Now now girls….is this going to be handbags at dawn??

:p

Bet you can’t name the pilots!:D

You have stolen my thunder! Was about to report that a Victor K2 will be resurrected to refuel said Lightning.

Late 50’s I had sneaked through a gap in the hedge at the Cardiff(Rhoose) Air Races. Just about everything had launched and indeed the slower ones were already completing their first lap. I recollect my chum punching me in the arm and pointing straight in front of us with his eyes out like organ stops. There, as if in slow motion, was G-AIDN ‘rising’ out of the grass straight towards us with the gear retracting. It was virtually silent at this point but that state of affairs changed the moment it flew over us at about 100′. I HAD NEVER HEARD A SOUND LIKE IT IN ALL MY YOUNG LIFE! I believe the pilot was Viv Bellamy.

I didn’t know quite how but I knew I had to fly one one day. The sky gods have been kind to me.

T

PS Voytech: If you can give me the date you took that pic at ILA 92 I can name the P51 pilot for you.

Spent a fortune on old leather helmets trying to make my ‘swede’ look the part for the photographers. Radios are the bane of vintage pilot’s lives and it would be interesting to see just what level of reception the chaps enjoyed 60 years ago. In a nutshell I was finding I could only hear what was being said if I throttled back! In truth some aircraft were better than others and I recollect I modified a David Clark canvas job (i.e. I removed the unsightly external band) which worked well in the Avenger, Corsair, Fury and P51.

I never had any real success with them in Spitfires (even tried an expensive ANR mod) until I pushed the boat out and bought one of Ivan Campbells helmets. Not cheap but very well made and good customer care. I use the mask as it helps to reduce the amount of ambient cockpit noise getting to the ‘mike’. It also prevents my ugly mug spoiling your shots!

Rgds

T

It WAS 16. I was in the formation. Remember it well as it was blowing a hooligan that day!

Will try and dig up a photo later and post here.

Rgds

T

Unlikely to return due to acute hangar space shortage at Halton. RAF gliders moving in from Bicester at some stage which will make for a very busy airfield indeed.