Superb site Rob.Thanks for that.
I bet there were a few changes of underwear,on that 747 though. 
Ken.
Jeeze! You’ve GOTTA admire that pilot!! 
Mind you, I do believe that 747’s have the ability to adjust their landing gear to their angle of approach to the runway, rather like the B52.
Even so, a lovely landing, and I’ll wager NONE of the punters realised it was a bit iffy!!!
I’ve dropped into Dubai, just after a sandstorm, on a VC10 (shows how old I am…!) and have ground-looped … My cousin, who’d never flown before, did ask if the airfield had TWO control towers. 
… I lied… A lot!! 
A couple of LARGE Tiger Beers at thehotel cured my tongue tiedness! My cousin didn’t even twig…!
Last Saturday or Sunday, (think it was Sunday) i was in the yard at Stowmarket cleaning the 144, and i heard a distant roar and thought that doesnt sound like the usual planes we get over here, i got in the middle of the yard and looked around and saw to my amazement 2 Spitfires, each either side of a Lancaster!!! 
They circled around 4 times, apparently they werer at Duxford, and were doing the rounds at the East Anglian bases that were around during the 2nd World War, something to do with Richard Branson only being able to afford the planes for a day or something( the insurance was awesome apparently).
My God, what a sight i physically had the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!
I will NEVER EVER forget that sight for as long as i live 
Absolutley amazing.
My God, what a sight i physically had the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!
I will NEVER EVER forget that sight for as long as i live
Absolutley amazing.
Says it all.
Now you know why I prefer the ‘old girls.’
Ken.
Did anyone on here go to that free display at the Lady Bower reservoir a few years ago I think it was 50yrs of the Dambuster raid. They had the Red Arrows who did an incredible display actually in the valley over the Dam, also the modern day 617sqn Tornado’s did a display & then PA.474 Lancaster of the BBMF came around about 3 times awesome!! . It was a very moving day with many members of the actual Dambusters raid. I thing Richard Todd was also there. Superb day BUT getting away in the buses on the park & ride took about 3hrs.
Yeah, kindle530, know what you mean.
I used to live in a little village, called Yoxford, on the A12 way back when. Do you, or anyone else come to that, remember a TV series called “A Piece Of Cake”, at least I think that what is was called. It was set in 1939 to '41-ish and followed some British RAF pilots in their Spits.
Well, most, if not all, the filming was done over East Anglia with the largest formation of airworthy Spits since WW2, including a VERY rare two-seat beastie that had been adapted from a PR role to advanced pilot training after the War and was a Griffon engined marque, I think it was a XXll variant, or some such. Anyway, I was ambling home after a hard day in the sunshine, when I heard the familiar sound of Merlins overhead. Looking up I saw about a dozen Spits all flying in a loose formation with the 'photo Spit (in silver with a red stripe down the side) playing about. They would all rush off into the distance, except the film plane, and then come back and do the most hair-raising stunts around it. I, needless to say, just dropped anchor in a hurry and jumped out to watch this free air-show. When the 109’s joined in, I was rooted to the spot. It was a fantastic sight to see, and a little bit scarey too. I could hear the guns going off, and now and then one plane would spit out some smoke and head on down, only to turn the smoke off when out of camera range and gointo orbit about 10 miles away. Even though I knew it was all make believe, it was very very real.
When the show was over and they’d all flown off, I looked around. The road was littered with cars; trucks; bikes; tractors, you nameit, it was there, all with their drivers and passengers looking at the sky. One old guy in a 105E (Ford Anglia) had tears on his face. He’d seen that for real in the war and was overcome with emotion. He’d been a rescue worker in the Blitz in London and had pulled many a dead pilot out his wrecked plane.
If you love the sound of the “Old Girls”, come on down to the Goodwood Revival Meeting at Goodwood Motor Race Circuit. I’ve had Mustangs, Spits, Hurri’s and Jugs take off and land over my head. The sound of a Merlin at full battle climb and 20 feet above your head is awesome. It brings a lump to the throat and tears to the eyes every time. It also causes temporary deafness…! And when three of them take off at once… WOW!
Just remember, if you come, don’t dress in modern clothes, the theme is pre-1960. There’s loads of shows going on, Rock ‘n’ Roll bands and dancers, A REAL “Wall Of Death”, which is a MUST! And more old and fantastic vehicles than you can shake a starting handle at. The racing is great as well, both cars and bikes.
At about 18.15 the Lancaster flew over Kettering enroute to her homebase so anybody nr Coningsby she’s on her way in. No fighter escorts with her. I would think she’s just come from the RIAT at Fairford.
As some of you may know,my other love is Autograss racing.I own a Citroen AX,and race every other weekend,today being one of those days.
Anyhow,my club,Scunthorpe Autograss Club,is based at the old airfield at Blyton,a former Lancaster base,between Gainsborough and Scunthorpe,and last September,we held the final round of the British Autograss Series,a 5 round championship.
As each club likes to do something a little different,to secure the title of round of the championship,heads were put together,and suggestions were put forward,but at this point,with 6 weeks to go,I already had something big planned for the club,unbeknown to them.
Now,it takes on average,12 months to secure the services of the RAF,and more importantly,the BBMF,for any type of flypast,and while I won’t bore you with the details,I was given permission to have PA474 attend our day.Bear in mind,there were only 6 weeks to the big day,and to do this was,apparently,unheard of.The reason given was,that PA474 was actually doing a flypast that particular day at Grimsby,and as the previous one was in Staffordshire somewhere,there would be no problem in accommodating us.Fantastic!!!
So with less than 6 weeks to go,I attended the monthly club meeting,and at the any other business stage,I presented the club,with what was probably the best thing ever to happen to them.
To say I was flavour of the month,would be an understatement. 
Anyhow,the big day arrived,and sure enough,the old girl arrived and did her business,and I think it’s fair to say,I had a small tear in my eye,knowing what I had done,and the fact that a piece of British history was actually above my head at about 300 feet,hence the reason I’ve taken her to heart.
We didn’t win round of the year,but we were asked by the championship committee to put on another round in 2006.
Needless to say,plans are afoot for something better,hopefully,courtesy of the RAF,and as sad as it may seem,I still have all the correspondence from last year.
Ken.