Putting on my spotting anaorak it is current as F-PYMI base as Romans ,although this aircraft is a composite that supposedly has the major components of N6665. But then again most flying Tigers are like this.

I personally feel the non military show scene, with a few exceptions has become very samey. Epically the seaside shows that we could all probably name the acts that are likely to appear off the top of out heads. One thing is what is the purpose of the airshow? Is it just a money making exercise, a military recruiting exercise or a show run by enthusiasts for enthusiasts? Who is the target audience? I guess 90% of a airshow audience just want a day out with lots of noise? So many questions..
But here is what I would change.
1. Aircraft-after all that’s what we go to see. Lets be a bit more imaginative. There are two things I would love to see at a show, first a fast jet scramble be it private Hunters of RAF Typhoons. Also a large static line paradrop be it C-47’s or C-130’s. Also Europe is full of some excellent rare aircraft that never come closer than Jersey. Lets get the Swedish Historic flight, Noratlas, Flamant, Red Bull etc into the UK.
2. Organization- This varies so wildly. You need traffic marshals at the end of the day too and a rethink of many car park designs. Plus the usual gripes about more toilets and windbreaks/tents on the crowd line.
3. Catering- not really the shows fault more of a sad reflection of Britain that there are almost no healthy options available. Just how many burger vans do we need?
4. Price- for me RIAT has priced it’s way out of my market. The aircraft participation has shrunk and the price continues to climb. I think £20 is a reasonable price for a big show. I think Yeovilton got this, and so much more right, despite the weather.
5 RAF shows- I know they may not have much to show off soon but to so miss the ‘at home’/BofB shows. It would be so nice to see some small regional RAF shows. They seem to come up with some good families days so why not have families day on Friday and a public day on Saturday?
right rant over.

I remember this well, it was an easy way to get yourself in the annual registration books as a spotter. I don’t think it was mandatory but was possible to register almost anything. See if you can find anything about G-ZZZZ Pointmaker, the clue in in the type name. Some balloons were well built and radio controlled, other were literally bin liners with a registration on. The CAA moved the sequence into G-FYxx around 1985 and then I think they changed the rules to ban them c1988. Not something I every had a interest in but it used to spoil my registration books with all that rubbish being registered.

Rob

It is a pretty ‘modern'(60’s ish) twin, certianlly not of WW2 era, too much plastic.. 

I wonder if this is linked to the sale of 3 ex German C-160’s, and a large number of spares to Australia? Of course both share the same engines, could be completeley unconnected of course.

Unless its a big anniversary, like next year, i would expect it to be low key. I look at when I first went to Hendon as a kid, 33 years after the end of WW2 vetrans were numerous. I grew up living between an ex Desert Rat and an ex Somme artillaryman in the 70’s. Time has moved on and interest has wained as you would expect. There are exceptions , in 2019 I helped a local school with a project about my local air base and D-day and there was much interest. It is not just D-day but the armed forces are less relevant. My late dad was one of the last to do National Service and he passed in 2020, numbers in the forces have massivley declined since those days. Back in the 70′, 80’s and before everybody ‘old’ had been involved either of the world wars. We should be thankful that is not the case today, I am sure nearly 80 years of peace was worth it.

Rob

This is a very complex story, and as Blackbushe’s historian something I have delved deeply into. Arnolds predessor as owner, AVM Bennet, was frustrated by the council blocking every development he proposed so served a court order that they either had to allow development or compulsary purchase the airport. Although I think he was trying to call the councils bluff, it almost worked. That dragged on and he sold up a couple of years later so Arnold inherited that posistion. He proposed that the airport be allowed to devlop for the good of the community, and the common land issue be resolved. That involved a museum, a cinema, bowling and a golf course built on the north side of the airport. However the council remained dogged in rejecting everything proposed. There is no doubt that Arnold was a difficult man to deal with and he never did anything by the book. The local councils as a whole were very anti Blackbushe and put preassure on Hampshire County Council even though they were softerning by the early 80’s. Arnold sold up in 85 but fourty plus years on this is still ongoing but the end might be in sight in the next year. The attitude of local people, and most of the local councils , have changed massivley. HCC asibe there is broad support for development of the airport. Lots of info here for those sill reading! https://www.blackbusheairport.co.uk/common-land-deregistration

Yes it flew, but not very well. It was an expermental design looking at the blended wing layout that Miles had proposed for large airliners. However the lack of any really small engines kind of made it pretty pointless as an aerodynamic test bed.

Rob