Hmmm, I had it in my mind that Maurice Hammond was with Retro, or even the owner. I see that I’m wrong. He appears to be with a company called Eye Tech.

Tom, Maurice IS Eye Tech.

The IWM/USAFM F-100 was flown into Sculthorpe in 1975 to join many other ex-French Air Force machines. Thanks to Mark Miller for this picture of the DAS team dismantling 42165 for its trip to Duxford in May 1976:

Mark identifies most of the team-

David Miller; Bill Dale ; Norman Chapman ; Peter Loveday (IWM) ; Ian Arnold

Wow, what a great photo!
There’s four names there that I know and Norman Chapman seems to ring a bell too. I seem to think both he and Ian had something to do with a Yak 11 that was based there in the 80’s?
I’m not sure if Bill or Peter are still ‘with us’?
Dave and Ian are both still very much a part of the activity at Duxford today.

but am not that hopeful.

I am and hope that time will show it to be the case.

But I cannot admit to any bad taste in the mouth at all. The strength of some of the criticism directed at VTTS is bewildering but wholly dwarfed and drowned out by the sheer level of the success of the whole project.

I agree and no-one can deny that the project has been a success, but seeing the sheer volume of the ‘complaints’ WRT how VTTS handled the last flight from a supporters perspective, is indicative enough. Were there just a few, then it would be a different case, but there aren’t and so it isn’t.

Why the manner of the handling of the last flight should affect anyone’s intentions to support other unconnected projects, I cannot begin to imagine!!

I understand what you are saying, but some people just take issue sometimes and apply it to everything else similar. Hopefully this will not be the case.

In the relatively few years left to me I hope to make a small contribution to keep Sallly B flying and to put a Shack in the air.

Hopefully you’ll have many and I totally agree.

The “poxy media” you refer to have a role of sharing images of events where the massed public are not able to be accomodated.This applies on many occasions and I dislike your sneering attitude to a professional group of people who keep information flowing.

Note to self #1 – Remember :stupid: that one is not allowed to express one’s own opinion, as there are other greater beings out there who’s opinion is the only one that counts!
Note to self #2 – The media are all honourable, professional people, who just like to give us flowing information and images, because they are just great people! :highly_amused:
Note to self #3 – Always keep a positive attitude and take on board all lectures about other professions roles, because even if you know what they are, actually other greater beings have decided you don’t and so you need to be told!
Note to self #4 – just 🙂

At the three sisters at Waddington restrictions were in place on the main road but this seemed to be the RAF Police. I think there are warning signs at the end of the runway at Waddington plus a fence/hedge to discourage watchers but they bring step ladders

That will not now present a problem in the future :apologetic:
On a wider note, I hope it will not be the case that those who choose to continue to view from outside of ‘the protected zone’, to such a degree, that eventually organisers actually decide, ‘enough is enough’ and put paid to the show altogether.
And before you think that airshows don’t stop, both small and large, don’t say that they can’t, as it can and has.
Think of the major shows that have ceased in recent years and I worry that these certain actions might accelerate what remains of the others to follow suit.

Surely police involvement outside the airfield is traffic management.

That is not necessarily the case anymore. Duxford employs a contractor to take care of the traffic management outside on the road. I think CSP has been the most recent company?

Fortunately for me, I have seen it many times over the years, several times this year, including the second occasion whilst in the air at the same time and that last time I saw it was two weeks ago at Sywell on its second from last flight.
So, having seen it then for about two and a quarter hours non-stop, while she was going round and round at Sywell, if I don’t see it on it’s very last flight, particularly with the debacle that it seems to be turning into, sadly I’ll not worry too much.
I do feel for those that have poured money into this, who now feel they are being discouraged to not see her for her final flight. What a shame and a poor show.

Just think, by this time next week, it is likely to be all over bar the shouting!

I was advised today that work on the Firefly is well underway, with one wing currently in the workshop.

Having seen it, I can say that the quality of the workmanship is really rather good!

Is that French Sea fury still at DX Since FL?

Yes it is.