In fairness, if we too often just refer newer members to the archives, then the forum moves closer towards stagnation.

BB is right though, the previous thread is a very rich seam 🙂

I am delighted to see ‘FA’ still being cherished, at least part of her.

As 12 year olds, myself and my chum were nuts about Twin Pins, from the time they came over the school playing field near Bovingdon at 500 feet, on survey work (circa 1976)

It took us a while to indentify them, but then we scoured old mags for pictures and info, and ended up knowing all about Flight One, JF airlines at Portsmouth, and even wrote to Flight One at Staverton to ask for a visit- no reply sadly!

It was a sad day when I flew into Shobdon (1984 ish) and saw G-AYFA mouldering at the end of that huge, wide runway, and I think a gale finished her off a couple of winters later.

My friend and I finally got a flight in a Twin Pin, out of Coventry a couple of years ago- Bl**dy marvelous!

Permanent structures would diminish the atmosphere of a wartime airfield, which it still had, to some extent despite the disparity in architectural styles.

Probably the most fruitful place would be the side of the Land Warfare building, which could become a raised earth embankment on a gradual slope going to a height at the rear of say 15 feet.

This would need almost no ‘design’ apart from drainage thoughts, could be made of hardcore (free) with a foot of topsoil, and then grassed, all at modest cost, and providing elevated viewing for hundreds of people.

Scrapped, I suspect.

In the early 60’s people were still scrapping Spits and Lancaster, and wrecking Mosquitos in movies as late as 1964 😡

That could in theory yeild a balbo of nearly 30 aeroplanes, once you have excluded the Memorial Flight, but included the bombers.

I think last year they put up about 23, which was lower than most previous events.

There was a time, not so long ago, when the powers-that-be felt that we, the UK citizens, had a right to take a look at OUR forces, which WE had paid for, and there was some obligation and pride to put on a good show.

That impetus seems to be lost, and it is disgraceful that the premier Royal Air Force event can field such a thin showing of front line aircraft.

With some initiative and committment they could perhaps get some QFI’s from the Typhoon conversion unit to work up a 3-ship display, which would be very noisy and spectacular, and would at least show that someone was making an effort to entertain and impress.

He moved the ‘Chang’ around very nicely indeed, and can consider it a job well done.

Having sat though a practice display yesterday, I can observe that what looks very elegant and flowing from the ground involves quite considerable G, and is actually pretty hard work.

Volpar (long nose ) Beech 18 over Chesham 17.00 heading south west.