Originally posted by SteveYoung
You were there a few weeks before us then. I take it you had the tents on the playing field too? Vividly remember sneaking round the end of the BBMF hangar one night to watch a pair of F4’s scorch off on a night sortie, and sitting in PA474 while they ran up one of the Merlins, as a reward for passing someone a spanner. 🙂 Happy, happy days… 😀

We certainly chewed the same dirt Steve. We certainly had the tents on the sports field. and I also was sat in PA474 on engine runs too. I have still got my camp photo somewhere stood in front of PZ865 with me in coveralls while everyone else was in best blue as it was engine ran half an hour before the photo was taken and it overheated and spewed dayglow green glycol down the starboard side of the fuselage and I and a couple of others were tasked with getting it off – ok on the metal but the fabric proved to be a challenge. Got a 30 min flight in Devon VP981 with one of the Lanc pilots too, and was awarded a Merlin exhaust valve for our spanner passing:D 😀 We had Italian AF F104s to keep us awake at night as well as the F3s and F4s. we ended up playing ‘a/c recognition’ with the volume of the reheat.

Originally posted by robbelc
WP805 G-MAJR based Lee-on-Solent?
WB586 became LN-DHC
WZ847 G-CPMK based at Ashbourne?
WK642 G-BXDP based in Ireland
WP896 G-BWVY
WK624 G-BWHI based Duxford

Its nice to see that all the aircraft I flew in at woodvale are still in the UK and retain the Gypsy Major engine rather than a Lycoming bolted on in place, they look awful. Did you fly from Wood vale too robbelc?

I flew with 10 AEF out of RAF Woodvale

WP896
WK624
WB5?? (I think?)

It would have to be with ‘Mossie style’ cowlings or it would look too much like a CASA 2111 but it would be different

Re: Spitfire Ace – could YOU do it?

Originally posted by DazDaMan
The defining moment would come when that Messerschmitt 109 is hovering in my gunsight. To maim or kill another man…?

Real-life’s a helluva lot different from a computer game!

I was watching an interview on one of the airshow progs on the telly some years ago I think for the RAFs 75th anniversary and the veteren (Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris I think) said that they wer trying to shoot the aircraft not the pilot. They accepted that some didnt get out but were glad if they did. after all they were pilots just like them.

But could I? Fly a Spit? Probably and I would have loved too Fight and maybe die in one? The jury is still out. It is all very well saying yes or no in the comfort of your own home, but if we were actually in that position sat in a fighter then I think most of us probably would. because lets face it it is them or us. I dont think I could live with myself if I didnt at least try.

My hat goes off to those who did and thank you!

Originally posted by Fluffy
Seeing a Buchon painted up as a Bf109 is like seeing Harvard painted up like a Zero, it might look good for film work, but you can’t beat the real thing

I agree with that point but the ‘real’ 109s arent flying anymore (is D-FEHD still a flyer?) or Zeros for that matter so we have to make do with what we’ve got with replicas etc. Incidentaly what aircraft were the Havards in the film ‘Where Eagles Dare’ meant to portray? And did the Luftwaffe have helicopters in WWII?

I there any news on the Me262 replicas? I know one had a leg failure but have they repaired it/ flown it again yet?

EAP – Glorified fixed wing Tornado, it used a Tornado centre and rear fuselage with modified engines, reworked Tornado F3 fin and a Tornado canopy and back wheels