I've just started flying a Tiger Moth again, after many years of rotary wing flying, and I am loving every moment.
I would be very interested to hear tales from past masters of the DH Moth types, as I suspect, would other PPruners. Close shaves, hints and tips, memorable flights, you name it - there must be a lot of experience we'd enjoy hearing about.
What I'd be really interested to hear about, is how much (or perhaps, little) training people had on the Moth before being kicked off on a first solo in a single engine fighter during the war years... I just cannot imagine how I would have got on, just out of my teens, knowing very little and having only a few hours under my belt.
Oh happy days, Bunny Bramson sent me solo in Aug 1958, tiger G-AOUY owned by the Glamorgan Flying Club at Rhoose Used to be £3 18s 6d per hour,I expect it is now a little more per hour?
What a picture! I think I've seen it before, but of course didn't know about the infamous caption - nice one!
I've already got a bid in on ebay for the book; there are plenty about - thanks for the recommendation chaps.
I first started flying Tigers in 1970, with Messrs Cheshire, Stapp, Lecomber, Falk and Co. at the Biplane Club, Denham. I think at the time there were about 3 Tigers in the hangar, in various states of repair, but G-AXAN and AXTY are in my logbook, so they were clearly serviceable. Later on in '72 I flew G-AXXV at Linton, which I think was owned by some of the instructors on the FTS staff.
A break from fixed wing followed on Whirlwinds (surprise) and Sea Kings SAR, inevitable rotary wing instructing, then to commercial - Bell 212, Sikorsky S76 etc...
Whirlwind, Lecomber occasionally graces PPRuNe with his exalted (and I mean that most sincerely folks, way more than Hughie Green ever did) presence. Stapp sadly has passed on, was Cheshire the redoubtable Leonard or AJ? Don't know of Falk (apart from Peter ...)?
PS re the infamous caption, with Blake it was ever thus. Think Williams, Stampe and Biggin... Ah, commentary, thy name is Blake. (or O'Brien).
I experienced my first ever loop in G AOUY at Rhoose. I think it was the pilot's first loop as well, it was a bit rough. He went on to fly Sea Vixens and lead the Rothmans. I did my PPL on a Tiger 8 years later for £2 10s an hour, which makes the '59 Glamorgan Flying Club rates look a bit high.
Tgraph, it was Tony Cheshire and I think, Peter Falk. Barry Turner and his younger brother (who had a very quick Velocette) were around too. Neil Williams used to pop in quite frequently and graced us with his upside down flypast presence. I was in awe of him of course, moreso when I heard his story of a wing folding up on him mid aerobatic manoeuvre - and his solution to the problem. I met Brian Lecomber at Brawdy many years later , when he'd established himself as an aero 'presence', and see his writings in Flyer mag - he doesn't look any different! They were happy days for me at Denham. Most evenings we flocked in a variety of vehicles to a pub or out for a curry. Ian 'schimmel' Fenwick had a horrible Reliant 3-wheeler I recall, in which I often cadged a lift (I only had a shabby 350 Matchless then).
What I'd be really interested to hear about, is how much (or perhaps, little) training people had on the Moth before being kicked off on a first solo in a single engine fighter during the war years...
There is a fasinating thread going on in the military forum.
George Kemp did most of my initial training, looking in my old log book,he and Bunny Bramson seemed to appear the most, a little later Bernard did some training with me on the Jackaroo. Also I see a signature signed by J A Bennett as the CFI,so that must have been after Bernard left
I did my Stearman time with and outfit called "Eastern Stearman" at Old Buckenham, which is not too far away from you, Whirlwind. It was run by a fellow called Jim Avis. I believe that outfit is long gone now but apparently some Stearmen remain at OB. Suggest you take a trip over there and ask, and maybe post the results here?
Anybody remember Wg.Cdr. Bill Lucas and his son, Peter, at Roborough, early 60s. Bill ran the show and Peter,who was a full-time RAF pilot, used to help out. Bill Lucas sent me off on my first Tiger solo in quite a short time, stomping off across the airfield with his cushion under his arm, muttering "Don't break it ! That was a term before the "instructor from Rhoose".
Used to do consecutive loops in the Tiger and lose very little height - I still can't do that !
Yes, flew with both Bill and Peter Lucas at Roborough in 63. Still don't think I've seen anything to match Bill Lucas doing crazy flying at an Air Day there. At the time someone told me he had around 18,000 hours on Tigers?
It was Peter who sent me on my first solo in T8191 (now G-BWMK) on 2 Oct 63 and Bill who did my Final Handling Check.
