For me, one of the most visually interesting shots of the programme for me was the sequence introducing the Victor: starting off facing the aircraft at ground level, then “flying” vertically up while panning down, so that the distinctive planform of the aircraft spreads out to fill the screen. Perhaps one of the Lusty Lindy crew from Elvington can enlighten as to how they filmed it?

I’m sure I’ve read that the oversized fuselage roundels seen on some BOB aircraft are simply due to rushed repainting on some squadrons.

The official order was to replace the blue/white/red roundel with a yellow/blue/white/red one of the same (smaller?) outer diameter (i.e the blue/white/red bit became smaller so that the overall outer roundel diameter was not increased by adding the yellow ring)

However one common misinterpretation of this order, or simply a short-cut to save time was simply to paint the yellow ring around the outside of the existing roundel without decreasing it in size, which is why you see the huge roundels almost falling off the sides of the 32 squadron Hurricanes here, and also on the famous shot of the 610 squadron Spitfires in flight.

I don’t know about the codes, maybe they were another case of somebody misreading an official order?

Supermarine changed the tail unit during Mk. 22 production to that from the Spiteful (much larger surfaces), perhaps that was why?

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Does anyone know where this will potentialy place their current civil/MoS trials Comet 1?

Dunno, but I’ve always dreamed of seing the Comet 1 in BOAC colours, (with the undersides and wings stripped of the grey paint and polished to the proper 1950s mirror sheen), as the centrepiece of a brand new aviation gallery in the Science Museum London. To me, this father of all modern airliners is one of the most significant airframes in preservation anywhere, let alone the UK. While Cosford have laudably brought it indoors, it surely deserves more than looking faded and slightly out of place in a hangar in the Midlands.

The opportunity could be taken to tell the tragic story of the early Comets with a special display. As a salutory tale about the risks attending rapid scientific and engineering progress, the Comet story is second to one and supremely relevant to the Science Museum.

Its departure would leave a handy Comet-shaped hole in Cosford’s “Transport and Training” hangar, which can then be filled by the genuine RAF veteran XK699, another unique survivor of its mark and an very relevant airframe to tell how Transport Command entered the jet age.
The two surviving early Comets could be put undercover and their long-term preservation assured.

I can but dream…!

Great news 🙂

Quite right, there’s no place on earth quite like it, and I feel for the collection’s staff this awful season in particular.

Well you did a sterling job Andy, it was good to meet you briefly, and thank you for dedicating my copy of the book, which looks to be an excellent read.

After having spent ages modelling the aircraft, it was a real thrill to see P9374 in the flesh yesterday, and witness an moving, if brief moment with all three Spitfire Is aloft together.

Phil Chapman