Mosquito RS712 at Banff 1976

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11 years 3 months

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A couple of interesting videos have been posted on the NLS website today showing the visit of Mosquito RS712 to the opening of the Banff Aero Club in 1976. The Mosquito was owned by the Strathallan Collection at that time and was flown north by Neil Williams accompanied by Dick Richardson. Links to videos below - both unfortunately silent -

https://movingimage.nls.uk/film/9519

https://movingimage.nls.uk/film/9520

 

Original post

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9 years 4 months

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Thanks for posting these videos.

As a boy, I remember Neil showing off a Spit during an Air show at Booker Airfield back in the early 70's.

I also remember Sally B being thrown around like a fighter by some chap called Don Bullock some time later.

During a walk through the woods at Lane End during the mid 80's, I arrived near the airfield dump in time to see a mosquito take off right over my head. My presumption was that this had been overhauled by PPS. A moment I won't forget in a hurry!

Thanks again.

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11 years 3 months

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During a walk through the woods at Lane End during the mid 80's, I arrived near the airfield dump in time to see a mosquito take off right over my head. My presumption was that this had been overhauled by PPS. A moment I won't forget in a hurry!

Probably the same Mosquito, George! RS712 was sold to Kermit Weeks and, prior to leaving for the USA, spent a considerable time with PPS at Booker being prepared for the ferry flight. She left Strathallan late-'84 and eventually left Booker in '87.

My most abiding memory of Neil Williams was his display in Yak C.11 G-AYAK at Strathallan when, in a steep dive, he disappeared behind a clump of trees near the end of the runway. There were gasps of despair then utter astonishment when he whizzed back over the top of the crowd (as was allowed then) to continue a marvellous display. A handy dip in the ground behind those trees which Neil had used to perfection to give the crowd a "buzz".

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9 years 4 months

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I had no idea that this was the same one! There was talk of long range fuel tanks being fitted which makes sense.

My Dad took us to the shows at Booker. Neil would sweep the Spit in from behind the Blister Hangar and surprise everyone.

Dad was reluctant to take us to shows having witnessed an accident at Farnborough every time he went during the 1950's. He stopped going in the end having witnessed several tragedies (including John Derry in 1952).

I'm pleased that he relented and took us all as children. Good memories!

Dad was friendly with Doug Bianchi during the early 70's and also witnessed the making and filming of 'Those magnificent Men in their Flying Machines'
People at the airfield were a little taken aback by the various 'characters' that played leading roles in that film. They were 'well cast' apparently!

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Yes, she was fitted with long-range tanks while at Booker and was also re-sprayed into a camouflage scheme, though if I remember correctly that took place at Leavesden.

Your Dad must have had fun watching the filming of Those Magnificent Men... :)

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11 years 2 months

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From the mid seventies for ten years or so I was able to go into the Doug Arnold Warbirds Of G.B. hangars at Blackbushe on a fairly regular basis. Parked inside the principal  workshop hangar for some time at the front was a Mosquito. Hangar talk then, was, that Kermitt Weeks was going purchase it. Was that RS712 or another aircraft?

Certainly there were other ex Strathallan aircraft in the next door hangar. Do I recall a B24 and a Lincoln?  Not fogetting racks of Spitfire wings, fuselages and other major sub asemblies. The Lysander with a badly dented top rudder was in there! At the back behind polythene curtains was a 'bitza' skeletal Hurricane that was said to be mainly part ex Israel and part Indian AF.  But Mark Xll might tell us more about the background to that story!

But what was that Mosquito I.D ? 

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Hi R6915,

I'm not sure which Mosquito that would be. Certainly not RS712 which didn't leave Strathallan till 1984.

The Strathallan Collection never had a B24 or Lincoln. I think the Lincoln came from Southend and the Liberator from India. The Lysander remained at Strathallan until 1998 when it joined the Shuttleworth Collection.

Doug Arnold did acquire Grumman Avenger G-BTBM at the Strathallan auction.

 

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24 years 2 months

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It's probably RS709, now in the National Museum of the USAF, but I'm pretty confident it used to belong to Doug Arnold.

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11 years 2 months

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Thank you dhfan it looks as if you are correct RS709. I just found refernces to it on a website:-  http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=67155.

Moth Minor!  Thank you for setting the Lincoln / B24 detail straight.  It was a very strange organisation at Blackbushe. Calling it an organisation might even be stretching things somewhat! The airfield and the hangars in those days had intersting aircraft one might say, littered, everywhere. 

I even had the surprise of being told by Mr. A. to follow him from his office to the workshops in my car, the only instruction being be careful "how you turn right at the DH Drover and the Sherman tank"! The gold Rolls shot down the runway at a high rate of knots with me trailing a long way behind and we parked up under the former French B17.

This is a stretch from the Banff Aero Club start of this string so my apologies to all, for that.

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11 years 3 months

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This is a stretch from the Banff Aero Club start of this string so my apologies to all, for that.

No apologies necessary as far as I'm concerned! It's great to hear your memories too :)

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24 years 2 months

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The DH Drover surprises me. There was only ever one in the UK and to the best of my knowledge DA had nothing to do with it. I believe at one time it was in the North West somewhere and I thought it went from there to Lasham until it was cleared some years ago.

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It just proves that at my advanced age I shouldn't rely on memory...

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Is G-APXX still in store at High Wycombe?