To all interested parties:-
My name is Bob Lee. I was the chief engineer for the team and the No. 5 Display pilot from 1977 until 1980 when the team was disbanded. Reading through the material there seems to be alot of garbage about. I might not be able to supply all of the answers but what I know will probably be more acurate than alot I have seen writen on this subject so far. We can start with the fact that Geoff Masterton was not the Chief engineer, because I was! as far as I know he was never in the team. Marcus indeed is no longer with us, he died suddenly at his home in South Wales. Rod Rea was my best man - haven't seen him since! John Mclean and Andy Walbridge were the two pilots who collided at Blackpool - as the Vixon Two. Very Tragic. Andy Had just joined the Vixons, I gave him his very first flight at Lasham in a Chipmunk, years eariler. George Smith was the pilot killed in Lanzarote's first air fatality, caused by the failure to recognise and recover from an inverted spin he had entrered following an unscheduled manouvre. The last I saw of poor George was literally his foot as it was placed beside him on the stretcher! Our last season was the tour of Malaysia, led my Marcus No.1; Rod Rea No.2: Alan Dix No.3 and the man who paid for my wedding night - Thank you Brian! our very own Brian Cucumber (Lecomber). I flew as No.5 in the No.2 position and Rod flew inverted over the No.4. The formation was known as the wedge. There was a second team that year;- with Andy Legg, Bob Ruskell, Mike Cairns and another who's names escape me right now - sorry. Altogeter 9 x Pitts S2A (both teams), 1 x Pitts S2S G-Solo that I had built myself with the help of Dave Fenton, Les Scattergood and my faithfull deputy John Brobyn. Yes the Islander as well, our trusty truck, flown by Norman Rhodes.
Regarding the pictures; The Pitts without the yellow cheek lines on the fuselage are all pre 1978. We painted in the white cheek line with yellow for the summer season 1978.
There is so much to tell not enough room. If any of you wish to know more you can E-mail me
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