This is wonderful news to hear that the old line-up are getting back together. I really hope it goes well for them.

I guess all the guys in the band are older and wiser now, and are ready to let the disputes of the past lie for a much bigger cause. The entire concert sounds like it will be superb, but Pink Floyd alone will make it worth buying the DVD and CD when they come out (as I’m sure they will). Sadly in a concert like this with loads of acts, the guys of Floyd may only get a couple of songs in.

There was a three-ship Spitfire display team doing airshow appearances in the UK in the late 1980’s/early 1990’s too.

Another team to use the Mustang was the Brietling Fighters, and their unnamed NZ predecessor too, but each only used one of, as each P51D accompanied a P40, Spitfire and Corsair.

As for Harvard and T-6 texan teams,here’s but a few:

– The Roaring Forties (NZ civil, five-ship, 1978-2004)

– Warbirds Harvard Display Team (NZ Civil, four-ship?, 2004 – present)

– The Red Chequers (RNZAF, 1960’s – 1978)

– A CFS Harvard team proceeding the Red Chequers (RNZAF, three-ship, postwar-50’s)

– Southern Knights (Australian) http://www.australianwarbirds.com.au/southern.html

– Flying Lions team (Civil, South Africa)

– The Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team (http://www.canadianharvards.com/)

– AeroShell Aerobatic Team (http://www.stuartairshow.com/aeroshell.html)

– South African Air Force Harvard Aerobatic Team (SAAF)

– North American Aerobatics Team http://www.aeroclub.com.sv/ilopangoairshow/ilopango2004intnorthamaerobaticteamen.htm

I am certain if you look hard enough you’ll find dozens more, especially historical ones, and I’m sure there will be more in the USA. In fact i think Steve Patterson said he was in one with his T-6

I haven’t a clue who this Lyman Gilmore was. but he’s not a New Zealander, he’s an American, and looking at the designs on this page, somewhat a cackpot
http://www.flyingmachines.org/gilmore.html

I am curious to see documented evidence showing that Richard Pearse had not begun constructing his aircraft in 1903. That makes little sense when there were many witnesses who say they saw him fly in March of that year. I have one book which clearly states he first flew on the 31st of March 1902, a short flight ending in a crash. His next flight, the famous “controlled flight” coming exactly a year later according to this book. It may or may not be wrong. We’ll never know.

But all these researchers who believe he did do something must have some evidence to base it all upon surely. It can’t all just have been made up by historians from thin air like some would like to believe these days.

It is well known that Richard Pearse in later life, when people began asking about his early days of flying, had mental problems and did not like media attention. So naturally he might fob them off with such statements that he hadn’t built the plane if he didn’t want to be bothered. From the accounts I’ve read and seen, several farmers and many children at the school have gone on record stating hey saw him fly on March 31st, 1903. But, as I say, we’ll never know, and I never settle in one camp or the other. I keep an open mind. There is certainly no doubt the man was an engineering genius.

My God! That is terrible. I am really sorry to here this. I guess you cannot even afford a good lawyer? I’m afraid I have no advice I can offer but I really wish you luck in resolving this terrible situation.

PS Is it a Sheep by-product??? 🙂 🙂 😉 😉 🙂 🙂

Are you trying to suggest it’s making me woolly minded? 🙂

This thread is supposed to be about a serious topic relating to WWII aircrew. It is very interesting and rather intrigueing. However, I don’t mind the comedy either because I started it with my tongue-in-cheek suggested theory!

I do not believe in flying saucers from outer space, that is nonsense cooked up by the US military and perpetuated to the gullible by Hollywood.

Like Jonathon, I too think there is an answer much more realistic and natural than objects from beyond the stars. Who knows.

Is this phenomenon still seen today by pilots I wonder, all the cases of Foo Fighters seem to be WWII based. Maybe that’s what the famous Kaikoura Lights were, the same thing?

Though I think the whole alien thing is bunkum, I personally have seen a UFO. I use the term literally – it was a flying object which I could not identify. And it was very odd. I was about 19 or 20. My younger sister also saw it but strangley now has no recollection of the event. (maybe they’ve gotten to her 😮 hehe!)

It was four bright lights in a diagonal formation descending on a 45 degree angle from high up down to the ground, in this formation (ignore the lines, just the O’s)

O

____O

________O

____________O

It went down to the ground – disappearing behind trees. I went inside and told my Nana and sister what I’d seen, my sister came outside and ten minutes later we both saw it take off again exactly reversing the route I’d seen it descend, going up on the 45 degree ascent. It was a clear summer’s evening, still very light. The sun glinted off all four objects, or at least they appeared bright and may have been artificial lights.

Now, the direction we looked at and about the same distance is Hamilton Airport. Back then then only planes you could see, if you were lucky with the right conditions, landing there, were Boeing 737’s. But this was not one for several reasons – a) you could hear them but often not see them, before the days of hushkits we always heard the 737’s landing on calm nights such as this. I heard nothing. b) Boeings do not land there on a 45 degree angle, and c) they do not land in formations of four planes. The lights/reflections were far enough apart to not be one object unless it were massive. Additionally, d) Boeings NEVER landed and took off within ten minutes at Hamilton. They had to refueld, dump pax and reload more pax, etc. I doubt it were two different planes. Yes the ascent of the Boeings was steep, but the descent was never that steep and I really do not think this could have been a Boeing.

So, I call it a UFO till someone identifies it to my satisfaction. Perhaps it was a flock of Magpies each with a shiny pilfered object? 😀

I found this here
http://home.manyrivers.aunz.com/sting1946/foo.htm

“The Germans laid claim to the manufacturing and flying of these unusual craft. They even had detailed drawings of their interior workings. But it was a lie!

One report states that one of these ‘Foo Fighters’ entered through the fuselage of the bomber aircraft without making a hole, flew around inside the interior of the plane only to disappear back out through the wall of the aircraft again without making a hole.”