prentice at Shuttleworth

I very much doubt there are many DC6´s in Scandinavia. I´ve seen one, I seem to remember, on Thorp airfield near Oslo about three years ago. At that time it looked none airworthy with some parts missing. I think a flying DC6 in Scandinavia would be no secret to anyone, anyway, so probably this is just one of those rumours.

Galdri

RE: Blue Max Movie Museum

I really do not think it will ever be open to the public again. I was there in 2000 and got inside really by accident, it had been officially closed for some time then. The hangar which housed the museeum is slowly being taken over by PPS (Personal Plane Services). The story we got from the PPS staff was that visitors were getting in the way of the restoration staff, and they did not intend to open the museeum again.

While it was quite by accident that me and my friend got inside the door (it helps to be a foreigner), the guided tour we got from an employee of PPS was really supurb. Inside were such gems as the Weeks Tempest, Weeks Spitfire, Weeks Lysander, Weeks Autogyro, a lot of replicas from the Blue Max Movie. There were also two Bucker Jungmans under restoration there, one Jungmeister and some CAP aerobatic aircraft. This was a very enjoyable afternoon, as we had unrestricted acces to all the aircraft, as long as we kept our hands at a respectful distance

galdri

RE: Two in a fighter. Did it ever happen?

Well, as always I´m a litle bit late catching up here!!!!
In case anyone is still interested in this tread, I will have a go.

I can remember two instances of two in a fighter. The first one involves none other than the legendary R.A. “Bob” Hoover when he was based in North Africa as a ferry pilot in 1943. He and a fellow pilot were ferrying P40´s from an assembly depot to the frontline, when one of them had to (can´t remember which) make a belly landing in the desert because of engine failure. As they were flying without radio, and the one still flying was not sure he could find the spot again to bring in some rescue personel, he decided to land to pick up his crashed friend. All went reasonably well, and they were able to get back to base ok. This story is in the biography of Bob Hoover “Forevere Flying”
The other story involves a fellow icelander, Þorsteinn “Tony” Jonsson who was an RAF fighter pilot during the war (the only icelander to serve with the RAF). After a “rest” at 12. EFTS he was posted to 65 squadron at Debden to fly Spitfire Mk.9 at the begining of 1944. He had been on the squadron for only a few days when the squadron converted to the Mustang Mk.4. For some reason one Spit was left on the Squadron after ATA had flown all the others away and the pilots were given permission to us it if they felt like it. Tony´s brother was in the merchant navy and had been given a leave when his ship called in Liverpool, and Tony invided him to stay with him at Debden. For some reason Tony´s brother had big problems getting down there, so there was only one thing to do. Take the Spit up to Liverpool and get him!!! The conditions on the flight down to Debden were described as “cramped” with Tony sitting on top of his brother, the parachute having been left at Liverpool for collection on return. After a few days at Debden, Tony´s brother was returned in style to his ship as a passenger of a Spitfire.
This comes from the Autobiography of Þorsteinn “Tony” Jonsson published in Iceland with the name Dansad i haloftunum. It has also been published in English, as I´ve seen it for sale at Hendon, but I can not remember the English name for it.

Regards,
Galdri

RE: My candidates…

Now I`m really surprised!!!! I never thought anybody would vote for my home city in an article like that. Reykjavik is indeed a great city……but then again I`m biased! Hope you enjoyed it

Galdri 🙂 🙂 🙂