Battling For Britain at North Weald

[AerBabe]

Fancy something a little different for the weekend?

The Squadron at North Weald has a few vintage aircraft arriving this Sunday for their 'Battling for Britain' fly-in. So far, those confirmed are:

Hurricane - will be doing a fly-by at 11 am to coincide with a wreath-laying at the Norwegian Memorial.
Two Tuccanos from 72 sqn
Dragon Rapide
Two or three MUSTANGS!!! [Peel me off the ceiling]
Two Harvards
Chipmunk
Two Tiger Moths
Kraguj
14 Austers
Yak-11
Miles Magister
Ryan PT22
Nord 3400
Putzer Elster B

If you want to come along then tickets are £9 (£5 concessions)

OR... why not save yourself the money and fly in as there is no landing fee. PPR IS ESSENTIAL - call 01992 524510.

If you're still not convinced, I'll be there.

[MLS-12D]

Ooooh .... multiple Mustangs! And a Hurricane to boot! Hold the Tucanos, though.

Enjoy!

[DubTrub]

14 Austers...

...someone bring a match.


(only joking)

[LowNSlow]

AB why the against the record breaking (for NW?)14 Austers? You know you like them really..... you will eventually get the ride I promised you in my Auster honest!!


DubTrub c'mon, Austers are lovely little things they probably trained more pilots in the Uk post-war than any other aircraft until the ubiquitous C150/C152/PA-28's came along. Ask one of the Auster drivers for a ride, you may be pleasantly surprised.


Pity I can't make it 15 cos I'm out East Anyway, looks like the makings of a great day out, barely a nosedragger in sight

PS Is it a Nord 3400 AB , rather than a Mord?

[Kolibear]

So nothing interesting then AB ?

You can wander over & help me wash the group's aircraft then.

[AerBabe]

Thanks for pointing out the typo, LowNSlow!
Kolibear - That is indeed a wonderful opportunity, but one which I regret I'll have to pass up. I'll be escorting my parents around the event.

[Hairyplane]

Spitfire

I am told that the ex-Breighton Spit will be wheeled out alongside JJ if the Wx is good.

HP

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Aerbabe:

You had parents??

Chuck E.

[AerBabe]

Hairyplane - you are told right (of course). The newest addition to North Weald will hopefully be making its debut appearance.
Chuck - that's not funny.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Aerbabe.

But maybe someday you will forgive me for not being funny?

Chuck

[Kolibear]

AB,

So we have to be on our best behaviour & try not to embarrass you then?


Hmmmmmm, I'll see what I can do............................

[Kolibear]

It was a good day, even though the blustery weather meant that there were few arrivals by air - 3 Austers made it.

Clive Denney arrived overhead in a Hurricane promptly at 11:00 in time to fly over the Memorial Service , landed and parked in a revetment, where a group of people, dressed in the appropriate 1940 RAF uniforms, were sitting.

I met Aerbabe + Mr & Mrs Aerbabe senior, they declined my offer to let them wash the Koli, and Rallye_Driver. While we where sitting having a drink, two Mustangs joined over head and landed - Aerbabe was doing a fair impersonation of a pogo stick before burning shoe rubber across the taxiway to gawp at them

AB - do you recognise the phrase "Excuse me - get out of my way?"

The RAF pilots kindly showed off their Tucanos to R_D & I, the performance of which is closer to R_D's Yak than my Koliber.

It was an enjoyable day, spoilt only by the wind. Thanks to all who turned up.

[Rallye Driver]

... And I hear she has wangled a ride in a certain two-engined aircraft too (though not a Cat as yet)!

Shame about the wind, though there was a definite 'quality' about those who managed to fly in.

Thanks also to the guys from 72 Squadron, who showed us over their handmade Tucanos.

BTW Chuck, the AerSeniors seem like a well adjusted couple, cheerfully lending their daughter money to buy us beers!

RD

[MLS-12D]

where a group of people, dressed in the appropriate 1940 RAF uniforms, were sitting.

I am not offended by people playing dress-up, and if it gives them pleasure, fine; but personally I can't relate to such 're-enactment' enthusiasts. As far as I can make out, essentially none of them have genuine military backgrounds, and none are capable of operating service aircraft; so their hobby seems to consist of wearing uniforms, ranks, decorations, etc., to which they are not entitled, and having their photos taken in airplanes that they know nothing about.

I don't know any re-enactors, and the above assessment may be unfair; if so, I apologize in advance. Still, I can't help but think that if these people are really interested in the military and/or aviation, they would be much better off joining the RAuxAF or pursuing pilots' licenses.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Hard to see how you can do a meaningful air battle re-enactment without some reasonably representative aeroplanes.

But, if you did - it might be rather fun to have a go at pretending to be 266 squadron in the middle of the first world war for a weekend. Bags I get to be Biggles! A couple of dozen microlights pretending to be Sopwith Pups and Fokker Tri-deckers would at least be roughly the right speeds and cockpit environment. Add in a few Cessnas pretending to be heavy bombers....

Mind you, the 25 hours minimum to get a Microlight PPL would have marked the pilots out as incredibly experienced by the standards of the time, and your average club pilot a veteran!

G


N.B. How on earth did one squadron achieve two airworthy Tucanos at once?

[six-sixty]

Aw leave the re-enactment folk alone. I saw them yestarday and commented to my other half that I didn't quite see the attraction, but a lot of people say that about my yak-habit and to be honest the more people we have taking any interest in any aspect of aviation the better.

I'm sure they're not meaning to offend anyone who actually wore the uniform or actually pretending to be real spitfire pilots.

I'm based at NW and I'd much rather people were out enthusiastically participating in or enjoying airfield activities and lending a buzz to the place than sat at home in apathy watching "a place in the sun/animal-diy-hospital" like the rest of this daft country while this ridiculous govt slowly bans everyone's hobbies.

Err... more power to 'em!

[MLS-12D]

Hard to see how you can do a meaningful air battle re-enactment without some reasonably representative aeroplanes.

Ahh, but there are some outfits that actually do this. See for example the Great War Flying Museum. Admittedly you can't have much of an air battle with only a few aircraft, but it must be a lot more fun then holding up a bar and posing.

[LowNSlow]

In the UK there are a few WW1 replicas flying. There are 3 SE5a's a couple of Fokker DR1 Triplanes, a DH2 plus all the good stuff at Old Warden.........Personally I'd love the DH2 but a) I can't afford it and b) there's no seat for my daughter.

[Kolibear]

As far as I can make out, essentially none of them have genuine military backgrounds, and none are capable of operating service aircraft; so their hobby seems to consist of wearing uniforms, ranks, decorations, etc., to which they are not entitled, and having their photos taken in airplanes that they know nothing about.

That sounds like a good definition of an actor then.

I was quite impressed by them , as far as I could tell, all their props were period pieces and the whole set-up looked very convincing.

If you want to be pedantic, the revetment where the Hurri was parked is post war and the effect was spoiled by the shiny hangar in the background, but the whole effect was very good.

So I would give them credit, it was the first time I'd seen RAF equipment being worn, as opposed to being displayed in a museum. and it brought many old photos to life. There is a school of thought which says 'old aircraft should be flown, not shown statically', I suppose the same could be applied to old equipment and clothing too.



Edited afterthought


Now wouldn't it be fun to get some of the resident North Weald staff/pilots dressed up in period costume. I can think of some people who whose character would fit the costumes very well. Next year maybe..

[MLS-12D]

I believe (?) that all of the aeroplanes at Old Warden are 'off limits' unless one was previously a pilot in the RAF.