At some stage the scales will fall from the unbelievers eyes. The writing – as they say – is well and truly on the walls. The “Air Show” – as such – will very soon replicate Monty Python’s Norwegian Blue Parrot!! I regret this (having done many of the early “Greenhams) but a significant number of those in the air, and/or those on the ground doing what they should (or should not) have done for those in the air, have – unfortunately – sealed the Air Show’s fate. It would probably have been so regardless of the increasing resort to M’learned Gents and their exceptionally renumerative litigation!
Sadly,
Resmoroh

TFD! Your best bet is to get his Service Record from Disclosures at RAF Cranwell. It will cost you 30GBP, and take a couple of months to appear. But at least you will be able to determine where he was, at what date, and (probably) for what reason. When you have his ‘official’ dates/movements you will then be able to either include – or exclude – the rumours/scuttle-butt/tittle-tattle/stories from family&friends, etc, etc.
HTH
Resmoroh

It was done (post #5), I suspect, to keep Oxford Archaeology employed. Although just why a commercial organisation has charitable status escapes me! Universities (and their sub-departments) used to be places of higher education. But when, as a (very) mature student some 15 years ago, I did my (self-funded) archaeology degree I found that the writing was already appearing on the wall. Universities are, increasingly, little more than educational factories run by/with/from bean-counters, although retaining the flummery of gowns and gold-lace, etc, as a PR ‘front’. Don’t get me wrong – I hugely enjoyed my 3 years, and it also taught me a great deal. But the academics did resist the odd acerbic comment on reality – even then.
Some new information may well come out of this (and other) digs, but whether the tax-payer (who foots the bill) is getting value for money I very much doubt.
Aircraft excavations by aero-enthusiasts are often under-funded and under-organised. Aircraft excavations by academic archaeologists are often under-funded and over-organised. If there was to be a meeting of minds then we might be in a better place to get at as near the truth as it is possible to get.
HTH – but I know it won’t (some minds are irretrievably made up!)
Resmoroh

And what percentage – if I may ask – of the UK voting population is actually involved in going to, officiating at, and/or flying/maintaining/paying-for airshows? Miniscule is the answer. There is NOT “a very significant industry”. Therefore, it is a minority sport. So there is no overweening need to keep any of them in existence. Would save an awful lot of needlessly spent money. One could, possibly, exempt RIAT and Farnborough? They are, after all, not airshows but corporate bunfests where manufacturers and/or bankers try to flog NEW aircraft, as opposed to displaying OLD aircraft. And I speak as one who did a significant number of the very early IATs at Greenham (working 18-20 hr days/nights!).
HTH – but I know it won’t because minds that are already made up are not susceptible to reality!
Resmoroh

CAA bolting the stable door after the horse has fled (or been killed in a totally unnecessary display accident!). Not before time! The pleasure of a few, by a few, should not hazard the many. If it’s all stopped (even if by ‘knee-jerk’ politicians) then the two ‘fews’ have only themselves to blame. I’m old enough to remember the DH110 crash – and that was a new aircraft.
HTH – but I know it won’t!
Resmoroh

And will this film show him as the arrogant and cantankerous Shell executive touring N Africa (in the early 50’s). Probably not!
Resmoroh

Jules, Hi,

This might be yr man?

ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE. GENERAL DUTIES BRANCH.
Appointment to commission.
As Plt. Offs. on prob. (emergency): —
Wt. Offs.
778431 Robert William HODGSON (160173). 27th Jan. 1944.

Enlistment number of 778431 indicates he Enlisted in Rhodesia in Jun 1940

ROYAL AIR (FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE. GENERAL DUTIES BRANCH.
Confirmation and promotion.
Plt. Offs. (prob.) confmd. in appts. and to be Flg. Offs. (war subs.): —
R. W. HODGSON 1(160173). 27th July 1944.

HTH
Resmoroh