Nice to see the Hong Kong Bulldog G-BPCL out and about. I used to fly it at North Weald and remember taking it to Kemble where it was on static display for an airshow and met one of the pilots who flew it in Hong Kong.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Gnat_Engine_Start-1400.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Gnat_Head_On_-1400.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Vampir...

I lived in Newham for over 40 years, just up the road from LCY. In 2006 I was able to fly a Bulldog in there for the annual Fun Day because my flying buddy's wife worked for the hospice which benefiitted from the event. https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Bulldog-1000.jpg?width=1920...

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Helimeds-1400.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Essex_and_Essex-1000.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Essex_and_Her...

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Hornet_Moth_G-ADUR_Take_Off-1000.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Moth_K-2572_Take_Off-1000.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v16...

These are the aircraft which Roger flew at Skysport, racing several. I flew half of them myself. https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Roger_Aircraft.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds These are some pictures I took for a feature in Pilot magazine about air racing with Roge...

Thanks for posting those memories of Roger. Skysport used to have its annual dinners at the Met Police Sports Club at Bushey. The last time I saw Roger was at Cosford last summer when a group of us had a tour around the restoration facility there. He still retained a love of motor bikes as well from...

Roger Hayes was the CFI of the flying club Skysport UK, specialising in Beagle Pups and Bulldogs, which was based initially at Elstree and North Weald and then latterly at Kemble following his retirement from his main career in the Metropolitan Police. He was also a very successful air racer, winnin...

The 40th Birthday Party was an event for Club members and not advertised, although I am sure that anyone interested in the type would have been very welcome. It was a low key event compared to past ones. The 21st anniversary Garden Party at North Weald in August 2004 featured an 18-ship flypast of P...

The Beagle Pup & Bulldog Club celebrated its 40th anniversary wth a fly-in and party at Buttermilk Hall Farm near Towcester on Saturday 12 August. The farm has been a Club venue for many years, with a Pup 150, G-AZFA, based there. Kevin and his family made us all very welcome, whether arriving b...

On 31 January 1973 the first RAF Bulldog flew. This was XX513 (now G-KKKK). The Beagle Pup & Bulldog Club organised a celebration at Church Fenton (now Leeds East Airport) on Saturday 1 July to mark the 50th anniversary, and XX513 was there too. Church Fenton was base to the Yorkshire Universiti...

As well as the Moth Club lunch, Shobdon held another Longest Day evening fly-in and BBQ on 21 June. There was a possibility of thunderstorms but the aiirfield remained dry apart from a few spots of rain. Driving home it was obvious that Shobdon village itself had received a downpour and there was he...

The de Havilland Moth Club is holding its annual Vintage Air Tour based at Enstone. On Wednesday they first flew to Popham and then on to Shobdon for lunch, where I caught up with them. The core comprised Tiger Moths, with Leopard Moths and Hornet Moths as well. There was also single Chipmunk and Ja...

I went to Air Britain's 75th anniversary fly-in at White Waltham on Saturday. With a three-hour trek each way, I wasn't there all day, but still met up wth some old friends from my North Weald days. The highlight was the immaculate Sidney Cotton Electra G-AFTL and a very nice Fairchild. Electra http...

A big crowd at Cosford today for the RAF's final Hercules flypasts. I assumed that they would route down the runway, but they came directly over the Hercules parked at the bottom of the slope and the mound where I was standng. Here are some shots... https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRid...

No. They had special permission to operate on the lake for the event. There is a 10 mph speed limit. The flying had to be after 7 pm last week so that the commercial operations on the lake had finished. G-WATR was operating out of Cark. Not sure where G-ODIP was from. They want to have more aircraft...

Pete Kynsey was flying G-WATR from Lake Windermere on Friday as part of the Wings over Windermere event

A con rod on one of the upper cylinders let go, so they don't think that a hydraulic lock was a likely cause. A real shame as the engine can't have that many hours on the clock. Two take off pictures at 400mm, no crop. https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Take_Off_1-1000.jpg?width=19...

The Waterbird replica project was the subject of two TV documentaries on Yesterday Channel and Channel 4. I was recently asked to design the book which covers the history of the original aircraft which was destroyed in a hangar collapse and the various challenges in creating a modern replica. https:...

On Saturday the Vintage Aircraft Club held its annual fly-in at Turweston. Numbers were down on last year because of bad weather in the morning and the grass runway being unavailable. But there were still some nice aircraft too see. Auster Arrow, G-BEAH https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/Ya...

Cosford https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Varsity_1000.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Bristol_1000.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds Duxford https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Lancast...

These won't win anything, but they have a bit of nostalgic interest. Albatross at Coventry in May 2003 https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Albatross_Taxi-1000.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds The orange Catalina which was at North Weald for many years. Here is one of th...

The only 747 shot I've got is of the South Afriican Airways 747 display at Duxford in September 2003

A few shots from North Weald https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Harvard_-1600.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Harvard-1600_amM4JHyQkL2jXCkt6SDCYx.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds https://hosting.photobu...

Some from various North Weald night shoots. The helicopter is the Herts Air Ambulance returning from a shout and using its searchlight on the Gnats. https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v165/YakRider/Venom-1200.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/v1...