I can only echo Ant, ‘That’s a MODEL?!’ Great stuff!

Airfix? Ugh!

😡 Good Lord, doesn’t anybody read anyone elses’ posts properly anymore? Didn’t I just say in this very thread about the Devon myself?!

And the original charter of the ‘Battle Of Britain Flight’ which grew out of the ‘Historic Flight’ was ‘to commemorate the Royal Air Force’s major battle honour, namley the Battle Of Britain’; that ‘s from the lips of a former C/O of the Flight, by the way.

This charter was fudged a little when the Lanc came along, to celebrate the BoB, ‘and all the British men, women and machines etc etc of the Second World war’. So when the Dakota suddenly becomes a British-made warplane, be sure to let me know, won’t you?

Finally, this is taken from a write-up of an after-dinner speech given by of one Squadron Leader Paul ‘Major’ Day, of whom all you BBMF experts should know, and if you want to argue with him, you’re more than welcome to try!!!

“The inclusion of the Dakota has given more than its fair share of problems for Day and his team. The top speed of this particular aircraft is around 120 knots, whereas the others are not too happy below the 150-180 knot level. Formation flying including the Dakota therefore has its hazards and is avoided if possible. Parachute drops are also becoming a thing of the past from the “Dak” as it isn’t just a case of opening the doors but requires nearly twenty modifications to be carried out before the first “para” can leap.”

It’s great as a workhorse, barely adequate as a Lanc trainer, but totally out of place as a disply item in the Royal Air Force Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight.

:p

Yes I agree with that actually, ‘veteran’ vs. ‘historic’ is a matter worth considering, though I’m sure the relevant aircraft fans here would soon have something to say on that matter!

I think that for me the relative rareness of a type has something to do with it-if you’ve got five hundred flying Lancasters, no one is going to mind the flurescent pink Durex-sponsored one too much, but if it’s the only one, people are gonna grumble! So the Stearmans perhaps fall into this area-there’s relatively plenty of ’em, so a couple of fun, sponsored ones don’t hurt.

Hmm. I can think of a few places I’d like to jam a pole, too!

Here we go again, anyone who dares critices garish, sponsored paint scemes is criticised and told to ‘just be grateful that the aircraft are still flying etc etc.’

Fine and true, but I believe a historic aircraft should maintain some bloody dignity in it’s appearance and bearing, too.

‘mmitch’ sums it up well for me really.

God, we’ll be having bright red Sptifires next!

Ah.:rolleyes:

No no, my point is that the Dak hasn’t been used/requested by organisers for anything like the number of displays it was hoped for when the BBMF first aquired it; and while yes, the Devon ended it’s BBMF days sat inactive in the hangar, this was due to the MoD dithering about whether the Flight ‘needed it’ or not, despite the resounding cry from the Flight itself being ‘YES’!

And as for the Dak turning up between the fighters when the Lanc goes u/s? Well, what an absolute waste of time; you may as well fly a Hercules between a Spit and Hurri and call that the ‘Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight’, too.

If I’m at a display and the two fighters turn up alone, I grin wryly, remind myself that we only have one Lanc, and know I’ll see it again soon somewhere else; if the Dakota turns up in it’s place, I feel right bloody offended!

Lastly, I wonder if they’d have finally altered the Flight’s name to something more suitable if they had actually aquired the Mossie as planned, before the tragic accident? :confused:

“Foxy Lady *is* being repainted in Red Bull colours, there’s no reason to doubt the details as above.”

Yes, I know that thank you, and I still think it’s a bloody wind-up!!!

What next, BBMF sponsored by Easyjet, with the Lancaster painted to suit?

Sally B sponsored by Noel Edmonds and painted like Mr Blobby?!

😮 😮 😮 😮

Thanks for the lecture!!!

I am more than fully conversant with all the points you make re. the BBMF, it’s pilots, it’s crews, etc etc; I am also fully aware that it has been admitted that the Dakota has not proven to be all that the BBMF hoped for when they aquired it, far from it in fact.

It’s low cruising speed has been a problem since day one, as all of the Flight’s other aircraft are happier going faster than the Dak can comfortably manage-this has led to all sorts of logistical problems for them over the years. As a display aircraft in it’s own right it has been little used, and for all it’s legendary carrying ability, it’s nothing like as useful to the Flight as the old Devon was. It’s also been admitted that it is of less use as a ‘Lancaster trainer’ than people would have liked, and overall, it’s costing serious money that could be better spent within the Flight. (Dak spares HAVE actually been an issue for the BBMF)

Lastly, people have often criticised the very name of the Flight ever since the Lanc became a part of it; now we have a far, far larger ‘sore thumb’ sticking out from under the ‘Battle Of Britain’ tag.

Still, nice paint job!

:rolleyes:

“That will be flying condition them, because thats what she was in, it was just the paperwork that was missing.”

But wasn’t her flying life over when she landed at Brunty? I thought her last few hours were used up in an extended flying season for her last year, and that she was grounded because the MoD decided not to pay for the major service that she needed-so in fact, although able to do a taxi-run, she was not in ‘flying condition’ at all?