Vulcan XH558

A press release today explains that the last Avro Vulcan to fly must leave its home at Doncaster airport by June 2023. Options are being explored with, apparently, a couple of destinations in mind and Vulcan to The Sky Trust are even talking to the CAA about a short ferry flight to a new home. This sounds unlikely to me but who knows. The alternative would be to dismantle it which is no small task either. Fund raising is under way, as it has been for most of the time since plans to return XH558 to the air all those years ago were first touted.

Hurricane crash

 Very sad to hear yesterday of the loss of the pilot and his Hawker Hurricane in a crash at Cheb airshow in the Czech Republic. My thoughts are with all those close to the pilot.

https://www.key.aero/article/hurricane-fatal-crash-czech-show

Airbus A400

Spotting from the back garden! An A400 caught high overhead yesterday evening.

Almost ready!

The world's only airworthy Bristol Blenheim last flew for a remembrance service late in 2019. As a result of Covid it was elected to inhibit the engines and the aircraft has sat silently in a hangar at Duxford since. However, the Blenheim has recently been receiving attention and today reached the stage of ground engine runs. Hopefully a return to the air is just around the corner.

Hurricane flies

Seen here at Temora, Australia, back in 2018 this Hawker Hurricane XII was exported to the UK a little while back and is now at Biggin Hill from where it made its return to the air a couple of days ago. Hopefully I will get to see it again before too long.

Colourful A380

Caught high over head on Friday was this Airbus A380 still sporting a promotional scheme for the Dubai Expo

Norwegian Historic Flight Mig-15

 The Mig-15, in colours denoting a captured Mig used for testing by the USAF, taxis out to display.

Sally B at The Americans Flying Day

Flypast with P51s Contrary Mary and Hun Hunter Texas

Taxiing back in after displaying

The Americans 4

Winding up

The Americans 3

From the flying display

The Americans 2

Some flight line stuff although not everything took to the air.

Duxford - The Americans

Saturday was the latest flying day at Duxford - dedicated to The Americans who have operated from the airfield. I enjoy these flying days which are effectively small flying displays with all the usual museum attractions and smaller crowds than a full blown flying display. This time there was the added bonus of my fellow enthusiast and good mate Gaz coming down from Notts to share the day.

There was a little anxiety early on when my local motorway was closed due to a serious accident and my 'plan B' route was out of the question due to traffic chaos at Dover. Fortunately diverting through Canterbury found roads fairly quiet and , although taking 30 minutes or so longer than normal, the rest of the journey was fairly uneventful and I was at Duxford a little after 11 and Gaz was there soon after.

We had plenty of time to tour the hangars, check on the Firefly restoration which should apparently be flying within a couple of years and then watch the flying display. The weather was pretty good and as there was a fair sized crowd we hung around a little while to watch the aircraft being towed back to the hangars.

All in all a great day out, made better by the company, and a decent run back got me home in time for tea.

As is often the case I managed to take heaps of pictures so here's the first of  multiple posts with some hangar shots to get things started.