Police seize plane in Taunton town centre
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Driving with an illegal trailer would surely ipso facto negate your insurance, in which case though a technically correct statement perhaps looks more like a rather creative interpretation of "Oi fink yer trailer's too big fur yer car, mate".
A night in the cells following an over heavy trailer is surely an indication of much more (unseen) content to the story once behind closed doors.
A night in the cells following an over heavy trailer is surely an indication of much more (unseen) content to the story once behind closed doors.
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Gliders often end up in farmers fields. Your friends come and get you with a glider trailer...which may or may not be in sound condition. Or even worse, it might have another glider inside by the time they arrive at the landout....
And officer, those lights were working perfectly when we started out....
And officer, those lights were working perfectly when we started out....
It appears from Mr Kirk's website that he has flown around a lot of the world SOLO in an old aeroplane.
Surely it is time that he was recognised by the HCAP for these feats of navigation, and I should think a lucrative circuit of after-dinner speaking must be in the offing as well..............��
Surely it is time that he was recognised by the HCAP for these feats of navigation, and I should think a lucrative circuit of after-dinner speaking must be in the offing as well..............��
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And why should police time be any more valuable than anyone else's time?
Thread Starter
He spent a considerable period of time in prison on remand over the machine gun on his aircraft.
http://kirkflyingvet.com/blogs/legal...Case%20summary[1].pdf
Maurice Kirk was arrested on the charges of possession of a firearm, and offering the gun for sale. The gun concerned was a decommissioned WW1 machine gun, which he obtained attached to a replica First World War Airco DH2 aircraft. The gun had no trigger. It had holes drilled in it. You can see quite clearly in the photograph, that the barrel is blocked. In fact, it was made up of salvaged parts from several other WW1 guns, with the sole purpose of looking good on the DH2.
The aircraft, gun included, was, at one time, owned by the RAF. It has had many owners since, including Maurice. It has appeared at air shows with gun attached. Maurice sold the aircraft one year before his arrest.
By coincidence, the arrest and subsequent search of the family home occurred just after he was required to exchange documents with the solicitors defending South Wales Police in his case against them for harassment.
Following his arrest, Maurice was held without bail at Cardiff Prison. He went on hunger strike.
The aircraft, gun included, was, at one time, owned by the RAF. It has had many owners since, including Maurice. It has appeared at air shows with gun attached. Maurice sold the aircraft one year before his arrest.
By coincidence, the arrest and subsequent search of the family home occurred just after he was required to exchange documents with the solicitors defending South Wales Police in his case against them for harassment.
Following his arrest, Maurice was held without bail at Cardiff Prison. He went on hunger strike.
Thread Starter
I can think of better ways to spend public funds than chasing an eccentric old pilot.
The state has spent millions chasing Kirk on trumped up charges and the old boy is still buzzing around in his Cub like an annoying bluebottle.
The Cape to Cape trip across Africa will be interesting.
The state has spent millions chasing Kirk on trumped up charges and the old boy is still buzzing around in his Cub like an annoying bluebottle.
The Cape to Cape trip across Africa will be interesting.
Thread Starter
At least we know he will not make up stories about dropping in to see the locals
on dusty airstrips.
He has a lot of form in that department
I won't be surpised if he lands at a few village filling stations enroute
on dusty airstrips.
He has a lot of form in that department
I won't be surpised if he lands at a few village filling stations enroute
"If you passed your car test before 1 January 1997 you’re usually allowed to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250kg MAM. View your driving licence information to check".
A BMW estate weighs about 1600 kg with a towing weight of between 1800 and 2000kg depending on model. The skeleton trailer and aircraft would take the overall weight nowhere near 8250kg and I doubt anywhere near the 5800kg allowed.
It will be interesting to see what charges actually come before the magistrates.
A BMW estate weighs about 1600 kg with a towing weight of between 1800 and 2000kg depending on model. The skeleton trailer and aircraft would take the overall weight nowhere near 8250kg and I doubt anywhere near the 5800kg allowed.
It will be interesting to see what charges actually come before the magistrates.
Last edited by ericferret; 19th Oct 2016 at 19:13.
Thread Starter
They may have got him on the technicality of having an expired licence as he is 71. That in turn would lead to the charge of no insurance.
For those outside the UK who have never heard of Kirk here is a biog.
I should add he has an aversion to the police and establishment which led to him being struck off as a Vet some years ago. Apart from a few minor motoring convictions he has led a crime free life but his notoriety with the police has seen him detained for years on trumped up charges which all failed in court.
For those outside the UK who have never heard of Kirk here is a biog.
Maurice Kirk was born on the 12th March 1945 in Taunton, Somerset, West of England. Maurice's father, Denis (1912-2007) was a hard working country vet, his mother Violet, was the daughter of a well known industrial chemist and inventor in the confectionery business. Their immediate family consisted of five boys and one girl: Michael, Christopher, Maurice, Rupert and twins, Timothy and Celia. Denis' brother Maurice was an Officer in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps when he died in Northern France a few days before Maurice's birth; Denis and Violet subsequently named their third son in honour of him.
Maurice's interests as a boy were hunting, shooting and fishing and later as a young man, mountaineering, rugger, old vintage cars and seeing the world.
In 1963 he began a veterinary career studying veterinary medicine at Bristol University, during which time, he also became a climbing instructor in North Wales, hitch hiked 8000 miles around North America and paddled the English Channel in a home made canoe after swimming the ‘Iron Curtain' at the height of the Cold War. He hitched, jumped trains or hid in the back of trucks to get across Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand. He was also commissioned into the Royal Air Force Reserve, making him eligible for not just one final year reunion, each year, but three! Needless to say he had problems with his University exams.
Veterinary medicine was a passion inspired by his father with a close second being the ‘breaking of the bonds of earth', flying anything from hangliders, microlites to old canvas or ‘spam can' aircraft. By this he obtained further qualifications and experience, first with a commercial licence and second, seven broken or severely damaged joint injuries, all now coming home to haunt him.
Maurice's interests as a boy were hunting, shooting and fishing and later as a young man, mountaineering, rugger, old vintage cars and seeing the world.
In 1963 he began a veterinary career studying veterinary medicine at Bristol University, during which time, he also became a climbing instructor in North Wales, hitch hiked 8000 miles around North America and paddled the English Channel in a home made canoe after swimming the ‘Iron Curtain' at the height of the Cold War. He hitched, jumped trains or hid in the back of trucks to get across Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand. He was also commissioned into the Royal Air Force Reserve, making him eligible for not just one final year reunion, each year, but three! Needless to say he had problems with his University exams.
Veterinary medicine was a passion inspired by his father with a close second being the ‘breaking of the bonds of earth', flying anything from hangliders, microlites to old canvas or ‘spam can' aircraft. By this he obtained further qualifications and experience, first with a commercial licence and second, seven broken or severely damaged joint injuries, all now coming home to haunt him.
Thread Starter
All the tech info is below.
The BMW is quite capable of towing a horse box with a horse inside and it appears Kirks trailer is a twin axle horsebox chassis.
The aicraft might look large but of course is quite light.
Towing Capacity BMW 530d
The BMW is quite capable of towing a horse box with a horse inside and it appears Kirks trailer is a twin axle horsebox chassis.
The aicraft might look large but of course is quite light.
Towing Capacity BMW 530d