EP120 flew today and displayed, although after she landed she went back into the hanger for a bit of work, and was brought out again at around 17:30. The Gladiator also displayed as did a couple of others. I was all ready for the Spitfire tio at 17:30 they all got strapped in and started up to then shut down again, the crosswind was quite high at the time although one of the mark 1’s didn’t seem to be running very smoothly and they seemed to be using the mark 9 too.

Thanks DCW, I totally agree with you to be able to get up close and possibly see one of these great aircraft on any given day is a great plus for Duxford, and it would be a huge mistake to et rid of te flyers. On that are Historic Flying/ARCO still loking at buildng another hanger near their first one.

Keep up the good work guys, great to see the updates.

If it’s the same aircraft I saw the fokker land at Sywell just after four, whilst waiting expectantly with a number of others for a possible fly past by the Vulcan on her 60th Anniversary of the first Vulcan flight. Sadly she did not come over us. Anyone have any idea if any full airframes will be coming to Dux, I would love to see the 190 next to the 109.

I went on saturday, seemed to be a large crowd but again no probleme getting in or out. Just a couple of questions from me and I’m sorry if they have been covered before elsewhere. Watching the pilot’s getting ready you niticed the age of them with a lack of younger one’s, where are the next generation coming from, because at the end of the day the engineers can get the aircraft to the best possible condition but if there’s no one to fly it they might not have bothered. Also the commentator noted Stephen Grey’s age on Saturday ( in his 70s ) how much longer will he be able to and have the will too continue with this great group of aircraft, speaking personally I think he is one of the greatest collector’s and pilot around for the last 30 odd years, without him we would not have seen some of the rarest aircraft in the world over our shores.

On a sadder note my condolences and thoughts to the family of the pilot killed at Old Warden yesterday

Not sure about the space at Marham but they did have the Canberra PR9s there so they should be hangar space. Also what chance moving the OCU to coningsby as the Weapons Evaluation Unit is there and conningsby will have space because it will be losing Harrier’s from the Weapons unit and does it still have F3s there. Also Conningsby just lost 8 Typhoon’s to Leuchars, and I believe the next ones wont arrive until 2013/14. Has Lossiemouth got enough room to take 2 more squadrons plus all the extra units based at Marham.

Reading an article in a magazine with the new head of the RAF museums they want one and I believe that they had one allocated, maybe they will get one now possibly an R1 as Newark has given up the one they were after.

On the subject of aircraft to museums who will get the GR9s and any non stripped GR4s. Newark doesn’t have a Tonka but does have a SHAR, Elvington has a couple of GR1s and an old Harrier GR3. Duxford has a GR1 and GR3, What chance Bruntingthorpe getting one to Fast Taxi. Hopefully they will give them to museums rather than the axe man.

Lossie or Marham

Hello to all this is my first attempt at this sort of thing so apologies if it sounds a bit nutty or if I have asked things that have already been covered but here goes.

On the question of the choice between Lossiemouth or Marham, as I understand it 2 Tornado squadrons will go, so the first question is could this be one from each base and then you keep both. Now Lossiemouth claims to be the biggest active base in the UK but has 3 front line Sqds plus the OCU and a Search and rescue detatchment plus other bits and pieces. Marham has 4 front line sqds but has a lot of extra units for the Tornado like the engineering detatchment and so on. So would it not be easier to disband two of Lossiemouths sqds move one to Marham and the OCU to Conningsby where the Weapons Evaluation unit is, logistically this must be easier than moving two from Marham plus all the support units. Also as I understand it there will be scottish army units coming back from Germany so they could use Lossiemouth which keeps one base open and the locals happyish, and the SAR unit would stay. Finally and call me cynical but the present goverment has no scottish MPs and is not likely to get any in the near future whereas Norfolk has 8 out of 9 tory MPs.

Tornado

I believe the current Tornado sqds have 8 active aircraft each with 4 spares.

Typhoon

As I understand it we are locked into buying 160 a bit like the carrier deal and the goverment has approved updating the Early Tranche aircraft to Tranche 3, so going on current Tornado numbers this would be around 8 or 9 front line sqds with 8 aircraft each plus 4 spares. So an extra base would be needed could Marham take them.

What are the possabilities of this changing to 6 with 2 spares so the RAF can use all the number plates it is losing ( 111, 43, 5, 1, 4, 31?, 617?) plus the Tornado sqds still active, some of the oldest sqds in the RAF.

JSF

40 aircraft ordered, 2 RAF and 1 Navy, based where Yeovilton or possibly Wittering, again wittering may seem a strange choice but with Cottersmore closing and the area being a Tory stronghold they would not like to shut two bases.

Also with the Merlins going to the Navy what chances Benson or Odiham closing.

Thanks for looking I look forward to your replies.