January might not seem the most practical time for a gathering of historic open cockpit aircraft, but that month in 1952 a new club’s first major rally proved an outstanding success despite the freezing temperatures
As these words were written, and as you’ll read elsewhere in this issue, confirmation came that BAE Systems had finalised the transfer of its last three airworthy historic airframes to Shuttleworth Collection ownership. It brought to an end a long tradition, whereby Britain’s primary aircraft manufacturers — not that BAE Systems sees itself as simply an aircraft manufacturer any more — kept examples of their past products, and displayed them in public regularly.
