Wonderfully nostalgic photography. Many thanks for posting. Bet there are some folk suffering from sunburn this morning; that low sun can really crucify any exposed skin.
Cheers,
Trapper 69

The late lamented “Hoof” Proudfoot was a Harrier bona mate in the early days. He once told me that he was on an exchange posting with the US Marine Corps at the time they were converting to their first AV8 Harriers.
Eventually the Marines elected to display their new acquisition however the nominated display pilot screwed up the nozzle position when he did the on crowd bowing trick at an airshow and drove his airplane into the ground before any recovery action could be made effective. A very large marine aviator shook off the debris and staggered away mumbling.
On the following Monday morning the commanding general of Marine Aviation sent an urgent telex to all squadrons saying – “The bow and crash manouever is hereby banned………!!!!!!!!!!”.
Cheers,
Trapper 69

Cherish the memory of John Blake who was commentating at a Biggin Hill Air Show in the 1960’s when Neil Williams did his final manoeuver in a Tiger Club Stampe SV4B. It was a negative snap roll from erect to erect at but 300 feet agl. It went flat for the first time though all of us had predicted that it would sometime. Neil finished with zero speed pointing vertically down at a perilously low height. John’s comment was so apt – “Neil is taking the Stampe behind the hangar……………………and leaving it there..!!” as a cloud of dust rose into the sky followed by a muffled sound of an elephant jumping onto a pile of tea chests. One Stampe totalled and one Williams with a lot of bruises and a broken collar bone; still strapped into the seat quite separate from the other bits and pieces.
Cheers,
Trapper 69
:diablo: :diablo: :diablo: :diablo: 😮 😮 😮

Paul McM –
Bien sur mon ami……………..!!! And the probable response “Not on your nellie – but you can have the Hawk 75 if you like since we are in the process of dismantling historic aviation in the UK”.
See other threads.
Cheers,
Trapper 69
(and soixante neuf does not mean I suck up to the Frogs – merely my somewhat ancient and historic proclivity…!!)

It does not look any thing like a boot.
Cheers,
Trapper 69
😎

This really will create an uproar at the FAI in Lausanne since the claim of a world record has been submitted by Eurocopter for ratification. This in the 200th anniversary year of Trafalgar too. How low, or indeed high, can they stoop I wonder.
“France expects every pilot to do his duty and to make spurious claims of world aviation records…??”. Ah well, no doubt they will blame perfideous Albion again for getting at the Nepalese to scotch their claim. Bet there are a few red faces at Le Bourget this week.

Shame since the Ecureuil AS350B3 is a bloody fine chopper though as a “plank” pilot I really have no personal knowledge.

Cheers,

Trapper 69

😀 😀 :confused: :confused: 🙁 🙁

I last saw Stan at a Raydon Wings airshow around five years ago. He was in good form but I think he had then ceased flying P1 due to lack of a medical. However he might well be back in harness now. No doubt someone on the forum from deepest Suffolk will be able to confirm or deny. Monewdon was Stan’s main base for many years after the closure of Ipswich.

A magic man who completed my own assistant instructor course on a McAully Group Tiger Moth back in 1960 when he was CFI at the East Anglian Flying Club.

His crazy flying routine in an Autocrat or an Auster 5 was legendary using a fabulous disguise of a French onion seller on his bike with a highly disreputable flashers mac and a Breton beret. I have never seen anyone fly an Auster so appallingly yet with supreme skill. A fantastic total aviation person indeed. They do not make them like that anymore.

Cheers,

Trapper 69

Janie,
You may not have met all my alter ego relatives on the airshow circuit yet such as Sheik Yasser Verifat RJAF retd, Captain Wyatt Werp USN retd, Colonel Ivor Bolokov SovAF retd and Major Ritter von Shiessenhausen ex-Luftwaffe. All trumped by the thought of the Tornado crew in Viking helmets; presumably modified Alpha Mark 4’s in order to provide standard RAF electrics for the radios….!!!
Cheers,
Trapper 69
I can well imagine the squadron CO having a sense of humour failure – shame really.