Yes, I also remember the Blenheim incident. They will put these boys in with low time. :)

Wow, that dates me. I remember watching the Blenheim incident. I suppose you would - it's not often you get to see a WWII bomber cartwheeling. They were so, so lucky it didn't burn and nobody was seriously injured. Such a shame - the aircraft had only just been rebuilt.

I don't think the pilot of the Blenheim ever intended to land and stop. It was a touch and go at a RAeS Garden Party that didn't go….. I've seen a Varsity do a touch and go at Old Warden, which is probably too short to land and get off again in that type.

The point being The Blenheim was a national treasure. Although the pilot in question was legal to fly it, these questions must be asked.

How much radial engine time did he have?

How much tail wheel time did he have?

How much similar type experience did he have?

How much type experience did he have?

The answers should read in the thousands of hours.

He may have had plenty of hours TT but was his background conducive to displaying an a/c which was the only one of it's kind?

Wow, that dates me. I remember watching the Blenheim incident.

Were you standing with the rest of the great unwashed on the North Side? That's where we witnessed it from; we were certain that they'd perished, amazing they survived, let alone not badly injured.

The story was that the pilot was a very experienced jet pilot but with relatively little tailwheel/piston time. We heard the distinctive 'popple' of a rich cut as the a/c attempted to lift, then tip stalled to the left. As it was on 25 at the time, it could have easily gone through the single strand of barbed wire at the end of the runway onto the golf course. I believe a C150 did that once and simply taxi back onto the airfield!

Fond memories of Denham and Lapwing 30 years ago. Where is everyone now?

TOO

Can't do that late. Can do '69 - '75...

Frank Quick was the CFI at Lapwing with John Walton as Saturday instructor, happy days! Surviving winter in an old cricket club house with hardly any heating but great in summer. All gone now but I believe Lapwing still survives in the blister hanger?