Many hours of boredom, minutes of sheer terror...

Seeing the 'new' old wooden dispersal hut now in place at Headcorn, had me looking through the batch of photos kindly sent to me by the family of S/L John Niven DFC* of 602/322/485 Squadrons. 
One in particular features a very similar wooden hut with some members of the 602 (City Of Glasgow) RAuxAF taking it easy at Kenley in June 1942. 
S/L Paddy Finucane was CO at this point, sitting 4th from right, and a month after this photo was taken, he was lost over the Channel returning from sorties against German shipping off Ostend...

When the Aero Legends building is finished, it would be quite an evocative sight to have some well worn armchairs sat out in the sun, a brass/bronze "Scramble" bell hanging from the wall and Spitfires TD314 and NH341 sat within dashing distance...

21.X.17 :: Headcorn Aerodrome - Aero Legends

Took a trip down to Headcorn Aerodrome (formerly RAF Lashenden) to the "Sit-In" event, jointly arranged by "The Two Seat Spitfire Page" and Aero Legends, operators of Spitfire T9 NH341 "Elizabeth" and MkIX TD314 "St. George".
Interesting talk from Nick Oram about the history of NH341 and TD314 and some of the pilots who flew NH341 while she was with 411 Sqn RCAF. Flt Lt Anthony "Parky" Parkinson MBE was also on hand (having flown "St. George" down to Headcorn today) to do a Q&A session and share his experiences flying with the BBMF and The Red Arrows. 
The base for the event was Aero Legends newly acquired WW2 era wooden "dispersal/scramble" hut, obtained from the former RAF Bridgnorth station, and now in situ at Headcorn. Apart from a few finishing touches, once completed, the hut will provide a place for participants and visitors in the various flying packages to be briefed and relax. It certainly came in handy with the heavy downpours that were blowing through!
Unfortunately NH341 developed an oil leak due to a cracked sump and the engine has been removed a few days previously, so the winner of the "Fly-In-NH341" draw will have to wait until the 2018 season. It wasn't me... :o(
The event was well attended and even though the weather gods were doing their best with "Brian" heading towards Kent, the sun did shine for a good part of the day and for the Merlin engine run. 

16.IX.17 : Spitfire T9 PT462 H2N DX

Going to be an even more regular sight now...

Will be sad to see this space empty before long...

Fury squatting in MH434's usual spot...

Carolyn Grace retires/ML407 Supporters Group ends...

Having just returned from a few days away, I was saddened to open a letter from Carolyn Grace announcing that she has taken the hard decision to bring to an end the "Grace Spitfire Supporters Group", due partly to diminishing membership.
She has also decided to end her flying career - ML407 will of course continue to operate with Richard Grace at the 'stick'.
I've been glad to help support, in the little way I have, the operation of ML407 and hope she continues to grace the skies for many more years.
Enjoy your retirement Carolyn.

Another T9 for Duxford

Spitfire PT462 / G-CTIX has been sold to the Aircraft Restoration Company and is joining their fleet at Duxford.

Duxford OM in red...

The Virginia Creeper on the front of the Officers Mess putting on an autumnal display...

13 Spitfire tail chase...

13 Spitfire Tail Chase Duxford BoB Airshow 24.IX.17 from warbirdskies on Vimeo.

Spitfire T9 quartet...

With another T9, PT462, tucked up in H2N, there were five of the eight UK-based airworthy two seat Spitfires, all on one airfield at the same time...
Here is a short video of the others, ML407, PV202, SM520 and NH341 taxiing out...


T9s Taxi from warbirdskies on Vimeo.

24.IX.17 - DX BOB Show

4 x T9s together.....

Overall a good end to the season. A few gaps in the programme due to the strong crosswind and a obvious lack of Mustangs after yesterday's nibble on the tail of Miss Helen by Sharkmouth. 
The sight of six Hurricanes all in one patch of sky was something to behold - a few years back we'd be excited at the sight of two!!! And a thirteen Spitfire tail chase was awesome to hear and see.

RNHF Sea Fury T.20 

Norwegian AF Historical Sqn MiG15 UTI Red18, Vampires FB52 and T55

Blenheim Mk1, 3xMk1 Spitfires, 5xHurricanes and Gladiator

DX 18.VII.17 - not all Spitfires grounded...

PV202 was still operating today as were other civilian operated Spitfires. Hopefully BBMF will sort out their issues soon. 
In H2N Sea Fury FB11 G-CBEL was roosting alongside Hurricane Mk1 P2902 - Hawkers first piston engined monoplane and their last...

DX 12.VII.17 - catch up

Couple of photos from today and from Saturday…
Clipped wing Spitfire 

"Casualties" from the weekend...

A very nice Morris Minor van all the way from Oz...

Good to see SimplySpitfire's MK805 back on duty...

Miss Velma forced landing

Reports of Mustang TF-51D Miss Velma suffering engine failure and having to make an emergency landing in the field on the opposite side of the M11 while displaying at FL17. Pilot okay. Aircraft damaged and reports are her landing gear was down - image on Twitter shows her on her belly so not sounding good for levels of damage.

UPDATE: MV recovered back to H2 at Duxford via low loader and the A505 - photo online of her on her 'legs' outside the hangar - damaged wings, prop, airscoop, broken canopy - hopefully the landing gear got tucked up before impact. Wonder if the relatively flat field full of wheat acted as a 'cushion' reducing damage?

Sad news to hear on the 10th anniversary year of her arriving at Duxford after her trans Atlantic crossing. 
Not a good weekend for Mustangs that have flown over the "Pond"…

Hopefully the damage can be repaired soon and she can return to flight…

Credit: Paul Tolliday: Blue Sky Aerial Services

Hopes shattered...

I had been looking forward to seeing The Horsemen routine with the P-51B Berlin Express but sadly they cancelled their slot on Saturday due to the canopy on the P-51B shattering as Nick Grey flew her on a fast pass along the airfield.
Thankfully Nick landed and some damage resulted to the tail surfaces - the Malcolm Hood sadly ended up in a thousand pieces over the airfield.
After a journey of nearly 5000 nm across half of the US and large expanses of ocean without missing a beat, BE was due to be a highpoint for myself at FL17.
Hopefully I will be able to catch her in the air before she returns to Texas.

Flying Legends 2017 - Saturday

Some photos from todays air show…

Starting with the 357th Fighter Group 'pair' - Frenesi and Berlin Express

Couple more from today...

BE @ DX

On my way in today I stopped for a quick photo of Berlin Express on the ground - bumped into Rob Brindley (former Airshowbuzz member and one of the Virtual Horsemen) and had a catch up...

Later in the afternoon managed a look "behind the rope" at Frenesi…

Thanks Rob! 

Berlin Express passes by - nearly there...

On the 10th anniversary of the flight of Miss Velma over the "Pond", P-51B Berlin Express +1 passed by close enough to get some shots…

10 years of Warbirdskies

Ten years ago my first post was the arrival overhead of TF-51 Mustang "Miss Velma", flown by Ed Shipley after a Trans Atlantic crossing, as he covered the final miles to Duxford - Miss Velma - nearly there

Heading home...

Just managed to catch PA474 as she headed north, returning to base?

Apparently just an air test, as Flightradar24 showed her doing several circuits north of Cambridge before returning to Duxford…

Pt II

Rumbled overhead again this evening at about 1700hrs heading home...

Almost here...

A nice little video from the King Air support aircraft…

BIG CHILL: The Berlin Express is pressing forward across vast and wild distance... bound for a 4th of July touchdown on the hallowed grounds of Duxford. Keep following the journey. We've got more of this big globe to cover.

A post shared by Pursuit Aviation (@pursuit.aviation) on Jul 2, 2017 at 4:36pm PDT

The Express arriving soon...

Currently at Goose Bay waiting to head across 'the Pond', ten years after TF-51 "Miss Velma" made her journey, is P-51B "Berlin Express" flown by Lee Lauderbeck. Scheduled to arrive on 4th July at Duxford in preparation for Flying Legends 2017.

After departing Texas on June 28, Lauderback will pilot the “Berlin Express” to Paducah, Kentucky, Dunkirk, New York, Bangor, Maine, Goose Bay, Canada, Narsarsuaq, Greenland, Keflavik, Iceland and Wick, Scotland before arriving at Duxford Airfield.

Image Stallion 51

It will be nice to see a "B" model with the Malcolm Hood in the UK - a personal favourite of mine. 

The progress of Berlin Express and her KingAir escort/support aircraft can be followed here - LINK

Photo updates can be viewed on Ed Shipley's FB page - LINK

Hopefully Ed Shipley won't suffer being fog bound in Wick for days as happened in 2007!

On this day...

As it's Armed Forces 'weekend', an entry from the logbook of Sqn Ldr John Niven DFC*, OC 485 (NZ) Sqn - 

June 25 1944, Spitfire IXB NH321, Target Support Cover, 1hr 50m, 0815hrs - Patrolled 20000' Abbeville, Amiens area covering 3 gaggles - 100 Halifaxes, 100 Lancasters. 100 Halifaxes - Noballs at Gorenflos + Montorgueil. Intense flak. 2 Halifaxes collided + exploded in last gaggle. Bombed on target indicators dropped by Mosquitos + Lancasters. 1st lot good, 2nd + 3rd indifferent.

 ("Noball" – attacks on V-weapons launch sites and related targets.)

From Wikipedia - 
June 25, 1944 - 323 aircraft - 202 Halifaxes, 106 Lancasters, 15 Mosquitos - of Nos 1, 4, 6 and No 8 Group attacked 3 flying bomb sites. The weather was clear and it was believed that all 3 raids were accurate. 2 Halifaxes of No 4 Group were lost from the raid on the Montorgueil site. No 617 Squadron sent 17 Lancasters, 2 Mosquitos and 1 Mustang to bomb the Siracourt flying-bomb store.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siracourt_V-1_bunker#Air_raids_on_the_Siracourt_site

S/L Johnny Niven (centre) with other 485(NZ) pilots in front of NH321