I love Austers! My very first flight in one was at RAF Wroughton, near Swindon, Wilts. at an Open Day in September 1960. It was pouring with rain and I was terrified at the time, but I wish I knew what the reg was? The aircraft was silver overall I believe. Can anyone help?

Plenty of photos on the ‘net. Just check out Google Images for G-APUX. Here area couple. Also, you might get hold of Profile Publications No.167 Hawker Hunter Two-Seaters as there is a five-view colour profile in there with details of the nose markings. Click on this A-Net photo and you can clearly see the Hawker Siddeley Aviation badge and titles “Hawker Hunter Two-Seater’ on the nose.

Hi Brad

I have colour photos of this aircraft that you might like to have in its Singapore Air Force colours. Contact me by pm and send me your e.mail address.

IIRC there were two Richard L Wards, one who did Modeldecals and the other (Richard Leask Ward) who did profiles for Aircam etc.

I can put you in touch with the former.

I think you’ll find it is the other way around – Richard Leask Ward did Modeldecals (and I am in e.mail contact with him, if you send me a pm) and the other Richard Ward did the Aircams.

I thought the BBMF Dakota was was a memorial? It has been painted as
such for most of its service with the flight.
mmitch.

Yes it is, but it’s a military aircraft and not available for public charter flights

Pure speculation based on co-incidence, but p.15 of ‘Aviation News’ Jan ’13 edition reports the C-47 Skytrain N308SF is bound for the UK, acquired by by Charlie Walker.

I thought about that one also, but that is a genuine D-Day veteran and they plan to repaint it in its original USAAF D-Day colours and nothing to do with RAF Transport Command. The only aircraft that comes to mind is Atlantique Classic Flight’s DC-3 which I believe will comply with the new CAA regulations.

Phixer – were you on 781 NAS? If so, when?

All – work is currently underway on a major new publication all about the Dove/Heron family. If anyone has any interesting shots/information then I’d love to hear from you.

Lee – is this the one due to be published by Air-Britain? If so, I offered several pics a long time ago and was told they have everything they need….and that was about two years ago! If not, then contact me as I have some pics you may be interested in using.

I doubt the airfield will be kept usable. When I was there in the summer with the Air Cadet VGS I was horrified just how much grass was already growing through the apron and runways. If you add the oil and fuel spills (inevitable during REME training) which will further ruin tarmac, the airfield is already lost forever. 🙁

I visited the VGS there in August last and had a guided tour of the base, bringing back fond memories of two tours I did there with the RAF during the ’70s and ’80s. I was also horrified at the weeds growing between the cracks on the main apron, but I thought the taxiways and runways looked still in remarkable operational condition. The ATC tower and main terminal building are like a ghost town, once a hive of activitity and now with all equipment removed. I took lots of photos recalling my days in those buildings.