The Red Arrows

As you know I am a big fan of and supporter of the Red Arrows.  They are currently practicing above the skies of RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.  Here are some pictures of the ongoing training, courtesy of Red 10..

The 5-4 split

Red 10 in his cockpit, catching up with the group who are doing 'Big Vixen'

Eagle Roll

A unique view of 'Diamond'
There is a 'smoke crime' here for Red 2 - he shouldn't be smoking!
That will cost him a fair few Euro's in fines!

Short Diamond loop - Akrotiri is visible in the background

A brilliant view through the forward cockpit window of 'the Goose'

All pictures courtesy of Red 10 from his Twitter feed

The Study

I've begun to put pictures up in my study.  These are some of them and the tale behind them..

This a large mural made up of different 'pages'.  It's a tribute to the 'Few'.
This is a MkXVI Spitfire built at Castle Bromwich in 1945.

This is a photograph of 'Just Jane', the Lancaster at East Kirkby airfield.  I have a 'Taxy ride' booked on her
in October this year and the Brothers who own her hope to have her flying in 2014.
I've seen her Taxy about 8 times now and its an amazing site and sound experience to see her with all four engines roaring!

I saw this photo and it invoked a very strong emotion of remembrance.  It's a reminder of the sacrafices made by so many.

This is a photo of the Bomb aimers capsule from a Lancaster.  I took this at the Dambuster museum at RAF Scampton.
Since then it has been signed by George 'Johnny' Johnson who was the Bomb aimer on AJ-T the Lancaster piloted by
Flt Lt Joe McCarthy on the famous Dambusters raid against the German Dams.  Johnny Johnsons plane made a successful attack against the Sorpe Dam.

One of my favourite photos.  Oliver and myself at the Grassington 'War weekend' 2012.
We attend quite a few Re-enactment weekends where i represent the 101st Airborne - the Screaming Eagles

A signed print of P7350 the oldest airworthy Spitfire and the only remaining flying Spitfire to have fought in the Battle of Britain.  The print is signed by the members of the Battle of Britain Memorial flight.

Another mural covering the most of one wall.  This is a view of Omaha beach, Normandy - D-Day +1

A precious and favourite photo.  My Mum and Dad, Joe and myself enjoying a sunny day in France.

This print was a gift to me from Jo's parents for acting as guide on a recent trip to the battlefields of Normandy.
It is of my favourite Normandy village, Ste Marie du Mont and the village remains unchanged today though the trees
are higher around the church.  I have a modern day photo of me taken in the same place as the soldier stood between the two tanks.

Easy company 101st airborne were part of the liberating force of this village and their famous attack on Brecourt Manor took place about 5km from this spot.

A photo that i took recently and am very proud of.  The lone Lancaster 'City of Lincoln' heads into a late Lincolnshire sky.

High flight

See post below for relevance

Dedicated to John Gillespie Magee Jr

John Gillespie Magee Jr was an American aviator and Poet who died as a result of a mid air collision over the fields of Lincolnshire.  He was educated at Rugby school from 1935 to 1939.  He was deeply moved by the roll of honour of Rugby pupils who had fallen in the first world war.  This list of the fallen included the celebrated war poet Rupert Brooke (1887-1915) whose work Magee greatly admired.

Magee's posthumous fame rests mainly with his sonnet 'High Flight', started on 18 August 1941, just a few months before his death.  He had flown up to 33,000 feet in a Spitfire Mk I, his seventh in a Spitfire.  As he orbited and climbed upward, he was struck with the inspiration of a poem - "To the face of God".  He completed it later that day after landing.  Magee enclosed the poem on the back of a letter to his parents.  His father, curate of a church in Washington DC reprinted it in church publications.  The poem became more widely known through the efforts of Archibald Mcleish then Librarian of Congress, who included it inan exhibition of poems called 'Faith and Freedom' at the Library of Congress in February 1942.  The manuscript copy of the poem remains at the Library of Congress.

President Ronald Reagan quoted the poem when paying tribute to the astronauts who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy.  Today it serves as the official poem of the Royal Airforce and Royal Canadian Airforce.  It must be recited from memory by fourth class cadets at the United States Air Force Academy.

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth

And danced the skies on laughter silvered wings;

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

of sun split clouds, - and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there, 

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air...

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace.

Where never lark, or even eagle flew -

And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

- put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

Lest we forget

Happy Bank Holiday

Woke up this morning and pulled the curtains back...wall to wall blue sky!  What a change and how it can make the world seem a better place.  Anyway...this was my first view of the day...hope it's 'blue' wherever you are !

Tea time update

Had a great day.  Went to Thorpe Camp, a WW2 museum on the remains of old RAF Woodhall Spa.  Had some drinks at the Blue Bell Inn at Tattershall Thorpe, a pub used by the Dambusters, Barnes Wallace, Arthur harris during WW2.  The pub is covered in memorabilia and pilots old and new have signed the ceilings and walls!  Had a pleasant chat with some RAF re-enactors and agreed to meet up at forthcoming events.

RAF Metheringham was having an open day, again this is an old WW2 airbase but we timed our visit to coincide with the flypast of the BBMF Lancaster 'City of Lincoln' who made three passes over the museum/airfield.

Finally we drove through Scopwick, a village near ourselves on the way home.  I'd heard there was a war grave cemetery there, there was, and I was surprised at who was laid to rest there..

This could be a scene from Normandy...a War Graves Commision Cemetery but no.  This is in the village of Scopwick, Lincolnshire.

The grave of John Gillespie Magee

German aircrew are also buried here and treated with respect.

The Lancaster flying over RAF Metheringham today

Fast Jets - RAF Coningsby

Took a trip to RAF Coningsby for a nosey.  Instead of the usual view point by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight hangar i wandered round to crash gate (3)? which is right at the end of the runway.  I hit it lucky today, the base had some visiting F16's from the Danish airforce and there were quite a few 'spectators' who had come out for a glimpse.  I'm constantly amazed at how close you can get to our frontline fighter force...

There are four Typhoon Squadrons based here, 3, 17, 29 and 11 Squadrons..
Here is one of them taxying to the take off point

The Typhoon can fly at Mach 1.8, cruise at 55,000ft and can be armed to the teeth

The green panel on the cockpit window is the pilots HUD - Head up Display

It's also home to the Tornado...the Tornado has swing wing capability and can sweep them in when going 'hot'

Ready to go...

After burners on and she roars down the runway....The ground shakes and the noise is deafening

It's not all high tech.  Here a Hurricane from the BBMF prepares to take off for a test flight

Nose view of another Tornado

waiting patiently...ready to unleash hell on an unsuspecting tranquil Lincolnshire countryside

THe Hurricane....sortie finished and returning to base

Back for tea and cakes..

The plane causing all of todays excitement ..an F16 from the visiting Danish airforce (6 in all)

The F16- sun glinting of the fuselage as she returns from playing chase with the Typhoons...

A pair of Typhoons in tight formation overflying the base..

You will notice different Squadron markings on the Typhoons..

Seconds from touchdown..this one has mission markings by the cockpit window

Touchdown...different Squadron markings from the shot above (see the tail fin)

Touchdown and the wheels smoke..

The magnificent Tornado..

Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

Last night at RAF Conningsby the Battle of Britain Memorial flight were undergoing final test flights before the Display season starts.  The Big Wigs need to grant 'Public Display Approval' before the flight are allowed to display around the country.  I thought I'd pop over to have a look...

The old and the new...The Lancaster 'City of Lincoln' awaits her turn in the sky in front of the modern Typhoon fighter jets

One of the Hurricanes of the flight.  This one would wheel around the sky with one of the flights Spitfires

The Lanc, proudly displaying the City of Lincoln name badge

Waiting to go...and from this airfield 70 years ago flew many many Lancasters just like her..

Three of the flight waiting ..

Up and away...a regular BBMF formation...from L to R Hurricane, Lancaster and Spitfire

All those Merlins........

On a partly leaden sky the Lanc is catching the sun..

Another pass...notice the bomb bay doors are open

One of Avro's finest..

Next stop the Fatherland

The Spitfire, Hurricane and Lanc 

Digger digger digger digger digger!

Looking down the main runway...shes just taken off and the wheels are already up

An evening mission..

"Oh i have slipped the surly bonds of Earth and danced the Earth on laughter silvered wings..

...put out my hands and touched the face of God"

Right at ya!

Bringing her home..

"Smoke me a kipper I'll be back for breakfast"

Waiting her turn as the Dakota roars down the runway

Last light

'two degrees of seperation'

This is what a Hurricane looks like when it wants you!

Back at base....


LEST WE FORGET