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Lotus in the Peak
28th - 30th June 2024

Spitfire Flypast


Dr H

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St George's Day celebrations in the village today and there was Spitfire flypast. I just stood in the garden and watched it fly round in a circuit at one point it opened the throttle full tilt and banked round tightly.

Just awesome, there is no other way of describing the noise and the sight. Sent shivers down my spine and brought a lump to my throat notworthy.gif

 

It was the RR Spit based at East Mids Airport

 

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The plane is a late model Spit that actually has a Griffon engine rather than a Merlin. Sounds slightly different but only just. Bit of googling shows that the Merlin was a 27 lire V12 and the Griffon is 37 litres. The RR plane was a Photo Recon model and was designed to fly at up to 42,000 ft - pretty amazing for almost 70 years ago.

 

Jonny, Mosquito is another awesome bit of kit as is the Lancaster. I took my son to Duxford last week and I loved it more than him I think! P51s, Corsairs, Spits, Bearcat, Hellcat, B17 all in the 'flying' aircraft hangar. They were rebuilding the engine on a Spit and are also restoring a Sea Fury.

 

But one of my faves is the P47 Thunderbolt. Massive lump of an aircraft but almost indestructible. Affectionately know as a 'Jug'.

 

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I also love the Tempest. There is something about prop engined war birds......

 

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Duxford is a great day out, I always end up being asked to leave when they are closing despite having been in there about 7 hours and been there several times.

 

Both raf museums are worth a visit, not quite as good as duxford but not far off (and they are free)

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So far we've been to Duxford, Cosford, Hendon, Coventry Air Museum and East Midlands Aeropark.

 

We got into the cockpit of the Vulcan at Coventry.

 

We've also made model kits of a Tomahawk, Corsair, Paul Defiant and bought one of a Focke Wulf 190 at Duxford. I have 2 P47 kits and a Tempest kit that I still have to make along with a load of other stuff we were donated by someone.

 

I think I'm becoming a real plane geek.......

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There is an air museum at Coventry??? Bugger I was on there on Wednesday at the transport museum to look at the trust cars and the t16 and lotus (type25?) I was gutted as having taken our time going around I realised the Motorsport gallery is no longer there (replaced by jags as part of the update grrrrr)

 

I was tempted to go to man her to see a real concord rather than a prototype but refuse to pay the stupid prices

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I was at Duxford for a Battle of Britain airshow - they had the biggest squadron of Spitfires since the war. I rather think there were 70 of them(!). That was truly awesome. I've also been there when they've had Merlins and Griffons (etc) on stands, with a feathered prop on the front, and they run them up just for the noise, really. It's a great place to go, and if you are quick, you might just be able to join in with The Lotus Forum display at next weekend's Spring Car Show. 30 cars and counting, reduced entry fee to the museum, etc, etc.

 

http://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/63196-iwm-duxford-spring-car-show-sunday-4th-may/

 

I'll be there, all being well :-)

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There is an air museum at Coventry??? Bugger I was on there on Wednesday at the transport museum to look at the trust cars and the t16 and lotus (type25?) I was gutted as having taken our time going around I realised the Motorsport gallery is no longer there (replaced by jags as part of the update grrrrr)

 

I was tempted to go to man her to see a real concord rather than a prototype but refuse to pay the stupid prices

 

It's called the Midland Air Museum and is right next to Coventry Airport. Only small but some interesting aircraft. http://www.midlandairmuseum.co.uk/

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It's called the Midland Air Museum and is right next to Coventry Airport. Only small but some interesting aircraft. http://www.midlandairmuseum.co.uk/

Went to both Coventry motor museum and Coventry airport Easter half term on the same day with the kids. The Vulcan cockpit is set up for a Cold War bomb run, absolutely amazing. The Motor museum is free to get in and the airport Museum I think run by enthusiasts, good people, had a warm feeling about the place.

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As for Duxford, even if no-one else comes, I can take a pile of MLOC cards, and spread the word about Chatsworth :-)

 

And just for the record, Duxford really is the Daddy of aircraft museums. There's so much there that it would take much more than a day to see it properly. And a fair bit of ancient stuff still flies. Flying days can be breathtaking. Very different from your modern, Mildenhall-type airshow, with lots of fast jets. Instead there are lots (and lots) of aircraft with propellers (remember them?). And some early jets, sometimes. Some aircraft have more than two wings. If you ever read Biggles as a child, you'll be like a pig in a poke. Or any other plane-focussed stuff. It's all there. The thing that I always notice is that I've flown in so many of the aircraft there that are now simply museum pieces. The Vickers Viscount. Caravelle. BAC one-eleven. And so on. I don't feel like a museum piece personally, but I suppose I must be, really :-(

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