Blimey, while sitting here tapping away at my laptop I just saw a Lancaster fly overhead. I'd bounced up from my chair before I spotted it because the sound is unmistakable.
We have just seen and heard its smaller sister an Avro Anson I think. It not only flew over but then did a full circle round the village, apparently due to fly past, or returning from, Malpas steam fair and Southport air show. Noisy things even with two engines! I have a poor photo (grabbed camera but only with standard lens)and posted it on our local Fb page here https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10161352024018628&set=gm.24362965696681437&idorvanity=1104161459655189 to see if I could get an ID. We used to see lots of old stuff on airshow days, I think they navigated by map along the main railway line behind us before the days of cheap GPS.
Woodsy - that's a good photo, I didn't even have time to get my camera. I've seen a Lancaster before, on it's way elsewhere and a Spitfire a year or two back. I never keep tabs on flyovers though, so I'm never prepared.
Dave - roughly south-east I'd say, although it was almost gone by the time I'd popped out into the garden.
I didn't see which way the Anson went, I took the quick 'grab' pic then went to get the tele lens in case it came round again -but it had gone. I think it came from the north west circled then went south east. You are seeing an enlarged crop from a pic that was mostly sky, it was much clearer by eye.
I've actually been inside PA474 - the BBMF Lanc - but only on the ground! I organised a visit to RAF Coningsby many years ago and we got access inside the hangers not available to regular visitors. There's another example ("Just Jane") being restored to airworthy status at East Kirkby, not far from Coningsby, which does regular taxi runs. If you've got a fair bit of cash to spare you can book a slot to be onboard:
There's only one thing better than the sound of a Merlin: that's the sound of several Merlins. microdave: I "cabbed" Just Jane when she was gate guardian at Scampton about 1978! Friend of a friend, dontcha know...
dearieme - I'm sure I've never seen a B52 and I don't recall ever seeing Concord so I can't guess where you were. I've seen so many videos of Concord that it isn't easy to be sure that I never saw it in the air, but I don't think so.
Jannie - there was a chap who put a Merlin into a car. Must look him up on YT.
Chap called Paul Jamieson (or similar) put a Merlin from an Argonaut into a car... Sort of. It powered 4 rear wheels through 2 Jaguar gearboxes. Sadly he died some time ago, but I think his brother is still on the go. I am not sure if the car still exists. Actually thinking about it, he made two of them.
I did 'Crash and Smash' on airshows at Waddington back in the day. Got a look around a B1B. Very nice.
And finally to really be smug, I am a volunteer at East Kirkby. I serviced the flight instrument panel last winter, and all the instruments were serviceable when installed. As she doesn't fly yet, we won't know if they are still fully serviceable until this winter's servicing. There are a lot of YT vids by ac chap called Neville Wheeldon documenting the Rebuild of Jane fascinating stuff. Avoid the one I am in though...
I'm now a fan of the Senior Service, having moved into a Portsmouth seafront house two days ago. On our first evening, they brought the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier past, just to say hello. Size of a small town, impressive sight. It would make the heart swell with pride if it didn't keep breaking down in the Solent.
Tony - I've just looked up the car, it's quite complex but a chap called Paul Jameson put a Rolls Royce Meteor tank engine into a chassis then John Dodd fitted a fibreglass body. Later Dodd put a Merlin engine into another car. Hairy times from the sound of it.
Thanks for the restoration info, I've bookmarked the Neville Wheeldon TY site for later.
Sam - I hope the Portsmouth move went well, sounds like quite a major change of scenery. My father was stationed there for a while. Pity about the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier though, but what's £3 billion these days?
As I'm sure "Tony F " will concur, the cost of running a quartet of 27 litre V12 engines (even for short taxy runs) is considerable! I think the aim is to make some profit from the exercise, in order to fund the ongoing restoration.
You'd like Duxford - A LOT of walking is required. Unfortunately, my worn right hip didn't, and I was very relieved when the shuttle bus appeared!
@ The Jannie - you will no doubt have had to clamber over the main spar to get to the cockpit. It's sobering to think about the poor buggers who had to do this when their plane was on fire, or badly damaged, in order to bail out...
I've had the Lancaster bomber fly over me twice whilst in the garden since I moved to near Daventry seven years ago, gave me quite a start as it doesn't fly very high, making a very impressive sight and giving one the feeling we are still fighting the Second World War. Also seen the Spitfire and Hurricane quite a few times, don't know who it is flying them.
But there are many other privately operated Spits & a few Hurricanes in the UK, which regularly appear at airshows and/or conduct flypasts throughout the country.
20 comments:
We have just seen and heard its smaller sister an Avro Anson I think. It not only flew over but then did a full circle round the village, apparently due to fly past, or returning from, Malpas steam fair and Southport air show. Noisy things even with two engines!
I have a poor photo (grabbed camera but only with standard lens)and posted it on our local Fb page here https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10161352024018628&set=gm.24362965696681437&idorvanity=1104161459655189 to see if I could get an ID.
We used to see lots of old stuff on airshow days, I think they navigated by map along the main railway line behind us before the days of cheap GPS.
Which direction was it heading?
https://www.raf.mod.uk/display-teams/battle-of-britain-memorial-flight/news/bbmf-weekly-flypast-timings/
Woodsy - that's a good photo, I didn't even have time to get my camera. I've seen a Lancaster before, on it's way elsewhere and a Spitfire a year or two back. I never keep tabs on flyovers though, so I'm never prepared.
Dave - roughly south-east I'd say, although it was almost gone by the time I'd popped out into the garden.
I didn't see which way the Anson went, I took the quick 'grab' pic then went to get the tele lens in case it came round again -but it had gone. I think it came from the north west circled then went south east. You are seeing an enlarged crop from a pic that was mostly sky, it was much clearer by eye.
I've actually been inside PA474 - the BBMF Lanc - but only on the ground! I organised a visit to RAF Coningsby many years ago and we got access inside the hangers not available to regular visitors. There's another example ("Just Jane") being restored to airworthy status at East Kirkby, not far from Coningsby, which does regular taxi runs. If you've got a fair bit of cash to spare you can book a slot to be onboard:
https://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/lots-to-see/aircraft/lancaster
I've stood beneath a B-52. Blood Hell, it's oppressive. On the same day we walked through the cabin of a (prototype) Concord.
Pub quiz: where were we?
There's only one thing better than the sound of a Merlin: that's the sound of several Merlins.
microdave: I "cabbed" Just Jane when she was gate guardian at Scampton about 1978! Friend of a friend, dontcha know...
Woodsy - still a good pic though, I was too slow to get anything at all.
Dave - I like the idea of climbing inside a Lancaster for a taxi run, but it isn't cheap is it?
dearieme - I'm sure I've never seen a B52 and I don't recall ever seeing Concord so I can't guess where you were. I've seen so many videos of Concord that it isn't easy to be sure that I never saw it in the air, but I don't think so.
Jannie - there was a chap who put a Merlin into a car. Must look him up on YT.
Chap called Paul Jamieson (or similar) put a Merlin from an Argonaut into a car... Sort of. It powered 4 rear wheels through 2 Jaguar gearboxes. Sadly he died some time ago, but I think his brother is still on the go. I am not sure if the car still exists. Actually thinking about it, he made two of them.
I did 'Crash and Smash' on airshows at Waddington back in the day. Got a look around a B1B. Very nice.
And finally to really be smug, I am a volunteer at East Kirkby. I serviced the flight instrument panel last winter, and all the instruments were serviceable when installed. As she doesn't fly yet, we won't know if they are still fully serviceable until this winter's servicing. There are a lot of YT vids by ac chap called Neville Wheeldon documenting the Rebuild of Jane fascinating stuff. Avoid the one I am in though...
Chhers,
Tony F
I'm now a fan of our senior service. Two days ago we moved into
I'm now a fan of the Senior Service, having moved into a Portsmouth seafront house two days ago. On our first evening, they brought the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier past, just to say hello. Size of a small town, impressive sight. It would make the heart swell with pride if it didn't keep breaking down in the Solent.
Tony - I've just looked up the car, it's quite complex but a chap called Paul Jameson put a Rolls Royce Meteor tank engine into a chassis then John Dodd fitted a fibreglass body. Later Dodd put a Merlin engine into another car. Hairy times from the sound of it.
Thanks for the restoration info, I've bookmarked the Neville Wheeldon TY site for later.
Sam - I hope the Portsmouth move went well, sounds like quite a major change of scenery. My father was stationed there for a while. Pity about the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier though, but what's £3 billion these days?
IWM Duxford
dearieme - I've never been even though we could do the round trip in a day.
The tank museum at Bovington is enjoyable, but too far for you in a day.
But when you are on your hols ...
As I'm sure "Tony F " will concur, the cost of running a quartet of 27 litre V12 engines (even for short taxy runs) is considerable! I think the aim is to make some profit from the exercise, in order to fund the ongoing restoration.
You'd like Duxford - A LOT of walking is required. Unfortunately, my worn right hip didn't, and I was very relieved when the shuttle bus appeared!
@ The Jannie - you will no doubt have had to clamber over the main spar to get to the cockpit. It's sobering to think about the poor buggers who had to do this when their plane was on fire, or badly damaged, in order to bail out...
I've had the Lancaster bomber fly over me twice whilst in the garden since I moved to near Daventry seven years ago, gave me quite a start as it doesn't fly very high, making a very impressive sight and giving one the feeling we are still fighting the Second World War. Also seen the Spitfire and Hurricane quite a few times, don't know who it is flying them.
@ Tammly If they are all flying in formation it's going to be the BBMF examples:
https://www.raf.mod.uk/display-teams/battle-of-britain-memorial-flight/
But there are many other privately operated Spits & a few Hurricanes in the UK, which regularly appear at airshows and/or conduct flypasts throughout the country.
dearieme - we haven't been there for a few years, sometime holiday in Swanage so Bovington would be a good day out from there.
Dave - and those 27 litre V12 engines do remind us that without fossil fuels we would have lost the war rather quickly.
Tammly - the one we saw didn't fly very high. Would have made a good photo if I'd been quicker.
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