viscountMmmmmmm….
I cannot recall any ‘spotters folklore’ concerning Iranian Dakotas in Blackpool, when spotting and recording sightings as ‘Fylde Report’ for the Liverpool based ‘Merseyside Aviation Society’ enthusiast group very end Sixties, early years of the Seventies.
Looking in the ‘Flypast’ enthusiast magazine of, what was then, the ‘Merseyside Group of Aviation Enthusiasts’, and their Blackpool/Squires Gate interesting visitors report covering May and June 1963, I find no mention of anything so exotic and remarkable being recorded. Elsewhere in the magazine a Swedish Air Force example seen on airways 6/6 and two more on 11/6 caused a stir worthy of comment, Iranian Air Force examples would have sent the spotters into orbit.
How can the certainty of the first post’s question, be married with a lack of comment from the local enthusiasts? Certainly aircraft did, in those days of Shorrock Mk.1s with giant PP9 batteries, and 10×50 binocs being considered powerful, move around without a tidal wave of internet messages following their progress!! It is quite possible that the aircraft did visit, just unseen by the resident spotters, though I’m left wondering if the date should be 50s rather than early 60s? I’m sorry, as I started out thinking the early magazines would solve the initial question, then end up, probably unfairly, querying the original information.
Be interesting to see what this thread ends up uncovering.
viscountAlthough unable to help with the Blackpool end, I’d love to be present watch the arrival at Liverpool. When are the main pieces expected to arrive at the Crowne Plaza apron?
Thank you.
viscountG-BEJD last flights:
Last commercial flight JEM916, Friday 18th February 2005, into Liverpool LJLA
Air test local as JEM07T, then positioned up from Liverpool to Blackpool Sunday 13th March 2005 as JEM65E
Which makes the answer six and half years sat idle in the open at Blackpool.
An airframe story on;
http://www.derbosoft.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=history&action=display&thread=3686
(a Liverpool based aviation forum, north west air news)
viscountAlthough you seem to have not suprisingly selected Lincolnshire for its extensive aviation heritage, if you want a hotel with an aviation heritage, there is the Crowne Plaza, Liverpool (the art deco 1939 former airport terminal, not the city center one!). Great for a non-aviation cultural weekend break – but with a considerable aviation heritage, oh, and several older aircraft (Britannia, Prince, Meteor, Jetstream 41) sat outside too.
viscountNo knowledge on the subject whatsoever. To me is GI = Ground Instructor.
On the other hand probably not !
viscountApache was G-APZE, and using G-INFO, was with the AA from 1963 until 1972.
Gorgeous picture of their Dragon Rapide earlier.
viscountPresume you are aware that details of all owners of G-BBRV, while on the UK register are listed using the search function of http://www.caa.co.uk/ginfo
Wore an overall cream scheme with green cheat lines and markings while with the DH Club at Hawarden/Chester and arrived at Liverpool Airport 9.6.93, followed by G-BARS from the same former owners 28.10.93. G-BBRV left Liverpool for Biggin Hill 23.8.97.
viscountIf you cannot find the answer it is because you have been looking in the wrong place. In less than 5 minutes an answer.
http://www.tasmanchester.co.uk and then ‘arrivals log’ tab. Take care to find the correct days log as the period covered titles can confuse.
Log for 11.6.11 has 12 Thomson departures in 3 hours 0637-0936, unfortunately and confusingly they don’t show destination/departure point and use ATC allocated call-signs rather than flight numbers.
Around your 0655 departure there is a choice of:
0653 TOM64D G-FDZS B738
0655 TOM1BE G-BYAW B752
0702 TOM5JW G-FDZX B738
Previous TOM departure 0637, next 0728 – so the one you are after is likely one of these. An SBS/planeplotter users site may decode these call-signs, try googling the alpha numeric call-sign and see if there is a result. A quick Google does find references to some of the alpha-numeric call-signs, but not a decode in those links I looked at. Found a decode for Liverpool RYR and EZY flights summer ’11, but that is no good to you.
Sorry, seems the answer to your question is indeed out there on the ‘net, but I don’t know what the specific answer is due to ICAO/IATA/Eurocontrol using different identification codes to those you quote!!
TAS Manchester have a forum attached to their website, although I have never visited. It might be a more appropriate place for your Manchester specific type and registration questions. Would avoid ‘LBArules’ unhelpful scarcasm.
viscountNot many more hits, as when I follow the link provided, I get a panel that states:
“This video contains content from SME, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds – Sorry about that.”
Anyone explain what this is all about ? SME= what ? (perhaps: Some Meddling European, although probably not!)
viscountWith no places shown, I would have thought it more likely sightings on airways using SBS (or similar). Who compiles a log of sightings with dates, without stating where they were seen, unless from home?
viscountPopped into the Breighton Charity Fly-in by road mid afternoon. Only a handful of aircraft had visited over a two day event, rather than a regular 100+ when the weather is right.
At one time British events used to be ‘rained-off’, perhaps we have need of a new expression for fly-in events ‘winded-off’, or ‘blown-off’ are the first that come to mind.
So much effort is spent preparing for events up and down the country, then another windy weekend – so fustrating for organisers, fliers and enthusiasts.
viscountHaving been researching the past of Meteor F.8 WH291, recently arrived at Liverpool, I’ve been following this thread with interest and feel it is time to put forward my halfpennys worth of knowledge.
The Liverpool, Speke ‘At Home’ Air Display in May 1962 featured a Meteor F.8 team, refered to in the programme as the “R.A.F.Manby Aerobatic Team” provided by the R.A.F. Flying College (though no mention of the team as the “Evergreens”), led by Flying Officer Rorison. The team arrived from RAF Strubby with WH291, WK968, WL161 & WL166 on Friday 25th May. The three aircraft that flew the display routine on Saturday 26th are thought to have been WH291, WL161 & WL166. All four aircraft departed home for RAF Strubby Monday 28th May 1962. Unfortunately colour schemes were not recorded and photos rare as the team parked in a remote corner of Speke Airport, down by the river, away from the terminal and crowd line.
Pushes the existance of the team further back by a month, so adding to post #3. I am very reliably informed that the RAFFC became RAF College of Air Warfare (CAW) on 1.7.62 and the jets were operated from RAF Strubby, although the units were RAF Manby based. Must look out for the RAF Aerobatic Teams book, mentioned in the above post, for sale when out and about at airshows this summer. If WH291 is pictured in the magazine article mentioned in post #5, I’d love to see a photocopy or scan. I’ve placed what I know about WH291 on http://www.derbosoft.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=history&action=display&thread=5884 which in-turn cross-references to the SWWAPS thread on this forum! Link doesn’t appear to want to work so: http://www.nwan.co.uk link to ‘forum’ (you can visit as a guest), main index ‘history and memories EGGP’ section, then thread ‘Meteor WH291’, sorry for long way round.
viscountJust latched onto this thread.
Am I right in thinking that this is the same ‘WT720’ which is actually a Hunter F.51 formerly Danish AF and painted as “WT720/B” sat ‘up the pole’ in all weathers guarding the gate at RAF Sealand between 1988 and 2006.
viscountOut of all the Manchester enthusiasts, don’t know quite why I keep on being the member to answer questions on Manchester Airport, as I’m Liverpool based!
For an impression of the right of ways around Manchester Airport have a look at http://www.bollinvalley.org.uk/SitesAndTrails/bollin_valley_way.htm scroll and select No.3 Neighbours “routes between Prestbury and Wilmslow”, then click over ‘Wizzard leaflet’. Englarge map from your toolbar.
The previous post and photo refers to the empty patch named Moss Nook. Moss Lane is the yellow line with o-o-o-o markings. The viewing field for 23L is where the ._._._. path line meets the purple shading. Quite a hike from where you are staying. The field track sections get very muddy in winter.
Recommend 1:50000 O.S. map 109 ‘Manchester’ for detail, better still the 1:25000 of the area.
Bad news for you is that it that having consulted http://www.wunderground.com it would appear that the 05 end will be the active all this week (3-6th May). Maikel have a look at your PMs.
The official RVP – Runway Viewing Park is the best location for general viewing of activity when 05 is the active. Seem to recall reading that there is a bus from the terminal area to RVP. Anyone is this still operating, or was it weekends only?
viscountThere have been changes to this area in the past fortnight.
The answer is, yes, there is access, but not the red line route shown. Immediately having crossed over the railway bridges, turn right (signposted as access road to the car park). When the car park entrance turns off to the left, carrry straight on along the ‘white’ track, which eventually parallels the airport boundary fence.
Where the ‘white’ roadway meets your yellow line (2 red dots), there are mounds with a photographic view just over the top of the fence.
The white zone over the left of the photo were mounds of crushed stone. Outside working hours some photographers used the crushed stone ‘hills’ as a vantage point. The odd black aeroplane-like object over on the left edge is the big fire rig, inside the boundary fence. In the past few days I’m told the crushed stone hills have gone and much of the field (the one which is above the name Moss Lane) now covered in hardcore to become a car park extension. My usual way of accessing this area by car was to park on Moss Lane and hop over the style (by the first ‘s’ of Moss Lane) and follow the footpath to the raised land (near the two red dots). What changes the car park extension will have made, remains to be seen.
If just reggie taking, then the ‘Beer Garden’ of the pub north of the runway threshold (the ‘bed’ logo) is an acknowledged viewing spot.
I’ve never done it myself, but it is apparently possible to walk on tracks and footpaths from the area shown by 23R to the great photographing points south of 23L (which is a very long detour drive by road), then from there (which I have walked) way down the full length to 05R threshold.
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