Repainting an aircraft the size of “Sally B” is a very expensive job! She is struggling with costs to keep her in the air, so only a sponsor would probably be able to pay for a repaint. Please remember that the present scheme was paid for by the film company so she could star in “Memphis Belle”. All we need is another film company to come along to make a WW2 film again :rolleyes:

There is one word in all this that will make money NEWS! It’s doesn’t matter how fantastic your shots are of a Spitfire or similar at an air show,or how many times you go to Duxford or Old Warden, you will not make any money where there are hundreds of others there at the same time taking similar photos. The only way to make money in aviation photography is to take something newsworthy, a first flight, new paint scheme, an air-to-air sortie – something that NO ONE ELSE has taken! It is the newsworthy photos that make money, so you have to be dedicated, keep your ear to the ground and be in the right place at the right time to take the shot! THEN, get it to the magazine before someone else does! 😎

Vintage gliders at Keevil

Those that went to Keevil for G-VFWE were treated to a trio of vintage RAF gliders making a rare appearance together. I was delighted to see these three, Slingsby T-21B Sedbergh WB981, T30B Prefect WE922 and T31 Cadet XA310 all beautifully restored in their 1950s RAF training colours. These brought back memories of my ATC days flying in Sedberghs and Cadets from South Cerney in Gloucestershire. I was with a group of ATC cadets all having a 10-minute flight in one of these, but my Sedbergh instructor found a thermal and we just stayed circling around and around for one-and-a-half hours, whilst ignoring a flashing red Aldis lamp from the ground trying to get us to come down! :p

But I shall leave my ball & chain at home – maybe to slow me down I’ll put a short piece of string on my wellies

Look forward to it !

May have mine with me!

She’s based in South Africa now.
Albert, there’s a ex-Saudi beautie based up at Humberside Airport in Saudi colours 🙂

Yes, and one at North Weald but neither are ever seen anywhere! Seems owners buy them and just hangar them! 😮

Yes, it’s all there. Actually a former Saudi aircraft and falseley painted to represent an Ecuadorean Air Force machine. Why,I have no idea, as its original Saudi colours would look lovely :confused:

Definately got to be the Wessex and the Whirlwind for me – Are there any Wessexes (Wessi??) preserved from the batch that used to fly from Shawbury?? I grew up near there as a kid and we would regularly be surpriesd by the odd Wessex popping up from behind the hedges surrounding our village (and the Gazelles could give you the odd heart attack when shooting across roads at low level). I know there is one on the gate at the moment there but have any survived for preservation?

Two are operated by the Uruguayan Navy, would you believe?

Isn’t that just wonderful!! Many thanks for sharing that piece of nostalgia!