Duxford Sunday February 19th:
Bright sunshine today meant plenty of flying, though only this based Harvard rattled the windows:
Among the visitors was Chipmunk 22 G-BWMX / WG407:
And Leopard Moth G-AIYS from Henlow:
Staying with de Havilland, a different view of Chipmunk G-BCOU / WK522 on rebuild in Hangar 2:
Above shot taken from the privileged viewpoint of Sally B (Many thanks to Jo):
The Vampire has proved popular, so here are some more shots. She is about to leave the paintshop for completion:
Duxford Sunday 29th June 1975:
I’ve been busy scanning some more slides taken at the Duxford Airshow nearly 37 years ago.
Spitfire LF.Vc AR501 / G-AWII had been on rebuild at Duxford since 1973 and was flown by Neil Williams only two days earlier on 27-6-75. Based at Old Warden since 1981 and now on a long rebuild again:
Spitfire Tr.9 G-AIDN was active until 1978 when damaged at Coventry.Then spent many years in the USA and now back home and for sale as MT818:
A feature of many airshows at the time were the Vintage Pair, Meteor T.7 WA669 and Vampire T.11 XH304. Both sadly lost at the Mildenhall Air Fete 25-5-86:
Hercules C.1 XV294, probably on Falcons or Red Arrows support:
A solo display from Gannet AEW.3 XL502:
Convair VT-29B 17899 had been delivered on loan from the USAF the day before, and was with IWM until being scrapped:
Another IWM airframe no longer with us is Varsity T.1 WF425. A very recent delivery to Duxford from the Met Research Flight, she was scrapped in 1995:
Varsity T.1 WJ945 had been flown in 26-10-74 and would later fly for a while as G-BEDV. Still at Duxford:
Hunter F.2 WN904 was loaned by IWM to several other museums before spending many years on the gate at RAF Waterbeach:
Sea Vixen FAW.2 XS576 has been at Duxford since 1972:
Javelin FAW.9 XH897 was a recent arrival (24-1-75) from A&AEE:
Whirlwind HAS.7 XG577 arrived at Duxford in June 1974. Later loaned for display at East Midlands and Waterbeach before being used for fire practice at Leconfield. Scrapped by 2001:
At the time, the Canuck 18393 was part of the Haydon-Baillie fleet, having been flown in from Cranfield by the man himself 29-3-73. Later to IWM and now hanging in AirSpace:
Also still airborne in AirSpace is ex CAFU Dove 6 G-ALFU:
The flight-line included Dewoitine D.26 G-BBMI and Swordfish LS326:
Recently de-mobbed Basset CC.1 XS766 / G-BCJE:
Finally, I don’t know if Dragon Rapide G-AKIF was offering pleasure flights on the day, but she will be back in service this coming season:
One of the Duxford volunteers displays some interesting side effects from working next door to the Vampire team:
Duxford Friday 17th February:
It’s time to inject a little colour back into this thread, so prepare to be Tangoed:
Elsewhere, a few random shots from today’s ‘activity’ :
Duxford Tuesday February 14th:
Nothing at all happening at Duxford this morning, so I sat down for morning coffee…
It was worth the long trek to the Tank Bank through the mud:
That last image got me thinking (don’t look too closely)….
A close look reveals Pen Pusher getting lucky and catching Snafu on the move:
He was too happy to notice the tide coming in:
In Hangar 5, the Vampire has regained her identity:
And will shortly get the code:
This is a good opportunity to offer these shots of two War Lover B-17’s at the Bovingdon ‘photocall’ . Can anyone offer an exact date and identities of 127723 and 127741 ? And does anyone recognise themselves?
Pictures by the late Gerald Lawrance, via Tony Clarke.
Another anniversary today, it’s 38 years exactly since Comet 4 G-APDB arrived at Duxford. With many thanks to Tony Clarke, who was there to record the moment (complete with rainbow):
G-APDB first flew at Hatfield 27-7-58 and made history on October 4th that year for BOAC when she made the first transatlantic jet passenger flight. ‘DB had positioned to New York for the Eastbound route, and a simultaneous departure from Heathrow by G-APDC meant the two Comets passed each other over the Atlantic. ‘DB made the crossing in a record 6 hours 11 minutes, while ‘DC had to refuel at Gander. With only 48 seats and a Westbound fuel stop required, the introduction by PanAm of the Boeing 707 on the Idlewild-Le Bourget route on October 26th meant the Comet’s transatlantic glory was short.
‘DB went to Malaysia-Singapore Airlines as 9M-AOB from 1965 to 1969, and then returned for four more years service with Dan Air until retirement. Her last commercial flight was Alicante to Tees-side on 12-11-73.
On donation by Dan Air to the (then) East Anglian Aviation Society, the Comet flew Lasham-Duxford (via Hatfield) on February 12th 1974 to complete 36269 flying hours and 15733 landings. That makes G-APDB the highest time Comet.
Although several preserved aircraft were already present at Duxford with the IWM, the Comet could be regarded as the beginning of the DAS airliner collection. She was parked mostly outside, in Dan Air colours, until a restoration into her original BOAC scheme in time for the opening of AirSpace in 2007.
The Comet is open to the Public ( generally only Summer weekends ) but is not well positioned for photos:
My only Dan Air Comet ride was a 1973 day trip to Naples in G-APYC. The return night flight on the flightdeck was memorable, complete with St Elmo’s fire and lightning-lit mountain peaks, while condensation dripped on me from the cockpit roof.
Thanks for much of the background to the DAS website at:
http://www.das.org.uk/comet.htm
Thanks for the kind words, as always credit belongs to all at Duxford.
Here’s the first photo I took at Duxford (23rd May 1975), B-17G N17TE shortly after her arrival from France, and just after her display debut at Biggin Hill the previous week. Nearly 37 years ago…….
Duxford Friday February 10th:
No news to report today, so just a couple of seasonal pictures:
Even the Vampire was well wrapped up and huddled by the fire:
Duxford Wednesday February 8th:
I can confirm that I was the lone shooter on the grassy knoll, you probably heard my teeth chattering over the engine noise from Snafu (or should that be Snowfu ?).
I thought my only shot from today would be a snow scene:
Luckily, I waited long enough to see and hear the P-47 throttling up on the tie-downs:
The ‘Flog It’ team were doing some follow-up filming with Paul Martin and the HAC Hurricane:
A wonderful sight in Hangar 5, with the Vampire T.11 lavishly daygloed. This is going to be an eye-catching exhibit, I hope a prominent corner will be found in AirSpace for it:
In Hangar 2, the TFC Bearcat takes its turn on routine maintenance:
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