This has been a problem ever since the move to a September date – just not enough daylight left to do the job properly.

We have complained about this before, charging to go into a photocall at 1700 in September is ridiculous! How about suggesting to them that it’s moved to May or June, so there is plenty of daylight and it doesn’t clash with RIAT or Farnborough? :rolleyes:

Did someone ask for a flying Comet? How’s about two?

From this thread a while back.

More info in the thread.

Ahh, De Havilland! I remember it well – 29th July 1992. I shared this trip with James and made Aircraft Illustrated’s front cover in October 1992 + article and more photos inside, if anyone has that issue.

Well personally I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, I hope if/when it does take to the air your flying pigs will be happy to fly in formation with XH558, and that you have plenty of salt to hand to go with your edible hat 🙂

Yes, quite agree! Don’t get me wrong, I would just love to see it flying in an all-white scheme, but the odds are just too great. Okay, they get it in the air….then what? Air shows can’t afford to have it and anyway, the plan is to fly it for one season(IF they can afford the fuel and insurance) and then ground it at Duxford. The whole idea is ludicrous! I would much rather the lottery money was sent to New Orleans!

So for what reason should I disbelieve them, after all it’s not April the first.

It wasn’t April 1st when Herman Goering said “No enemy aircraft will ever fly over the Reich Territory”. Nor was it April 1st when ‘Comical Ali’ said “Iraq was winning the war in 1991”. Do you want more examples? 😀

Sorry to drag this out of the archive, but there were two chaps interviewed on our local TV station, a Sqd Ldr and a Dr, who reckon that XH558 will be in the air by this time next year and gracing the skies over St Aubin’s Bay, Jersey on September 14 2006. That’ll please the present Mrs EN830, it will be our 15th Wedding Anniversary and I’ve already told her that I am having the Red Sparrows brought over especially.

:rolleyes: Ah, right!

Thanks for posting the pic of XP688 in much happier times Albert.

I think the Macaws embelishments that adorned quite a few Manby JP4’s in the 60’s and 70’s was the best the RAF made of the tacky red / white /grey scheme.

I,ve done a bit of research into the colour schemes that JP’s wore through their service life, consensus is that the original overall bare metal / silver was universally hated by the groundcrews, they apparently they had to rub the whole airframe down with a kind of Brasso to maintain the finish, on a regular basis!
The second overall light aircraft grey was much more popular ,but the dayglo self adhesive strips were prone to severe fading in sunlight making the aircraft look very tatty very quickly.
Hence the final red/white scheme which we were subjected to for decades, and which annoyingly still adorn a vast majority of JP’s.
XS186 will be re-painted shortly , in her second service(1965 – 1968) scheme of light aircraft grey with (painted) dayglo and College of Air Warfare insignia…. sweet !
Photo’s to follow.

Lovely…you mean like this? The light grey was only applied between 1967-68 and not all JPs were finished like this, with most going from silver & dayglo into the red/white/grey scheme.

Yes i know there is 2 lightnings Les ! sorry i was refering to the F6 !! The T55 is in quite good shape and just needs light touching up and probably a clean by now !!!!

…AND the Saudi flag painted on the tail!!! 😡

This is very sad! In memorium to XP688, here is a photo I took of it when it was part of the College of Air Warfare “Macaws” aerobatic team at Abingdon in September 1971. I would have loved to have saved this machine and put it on a pole in my front garden painted in these markings! :rolleyes: