Rothmans Aerobatic Team (& Others)
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Chuffer, an excellent suggestion. How about it Brian?
Cheers
Treadders
Cheers
Treadders
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Rothman's Team
I remember the Rothman's team coming to the UAE and displaying at Jeble Ali Beach in 1979. An excellent display with David Perrin flying all the solo work. The team at that time had the Pitts S2A's. Leader was Bob Thompson (RAF) and the other two were Mike Cairns, Marcus Edwards (Navy Sea Vixens).
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Contact!
Request
Please could all former RAT members, pilots, engineers and admin people mail me their contact details for a database. I will not circulate these details without your authorization but obviously need the info to get something up and running.
Thanks in advance,
Norman (Pink Thing)
RAT/Anvil 1977-80
Truck (Islander) driver/baggage & engineer hauler - 'odd' Pitts person - Tour manager (Team) - transit leader - Mother hen - post transit barbarity salver and arial film unit platform steerer.
[email protected]
PS- This doesn't mean that no-one else is going to be invited, it just means that we have to establish what (RAT) people want to do before we start flinging the doors open.
Please could all former RAT members, pilots, engineers and admin people mail me their contact details for a database. I will not circulate these details without your authorization but obviously need the info to get something up and running.
Thanks in advance,
Norman (Pink Thing)
RAT/Anvil 1977-80
Truck (Islander) driver/baggage & engineer hauler - 'odd' Pitts person - Tour manager (Team) - transit leader - Mother hen - post transit barbarity salver and arial film unit platform steerer.
[email protected]
PS- This doesn't mean that no-one else is going to be invited, it just means that we have to establish what (RAT) people want to do before we start flinging the doors open.
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Iv'e been very slack lately, a fact that Mr Pprune reminds me of each time I switch on, and so haven't thanked On-Mark Bob for the further details of the tragic death of George in BADX. How upsetting it must have been to be the first on the scene.
And secondly to say what a great idea a reunion is, though I might not be there except in spirit, unless it could be held at the Richmond RAAF base, or Bankstown or somewhere, in which case I would no doubt be the only one there! There may be family circumstances that could tie in with a visit to Europe, in which case I would try very hard. Hate to miss it.
And secondly to say what a great idea a reunion is, though I might not be there except in spirit, unless it could be held at the Richmond RAAF base, or Bankstown or somewhere, in which case I would no doubt be the only one there! There may be family circumstances that could tie in with a visit to Europe, in which case I would try very hard. Hate to miss it.
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Well, I'm every bit as slack as Tim - been meaning to add to OnMark Bob's post of 21 Feb and which month are we in now... ?
Yes, I too remember Martin Wickens being bitterly disappointed at the decision to disband the RATs, as were all the staff in the International Promotions Department. The official inside reason given to us was that a decision "at the top" had been made to go back into Formula 1 racing in a big way which, of course, is what the company did.
I stayed on for nearly a year after the teams were disbanded, to help set up an in-house publishing company, but the magic had gone for me. Like everyone involved, I had a ball and played hard - but then we all worked bloody hard, too.
Tim, I think we might have met once, although we never worked together. Neither Bankstown nor Richmond are so far from Glebe, so if the reunion is in Europe, we might have to have our own antipodean mini-version!
Cheers all,
Sue
Yes, I too remember Martin Wickens being bitterly disappointed at the decision to disband the RATs, as were all the staff in the International Promotions Department. The official inside reason given to us was that a decision "at the top" had been made to go back into Formula 1 racing in a big way which, of course, is what the company did.
I stayed on for nearly a year after the teams were disbanded, to help set up an in-house publishing company, but the magic had gone for me. Like everyone involved, I had a ball and played hard - but then we all worked bloody hard, too.
Tim, I think we might have met once, although we never worked together. Neither Bankstown nor Richmond are so far from Glebe, so if the reunion is in Europe, we might have to have our own antipodean mini-version!
Cheers all,
Sue
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Pink Thing
Hi Norman
Lovely to read your voice. Hope all is well with you.
I am semi-retired (which decodes as unemployed) and bored out of my skull. I finally shut down Firebird Aerobatics after 25 years 'cos I ran out of sponsors. Can't complain - t'was a good run in a dangerous business - could have starved to death at any time.
What you doing? Be great to see you!
We've recently moved. Herewith:
2 Wychwood Rise
Great missenden
HP16 0HB
01494 868788
Bestest
Brian L
Lovely to read your voice. Hope all is well with you.
I am semi-retired (which decodes as unemployed) and bored out of my skull. I finally shut down Firebird Aerobatics after 25 years 'cos I ran out of sponsors. Can't complain - t'was a good run in a dangerous business - could have starved to death at any time.
What you doing? Be great to see you!
We've recently moved. Herewith:
2 Wychwood Rise
Great missenden
HP16 0HB
01494 868788
Bestest
Brian L
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Had some interesting phone calls out of the blue. It does seem that the interest in the team is far and wide. I was asked recently why the post RATs team was called the Vixen Two (from Dad's Navy days). They got a surpisingly high number of display bookings from German. I went on a weeks "tour" of Northern German with displays in Auf Dem Dumple and Munster. The Munster display sticks in my memory because the 3 para dropping aircraft took off, climbed for height, then dropped 20 odd jumpers at the wrong airfield, about 5 miles away. Must have been exciting for all concerned. Years later,I lived in Germany for 3 years and got a grip of the language. It is not spelt the same but the German word for w*nker sounds like Vixen. You can see why they were so sort after. The commentary must have been fantastic. "Here come the two w*nkers........"
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Au sujet du Pitt's F-BYAJ...
Bonjour, vraiment par hazard je suis tombé sur cet Email parlant de mon ex Pitt's F-BYAJ. Je l'ai acheté en 1981 en Angleterre alors qu'il était à vendre par une sociéte qui avait racheté beaucoup des Pitt's de Rothman lors de la dissolution de la patrouille.
Aprés etre allé le chercher en Angleterre, je l'ai ramené à la Ferté Alais ou il est resté jusqu'en 1988 jusqu'a que je le revende pour acheter un S2b.
Il me semble me souvenir que la personne venu le chercher a fait un cheval de bois en se posant chez lui...
J'avais dabord volé avec pendant quelques mois et était même allé en Afrique avec à Tanger...et une autre fois de la Ferté au Sud de Londres. Bref je me suis bien amusé, puis je l'ai refait neuf avec l'aide de Marcel et de Catherine chez Salis...réentoilage du fuselage, renforcement fixation roulette de queue, reparation entoilage partiel des ailes, pneux neufs, tableau de bord repeint, tous les intrument remis à neuf avec même changement de verre pour certains....et repeinture totale de l'avion en gardant le type de déco mais en utilisant une peinture beaucoup plus foncée pour le dessous des ailes, ce que je trouvais beaucoup plus beau.
Tout ce travail m'a valu d'etre agréée par Veritas pour avoir l'autorisation d'assurer moi même l'entretien. J'ai gardé la toile avec l'immatriculation originale et les bouquins d'origines...c'est dans cet appareil qu'un des deux pilotes Rothman qui avait créé les "Vixens Two", Marcus et john m'avait fait faire mon premier declenché, (merci Marcus !) pendant qu'ils étaient au meeting de La ferté Alais et que je leur servais d'interprete et faisait mes premiers ronds en l'air... Hélas l'année suivante on m'a telephoné pour me demander de les remplacer à un meeting car ils avaient eu un accrochage lors d'une démo en face de leur nouveau sponsor ainsi que de de leur femme et l'un des deux était mort...je ne pense pas que c'était Marcus, il me semble que c'était John qui s'était accroché avec un troisiéme qui ne pratiquait pas souvent avec eux.
J'aimerais bien savoir ce que devient Marcus.
Amicalement
Francois
P.S. J'ai transformé mon Pitt's S2B F-GJTC rouge et blanc en monoplace comme mon EX F-BYAJ, le S2A....le temps passe....
Pour voir des photo tapez F-GJTC sur google.
Roughly translated:
Hello, really by hazard I fell on this Email speaking about my ex Pitt' S F-BYAJ. I bought it in 1981 in England whereas it was to be sold by a company which had repurchased much Pitt' S of Rothman during dissolution of the patrol. Aprés being gone to seek it in England, I brought back it to Ferté Alais or it remained until 1988 until I resell it to buy S2b. It seems to to me to remember that the person come to seek it made a wooden horse while being posed at his place… I had dabord stolen with during a few months and had even gone to Africa with to Tangier… and another time of Ferté to the South of London. In short I had fun, then I have it remakes nine with the assistance of Marcel and of Catherine at Dirtied… réentoilage of the fuselage, reinforcement fixing caster of tail, entoilage repair partial of the wings, pneux new, dashboard repaint, all intrument given to nine with same change of glass for some….and total repeinture of the plane by keeping the type of déco but by using a painting more sunk much for the lower part of the wings, which I found much more beautiful. All this work was worth me to be approved by Veritas to have the authorization to ensure to me even maintenance. I kept the fabric with the original registration and the books of origins… it is in this apparatus that one of the two pilots Rothman who had created “Vixens Two”, Marcus and John had made me make my started first, (thank you Marcus!) while they were with the meeting of ferté Alais and that I was used to them as interpreter and made my first rounds in the air… Alas the following year one telephoned to me to wonder to replace them with a meeting because they had had a fixing at the time of a demonstration opposite their new sponsor as well as their wife and one of both had died… I do not think that it was Marcus, it seems to me that it was John who had clung with a troisiéme which often did not practise with them. I would like to know what becomes Marcus. In a friendly way François P.S.I transformed my Pitt' S S2B F-GJTC red and white into single-seater like my EX F-BYAJ, the S2A….time passes…. To see photograph type F-GJTC on google.
PPP
Aprés etre allé le chercher en Angleterre, je l'ai ramené à la Ferté Alais ou il est resté jusqu'en 1988 jusqu'a que je le revende pour acheter un S2b.
Il me semble me souvenir que la personne venu le chercher a fait un cheval de bois en se posant chez lui...
J'avais dabord volé avec pendant quelques mois et était même allé en Afrique avec à Tanger...et une autre fois de la Ferté au Sud de Londres. Bref je me suis bien amusé, puis je l'ai refait neuf avec l'aide de Marcel et de Catherine chez Salis...réentoilage du fuselage, renforcement fixation roulette de queue, reparation entoilage partiel des ailes, pneux neufs, tableau de bord repeint, tous les intrument remis à neuf avec même changement de verre pour certains....et repeinture totale de l'avion en gardant le type de déco mais en utilisant une peinture beaucoup plus foncée pour le dessous des ailes, ce que je trouvais beaucoup plus beau.
Tout ce travail m'a valu d'etre agréée par Veritas pour avoir l'autorisation d'assurer moi même l'entretien. J'ai gardé la toile avec l'immatriculation originale et les bouquins d'origines...c'est dans cet appareil qu'un des deux pilotes Rothman qui avait créé les "Vixens Two", Marcus et john m'avait fait faire mon premier declenché, (merci Marcus !) pendant qu'ils étaient au meeting de La ferté Alais et que je leur servais d'interprete et faisait mes premiers ronds en l'air... Hélas l'année suivante on m'a telephoné pour me demander de les remplacer à un meeting car ils avaient eu un accrochage lors d'une démo en face de leur nouveau sponsor ainsi que de de leur femme et l'un des deux était mort...je ne pense pas que c'était Marcus, il me semble que c'était John qui s'était accroché avec un troisiéme qui ne pratiquait pas souvent avec eux.
J'aimerais bien savoir ce que devient Marcus.
Amicalement
Francois
P.S. J'ai transformé mon Pitt's S2B F-GJTC rouge et blanc en monoplace comme mon EX F-BYAJ, le S2A....le temps passe....
Pour voir des photo tapez F-GJTC sur google.
Roughly translated:
Hello, really by hazard I fell on this Email speaking about my ex Pitt' S F-BYAJ. I bought it in 1981 in England whereas it was to be sold by a company which had repurchased much Pitt' S of Rothman during dissolution of the patrol. Aprés being gone to seek it in England, I brought back it to Ferté Alais or it remained until 1988 until I resell it to buy S2b. It seems to to me to remember that the person come to seek it made a wooden horse while being posed at his place… I had dabord stolen with during a few months and had even gone to Africa with to Tangier… and another time of Ferté to the South of London. In short I had fun, then I have it remakes nine with the assistance of Marcel and of Catherine at Dirtied… réentoilage of the fuselage, reinforcement fixing caster of tail, entoilage repair partial of the wings, pneux new, dashboard repaint, all intrument given to nine with same change of glass for some….and total repeinture of the plane by keeping the type of déco but by using a painting more sunk much for the lower part of the wings, which I found much more beautiful. All this work was worth me to be approved by Veritas to have the authorization to ensure to me even maintenance. I kept the fabric with the original registration and the books of origins… it is in this apparatus that one of the two pilots Rothman who had created “Vixens Two”, Marcus and John had made me make my started first, (thank you Marcus!) while they were with the meeting of ferté Alais and that I was used to them as interpreter and made my first rounds in the air… Alas the following year one telephoned to me to wonder to replace them with a meeting because they had had a fixing at the time of a demonstration opposite their new sponsor as well as their wife and one of both had died… I do not think that it was Marcus, it seems to me that it was John who had clung with a troisiéme which often did not practise with them. I would like to know what becomes Marcus. In a friendly way François P.S.I transformed my Pitt' S S2B F-GJTC red and white into single-seater like my EX F-BYAJ, the S2A….time passes…. To see photograph type F-GJTC on google.
PPP
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Interesting thread...
....which I just ran across today, amazing it'd been going on so long.
Several contributors paths have crossed with mine over the years, I was Colin Woods' co-pilot for a few years on 9 Squadron at Cottesmore and Akrotiri, I'm sad to hear of his demise. We were out in Nairobi for a week when he met his first wife. He was busy with the local social activities while Tony Nichols (the AEO) and I were tearing the intake make-up pieces out of the #3 engine to replace the ignitor boxes... We ran into Neill Williams in a bar who was out there doing the hot and high ODM calibration on the Jetstream, he suggested the VC10 boxes over at the SAA maintenance shed would probably fit - he was right... Another great man, sadly lost.
I interviewed in 1975 for the spare pilot/commentator position when Colin was with the team at Booker. Obviously I didn't make it...
Our NavRadar at Cottesmore was Pete Severn who knew Manx Kelly on Canberras in Germany.
I spent an interesting few weeks as Rod Rea's room-mate at RAF South Cerney during basic training, it must have been notable as that period seems burned in my memory, not the least because Rod had a habit of setting fire to his pillow... beware those who awake the slumbering Rod...
I may be a bit hazy here, but I seem to recall Bob Thompson and I shared an instructor at RAF Valley for Gnat advanced training. This poor soul had to send one of us to Canberras, and the other to Vulcans (Bomber Command had decided they wanted advanced jet trained pilots for the Vulcan as the Flying Pig wasn't giving pilots the high altitude experience - go figure...). Bob got the Canberra slot, and I got Vulcans... When he got to Canberras they measured his upper leg and decided it was too long and he'd lose his knee-caps in an ejection - so he went to Hunters. Now of course, I may have become confused in my old age, but I think I've got the right Bob here... I finally got my Canberra slot after four years on Bloodhound Missiles...
I'm headed for the attic to find those old RAT publicity flyers from their display at Great yarmouth in (I think) 1976...
Several contributors paths have crossed with mine over the years, I was Colin Woods' co-pilot for a few years on 9 Squadron at Cottesmore and Akrotiri, I'm sad to hear of his demise. We were out in Nairobi for a week when he met his first wife. He was busy with the local social activities while Tony Nichols (the AEO) and I were tearing the intake make-up pieces out of the #3 engine to replace the ignitor boxes... We ran into Neill Williams in a bar who was out there doing the hot and high ODM calibration on the Jetstream, he suggested the VC10 boxes over at the SAA maintenance shed would probably fit - he was right... Another great man, sadly lost.
I interviewed in 1975 for the spare pilot/commentator position when Colin was with the team at Booker. Obviously I didn't make it...
Our NavRadar at Cottesmore was Pete Severn who knew Manx Kelly on Canberras in Germany.
I spent an interesting few weeks as Rod Rea's room-mate at RAF South Cerney during basic training, it must have been notable as that period seems burned in my memory, not the least because Rod had a habit of setting fire to his pillow... beware those who awake the slumbering Rod...
I may be a bit hazy here, but I seem to recall Bob Thompson and I shared an instructor at RAF Valley for Gnat advanced training. This poor soul had to send one of us to Canberras, and the other to Vulcans (Bomber Command had decided they wanted advanced jet trained pilots for the Vulcan as the Flying Pig wasn't giving pilots the high altitude experience - go figure...). Bob got the Canberra slot, and I got Vulcans... When he got to Canberras they measured his upper leg and decided it was too long and he'd lose his knee-caps in an ejection - so he went to Hunters. Now of course, I may have become confused in my old age, but I think I've got the right Bob here... I finally got my Canberra slot after four years on Bloodhound Missiles...
I'm headed for the attic to find those old RAT publicity flyers from their display at Great yarmouth in (I think) 1976...
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Don't remember which, but the numbers are familiar - it started in November 64. My memories (other than finding a broom handle with which to wake Rod in the morning) are mostly that blasted quarry pit which was freezing in winter, and a miserable weekend in the Brecon Beacons in January...
I went to Syerston and 168 Course, then on to Valley, a great place to spend the summer.
I went to Syerston and 168 Course, then on to Valley, a great place to spend the summer.
Last edited by maxchord; 9th Sep 2007 at 16:28.
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Maxchord
That would be 205 Course then - I started on 203, was medically recoursed to 205 after a rugger injury, then disciplinary recoursed to 207 after a drinking self-inflicted 'injury'. I don't remember being poked with a stick in the mornings, but then I don't remember much of those days - mostly an alcoholic blur. I continued to set fire to things, including my room in the mess at St Mawgan during an 85 Sqn detachment - much to the amusement of the Lightning jocks I'd been drinking with (and who'd filled every cc of my room with fluffed up RAF crinkly toilet rolls). On reflection, setting light to it wasn't the best way of getting rid of it!
I was similarly 'creamed off' to Vulcans, then 'punished' with a ground tour for not wanting to stay, and again with a posting to the acknowledged 'bad boys' squadron - 85. Some of the happiest flying days of my career, but 'semper in excreta' as usual.
Rothman's came after 2 years with Dan Air when I got the call from Bob T - 'Would I like to come to Teeside for an interview?' - I think I got from Gatwick to RAT HQ before he put the phone down. The interview was an hour in the Pitts doing formation and aeros, and about 6 hours in the Flying Club bar keeping up with Marcus Edwards, Norman Rhodes and Mike Cairns - I passed with flying colours.
My time with Rothman's was amazing. Fantastic flying, camaraderie and they even paid us good money! Booze was becoming more of a problem for me though: I did and said many things I very much regret. I finally quit drinking in 1992. I no longer needed poking with a broom handle to wake up - just wish I'd done it back at South Cerney 28 years earlier (could have saved myself 3 marriages, a couple of houses and an awful lot of embarrassment).
Best regards,
Rod
That would be 205 Course then - I started on 203, was medically recoursed to 205 after a rugger injury, then disciplinary recoursed to 207 after a drinking self-inflicted 'injury'. I don't remember being poked with a stick in the mornings, but then I don't remember much of those days - mostly an alcoholic blur. I continued to set fire to things, including my room in the mess at St Mawgan during an 85 Sqn detachment - much to the amusement of the Lightning jocks I'd been drinking with (and who'd filled every cc of my room with fluffed up RAF crinkly toilet rolls). On reflection, setting light to it wasn't the best way of getting rid of it!
I was similarly 'creamed off' to Vulcans, then 'punished' with a ground tour for not wanting to stay, and again with a posting to the acknowledged 'bad boys' squadron - 85. Some of the happiest flying days of my career, but 'semper in excreta' as usual.
Rothman's came after 2 years with Dan Air when I got the call from Bob T - 'Would I like to come to Teeside for an interview?' - I think I got from Gatwick to RAT HQ before he put the phone down. The interview was an hour in the Pitts doing formation and aeros, and about 6 hours in the Flying Club bar keeping up with Marcus Edwards, Norman Rhodes and Mike Cairns - I passed with flying colours.
My time with Rothman's was amazing. Fantastic flying, camaraderie and they even paid us good money! Booze was becoming more of a problem for me though: I did and said many things I very much regret. I finally quit drinking in 1992. I no longer needed poking with a broom handle to wake up - just wish I'd done it back at South Cerney 28 years earlier (could have saved myself 3 marriages, a couple of houses and an awful lot of embarrassment).
Best regards,
Rod
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Rod
Well, you never did anything to upset or embarrass me, I'm just glad I was around to put the fire out when I did - else who knows what might have happened.... those three months at South Cerney had me running at full speed just to stand still, but perhaps that was the idea. It was actually you who led me to this amazing thread, I Googled your name for reasons I cannot remember, and here we are... and a lot of old names from the past as well, but Colin was a part of my life for four years. Strewth, deja vue all over again.
I was on 100 Sqn at West Raynham after four years across the field at the Bloodhound Missile Training School - that really was a punishment battalion, some of my fellow inmates were there for reasons that far exceeded my sentence for "social misconduct..." The job was uninspiring, but as you say the camaraderie was great, and I had a boss that was head and shoulders above any other I served under..
Well, SWMBO has just served up dinner (wife number 3, a SouthWest Airlines captain - and my retirement programme...)
"Be right there dear..."
All the best,
Al Corden
I was on 100 Sqn at West Raynham after four years across the field at the Bloodhound Missile Training School - that really was a punishment battalion, some of my fellow inmates were there for reasons that far exceeded my sentence for "social misconduct..." The job was uninspiring, but as you say the camaraderie was great, and I had a boss that was head and shoulders above any other I served under..
Well, SWMBO has just served up dinner (wife number 3, a SouthWest Airlines captain - and my retirement programme...)
"Be right there dear..."
All the best,
Al Corden
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No, that would be Wally Herbert, a truly great boss unlike the political weasels that seemed to pervade the upper ranks. I guess I must have read too many Biggles books in school....
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Dave Perrin
What a thread - only found it yesterday - up until way past bedtime reading it all.
DRP and I were at Sportair together. We used to take a pair of RF4s off for an aero/dog-fight workout before instructing for the day.
David's first aero competition (and mine) was the McAully at Little Snoring in the RF4. We came last on that occasion! (I took my revenge 5 years later, though, when G-KEST and his team of judges made kind remarks about my flying of the Stampe)
Following on from an RF5/RF4 display routine flown by Brian Stevens and Neil Jensen, David and I worked up a 2 x RF4 sequence. Nowhere near as classy as the Skyhawks/Unipart offering later - but maybe the seeds were sown.
At the Biggin Hill Battle of Britain display 1972 (?) we added one item which I never saw done by others - opposition landing! It took John Blake by surprise, too, because we had "forgotten" to mention it.
I think it was the BH Air Fair of 1974; Jock Maitland put on an aeros comp. as part of the show. DP won the Pooleys Sword for this, and was invited to the RAT soon after.
He was a great mate.
If anyone wants to make contact, try [email protected]
DRP and I were at Sportair together. We used to take a pair of RF4s off for an aero/dog-fight workout before instructing for the day.
David's first aero competition (and mine) was the McAully at Little Snoring in the RF4. We came last on that occasion! (I took my revenge 5 years later, though, when G-KEST and his team of judges made kind remarks about my flying of the Stampe)
Following on from an RF5/RF4 display routine flown by Brian Stevens and Neil Jensen, David and I worked up a 2 x RF4 sequence. Nowhere near as classy as the Skyhawks/Unipart offering later - but maybe the seeds were sown.
At the Biggin Hill Battle of Britain display 1972 (?) we added one item which I never saw done by others - opposition landing! It took John Blake by surprise, too, because we had "forgotten" to mention it.
I think it was the BH Air Fair of 1974; Jock Maitland put on an aeros comp. as part of the show. DP won the Pooleys Sword for this, and was invited to the RAT soon after.
He was a great mate.
If anyone wants to make contact, try [email protected]
Bring back the Dak!
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Been tooling around PPRuNe for ages, and only came across this thread today. Was in at the VERY beginning. 'Twas a cold, dark and misty night, and a record midweek number (3) of local waifs and strays had turned up at the old wooden clubhouse at Booker to keep Terry Wedlake, the barman, company. The night wore on and the ideas came thick and fast, (then thick and much slower as the pints flowed), and it was resolved that Manx would get some mates of his and form an aerobatic team, Nick Daniel would do the commentary, and as I was just old enough, I would drive the van. We were all well-pleased that all that had been sorted, and a show (or rather a flop) of hands seemed to endorse it as a good idea, and so we all stumbled out into the night, (it was always a stumble in those days), and the rest is history.
I will always be grateful to Iain Weston for proposing me a few hours in the Stampes every month to stay current, so that when they were away from Booker displaying and one went U/S, Grahame in the tower always knew where I was on the airfield, and I would drop everything and ferry them the spare aircraft. It wasn't long before the spare used to go with them, as Nick got his flying licence, but it gave me a good "in" to the Barnstormers, where I spent two happy and "event-free" years.
Your magnaminous gesture, G-KEST, of rescuing me by lending me the money to finish my I/R at CSE, a result of a post-display chat while wandering along the seafront at Weston-super-Mare, will always be remembered as probably the most significant and considerate leg-up I ever received on my rocky route to a professional licence. Never forgotten.
I was lucky enough to re-meet and work with Rod in TNT in later years and for many years, and its really great to see him active and thriving, as evinced by his posts on here.
I spent a great deal of time with Manx and his family by reason of a dalliance at the time with his god-daughter, and have very happy memories.
What an amazing bunch of characters, one and all, and ALL fondly remembered.
I will always be grateful to Iain Weston for proposing me a few hours in the Stampes every month to stay current, so that when they were away from Booker displaying and one went U/S, Grahame in the tower always knew where I was on the airfield, and I would drop everything and ferry them the spare aircraft. It wasn't long before the spare used to go with them, as Nick got his flying licence, but it gave me a good "in" to the Barnstormers, where I spent two happy and "event-free" years.
Your magnaminous gesture, G-KEST, of rescuing me by lending me the money to finish my I/R at CSE, a result of a post-display chat while wandering along the seafront at Weston-super-Mare, will always be remembered as probably the most significant and considerate leg-up I ever received on my rocky route to a professional licence. Never forgotten.
I was lucky enough to re-meet and work with Rod in TNT in later years and for many years, and its really great to see him active and thriving, as evinced by his posts on here.
I spent a great deal of time with Manx and his family by reason of a dalliance at the time with his god-daughter, and have very happy memories.
What an amazing bunch of characters, one and all, and ALL fondly remembered.
Join Date: Nov 2002
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A Lasting Memory
On a blue sky day in the summer of, oh, I think it was 77-78?, the RAT took off on an easterly heading over my home town of Shoreham, with each ac offering puffs of smoke on a seemingly random basis.
As a 14 year old enthusiast, I waved like mad from the garden, not appreciating that the chances of any of the pilots spotting me in his mid-range 9 o'clock, let alone see me jumping up and down like a madman, were negligible.
However, the instant after I waved the nearest Pitts executed a 360 snap roll. Although I'll never know if I was seen, the spontaneity was terrific. In my mind, we'd made a connection, and I've carried that memory with me ever since.
Great thread, with so many of my chilhood heroes featuring.
As a 14 year old enthusiast, I waved like mad from the garden, not appreciating that the chances of any of the pilots spotting me in his mid-range 9 o'clock, let alone see me jumping up and down like a madman, were negligible.
However, the instant after I waved the nearest Pitts executed a 360 snap roll. Although I'll never know if I was seen, the spontaneity was terrific. In my mind, we'd made a connection, and I've carried that memory with me ever since.
Great thread, with so many of my chilhood heroes featuring.
Join Date: Jun 2006
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I was a student pilot in the early 80s and flew in the front seat of G-BECM out of Eastleigh Airport one Saturday - my first aerobatics lesson. It was then part of the Rothmans Aerobatics Team and spent a couple of days in Southampton on the way back to base in Wales (I think).
I'll never forget the experience.
Only yesterday I was looking at some old photos taken before and after the flight. Sadly, the transparency film has deteriorated badly over the years.
I'll never forget the experience.
Only yesterday I was looking at some old photos taken before and after the flight. Sadly, the transparency film has deteriorated badly over the years.
Join Date: Mar 2008
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Rothmans Team Video 1978
Thought you might like to see this video made in Madrid over Quatro Vientos airfield mid way through the spanish tour with Myself leading, Marcus Edward, David Perrin and Mike Findlay. Happy Days
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mssOmzGuV1o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mssOmzGuV1o