Kenley Vatour
Great Stuff G of Naz.
I saw the machine t-off from Kenley, but was down in the village at the time.It was a surprise to me as Kenley only had ATC gliders based there,but as the picture shows well the fence was fairly basic,and caused only superficial damage to part of the gear. 59 was the last year of power flying at Kenley,and then the large white crosses were painted at the runway ends.We still got the occaisional 'arrival' and genuine emergency,but the Vatour must have looked exciting.
A wounded Turbulent came in one day (mid 60's) and the pilot started to get a grilling from the weekend VRT Gliding Instructors who saw fit to reprimand him. After several requests for his name and despite his apologies for his 'engine off ' (fuel pump seizure) arrival he sighed and said i am Wing Commander XXXXXX from MOD.Stunned silence followed by a mass coming to attention and flurry of salutes,with 'Staff Cadet' (me) being instructed to assist with removal to our 'Belfast shed' with Land Rover. I finally stopped laughing about a week later !!!!
No it was a land rover !!!!! We did not call them that it was series one LR,nearest british copy of a Willys when we took the doors off and dropped the screen.
KENLEY plug here, Empire Air Day planned for 2013
Timewarp definitive Battle of Britain airfield on a Surrey common.
Last edited by POBJOY; 27th Nov 2012 at 23:01.