By: ArthurTeaCake
- 23rd April 2014 at 10:01Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
How fantastic to see the three Gnats together - are they booked anywhere this year as a threesome? I have my Sywell ticket and there's a single display but three would be something to see again.
I know it's now about 35 years but I've never really got used to the Reds with the Hawk - for me the Gnats were the perfect display team aircraft - small and nimble......perfection.
New
By: Anonymous
- 23rd April 2014 at 10:13Permalink- Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
I preferred the Gnat too. I never bonded with the Hawk. Wouldn't it be nice to see this again...
By: YakRider
- 28th April 2014 at 13:06Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
More Gnat action on Sunday too. It started to rain as the first sortie took off, and it came back early because of the low cloud.
The weather improve for their second trip. The take off was shot from the Tower, where I had just finished a stint on the radio.
WE also had some rather nice red MGs visiting the Airifield. Suitably historic British classics!
The final sortie was a two ship which gave us a low pass with smoke on. The engineers did a great job over the weekend so that the six flights all went off without a hitch!
By: charliehunt
- 28th April 2014 at 13:13Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Marvellous pictures. Just love those little aircraft, with fond memories of the Yellojacks, pre-Red Arrows days. I hope I manage to see them at one of the shows this summer.
By: pegasus911
- 28th April 2014 at 21:02Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
smashing photos, well done.
New
Posts: 3,208
By: Mike J
- 28th April 2014 at 22:23Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Soon after the Gnats had finished flying for the afternoon, the occupants of this lovely Biggin Hill-based Miles Messenger dropped into The Squadron for a cup of tea en-route back home from a visit to Sywell.
Posts: 6
By: ArthurTeaCake - 23rd April 2014 at 10:01 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
How fantastic to see the three Gnats together - are they booked anywhere this year as a threesome? I have my Sywell ticket and there's a single display but three would be something to see again.
I know it's now about 35 years but I've never really got used to the Reds with the Hawk - for me the Gnats were the perfect display team aircraft - small and nimble......perfection.
By: Anonymous - 23rd April 2014 at 10:13 Permalink - Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
I preferred the Gnat too. I never bonded with the Hawk. Wouldn't it be nice to see this again...
I guess three is a good start!
Posts: 1,628
By: ozplane - 23rd April 2014 at 10:36 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
With Ray Hanna leading them. Now that was special.
Posts: 933
By: YakRider - 23rd April 2014 at 12:58 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
OPeration Crosbow
As there is a repeat of the BBC documentary Operation Crossbow on the fight against Hitler's V-weapons available at the moment on iPlayer
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b011cr8f/Operation_Crossbow/
Here are some pictures of some of the filming involving the Hangar 11 Spitfire PR XI in March 2011.
PR Spitfire Jimmy Taylor and some of the other participants
The following day, the aerial sequences were filmed by an R44 helicopter and on the ground
Posts: 933
By: YakRider - 28th April 2014 at 13:00 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The Gnats were out again over the weekend. Saturday's sorties first.
Second flight
Posts: 933
By: YakRider - 28th April 2014 at 13:06 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
More Gnat action on Sunday too. It started to rain as the first sortie took off, and it came back early because of the low cloud.
The weather improve for their second trip. The take off was shot from the Tower, where I had just finished a stint on the radio.
WE also had some rather nice red MGs visiting the Airifield. Suitably historic British classics!
The final sortie was a two ship which gave us a low pass with smoke on. The engineers did a great job over the weekend so that the six flights all went off without a hitch!
Posts: 11,141
By: charliehunt - 28th April 2014 at 13:13 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Marvellous pictures. Just love those little aircraft, with fond memories of the Yellojacks, pre-Red Arrows days. I hope I manage to see them at one of the shows this summer.
Posts: 7,017
By: trumper - 28th April 2014 at 18:04 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
:applause: Lovely looking aircraft,great photos ,thank you. Request entered for video next please :)
Posts: 201
By: pegasus911 - 28th April 2014 at 21:02 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
smashing photos, well done.
Posts: 3,208
By: Mike J - 28th April 2014 at 22:23 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Soon after the Gnats had finished flying for the afternoon, the occupants of this lovely Biggin Hill-based Miles Messenger dropped into The Squadron for a cup of tea en-route back home from a visit to Sywell.
Posts: 3,415
By: SADSACK - 29th April 2014 at 19:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Absolutely wonderful pictures. Keep up the good work! Do you mind if we share them on my forum?
Posts: 310
By: Roborough - 29th April 2014 at 20:44 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Great pictures, thanks all for posting. Loved the Messenger Mike!
Bill
Posts: 102
By: TexanTrev - 30th April 2014 at 03:37 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Wonderful set of photos. Great to see all the activity at NW. And as Roborough says Mike, loved the Messenger.
Posts: 933
By: YakRider - 6th May 2014 at 06:00 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
On Bank Holiday Monday Richerd Grace flew in ML407 for a welcome visit. Great to see my favourite spitfire again
The Hangar 11 Hurricane was also flying. It performed a display the the Gunpowder Mills in Waltham Abbey
Posts: 933
By: YakRider - 6th May 2014 at 06:04 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Some of our Jet Provosts were out too…
The Hunter T7, Fox 1, WV372, didi a couple of sorties too. This is due to display next weekend at the first Shuttleworth show
Posts: 3,778
By: Trolly Aux - 6th May 2014 at 09:26 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Great update, thank you Yakrider.
Posts: 97
By: bleeming - 6th May 2014 at 23:33 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Nice to see the Palouste starters in fine fettle :-) Used to look after all the squadron units on HMS Centaur. Mounted on a/c deck tugs. :-)
Posts: 5,998
By: Wyvernfan - 7th May 2014 at 09:41 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Looks like NW is now the hub of vintage jet operations in the east of the UK.
Great photos!
Rob
Posts: 556
By: me109g4 - 7th May 2014 at 12:53 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks for the Hunter pics,, was always a favourite of mine, along with the Lightning
Posts: 3,650
By: 1batfastard - 7th May 2014 at 16:43 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hi All,
To all who supplied the photographs many thanks for taking the time to post on this great thread keep it up :applause:
Geoff.