A sad day but it had to happen. Under MAA regulations there is no leeway available for OEM support. You either have it or you don’t. Under CAA regs you can at least get a PtF which makes life a little easier.

Been there, done that. Many times. 324 bounces per minute. The 212 was smoother and faster.

That’s a very optimistic farewell tour they’re planning. It remains to be seen how many cabs actually make it around the entire circuit. Busy day for AMSU (or whatever they’re called these days).

RB

They are so nice to work on and good to fly too. The 205 (C model) was even nicer though and the later models had/have the benefit of dual hydraulics and a few other refinements. Many a happy hour/day/week spent playing with them.

“But suddenly, surprisingly, the noise instantly died, and there was silence. As people looked up, they saw the bomber frozen in mid-air – then, with a terrifying screech, it started to plummet earthward”.

What dreadful reporting. No doubt the author has since moved on to the DM.

Alan – unfortunately your photo attachment hasn’t been successfully posted. Can you try once again – would love to see it

Meanwhile, do you remember the Sabre being dismantled at Lavenham Airfield on 29th June 1969 & being transported by road to Long Melford, a few miles south, for the ‘Sudbury Old Tyme Rallye’ in the grounds of Melford Hall (We also displayed an old Dakota tailfin with a collection box for public to contribute towards the local ‘Cheshire Home’ at nearby Cavendish). I had been ‘commissioned’ by the Rallye organisers (via JR) to take 8mm colour cine film of the event, but once handed over to the committee I never saw the final film again – real shame, but wouldn’t it be great if someone out there knows of what happened to it. If you recall – we also entered the White Half-track vehicle into the ‘Most Unusual Commercial Vehicle’ class and won the silver cup. Fabulous memories……..

Here’s a few shots from that Rallye to refresh your memories, but sad to say I haven’t got a photo of Sabre on display there, although I know I had a very small amount of 8mm footage that didn’t get included in the main film – will have to try to trace & see if I can ‘pull off’ a print at some time. (1st & 2nd photos are of the Half Track, complete with cup; 3rd shot is of a group of HAPS / Reflectaire preservationists – top row (You, Martin Collins & Anna, plus young ‘Nick’ and, top left, Tom, [I can’t recall surnames] – both Air Training Corps cadets with Chelmsford Sqn.; with 2 members of the crew of the Swordfish LS326, which we had arranged to overfly the Rallye, in the 3rd & 4th row from top [man with dark sunglasses & young chap below on left] )

Blimey! Even more memories. The Dakota tail fin was the result of an expedition by Martin Collins, Dick Robinson and I to the Derbyshire hills above Glossop. We went up there to get exhaust stacks from a crashed Lancaster for NX611 as the steel ones it flew from Australia with were falling apart/off. We found stacks of them (sorry) and also a Dakota fin which we carried down the hill, loaded onto the roof of DR’s car and used it at airshows to raise money for HAPS/Reflectaire by asking visitors to cover it with loose change. Did quite well too – no idea what happened to it.

Sabre pic attached.

Looks like I need to find a copy of Michael O’Leary’s Osprey ‘Sabre’ book (was this the publication? http://www.amazon.com/Jet-Warbirds-Michael-OLeary/dp/0854298894/ref=la_B00287O05O_1_21?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453650669&sr=1-21&refinements=p_82%3AB00287O05O

Hi Gary (Scotavia) (Memories of Blackpool surfacing again eh.!! – Hi again)
Whatever her ultimate fate – it was a real shame that this Sabre airframe couldn’t have been purchased at the Blackpool auction by someone capable of properly restoring, rather than to become a “children’s plaything”, or worse so it seems. The ironic thing is, that Tom Bracewell had connections to The Rt.Hon. Lord Lilford of Nateby, in that he was the latter’s ‘Estate Manager’ (or so I was told at the time). What a great pity the fate of G-ATBF (XB733) proved to be so different to that of the Lancaster NX611, which Lord Lilford bought at the 1972 auction, and which has survived and still thrills the public at East Kirkby, Lincs, thanks to the wonderful work of the Panton family and all those concerned at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre.

If of interest, here are some (B&W) photos that I took at Biggin Hill and Lavenham (they’ve never been published before – copyright retained R.J.A. Taylor). The first four shots show G-ATBF / MM19607 / XB733 at Biggin Hill on 14th February 1969 being dismantled for its road-trip to Lavenham Airfield, Suffolk. The second batch were taken at Lavenham Airfield on 15th February 1969, outside the original Control (‘Watch’) Tower, where the Sabre was unloaded by crane from the flatbed trailer unit (supplied by Messrs. G. A. Masters Ltd of Portslade, north west of Brighton, East Sussex). As can be seen, the weather wasn’t too great !!!

Some great photos there Dick; I see me, Clive Leach and Ken Rand (among others) scrabbling around under a poorly supported, very heavy airframe doing what aircraft preservation enthusiasts in the 1960s did best when required, i.e. make it happen. The risks we took were incredible but we managed to strip, transport and re-build the Sabre without damaging it using the most basic of tools and equipment. Happy days.