Of course, Tom Fleming. A very rare slip up on his part (or his researcher) about Coningsby. Unfortunately he passed away two years ago (which I didn't know having done a quick bit of research). I was just going into the RAF Museum at Hendon as an 11th Birthday treat when that little flew over on the egress. Was a bit loud.:ok::ok:

In 1953 the RAF organised a flypast for the Queen at Odiham to mark her Coronation the previous year.

The formation took 27 minutes to pass the dias and included 26 types and totalled 641 aircraft including 264 Meteors. There was also a static display of another 320 aircraft which she inspected from an open top Landrover.

Our Queen has seen a few changes during her reign.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ionFlypast.jpg

N Duke in a Hunter.

Had the honour of flying with Hazel in Air Anglia. Tried to brief him on the nicad batteries in a recently acquired F27. Later found out who he was...

Some famous and some well known names there

S/L MA Ensor DSO DFC
 

A smashing old friend of the family, Cameron Hanbury, flew as a sergeant co-pilot to Ensor on Liberators in the war. One night, they wre dropping ordnance in a French harbour(Brest, Cherbourg?). I think it was mines.

He said that it was the most terrifying few minutes he had until then lived through: even when he told me, he said he could not then believe they survived wothout a hit.

On the trip home, Ensor said, "Wereyou scared then Taff?" Cameron said, "I thought I was going to **** myself Sir."

Ensor: Good. You can fly with me again. I have no time for heroes who say they weren't scared of what we just did.

They obviously survived! Wonderfully understated people.

CG

A friend of mine was in the flypast, flying a Meteor F8 from Duxford. He was chosen to receive the special Coronation flypast medal for his squadron (IIRC from his story there was only one allocated per squadron).

There are some famous names in that list, including several WWII and BoB veterans. One can only assume that both Sqn Ldr Duke and Wg Cdr Falk didn't perform their famous 'party pieces' in their respective mounts?

However, having seen Her Majesty's obvious enthusiasm for the special formations of Hawks and Tucanos yesterday, maybe she would have quite enjoyed it?

D120A, sorry for slow reply - was involved at a distance yesterday with the (much better) BBC coverage of the flying bits of the Falklands Memorial Dedication at the National Memorial Arboretum.
BBC News - Vulcan flypast at Falklands memorial dedication

Anyway, you suggestI am keeping at them - that was the other thing I was doing yesterday, and they tell me they'll be checking this thread today.

And I do agree with you - everyone who has an interest should complain by following that useful BBC link BBC - Complaints - Home
or perhaps call 03700 100 222, or 03700 100 212 (textphone), both of which are 24-hour numbers, charged as 01/02 geographic numbers.

You also suggest I name names. I won't do that at this stage, if you don't mind. I'm still hoping, perhaps naïvely, that we can get the whole thing working better by reasonable argument rather than personalised pressure.

airsound

Sadly I was busy on Saturday so could only view the poor coverage on the BBC news much, much later (taking in account of time zones). Only a munite or two's coverage and virtually no substantive comment. Luckily., I'm not paying a license fee!

All on the BBC website Whenurhappy (should be there for a week) Here's the link:
BBC iPlayer - The Diamond Jubilee: Armed Forces Tribute

QCS SNCO Ribbons but no medals!
 

Just to clarify, I was in the invited audience just oppposite the unfortunate SNCO from QCS who was seen as wearing ribbons but no medals. It would appear he lost the medals as he marched on as I saw a BBC camera man pick them up after the Guard of Honour marched off the parade square. (I do hope he got them back)

As for the fly past, a grand effort and well worth it! Well done to all!!

Best regards,

jazzy:D

:D

perhaps a copy to the Radio Times would also not go amiss? Where is "Points of View" when you need it.

Only able to see the IPlayer version last night. Totally agree with the comments re: the abysmal BBC coverage; it was no better on R4 (Sunday) in the program about the formation of the RFC where they had "Pilot Officers" apparently - yet another 'Snowism' :ugh:



BTW I appreciated the number plate of the people carrier following the Royal Car - who thought of that? ... and managed to get away with it!!!

Wensleydale:
Well it's right here:-
BBC - BBC One Programmes - Points of View - Air your views
and encouraging you to air your grievances by filling in this simple form:-
BBC - BBC One Programmes - Points of View - Spotted an on-air error?
In doing so you will of course be a part of the inclusiveness that is the right of all Licence Payers, just as long as it doesn't actually lead to the Beeb changing its ways! With a guaranteed income and not worried about courting advertisers why should it?

I was on an IMC sortie out of Cambridge on Saturday, and heard the BBMF arrange ad hoc diverts into Cambridge and Duxford on their way home because of the lousy weather.

It only reinforced my respect and admiration for some superb aviators. The icing on the cake for me was being number two to land behind the Lancaster and having the opportunity to park up alongside it for some impromptu pics of our 172 being dwarfed by it.

Rats404

Unfortunately TTN I live out East, so can't get BBC iPlayer...well, not legally anyway!

Lest anyone's interested, this video has my favorite bit of the parade at around 6min, when we marched round the corner with the band playing the highlight of the musical day for me.



The comment from (one presumes) the videographer and her friend at 5m49 amused me too...

A very impressive display all round :D

Good to see everyone seemed to get it right at 7.30 when
the parade bunched up before stepping out again.

Well done for finding that smashing little film TMJ. I didn't intend to, but I ended up watching it all, right the way through to the suspicion of a beery tear coursing its way down the seamed old cheek towards the end.

Thanks muchly.

airsound

Re Complaints to the BBC

Wensleydale, Chugalug 2 , airsound, ricarian et-al


It’ll be interesting to read the Beeb’s reply, but don’t hold your breath about receiving a meaningful reply. Mention of letters to the Beeb and their reply set me rooting (no pun intended!) in my library for a book that I knew had examples of letters to the Beeb with the Beeb's replies.

Way back in 1980, William Donaldson a.k.a. Henry Root wrote a letter to Esther Rantzen at the BBC Television Centre in which Root informed Esther Rantzen that she was “a fat idiot” and her television show That’s Life “a disgrace”. He received a reply from the shows producers assuring him that “hearing from viewers like yourself is a tremendous morale boost for all of us.”

His letter and the reply was published in “The Henry Root Letters and I attach a scan of the relevant page.

Henry Root was a right-wing nutcase and wet fish merchant from Elm Park Mansions, Wimbledon, SW10, who specialised in writing brash, outrageous and frequently abusive letters to eminent public figures, his letter of complaint to Esther Rantzen and the Beeb is typical.

I’ve got three of the Henry Root books and they are some of the funniest books I’ve ever read and well worth a read if you can lay your hands on copies.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...en_732x960.jpg

Great video - good to see. I'm sitting late at my desk writing a speech I'm giving tomorrow night (Saturday) at a QDJ Dinner set up by the local expats. I also dmit that my office was a little dusty...

re. post #162.

Nice one John - do you remember an organisation called the Royal Air Force.

Nice video on YouTube of the EiiR Hawk formation...


Queens Diamond Jubilee EIIR Flypast 19 May 2012 - A Pilot's View - YouTube

Excellent video, thanks for the link.

I was there last Saturday and thought the entire flypast was superb, so congrats to all involved.

So what's on the programme for the next flypast? June 5th over Buck House.
a mixed formation of RN helicopters has been seen practising over Dorset since the Windsor shingdig, presumably as part of this. There's also supposed to be one over the Thames boat parade on the 3rd, but details are lacking at this point...

JT

JT,

Check the dates - I heard it was June 16th over London.

Squadron Prints have made a special print depicting all the aircraft in the flypast. Of course, they have had to compress the formations somewhat to get all the aircraft on one sheet...apart from the C-130 formation;)

TOTD

5th Jun
BBMF and RAFAT as part of QDJ Thanksgiving- St Paul's then BP

Guessing June 16th will be the QBF following Trooping the Colour?

Hoping to be in town on the 5th to give the mini-drivers a glimpse of the Royal procession and the flypast.

Thanks for posting my vid Flarkey! ;)

REF My # 149
 

Seems BBC must be rather busier with complaints than they can handle these days. This just received:

Ho hum!

I can't wait!

Foldie:bored:

You'll have a long wait, Foldie. As of today the BBC are inundated with complaints about today's commentary on the Thames pageant where the Queen was actually called 'Her Royal Highness The Queen'! I know, I can hardly bear to write it.

The ignorance and lack of professionalism in BBC outside broadcast commentaries nowadays is truly breathtaking.

Nice bit of handling on the Royal Barge though :D

Yes it was neat, Nutloose, but the same feat is accomplished daily by hundreds of competent skippers. To hear the BBC commentator you'd have thought he'd defied the laws of physics by bringing her alongside without ramming the landing stage headon!

I missed "HRH, The Queen", D120A . Where do they get these :mad: people? :ugh:

Respect to Her Majesty - so far as I could see she didn't sit down once during the whole proceedings. Shame about the flypast -with the top of The Shard in cloud it was never looking likely

>The ignorance and lack of professionalism in BBC outside broadcast commentaries nowadays is truly breathtaking.<

Calling a steam locomotive a 'train' and advising the listening millions that its name was 'Prince Elizabeth' was fairly typical of the standard reached.

This made me laugh.

Queen's Diamond Jubilee 2012: BBC sank under a tide of wittering inanity | Mail Online

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!!

If this BBC team are 'doing' the Olympics, it should be 'a guinea a minute' :*

Was I the only one shouting "FENDERS"

Did anyone pick up that The Duchess of Cambridge's favourite milliner had been in the business a very long time and had made the hats for Lord Nelson at the Battle of Waterloo?

I hear the Royal Navy had to cancel the 'Fleet Review' that they had planned to take place on the Thames as there were too many small boats on the river.

How can anyone not respect or at least admire this amazing couple that stood on their feet throughout the afternoon and early evening. Standing still for hour after hour without a break, without a polite time out was truly inspirational. I saw on a few occasions how Her Majesty held onto that throne for a few seconds relief but NEVER once did she consider taking a well earned rest.

RESPECT

John

[quoteDid anyone pick up that The Duchess of Cambridge's favourite milliner had been in the business a very long time and had made the hats for Lord Nelson at the Battle of Waterloo? ][/quote]

Oh yes, but I'm sure he'd have worn it, if he'd been there, and alive, Shame, it was a very nice hat too :rolleyes: