Have just spent a couple of pleasant hours watching this film, have’nt seen it for years.
Question.
What happened to all the aircraft featured in the film, do they all exist or was there a cull afterwards.
Does anyone know any particular pilots that flew in the film.

All the aircraft in the film were replicas of actual aircraft, built specially for it, apart from Shuttleworth’s Blackburn Monoplane which is seen in the film and of course survives in airworthy condition, as do the Bristol Boxkite and Avro Triplane replicas which were built by Miles and powered by RR Continental engines. I’m not sure how many of the others, if any, were actually airworthy but the Eardly Billing biplane is somewhere in Germany and I think most of the others were dispersed around Europe to museums. Not sure what happened to the monoplane flown by the Italian chappie with all those children, or even what it was?

Is the top one their B.170?

Yes, correct a Mk.21 with clipped wings. 😉

FRED was the CO of 766 sqdn I believe,

…sorry to be pedantic, but ‘Fred who’? Need this for my aerobatic team history archives. “Fred’s Five” was led by Lt.Cdr.P.B.Reynolds. My father took this shot of them at Upavon on 16th June 1962 during the “50th Anniversary of military Aviation” display.

Yes please – here here, any pics of the team, aircraft, pilots etc?

You sure Albert? Reason I ask is that WT205 was a B.6 modded to B.15 standard and B.6/15s had Avon 109s – with triple breech starters. The camo Can in the acommpanying pic looks like it has single a breech starter. Compare the shape of the “bullet” cone between the camo Can and WV787 the B(I)8 hybrid in the lead. The length of the cartridge housing is definitely different. I know the res of my pic isn’t up to much, it’s a scan, but the difference is noticable.

Not saying it’s not WT205 but it’s a genuine question mate.

I am just quoting the caption of the photo in the book “The Cold War Years -Flight testing at Boscombe Down 1945-1975”.I’m sure you’re right, as it also quotes the top white T4 as WH854, when it is definately WJ867. The one we think is WK164 is WK121, as it says WK164 failed to start on the day of the formation.

What about the Breguet Alize? Perhaps there are lots of RR Dart spares in France?
Also the HS748 was built under licence in India by HAL and is still in service with the Indian Air Force, so spares must be plentiful in India. There shouldn’t be any problem restoring a Viscount to airworthiness that money can’t solve….now that’s where the only issue lies 🙁 Any Viscount that is restored to airworthiness has got to earn its keep in order to survive, which means maintenance, hangarage, insurance, fuel…..the only possible hope would be Air Atlantique perhaps :rolleyes: I am sure there would be no shortage of seats during the summer months, but a dual-role as an operational aircraft would certainly help!

Need this for someone who flew it while at ETPS around 1956.

Googled it but no luck finding a picture on Les’s incredible Canberra site it says that its a survivor
WJ867 – RAF St Mawgan

Also in an Air Britain “movement register” it was listed as an RAE Canberra. (http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/ABN%201972-1.pdf)

Would prefer a “period” picture, digital image would be best – this might make it into a monograph. Looked in 2 books on British test aircraft including “Testing Colours” by Adrian Balch and “Forever Farnborough” by Peter Cooper but no luck there either.

Thanks
ASP

Sorry it wasn’t in my book “Testing Colours” – just no room! Here it is which i took on approach to Boscombe Down in August 1970.

I would agree with David that if you can get a flyer, although the initial cost may be higher, this would be outweighed by the engineering costs that would be incurred to make a non-flyer airworthy. When you look at the Dutch Dakota Association who operated two DC-3s and a DC-4, also the Dutch Constellation Group that restored a Connie to airworthiness, then the whole thing looks feasible. 3D-PFI is a good candidate as not only was it one of the last flyers, but the weather in South Africa is kinder to any airframe stored outside, other than in Europe, so is probably in reasonable condition.
Also, this is c/n 170 and was originally G-AOHV of BEA, so historically another reason to get this one back to UK.
RR Dart engine spares must still be pretty good, as the same engines were used in the 748/Andover, Argosy, Herald and even the French Alize. I believe RR still supplies spares to 748 operators and there are three 748s/Andovers still operated by QinetiQ from Boscombe Down.