Backwards and Forwards.

So, 2025 is almost at an end and 2026 is just around the corner. Time for a little reflection. The year was never going to live up to last year with the trip to New Zealand, the Wanaka air show and some great museums especially as I barely left country. However it was still a full year with an early visit to the Helicopter museum ticking another off my to do list. Duxford featured regularly and it was interesting to see some of the aircraft movements resulting from changes to displays in the Super Hangar which weren't complete when I last visited. There was some good flying there including the return to UK skies of an A26 Invader for the first time in many years, just a shame that strong winds took the edge off the September show.

Shuttleworth was visited again in June and was also disrupted a little by windy conditions but was well put together none the less. Around the same time we had the Little Ships commemorations locally which was great to see  especially with a Swordfish and Spitfire display in my lunch break one day.

One of the highlights was a jaunt to France in June for the La Ferte Alais show which I enjoyed at the time but the memories have been soured by unexpected events subsequently. Oh well. Another let down was the loss of the Manston air show fairly close to event day but on the plus side I got to see the vising R4D a few times whilst it was on its tour from across the pond.

I also pitched in to Sally B funds a bit more this year which got me to the members day in August which was a most enjoyable day out with glorious weather to boot. There was other stuff as well of course which is largely documented below.

And for 2026? No great plans as yet. Manston air show has been rescheduled for early June so I will do that if it happens. A couple of weeks later is a Shuttleworth show where, apparently, P51 Frances Dell is meant to put in an appearance. Not enough on its own to get me there but if the 109E that made it's first appearance in Germany this year should happen to be there it might be worth a Sunday drive.

Hopefully the A26 will be about again, there is the DVII to see and the Duxford based Wildcat will hopefully be displaying. Fingers crossed for the Tempest as well but no Lancaster this year due to extended maintenance. I also want to get to the South Wales Air museum which might be easier following retirement in March. Other stuff we will play by ear as events get properly listed and, as usual, I will be posting up here.

I'll finish with Steve Carter of the Sally B crew trying to get us all to smile back in August which wasn't actually a difficult task! Happy New Year.