Just started 10 mins ago, on BBC1

The flying Spitfire CGI sequence makes one pine for the days when people filmed real aeroplanes. It just looks a bit pony ( and trap ) .

Other than that, looks quite promising. The novel was pretty good.

And then there was one……………….. ( Nov 15)

Richard Grace recently flew the long-stored SE5 G BLXT at Sywell, I believe.

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?111479-OFMC-SE5a

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66736

Hi Elmdon Boy,

I reckon your mystery pilot was the famous Count Constantin Cantacuzino , in his Jungmeister ( with very small wheels)

”After the war ended, Cantacuzino was demobilized and returned to LARES. The USSR imposed a communist regime that confiscated private property and began imprisoning the old elite and opponents of the regime. Cantacuzino lost all his land and soon his wife left him. In 1946 he married Nadia Gray. He managed to escape to Italy in 1947 and then he settled in Spain. There he was helped by the Romanian community to buy himself an airplane, in order to earn his living at air shows.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantin_Cantacuzino_(aviator)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dgJxjVxq18

It may be that this is a problem which will, regrettably , solve itself.

The recommendations ( not unexpected) to increase scrutiny of maintenance schedules, the expanded responsibility of organisers to conduct risk-assessments of the display ‘footprint’ including off-airfield , and all the other hurdles to be jumped could conceivably combine to sap the enthusiasm of operators and display organisers, such that the already wounded UK Jet ‘scene’ dwindles to a standstill. It may all just become too damn difficult.

What have we got ?

Sea Vixen ( very infrequent flyer)
2 Grounded Canberras
3-4 Gnats
3-4 Meteors ( 2 with Martin Baker)
Grounded Hunters ( apart from those on military trials)
Vampire ( up for disposal )
A number of Jet Provosts

No more Sabre, T33’s, Venoms, Vulcan

We can only hope that there are still people with the financial reserves, and commitment to somehow keep them flying.

It could well be that Norway and Sweden end up with a bigger historic jet fleet than the UK, with their Mig 15, Vampires, T33.s, Starfighter, Draken, Viggin and Lansen.

Similiar size the RAF Museums Westland Wallace, Which is about to go into hiding, From what I have read.
Would love to see this Vincent.

Dave

Yes, the UK has not got many of its big biplanes ‘onshore’.

There is a Wapiti in India

A Blackburn Ripon in Finland

A Fairey 111 in Portugal

Some others no doubt, The Gugnunc has recently gone on display in London, but that is not exactly enormous.

One is static, at the RAF museum Hendon

51632 Gorgeous George Ann / Thar She Blows B-25J-30NC 44-30925 N9494Z Brussels Air Museum
151645 Marvellous Miriam B-25J-20NC 44-29366 N9115Z RAF Museum Hendon
151790 Amazing Andrea B-25J-30NC 44-86701 N7681C Destroyed – Hangar Fire
151863 Big Bad Bonnie B-25J-30NC 44-86843 N9455Z Grissom Air Museum Indiana
151724 Brenda’s Boys B-25J-20NC 44-29121 N86427 Museo del Aire, Madrid, Spain

One or two did some air displays in ’79 and ’80 including Biggin Hil sept 1980 when Don Bullock(A26) and Jeff Hawke both flew to the very limit of safety, and then some. Seven people died in the Invader.

There was a group which formed at Wellesbourne to operate one of the Mitchells, but it never managed much. I think the only long-term operator of a Mitchell in the UK has been The Fighter Collection , and they let theirs go in 2003 after 15 years.

The type remains quite an affordable and numerous warbird, probably half the price of a Mustang, but expensive to operate, and in our climate, needing hangarage as well.

I hope we get another one here, to join the Dutch and French flyers, oh and Red Bull (Austria) as well.

Put it out of it’s misery – lets not see the slow decline – break it up now & save all this speculation, wishes & hot air.

Is that the best you have got ? For insight, imagination, effort, and commitment to preservation – nil points