old sarum, Saturday afternoon

[bigal1941]

Would I be right in thinking whilst standing on Old Sarum fort at around 1630 this afternoon watching some modern a/c do circuits and bumps that a beautiful vintage taildragger was doing the same. What was it?, from distant memeories of standing in Plough Lane gazing over the expance of Croydon Airport of yesterday, it seemed like a Hilson Praga but with an inline engine rather than an the horizontally opposed one in the Hillson. I suspect that it might be the Foster Wickner that has starred on South Today, am I right ? if so what happened to the strangly named Foster?Wickner Dingbat that was stored in the sheds next to Plough Lane, Willy's Hole Aviation ?, also the Short Scion which sometimes ventured from the Air Enterprises hanger next to the main viewing enclosure.

I also rember the Accident in Ridge Park, on the high ground towards Banstead in about 1947, when a light twin, possibly a Gemeni crashed against a house, facing the direction it came from.

Living also on that high ground I found the sound of the early morning newspaper flights thundering over my parents house seemingly feet away from the roof somewhat disconcerting, perhaps thats why I have always been an early riser!

[treadigraph]

BigAl, the Taylor-Watkinson Dingbat (http://www.abpic.co.uk/search.php?q=Taylor-Watkinson%20Dingbat&u=type) perhaps? Currently owned by someone at Walkeridge Farm but no C of A since the mid-70s.

I'm just over the ridge from the hallowed land that was once Croydon Airport... I suppose that at least it hasn't all been turned into a housing or industrial estate.

[bigal1941]

Morning Treadigraph, you obviously live on the Webb estate, where I was brought up as a boy, 2 doors down from the cricket club, Hallowed land indeed, noses pressed up against the railings of Forresters Drive being amazed at the comings and goings of the Airways Association Austers, Mexican Vikings, a Leonodese Herald one Saturday morning, Morton's Doves, the Consul that frightened the life out of a 8 year old at 0400, as it thundered over the rooftops at zero feet, eventually followed by Gerry Freeman,s Dakota's, memories indeed!!

To correct my prervious post the Dingbat was stored wings against the wall in the Air Couriers hanger by the Terminal not up by Plough Lane /Forresters Drive, but there was a swept wing tailless glider stored in the huts there, which I think was German, called a Rhonbussard, apologies if wrong, no doubt my blond curly haired fellow spotter who lived in Forresters Drive, who I have no doubt lurks here will correct me.