OK I'll have a go at posting some pics' - as my father who also worked
WITH J.F, was from near Aberdeen, the 'free' bit particularly impresses me.
1st try...thanks for the tips Archimedes ( even if I cock it up ) and nice shot by the way !
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...assymetric.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...rleyfly-by.jpg
Though not ideal, with all power to the Dilithium crystals these links hopefully show G-VTOL hovering with a real Sea Eagle, tank & 1000lb bomb,
( the dodgy looking hair on the shot is I'm afraid original, kindly supplied by Kingston Photo', quite possibly deliberately, strange how my best shots got 'lost' - then again the previously Old Etonian style printer later suddenly decided he was Scottish, with wierd accent to boot; we had space for such types in those days ! ).
Next shot a certain C.T.P. J.Farley at around 30', 300+ knots in an FRS1; he did this for me four times, ( six if you include his earlier passes in G-VTOL with Dick Wise ) as my Hasselblad only gave one shot per pass - a chap next to me tried using a motor driven 35mm at 5 frames per second & only got wing-tips.
Thanks John !
John Sweeney & the rest of ATC, a good lot in those days ( I was on their balcony, presumably where goofers for 'Top Gear' gather now ) were reduced to sitting laughing in their chairs, they'd never seen anything like it - and I would emphasize there was a total feeling of safety & control, VERY unlike other dramatic flying I've seen by other pilots, sometimes with a sadly predictable end...