Cranfield UK - WWII bomber?
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Cranfield UK - WWII bomber?
Hi folks
I was out walking in the Cranfield (ICAO code is EGTC I think) area this afternoon (Saturday 25th). At around 16:00 I noticed a twin engined aircraft in the area, fairly low (around 1000 ft) which then circled and descended out of sight. Cranfield is the only place in the area I can think of that it could have landed.
As far as I could tell in the murk, it was the scale and vintage of a Wellington, but probably had twin tail fins (which as far as I know the Wimpey didn't).
Does anybody know what it might have been and doing what? Nothing urgent - just anoraky interest really.
Any clues gratefully received
MTIA
IFH
I was out walking in the Cranfield (ICAO code is EGTC I think) area this afternoon (Saturday 25th). At around 16:00 I noticed a twin engined aircraft in the area, fairly low (around 1000 ft) which then circled and descended out of sight. Cranfield is the only place in the area I can think of that it could have landed.
As far as I could tell in the murk, it was the scale and vintage of a Wellington, but probably had twin tail fins (which as far as I know the Wimpey didn't).
Does anybody know what it might have been and doing what? Nothing urgent - just anoraky interest really.
Any clues gratefully received
MTIA
IFH
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Yup, sounds like a B-25, probably on a landaway from Duxford or North Weald - the homes of many active warbirds. (Haven't been to either for a couple of years tho )
CS
CS
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I was at Cranfield at qbout that time - cloud base was varying between 600 and 900 feet, so he would have had to have been very low! There wasn't much traffic at all - in fact the BBMF Lancaster should have been exhibiting at Bletchley Park, but the weather was no where near good enough for this.
In terms of aircraft like that, I've never seen anything so exotic at Cranfield in the last 12 months I've been going there.
In terms of aircraft like that, I've never seen anything so exotic at Cranfield in the last 12 months I've been going there.
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The B-25 that was based at Duxford (Grumpy) did it's last show there at the October 2004 show then whent to the USA, after spending 18 months - two years sat on the ground. Never did get to the bottom of why it was out of action for so long.
The only other B-25 I know of flying in Europe is operated by The Duke Of Brabant Air Force in France along with a B-17, both regular visitors to the UK air shows, especially Duxford. I Can't think of any other WW II bombers of that description currently flying in UK/Europe.
Not much help I'm afraid.
Z
The only other B-25 I know of flying in Europe is operated by The Duke Of Brabant Air Force in France along with a B-17, both regular visitors to the UK air shows, especially Duxford. I Can't think of any other WW II bombers of that description currently flying in UK/Europe.
Not much help I'm afraid.
Z
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I think there are actaully still three airworthy Mitchells in Europe - the Duke of Brabant example which is US registered but Dutch or Belgian operated, a French registered example, and one with Red Bull in Austria (who also have a very nice DC-6, Corsair and the unfortunate Lefty Gardiner P-38 White Lightnin', currently being rebuilt in the US).
IHF, might it have been a Beech 18? There are several around...
IHF, might it have been a Beech 18? There are several around...
