Simviation Forums

Had a super day at Old Warden last Sunday. The weather was almost perfect & a grand selection of classic vintage racing aeroplanes was on display.
It reminded me of race days at Shoreham in the 1950s. Here's a few pics to give a taste of the show.

First, Alex Henshaw's famous Percival Mew Gull. This held the London - Cape Town & return record for more than 70 years.
The current holder of the record, a Van's RV-7 also took part in the display.


A gorgeous reproduction Mew Gull which first flew in August 2013.


No less than five Miles classics. A sight for sore eyes.

The beautiful M.2W Hawk Major (Hawk Trainer) on which the later Miles classics were based.


Next the racing version of the Hawk. The M.2L Hawk Speed Six took part in many air races in the 1930s.


Peter Holloway's beautiful M.3A Falcon Major.


The immaculate M.11A Miles Whitney Straight recently restored by Ron Souch at Aero Antiques.


Last of the Hawk line. The Shuttleworth Collection's own M.14 Magister, the famous Maggie.


Now a couple of Chilton racers. The Collection's DW1 with 30hp Ford Carden engine. This was once owned & raced by Auster chief test pilot Ranald Porteous.


A more powerful DW1A with 65hp Walter Mikron III. This one was built in 2009.


The cute little Comper Swift "sporting aeroplane". These took part in many air races in the 30s & 50s.


An odd one out. Doesn't look like a racer but the Collection's Desoutter I came 4th in the 1933 King's Cup air race. An improved version, the Desoutter II, was placed 8th in the 1934 MacRobertson (London - Melbourne) air race.


Finally the De Havillands.
A lovely DH.89A Dragon Rapide. Placed 9th in the MacRobertson Race. There were two examples on the airfield. This one lives at Old Warden.


Another Ron Souch masterpiece. An immaculate DH.80A Puss Moth. One of these came 7th in the MacRobertson race.


The classic DH.88 Comet, Winner of the MacRobertson race. This one should be familiar to all FS9 users.

WOWZERS!.... ....!

What a wonderful collection, Doug; you don't see every day of the week!... ...!

Well done..sounds like a good day out!!

Excellent!

Paul.... ...!

Beautiful aircraft and top notch photography too! I can almost smell the sweet aroma of burning avgas. Thanks for sharing your photos Doug.


Hawkeye
(One of the other Dougs)

Yea, great set Haggar! Wonderfull shots.
How on Earth did they land some of those things let alone taxi ??

Zaphod.

Great shots there Doug! Good enough for a magazine!

Thanks for sharing Doug, those are superb

Thanks for the nice comments.

Zaphod wrote:Yea, great set Haggar! Wonderfull shots.
How on Earth did they land some of those things let alone taxi ??

Zaphod.

With great difficulty. These racers are more suited to grass airfields than hard runways.

pete wrote:Great shots there Doug! Good enough for a magazine!

Thanks Pete but to be honest I'm a tad disappointed with the quality. These are not to my usual standard due to finger trouble with my new camera.

Doug.
If you're disappointed with those fantastic shots I may never take a photo again. I particularly love the DH88 Comet. Worthy of framing in my opinion.
Great set.

Zaphod.

MAGNIFCENT!

Well don, H.

Thanks for taking us along Doug...wonderful set...

Zaphod wrote:How on Earth did they land some of those things let alone taxi ??
.

I bumped into one of the collection's pilots at work the week after the Comet's first public display (in 20 years) in September. He mentioned that the Chief Pilot may have still be shaking half an hour after landing the Comet! In the previous 20 years before flying again in August, it made one landing, during which the undercarriage collapsed. Sadly very few airfield are like the airfields of the 1930s these days (huge omni directional grass fields). RAF Newton was probably the last, along with Swanton Morley.

As for the (Alex Henshaw) Mew Gull, you have to take off before you can land. In it's previous life at the collection in the 1990s (before its sojourn to Yorkshire for a decade or so) I remember one incident when its then owner lifted the tail just a smidge too far on take off. One bent prop and shock loaded engine later...

PS. Doug, great to see G-ADGP back at OW. When I win Euromillions...

Beautiful, as always... thanks, Doug.

thanks a bunch. Stateside we never get to see the DH.'s, and some of us grieve that.

Brilliant shots. Sigh!. No chance of seeing such a sight where I live.

Anthin.

Thanks again for the comments.