What other aircraft do you think the BBMF should be able to operate?

Don't forget that there are other historic flights in the Armed Forces, apart from the BBMF, so there's the RNHF, which does operate the Swordfish (among others) and the AACHF, so between them there is a broader representation than one might initially think.

I still think its sad that we have no flying Mosquito in the UK though!

 

My aircraft from the transport side would be : Bristol Britannia, predecessor to the VC10 for trooping movements. and Shorts Belfast of which there were only 10 in service which fits one of the parameters that @Jamessquared listed.

It was also notable for being the first aircraft to be designed from the beginning to be equipped with full 'blind landing' automatic landing system equipment.

When I was posted to an island in the Indian Ocean in 1975, my transport was a Britannia configured for pax and freight and I remember during that long flight hoping that those pallets of freight were securely fixed. It must have been one of the last flights as they were being phased out and so my return to UK, and much shorter flight, was in the luxury of a VC10.

Dave B

 

Hopefully that will have changed by 2020 or 2021.

Dave B

 

I happened to notice the Lanc/Spit/DC3 doing circuits over Lincolnshire on flight tracker this afternoon. They also had this for company....

https://www.planespotters.net/photo/688312/oe-fdn-pink-aviation-services-short-sc7-skyvan

I'm assuming it won't be on the list!

 

Flying backwards of course.

 

AFAIK the Skyvan was the photo ship. The flight was positioning itself ready for the big flypast tomorrow.

 

A bit off topic but I was at the Coate Water Park in Swindon yesterday and a WW1 Fokker Triplane (like the Red Baron flew) went overhead. Not exactly everyday you see one of them. Was heading towards London. Any ideas where it was going ?

 

Yes, a very strange sensation at first.

Dave B

 

Yes flying in an RAF VC10 Was an experience the very first time

 

I remember the very first time, although it was a very short flight. We were taking part in a ten day competition at a base in Belgium and as there was no competition flying over the weekend we were flown back to our base in Germany by VC10 for the weekend break.

I know that my first impression was that someone had put the seats in wrong!

Dave B

 

Yes, I remember my first time, we had just taken part in an Nato exercise in Denmark. our vehicles went off, we went in Danish trucks, to an airfield, saw an Hercules and VC10 on the tarmac, I remember the RAF crew being very sniffy towards a bunch of smelly, unwashed squaddies insisting we at least clean up so off we went to some barracks somewhere, to shower, and eat, before we were brought back where we waited again for ages, before being put onto the VC10, I noticed the backward seats, and asked why? I cant remember exactly what was said, but I think it was an safety thing.

 

A de Havilland Mosquito and its replacement the English Electric Canberra would be appropriate I suppose; maybe a Bristol Beaufighter or a (if the team promoting the replica is still a going concern) a Westland Whirlwind twin-engine fighter if you fancy something a little less well known (http://aerodynamicmedia.com/westland-whirlwind/).

Naturally if we are in WIBN fantacyland then get one of the 2 surviving BAC TSR.2's flying

 

Why only one? Think big...........

 

I have this feeling that if both were to be made to fly, it would be a first for one of them as only one flew or have I imagined that?

Steven

 

Both of them - only the first prototype flew and it was destroyed as a range target I believe the Duxford example was never a complete airframe.

 

Then imagine the shock on the RAF's top brass faces when a 1950's design out performs their most modern aircraft

 

A bit like Turbinia zipping around the Navy fleet?

 

Is there not a TSR2 at Cosford today?

 

Yes, I believe that's the one that flew.