Totally agree, Sopwith. It would be interesting to know if there is a Spitfire down there. The whole lake (it’s actually relatively small) was thoroughly surveyed using sidescan sonar, echo-sounding and divers in 1993-94 but the interest lay in a much earlier historical feature – Iron Age crannogs. No mention of any aircraft wreckage in the survey report which doesn’t necessarily mean that there is absolutely nothing there just that it wasn’t their interest. 

Hi Bulldogbuild,

I still haven’t found the clip I mentioned earlier but my memory of it is that it wasn’t great quality anyway. However, there is better quality footage of the replica from one minute into this video – 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAbbgZbRg_k

It may be from the same airshow but trimmed for neatness!

Is this the thread you mean, Paul? – https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/148567-avro-hangars-for-sa…

It’s a real pain trying to find old threads through the forum search function (if it even functions at all!). I found the above thread by googling Key Aero +Woodford +your user name. It was top of the search results.

Hello AA, I have found a couple of references to Sqn Ldr D. Langford but searching that name and rank leads to nothing as you’ve found yourself. However, one old Air Britain publication refers to Flt Lt David Langford and that makes a difference. I think this may be the right man though so far I have not managed to find much information other than his service number (57735) and the fact he was awarded the Air Force Cross in 1953 both via entries in the Gazette.

Flt Lt Langford is said in the AB article to have lived in Lincolnshire when he was given the Scheldemusch but another article states that he was “probably in Honiley” and was afterwards posted to Lincolnshire.

Hope this helps.

Totally agree. Beautiful photos. Thanks for posting 🙂

Just to add to Aerotony’s confirmation of the Hawk Speed Six – From Aeroplane magazine of January 2019 which features an article on G-ADGP –

“16 September 1950: The inaugural Daily Express International Air Race along the South Coast from Hurn to Herne Bay. Paine finishes 15th, but averages 204.06mph and is fastest in class. He lands at Manston, out of fuel.”

Here you go with a link, AA. Good luck. We met engineman once at Montrose Air Station Heritage Museum but I believe he  ceased working there a few years ago unfortunately.

https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/133464-1914-renault-70hp-v…

Staying with Flying Squirrels, but of the aero engine variety, am I correct in recollecting that there is/was one in the Yorkshire Air Museum, at Elvington, attached to a Pou du Ciel? If so, I think that it was Blue_2’s ‘baby’.

You are correct, AA. I first saw G-AEJZ back in 2016 when the fuselage was separate from the wings and it was tucked amongst other larger exhibits and looking a little neglected. At our last visit to the museum in 2019 it was good to see it had been moved into a room dedicated to early aviation (along with the Blackburn B.2 fuselage) and it was complete and looking in really fine condition. If it is Blue_2’s “baby” then congratulations to him on looking after the Flea so well!