I work in Westminster should hopefully get a good view.
They have had a selection of planes at hourseguards for the last few days which you could have a look round. All the modern hero's - typhoon and tornado etc. And some older classics a Dakota, a spitfire you could sit in (although the queue was 3 hours long) and my favourite a WW1 Sopwith Camel which was absolutly beautiful.
Lugging my Nikon D850 in on the train with a couple of decent lenses is kiling my back. Not sure if I'm heading to the Mall or over to the Olympic Park for an extended lunchbreak but hopefully the images will be worth it.
I went to Horse Guards yesterday. The Spitfire, as ever, looked wonderful. The new F35B Lightning was very impressive. I'll put pictures up when I find my 'phone.
I work in Westminster should hopefully get a good view.
They have had a selection of planes at hourseguards for the last few days which you could have a look round. All the modern hero's - typhoon and tornado etc. And some older classics a Dakota, a spitfire you could sit in (although the queue was 3 hours long) and my favourite a WW1 Sopwith Camel which was absolutly beautiful.
Love the Dakota, went on one that was involved in D Day and Operation Market Garden at a car & plane show at Bicester last month.
The hole in the seat on the left was made by a fighter plane during Market Garden. The pilot survived apparently.
When I started my apprenticeship many many years ago, two of my overseers were still of working age, and both were in the RAF in WW2, one (Don) was a tail end charlie (rear gunner) in Lancs and other bombers, he had completed his tour and in 1944 was discharged, having shot down (iirc) 4 confirmed enemy aircraft. The other (Jerry) was a navigator in Mosquitos, and flew until the end of the war, I remember him telling me that if they had an evening/night mission, that the whole squadron would be on the piss before the mission, because they didnt know if they would be coming back, I remember him telling me that no matter how much he had poured down his neck, nothing sobers you up like getting in a Mossie and flying at zero altitude over the channel to covertly carry out your mission. Absolute top blokes and would have been into their 60's when I worked with them, and were a delight to be around. Its just a shame they never lived long enough to get their campaign medals because none were awarded to bomber command until a few year ago. Even so as a gobby apprentice I took the piss and used to call them Don and Jerry.
it's like plane porn where I live the last week. I'm next to RAF Northolt so we've had loads of US C17s coming in ridiculously low bringing in all the vehicles for Trumps visit, then we had the secret service Osprey's doing manoeuvres and now we'll get this flypast
And again. The most beautiful aeroplane ever made.
Agreed, they are just beautiful. Im lucky where I live, next to Trossley country park, we have the two seater Spits flying over all day from Biggin, doing the pay to fly routes, they use the same route, so every couple of hours we get circled. I was off last week recovering from my bike crash and it was just excellent hearing the merlin and then seeing them flyover at about 500 feet. Bliss.
Will always be on my bucket list to have a flight in one of those twin seater Spits!!
Cant remember what Birthday it was yet my Dad got a present to enjoy a ride in a Avro Lancaster ("Just Jane") in Lincolnshire, was only a taxi ride up apron and back but jealous of that alone!!
Will always be on my bucket list to have a flight in one of those twin seater Spits!!
Cant remember what Birthday it was yet my Dad got a present to enjoy a ride in a Avro Lancaster ("Just Jane") in Lincolnshire, was only a taxi ride up apron and back but jealous of that alone!!
My mate works at Biggin hill, I think it step Heritage hanger, where they do the 2 seater, they've just got a ME109 airworthy and that is supposed to be flying soon. I think the basic price for 30 mins in the two seater spit is £2750 for 30 mins (20mins flying). I did the tour of the hanger, they have a few Spits including a Battle of Britain Mk1, Hurricanes, Harvards and the Me109. you get a ten min talk on each aircraft and you get to sit in a Spit mk9 for pictures, I think they charge around £80 for the tour. Remember these old warbirds cost a fortune to maintain and fly so its worth it. I understand that the Lanc runway ride is being extended to flights carrying passengers soon, now they have overcome the hurdles on insurance. And as there are only 2 flying Lancs in the world, there will be a hell of a waiting list.
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They have had a selection of planes at hourseguards for the last few days which you could have a look round. All the modern hero's - typhoon and tornado etc. And some older classics a Dakota, a spitfire you could sit in (although the queue was 3 hours long) and my favourite a WW1 Sopwith Camel which was absolutly beautiful.
Happy birthday the RAF.
The hole in the seat on the left was made by a fighter plane during Market Garden. The pilot survived apparently.
Fantastic plane to see at an air show in my youth. Two engines and a seat. Very loud and very very fast.
Some legendary stories about the real lightning including this.
http://www.historicracer.com/aviation/accidental-fighter-pilot/
The other (Jerry) was a navigator in Mosquitos, and flew until the end of the war, I remember him telling me that if they had an evening/night mission, that the whole squadron would be on the piss before the mission, because they didnt know if they would be coming back, I remember him telling me that no matter how much he had poured down his neck, nothing sobers you up like getting in a Mossie and flying at zero altitude over the channel to covertly carry out your mission.
Absolute top blokes and would have been into their 60's when I worked with them, and were a delight to be around.
Its just a shame they never lived long enough to get their campaign medals because none were awarded to bomber command until a few year ago.
Even so as a gobby apprentice I took the piss and used to call them Don and Jerry.
Never Forget.
She's a beauty!
Im lucky where I live, next to Trossley country park, we have the two seater Spits flying over all day from Biggin, doing the pay to fly routes, they use the same route, so every couple of hours we get circled. I was off last week recovering from my bike crash and it was just excellent hearing the merlin and then seeing them flyover at about 500 feet. Bliss.
Cant remember what Birthday it was yet my Dad got a present to enjoy a ride in a Avro Lancaster ("Just Jane") in Lincolnshire, was only a taxi ride up apron and back but jealous of that alone!!
I did the tour of the hanger, they have a few Spits including a Battle of Britain Mk1, Hurricanes, Harvards and the Me109. you get a ten min talk on each aircraft and you get to sit in a Spit mk9 for pictures, I think they charge around £80 for the tour.
Remember these old warbirds cost a fortune to maintain and fly so its worth it.
I understand that the Lanc runway ride is being extended to flights carrying passengers soon, now they have overcome the hurdles on insurance. And as there are only 2 flying Lancs in the world, there will be a hell of a waiting list.