That short-take off contest was won hands-down by the Twin-Pin, off and clawing its way up steeply while the AN2 was still running on its mains. Excellent to see, and hear.

Last night, at bed-time, the AN2 owner ran up the engine for 20 mins to make it nice and cosy inside. Unfortunately, he forgot his chum’s tent, which was staked out behind the a/c, and got shredded by the propwash! So they all had to sleep in the AN2.

Air Atlantique were the stars of the event, bringing real interest and head-turning presence to both days, but great to see both airworthy Pembrokes parked together.
Today’s turnout was actually pretty respectable, though the normal multitude of Miles’ was down to just the Belgiun registered Gemini. Peter Holloway WAS there, bu sans aeroplanes, as far as I could see. On Sat evening, the ATC glider school pulled out their Sedburgh, and were winch launching it- real nostalgia.

Hullavington is a lovely airfield, and certainly deserves another event like this. Apart from Abingdon, most events so far seem to have been hit by inclement weather.

That’s quite enough russet gussets thank you.

All the pundits and snappers seems to gravitate to the Tank Bank at the western end. It is the best place by far, and about 100 yards closer to the runway than the recessed centre of the crowdline.

Last year, those seven Spits were tearing almost overhead- absolutely fantastic! So much fun that no doubt somebody will feel obliged to ban it.

I have a copy, and it is OK , but I think really was a wasted opportunity. The producer looked at all his footage (he told me) and decided that the real story was concentrating on the human interest (it wasn’t) , so there is quite a lot on the local population who were recruited as extras, and their fairly unremarkable observations on the unremarkable roles they played.

The editing of the production begins to test the patience of even the most avid B.17 fan with, for instance a head-on shot of a ‘Fort’ taxiing the length of a huge runway, which takes about 20 mins (slight exageration)

The most ‘sensational’ sequence is the French Fortress which departed the runway, crashed, and burnt out, but this is caught at very long distance, and shows not much, even when enlarged to a highly pixilated view.

The whole feel of the production is amateurish, and unsatisfactory, but if you are really into the movie, there is some interesting content here, if you have the patience to wait for it.

Check out the WW1 Luton Meinherr, a perfect display companion for your BE2C.This was a Booker in 1982, but which one it was, or where it went, I cannot say.

I agree it is a benign machine, but also quite alarming at times. I recall the rather blusterous evening I set off for a flying equivalent of a stroll round the parish, and ventured over the Chiltern ridge towards Thame. As I turned for home, the full force of the increasing wind became evident, and the large (looking) hills sat squarely in front.
Even with max climb power, progress was glacial, and the Luton would go either forward or up but not both! We had to creep back in the lee of tall trees.

Speaking of Jack Higgins, I recently attempted to read ‘Flight of Eagles’ (or something similar) and gave up in despair. It was the most clunky, lumbering prose I have come across in a while, with characters so two-dimensional and wooden, I neither knew nor cared what happened to them. Can all his efforts be in a similar vein?

Aircraft booked in,
Comedy tent hauled out of shed,
Wiggly line on map, avoiding Brize, Fairford, Lyneham.

Sorted.

A ‘different’ perspective-very thoughtful. Thanks.
Effective photos as well.