Amphibious aircraft in the UK

[The Cameraman]

Good Morning and a happy New Year,

well this is my first post so I hope I'm in the correct area and that I follow protocol!

Anyway I'm in the middle of an ongoing project to photograph all float planes/ sea planes/ flying boats and any amphibious aircraft currently based or operating within the UK. This includes museum pieces, aircraft in storage and major sections of airframes that are in need of some TLC.

So my questions are;

1) do you operate such an aircraft yourself that you wouldn't mind being photographed? I would glady provide a series of the images for the owners own records as a thank you.

2) do you know of any aircraft that fall under this remit that are based at your local airfield?

3) do you know of any foreign registered aircraft that are visiting the UK that you need a quick responce from me to shoot?

One in particular constantly evades my lens, being a beautiful Lake, registered as G-SIVW. Only a couple of weeks ago I was doing and an air to air shoot of a Chipmunk over Blackpool, when she flew in and had left before my return. Just my timing eh?

The images will be for my own collection and may be shared on the Seawings website but will not be used for financial gain and any private details will remain exactly that.

So sorry for waffling on but I thought some details would help in my plight.

Kindest regards

Stuart (Reggie) Martindale
AKA The Cameraman

[The Cameraman]

Hi there,

I visited Loch Lomond Seaplanes late 2004. The weather was against us on the three days that I spent waiting, before me and my trusty bike (BMW R1200GS) were forced to go home. The next time I tried the weather damaged the rudder, so I'll be trying again early this year!

On the same trip I went up to Loch Earn to see the beautiful Cub (called Buttercup).

With aircraft like these and stunning roads, I should live there!

Regards

Reggie (AKA The Cameraman)

[PPRuNe Pop]

Mentioning something that can be tracked down by a search engine is acceptable. But please do not provide links to a commercial site.

PPP

[Fried_Chicken]

Aren't there a couple of Catalinas at Lee on Solent airfield, Hampshire.

Fried Chicken

[The Cameraman]

Hi fried Chicken,

now they would be interesting. Any details anyone?

Regards

Reggie (AKA The Cameraman)

[Findo]

There is a Cessna being converted at the moment in a hanger at Prestwick. To be based somewhere in West Scotland.

[The Cameraman]

Hi Findo,

Great news, I'm going up to Prestwick in the next couple of days, to try and get a shot of N707LG. Can you point me towards the hanger people so I can try and shoot the Cessna?

This info is fantastic, keep it coming!

Regards

Reggie (AKA The Cameraman)

[Fried_Chicken]

PBY5A N423RS is based at Lee on Solent (is this the ex Greenpeace machine?) along with the Wreck of VP-BPS (this ditched in the Solent a while ago & is now on rebuild).

PBY5 G-PBYA (ex C-FNJF) was delivered to Duxford (ex Canada) in the Autumn last year.

HTH
Fried Chicken

[The Cameraman]

Hi Fried Chicken,

so that's what happened to the damaged airframe.

As for G-PBYA does it actually carry the UK markings yet, as when I shot it for Seawings, it was still in it's tanker markings, complete with it's Canadian reg. Over flew it a few years ago at Nanaimo, whilst in a Beaver en route to Sproat Lake, where we were visiting the magnificient Martin Mars, ah what a day that was!

Regards

Reggie

[Oshkosh George]

There were/are 3 additional seaplanes at Loch Earn,parked on trailers in a field on the south side(take South Loch road,keep looking towards loch).

N185UK C185
G-DHCB Beaver (non current CofA)
G-DRAM C172 ,since been to Dundee for maintenance,but may have returned.



Also,long time resident at Cumbernauld is/was G-BUTE Kingfisher (amphibian) ,also non current CofA(in hangar but usually open,but permission to go onto ramp must be obtained.

[The Cameraman]

Hi George,

thanks for the update.

Would you believe it that I've just returned from a 500 miles round trip to Prestwick (to see N707LG), via Glasgow and have only seen your e-mail on my return!

Just my usual sense of timing.

I'll get back up to Loch Earn as soon as I can. I was there in Sept/Oct 2004 and asked the owner of Buttercup if there were any other float planes in the area (especially a Beaver that I'd heard about ) and she said there were none, other than Loch Lomond's Cessna. She'd just been having a heated argument with her lawyer so I reckon my question was simply ignored!

I'm wishing for good weather for my next excuse to go North of the border.

Cumbernauld will be added to the list.

Great info and very much appreciated.

regards

Reggie (AKA the Cameraman)

[Oshkosh George]

Also just remembered ,there is/was a Swedish Christen Husky floatplane at Perth/Scone------another long term resident,the subject of an ownership dispute,I'm told.

This can be accessed if you ask at Scottish Aero Club office,jutting out from the large hangar. You have to pass it on the way.

[The Cameraman]

Hi George,

It looks like I'm going to have a busy year.

Just been using the CAA site to trace owners/operators on the UK register so I'll guarantee the post man will soon be fed up in handling my mail!

regards

Reggie

[chiglet]

There is a Cat at RAF Cosford museum [Danish, I think] and a Supermarine S6B at Southhampton
watp,iktch

[VP8]

There is a new operation starting in E Anglia using a Maule 2000 M7 Super Rocket 235B fitted with Wipair 3000 Amphibious floats.

VEEPS

[The Cameraman]

Hi Chiglet,

Ta for the details. My records on museum item's is quite good, where I'm weak is on operational aircraft. Even discovered a float equiped R22 Mariner at Blackpool!

regards

Reggie

Hi Veeps,

that\'s what I like to hear. Any idea of the Reg/location?

Keep em coming folks.

regards

Reggie

[KitKatPacificuk]

If you PM me you email address I'll forward you a picture of EC-EVK a Catalina I took at Cuatro Vientos Madrid on the 21/12/04

[VP8]

Camera

Would put link in but is classed as advertising, try googling for The Amphibiuos Flying Club !!

VEEPS :ok:

[PPRuNe Radar]

G-DRAM C172 ,since been to Dundee for maintenance,but may have returned.

This is the Cessna at Prestwick but is currently on wheels awaiting new floats. The owners have a great video of it departing a frozen field near Loch Earn on wheels in a very short take off run ;)

[thehighflyer]

If anyone is interested there are a small number of Seaplanes in Switzerland:

A Maule on Straight Floats
A Super Cub on Amphibs
A Twin Sea Bee in the course of a rebuild
A Beaver that spends most of its life just across the boarder in Southern Germany, but is owned by a Swiss

Sadly, even with all of our beautiful lakes, the operation of aircraft from public (and that is all of them) lakes is forbidden by law. An exception to this rule is the private water landing area on the Upper Lake of Zürich alongside the airfield at Wangen-Lachen! This operates under some very old "Grandfather rights"!

If you are interested in looking at some photos try searching for the
Seaplane Pilots Association Switzerland (SPAS)

We have an annual slash-in at Bönigen on the Brienzersee (Near Interlaken) 2005 to be held on 1st to 3rd July.

[The Cameraman]

Hi The Highflyer,

I'll be in Norway that weekend, so I'll save it for 2006!

Hi Pprune Radar,

thanks for that.

Hi Veeps,

you are a gentleman Good Sir.

Hi KitKat,

just PM'd you.

What a great team you chaps make. You never know our paths may ross in the future. Just keep it coming!!!!!

regards

Reggie AKA The Cameraman

[chiglet]

Depending on the "season", Canadair "Waterbombers" stage through Manch, only a day or advance so notice unfortunately.
watp,iktch

[The Cameraman]

Hi Chiglet,

over the years I've seen 4 or 5 of the rascals going thru' Manchester and even got two in one day!

I believe the delivery pilot has relatives near Manchester and always aims to stop off there (there is a God afterall).

My fave Manchester visitor however was a beautiful Grumman Goose, reg'd N4575C. On departure the aircraft's rate of climb was a little slow, as she was loaded to the ginalls. The duty air traffic guy asked if the pilot was having any trouble with his rate of climb and the responce was 'Only that we were built in 1943'! No reply was noted from the controller!!!!!

Regards

Reggie AKA the Cameraman

[Oshkosh George]

This Goose often(annually?) summers in the west of Scotland,not sure where,maybe some of the locals can tell us?

Here's a link to a pic of the Husky at Scone,but I haven't been there since the summer,so can't confirm it's still there.

http://www.civil-spotters.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=1&t=451&

[The Cameraman]

Hi George,

I understand the Goose is being rebuild after a bit of a ground loop incident in Ireland.

Nice Husky.

Regards

Reggie