Sim2do

The phrase Sim2do meant nothing to me until the end of March when I retired and was presented with an envelope which contained a gift voucher for a Spitfire simulator flight experience. The experience is run by this company from their premises in Mildenhall. The main part of the experience is from a 'Spitfire' cockpit with a wrap around screen that gives wing tip to wing tip views of the aircraft and the cockpit is fully fitted with all controls from spade grip, with working gun button, to trim wheel, throttle, rudder pedals and dials.

I have no flight experience at all so there was an initial explanatory video and then a familiarisation flight in a Cessna with much more basic controls that well serves to demonstrate your short comings which ultimately led to a crash on landing.

After this you move on to the Spitfire which is just like sitting in a real cockpit right down to a bit of agility required to get in. My instructor Ken talked me through the controls and there is even a start sequence involving priming the engine.

Gradually applying some power I taxied out to the runway and after a few moments lurched in to the air and attained a degree of controlled flight. Then it was undercart up and instruction on the interaction of speed, trim and stick on flight control leading to left and right turns and a flight over London and buzzing Tower Bridge a couple of times. Ken was patient throughout but guided me through the headset when necessary and also complimented me on things done well.

Ultimately the experience ended with a landing at Biggin Hill. Not my finest moment certainly but a bent prop as we trundled over the threshold and down the runway meant the Spitfire and me live to fight another day.

This was a 90 minute experience that whizzed by and I would certainly recommend to anyone with a vintage aviation interest. I am told that flight characteristics are designed to make this very realistic and it certainly seemed that way to me.

                                         

Chinook

Caught from a distance over Manston this evening was this Chinook twin rotor helicopter.

Douglas C-41a

When I snapped this aircraft peaking through a hangar door at Coventry 3 years ago I thought it was a Dakota. Actually it was the sole variant of a Vip transport version of the famous design called the C41a. At the time it had not flown since 2019 but I am pleased to learn that, with the pending closure of Coventry, it took to the air again last month and relocated to Wolverhampton Halpenny Green airport.

What's in a name?

Back in 2011 when it started out the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar was actually called the Spitfire Company (Biggin Hill) Ltd. They have announced that the company will shortly revert to the original name in view of their strong association with Spitfires. Obviously it's up to them what they call themselves but as most people in the know will be already aware of their amazing work with Spitfire restoration and they have recently expanded flying activities to include a Buchon and P-51 it seems a little odd. No big deal though and I hope their success continues.

St Saviours, Westgate-on-sea

Had a little wander around Westgate today, a place where I lived for 5 years from age 10, and popped into St Saviours church where there is a memorial to the WWI lost, including a couple serving with the RFC and a few with the RAF. I was surprised at the disparity in numbers given that the RAF only existed for the final 6 months of the conflict. I guess it demonstrates the growing use of air power.

Fly a Spitfire Dot Com

Got lucky this afternoon and caught this trio from Flyaspitfire.com from my back garden as they did a circuit over Manston area. Centre is Piper PA-32 'chase plane' flanked by P-51 Mustang Moonbeam McSwine and Spitfire VIII Lady Ellen III.

The end for Coventry

Coventry airport sadly closed for good a couple of days ago as the site is being developed. This brings an end to 90 years of activity including use as a fighter airfield in WWII. Fortunately the Midland Air Museum on the edge of the airport is on privately owned land and not under threat. The Nimrod that was on airport ground has been moved and is being dismantled before relocating to Manston.

I can at least say that I have flown from Coventry albeit only once a good many years ago when I had a pleasure flight in the Twin Pioneer. Sadly the aircraft has also seen better days and no longer flies.

Stopping home

The Norwegian Historic Flight have announced that their Vampire will not be appearing in the UK this year citing the uncertainties in rising fuel prices, which is a shame. They do however state they will return in 2027. The aircraft is seen here at Duxford a couple of years ago.

From the archive!

New on the UK airshow circuit this year is a Polish built Mig-17F. It came to the UK with the OFMC back in 1995 but has largely been stored and inactive since. It was painted in North Vietnamese markings as seen here on static display at North Weald back in 2017. It is now resplendent in a Polish all silver scheme and I look forward to catching up with it again.

D-Day +82

It's the 82nd anniversary of D-Day today, an incredible operation that ultimately led to the end of WWII in Europe less than a year later. The airborne assault was led by DC3 'That's All Brother" and here are a few shots of the aircraft at Duxford 7 years ago.

On the move

This Phantom cockpit section seen here at Newark where it has been on display since 2011 is being moved on this month to a new home at Kemble.

Last flight at Chino

This Boeing P-26A Peashooter is the last of its type that still flies. It is currently with the Planes of Fame museum at Chino but will be moved to their new facility at Santa Maria next year. A final flight at Chino is scheduled in a couple of days on 6th June. We were lucky enough to see it in 2014 when it was brought over for Flying Legends at Duxford.

Up for sale

This Spitfire XIV was restored to flying condition by Avspecs in New Zealand in 2015 and has only flown 23 hours since. I saw it in its museum setting at Omaka a couple of years ago and it looked pretty impressive. I wonder where it will end up.

Back in the air

Pleased to see that this Mosquito at Virginia Beach flew again last month after four years of downtime due to extensive maintenance. It was the highlight of our visit to the Warbirds Over the Beach air show back in 2015.

Avro Triplane incident

This Avro Triplane replica of the Shuttleworth trust reportedly lost power on take off at a Shuttleworth air show yesterday and was seen to disappear behind a tree line. The aircraft has been reported as substantially damaged but I am pleased to hear that, after a hospital check, the pilot is reported to be fine.