Moth Rally @ Woburn Abbey

[vintage ATCO]

The weekend of 21/22 August sees the 24th International Moth Rally at Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire. A super event in idyllic surroundings. Arrivals by air are restricted to Moffs or Chippies flown by dHMC members but visitors by road are very welcome.

[Sir George Cayley]

Arrivals by air are restricted to Moffs or Chippies flown by dHMC members

So a/c flown by non dHMC memebers are unrestricted - Yes?

Our clubs 150H is pretty old. Is that OK ?;)

Sir George Cayley


Seriously though hope it's a brill weekend with wx = scorchio

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

The Red Chippy is booked:)

Presuming it's not tech, and still Barton based by next weekend (don't ask:( ) and the weather's good, we'll be there.

SSD

[Grandad Biggles]

Saturday is looking to be the best day from a weather point of view.

[AerBabe]

I'm working all weekend, so I trust our man in the tower will be poised with camera ready to share the fun?

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Hmmm. Rain and showers at Barton this morning so we cancelled. Turned out nice later, though, so went Citabria-chasing in the Chippy.

......Bit like shooting fish in a barrell :E

SSD

[G-KEST]

Well it was a fantastic day on Saturday with a superb turnout of Moths and Chipmunks though some from Europe were prevented on meeting the UK Friday weather over the French and Belgian coasts this morning.
We had blue skies and scattered fair weather cumulus all day with great vivibility and a high cloud base. Winds were fairly light and northwesterly giving a 90 degree crosswind and the runway in use changed ends a few times.
Sunday will depend on how quickly the forecast poor weather in the west moves east. I reckon it will be OK to noon but after that who knows???????????????
There was a good crowd and all the photographers I came across seemed to be happy with the arrangements now in place. There was a period of around 90 minutes over lunch when virtually unrestricted access to the parking area was possible.
Hope to see you tomorrow.
Cheers,
Trapper 69

[G-KEST]

A fabulous Woburn despite the best efforts of the Met Office. Both days were superb weather and Saturday saw a very large collection of de Havilland types however Sundays total was rather less due to threats of Hurricane Charlie's tail - now due on Monday.

No untoward incidents although the crosswind on Saturday made a few sphincters pucker on arrival. The airshow went off well with some nice presentations though somewhat laid back as is appropriate for vintage biplanes. The Tiger Moth slow flying race was won by Dave Evans of the CAA................!!

There was but one contestant in the Chipmunk freestyle aerobatic competition so the undisputed winner was Dennis Neville. Four entrants for the Tiger Moth freestyle made it a real competition and some geriatric grey bearded old OFFA (Old Flying Farts Association) member demonstrated, yet again, that old age and treachery will often triumph over youth and skill. He won the Len Jefferies Trophy and the Christopher Clarkson Trophy plus a bottle of 12 yrar old Famous Grouse and an engraved crystal glass. Torquil Norman had kindly offered him the loan of his grand Tiger G-AGEG, an offer gratefully accepted. I think the winner was in grave danger of a hernia as he gleefully bore his loot in the direction of his car plus his camera, shooting stick and collapsible camp chair. Just five years ago the 2004 winner had won the same trophies at Cambridge when Marshall's sponsored the contest, this after apparantly suffering what turned out to be a mild heart attack some three hours or so before his flight. After a three year period without any medical certification and flying only with his son as P1 he received one of the first NPPL's in 2002. This was his first contest since then.

As usual the prizes were graciously presented by the DHMC president, the ever beautiful Dowager Duchess of Bedford.

A fine 24th DHMC Rally at Woburn; though there was one held at Old Warden in that dreadful year of foot and mouth disease when Woburn really feared for their irreplaceable deer herds and were unable to offer the venue that year. 2005 will se the Silver Jubilee of Woburn rallies and should be a really memorable occasion.

Thanks to that indefatigable McKay family, Stuart, Miranda and Melissa without whom the De Havilland Moth Club would not exist. I really think their other daughter, Fiona, who died some years ago with a heart problem looks down on the rest of the families efforts with approval - she would have loved Woburn 2004.

Cheers,
Trapper 69
:ok:

[vintage ATCO]

Nice write up, Trapper69. Yes, it was a great weekend. How on earth we got two days of cracking weather in between all the wet bits, I will never know. The Club Chaplain claims he had nothing to do with it. I was there Friday in a thunderstorm so I wimped out bolting my antenna up. :uhoh:

All the paraphernalia from Woburn Wireless is current adorning my lounge floor so I need to go put it all away :D:D


VA

[vintage ATCO]

I'm working all weekend, so I trust our man in the tower will be poised with camera ready to share the fun?

Didn't take any in the end, left it to others. There are some in another place.

Completely cream-crackered today with backache! Need someone to rub it better . . . ;)