I believe it was brought to the UK by the owners of Miles Hawk G-ADWT. I understand from a conversation with one of them that the CAA took one look at it and said ‘no way!’ So it remained in storage until being sold back to the US

Soooo ,” The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is responsible for allowing air shows to go ahead and monitoring their safety.
But according to the report, last year its representatives only attended 18 of the 254 displays it authorised.”

BINGO! We have a winner!

So the CAA say they need to increase their oversight of airshows, which equals more people, which equals more cost, which equals increased charges to airshow organisers.

And the reaction is to accuse them of lining their own pockets and profiteering.

Unfortunately the whole Shoreham aftermath has caused a rock to be lifted. What has been found underneath that rock will have a profound effect on the future of the entire UK airshow movement.

I can’t think of anyone offhand who has written off a warbird because the total in their wallet exceeded the total of their talent.

I can very easily think of a number of examples. Mainly, but not exclusively, in the US.

Very sad indeed, Dan was well-known and respected in the Antique aircraft community in the US. He was en-route to the fly-in at Casa Grande in Arizona, not to an airshow, when his aircraft crashed, claiming the lives of him and his passenger.

An interesting topic. I see that there has already been an article on this very subject by John Guttman in the September 1998 Aviation History. I hope your research brings up some new information.

One of the changes the CAA are bringing in is an increase in vetting of display sites for suitability. Bear in mind that the Red Arrows had already declined to display at Shoreham as they deemed the location unsuitable

Another change is the increased vetting of display pilots for suitability to hold a DA. Time will tell whether that was considered to be a factor in either the Shoreham or Carfest accidents.

Is there something organisers and the general public can do to, well, boycott the CAA or do something to hit back?

Exactly how do you propose to boycott a government-appointed regulatory body?