Another day with Old Aeroplanes and Old Friends

[TIGHTCHOKE]

After attending the Masonic Lodge Charity Shoot organised by our own Wabbitbosher,  I went on to Old Warden for the first of their Evening Airshows. here is a selection of shots from the evening, last aircraft landed at 21:20!

There was some glorious early evening light and I made good use of what was available;

Sea Hurricane

Lysander

The two Lysander's flying together, first time for 20 odd years.

A Blackburn B2 from 1932, I was lucky enough to be taken up for a spin in her over Cardington last year. She is unique and owned by British Aerospace Systems Ltd

Edited May 20, 2019 by TIGHTCHOKE

[TIGHTCHOKE]

I started to play with the available light and wanted to catch a solid image of the aircraft against a blurred background to show the movement. This Mk1 Spitfire was rebuilt from a crashed aircraft recovered from a beach in France.

The Fauvell glider, all wings and tail with hardly any fuselage.

Edited May 20, 2019 by TIGHTCHOKE

[grrclark]

Wow, that glider is quite something. An awkward looking shape.

Great pics Dave and you’re a lucky chap getting a jolly in the Blackburn B2.

[Capt Christopher Jones]

Must get over there again, last time was 50 yrs ago & were only 15 mls away too

[oowee]

Looks great. Cranfield have a collection of vintage aircraft and once or twice a year they fly them and it's free to go and watch. Many are unpowered aircraft with just the guy providing the energy to get it airborne and the undercarriage. Well worth seeing if you are interested.

[sam triple]

beautiful old war birds

[Capt Christopher Jones]

Just now, sam triple said:

beautiful old Aeroplanes

I detest seppoisiums 

[Raja Clavata]

Great pics!

I was fortunate to work on a number of aircraft at the then Fighter Collection at Duxford in the 90's - various spitfires, their Hurricane and Mustang.

After a full avionics refit on the latter, I passed on the offer of a test flight, which was a good thing as the pilot "landed" at Stapleford Aerodrome without putting the undercarriage down, a very expensive mistake.

[KFC]

2 hours ago, oowee said:

Looks great. Cranfield have a collection of vintage aircraft and once or twice a year they fly them and it's free to go and watch. Many are unpowered aircraft with just the guy providing the energy to get it airborne and the undercarriage. Well worth seeing if you are interested.

I started my career as an aircraft technician at Cranfield, back in the 60's. Old Warden didn't have all their hangars built then so some of their aircraft were kept in winter storage at Cranfield so I worked on some of their aircraft. Bristol F2B and Avro 504k for example.

I also did some work on Cranfields own exhibits such as TSR2 and ME163.

 

[oowee]

1 minute ago, KFC said:

I started my career as an aircraft technician at Cranfield, back in the 60's. Old Warden didn't have all their hangars built then so some of their aircraft were kept in winter storage at Cranfield so I worked on some of their aircraft. Bristol F2B and Avro 504k for example.

I also did some work on Cranfields own exhibits such as TSR2 and ME163.

 

You were a very lucky man. I used to work with the previous CEO (Keith) in 2005-9 and got to have a play with some of the simulators and go to a couple of the open days. They have some very special stuff. 

[KFC]

5 minutes ago, oowee said:

You were a very lucky man. I used to work with the previous CEO (Keith) in 2005-9 and got to have a play with some of the simulators and go to a couple of the open days. They have some very special stuff. 

Don't want to divert the thread but The last job I had at Cranfield was an overhaul and crankshaft change on a Gypsy Major engine from an Auster Aiglet. I then joined the RAF where I worked on HP Victor BSR2's on a strategic reconnaisance squadron then Canberra PR9's photo reconnaisance.

After 10 years I left the RAF and went for a job with a company that serviced light aircraft engines near Bedford. As I'd been on jets for 10 years, and never worked on Lycomings or Continentals then I told of my work on Gypsy Majors at the interview. He said they'd been asked to take on Gypsy's but declined because they didn't have any experience with them so I got the job.

When I started on the following Monday then my first job was an overhaul and crankshaft change on a Gypsy Major which left me wondering where I'd been for 10 years.

I still like to see the Gypsy Major powered aircraft flying at Old Warden.

Lovely photo's