UPDATED 07.02 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1997*

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Elliott Marsh
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UPDATED 07.02 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1997*

Post by Elliott Marsh »

As a body of work, Flying Legends is up there with the world's very best. For historic aviation aficionados it has delivered countless rare and unique solos, formations and combinations over a continuous run of events that has surpassed its spiritual predecessors, Fighter Meet, Great Warbirds and Classic Fighter.

To honour its place in British airshow history and in the spirit of inspiring debate and discussion on the new Historic Aviation forum subsection (welcome in particular to the Key Publishing refugees!), I thought it'd be nice to collate people's memories, photographs, video, thoughts and observations in chronological order, keeping the first post of this thread updated as we go. By the end it should stand as a comprehensive recounting of Flying Legends' rich history.

To that end, please do review the thread title for confirmation of the year being discussed. To keep some kind of uniform logic to it, it makes sense to keep debate to the year in question, and any previous years, rather than jumping ahead. Ergo, once we reach 1996, debate should be limited to 1994-1996. Hopefully that allows this to retain some semblance of order and structure. I'll aim to add write-ups of one or two years per week.

1994

Sure, Legends official started in 1993. But putting aside the purists' take, 1994 was the dawn of Legends as we know it - the dynamic international warbird showcase.

The event

This was a real watershed for British airshows. We'd seen some pretty ridiculous flying at Fighter Meet and Great Warbirds, but nothing like this. The sheer volume of warbirds from the continent and the dynamic way they were demonstrated was unprecedented, and set the tone for the next 25+ years.

The magazines raved. Flypast gave the show a glowing review, rightly citing that we'd never seen anything quite like this.

The flying programme

Fokker Dr.1 (replica) vs. Bristol F2b in a spirited dogfight

Hawker Hurricane Mk.XII (TFC)

Rapide pair

Blenheim, Gladiator & Lysander

C-47 & Yak-11 pair (followed by Yak-11 duo)

BBMF trio

Skyraider

Wildcat, Hellcat & Bearcat formation (followed by Wildcat & Hellcat duo)

Fury ISS & Bearcat

Catalina & Avenger

Mosquito & Spitfire x4 (the latter flying in pairs)

Corsair pair opposition aerobatics

B-25 x3 & Mustangs (at least seven, but I wanted to say eight in total)

L4 Cubs

B-17 & P-47

P-38 & P-40

Spitfire Mk.XIV MV293 Joker

Balbo (28 + Joker)
- P-38, P-40 & P-47
- Spitfire x4
- Mustang x4
- Mustang x3
- Skyraider, Hellcat & Wildcat
- Fury & Corsair x2
- Blenheim, Yak-11 x2 & Hurricane
- B-25 x3
- Avenger & Joker

What was new?

With the Blenheim, Gladiator and the Sabena Lysander (which may have made its debut at Finningley 1990, on static) flying together, could this have been the first Mercury Flight?

Of the seven or eight Mustangs, I believe all but two of them were debuting European machines. SE-BKG, the Swedish P-51, was amongst them - this would become a Legends regular, and then a British airshows regular under The Fighter Collection's ownership as Twilight Tear.

Also debuting in the UK were Didier Chable's Avenger (recently seen at the Melun airshows), the French B-25 and possibly the French C-47.

Context, memories & observations

My recollections of this show are pretty hazy and far from fully formed (i was a mere kiddo at the time), but punctuated by strong fragments of memories.

The Duke of Brabant B-25 crew stood on top of the aircraft, playing the violin during the flightlike walk. The three Mitchells trundling by in close echelon formation as the eight Mustang went berserk. My little mind being blown by the Balbo arriving from the west. A Bestmann parked on the flightline - does anyone remember that?

YouTube videos have since affirmed that much of the flying was pretty wild.

The show started on a lighter note and built to a crescendo - unlike future years, where a massed warbird sequence would kick things off.

Spitfires were light in number. This would soon change. A single Hurricane, too - it would be 1997 before multiple Hurricanes flew together at Legends.

The Mercury Flight went on the become a Legends staple (reaching its peak in 1998), and returned at a non-Legends show after a 20-year hiatus in September 2019.

The Ultimate Big Piston pair of Fury and Bearcat - Ray and Stephen - started a tradition that continues to this day. Arguably the 1995 and 1996 displays would surpass this formative sequence.

Didier Chable's Avenger would become a semi-regular attendee in the 1990s, but would disappear from Legends line-ups by the turn of the century.

The Allison flight of Lightning and Kittyhawk started a tradition that would run in various forms for several years.

As Balbo number goes, 1994 still stands up and was broadly equivalent to what we see today. The difference is really in the aircraft that are now omitted - Blenheim, Avenger & Hurricane being types that would be phased out from the Balbo in subsequent years.

I have memories and photos of the Hind on the grass - did it fly in the show? Could this have been 1995?
Last edited by Elliott Marsh on Fri 07 Feb 2020, 10:26 pm, edited 7 times in total.

Elliott Marsh
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Re: UPDATED 07.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1995*

Post by Elliott Marsh »

1995

The event

Flying Legends 1995 solidified the event as a must-see in the vintage aviation aficionados’ calendars. It built on the concept of the 1994 show, expanding the flying programme significantly and honing the multi-aircraft set-pieces it became known for. The flying was largely fantastic, with a strong mix of formations, solos and aerobatics.

It also started the trend of TFC debuting their latest restoration project – in this instance, Spitfire Mk.XIV SM832, flown at the show in the opening and Joker slots by Stephen Grey.

The flying programme

Spitfire Mk.XIVs SM832 & MV293

SE5a, Bristol F2b, Avro 504K & Fokker Dr.1

Blenheim, Gladiator & Lysander

Hawkers Hind, Hurricane & Fury ISS

Bearcat & Fury ISS

Fiat G.59

P-38 & P-63

Junkers Ju 52 & Me 108 x2

Bf 109G ‘Black 6’ & Spitfire x5
Spitfire Mk.IX MH434
Mosquito & Spitfire Mk.IX x2

Corsair x2 formation and tail-chase aerobatics

Skyraider, Wildcat, Hellcat & Bearcat (formation then Hellcat, Wildcat & Skyraider solos)

Catalina & Avenger x2

Skyraider

Yak-11 x2

Rapide x2

BBMF (Lancaster, Spitfire & Hurricane)

C-47 x2

L4 Cub & Mustang departure

B-17 & P-47

B-25 x2, A-26 & Mustang x8 airfield attack

Joker – Spitfire Mk.XIV SM832

Balbo (32 + Joker)
- P-38, P-47 & P-63
- Spitfire x3
- Hurricane, Spitfire & Bf 109G
- Mustang x4
- Mustang x4
- Skyraider, Corsair x2, Hellcat & Wildcat
- Bearcat & Fury
- Yak-11 x2
- Avenger
- Blenheim, B-25 x2, A-26 & Mosquito (!)

What was new?

TFC’s Spitfire Mk.XIV SM832 (the best looking of the XIVs until RN201 arrived) made its public debut with Stephen Grey at the controls, opening the show (alongside Jack Brown in MV293) and returning for the Joker slot. This was the first of TFC’s many post-restoration Legends debuts.

It was also the first Legends outing for TFC’s new P-63 Kingcobra, flown by Steve Hinton. It had debuted at the Autumn Air Show 1994 the previous October.

Pino Valenti’s Fiat G.59 from Italy and the Dutch Catalina were first-time continental visitors.

Context & observations

The foreign and domestic warbird quota was significantly up on 1994’s formative effort. There were also more choreographed set-pieces and formations this time round, really establishing Legends’ unique brand. Also notable were the number of solo displays throughout the programme – more so than in years to come, where multi-aircraft sequences very much became the order of the day. The programme was also significantly longer, with the deeper bench of aeroplanes involved.

Several static airframes and restoration projects joined the flightline walk, including OFMC’s red Sea Fury, Hans Dittes’ presumably tech. Bf 109G ‘Black 2’ and the IWM’s Lysander (meaning we had three Lizzies lined up three years before three of the type flew together at Legends).

Unlike the formation and solos of the previous year, the Mercury Flight flew a couple of three-ship formation passes followed by a Lysander solo, a brief Blenheim and Gladiator tail-chase, and then solos from each. A lovely segment.

The Hawker formation of Hind, Hurricane and Fury was a spectacular illustration of the Hawker lineage, and was repeated in 1999 with different aeroplanes.

The Ray Hanna & Stephen Grey ‘ultimate big pistons’ pair was absolutely wild. Some of the lowest and most aggressive airshow flying at Legends.

This was Lufthansa’s first Legends appearance. They would go on to become stalwarts until both Ju 52 and Me 108 were grounded/sold on respectively. Their sequence was memorable for some particularly low formation passes.

The Black 6 and Spitfire sequence was very underwhelming compared to the Spitfire sequences we’d see in years to come. A series of left-to-right orbits with the odd roll thrown in seemed like a bit of a wasted opportunity, given the aircraft involved.

Contrary to the VHS/DVD commentary, MH434’s solo was flown by Brian Smith, not Rod Dean.

The Mark Hanna and John Romain Corsair duo featured a low-level formation ‘dirty’ pass, which has to be pretty unusual for a warbird display sequence.

The late Howard Pardue flew the Hellcat/Wildcat over the weekend on alternate days. I must say I’m not sure if he was at Legends 93/94, but I’ll mention him here as he was a regular for much of the event’s run. His sad loss was honoured by a missing man formation of three Spitfire Mk.Is at Legends 2012.

Paul Bonhomme’s Skyraider display is still talked about by some enthusiasts today, and redefined what was deemed possible in the aeroplane.

If I recall correctly, the Catalina and Avengers only flew two formation passes before landing – that’d draw some ire on the forums these days! Interestingly, Paul Bonhomme flew a second Skyraider display whilst they were recovering.

The Cub weaving about low-level whilst the eight Nick Grey-led Mustangs hooned off the grass and gave the tank bank a good thrashing was pure Legends nirvana. The Mustangs comprised three from France, three from the UK, one from the Netherlands and one from Norway. This also established the ‘medium bombers beating up the joint at treetop height while the Mustangs go ape’ pre-Balbo set-piece that was a Legends trademark. Worth noting this wasn’t the more traditional ‘bombers over the grass, fighters over the hard’ approach either – the bombers and fighters flew interspersing figure-8s, with the Balbo aircraft lifting off below. Exceptional.

The first 17 aircraft in the Balbo overflew the airfield in formation first, with the remainder getting airborne and joining up after that first pass (leading into the second Joker slot). I’m not sure that has been done since. The Balbo was much tighter on the second, fully formed 32 aircraft strong run through.

This marked the second time a Spitfire Mk.XIV was used in the Joker slot – MV293 having been 1994’s – and it would be 2000 before we saw a XIV back in this role (on that occasion flown by Paul Bonhomme, the first non-Grey Joker). Stephen Grey then took MV293 as the 2003 Joker, the last time a Mk.XIV was used – but not the last time a Spitfire Joker’d.
Last edited by Elliott Marsh on Fri 10 Jan 2020, 1:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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HuwJHopkins
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Re: UPDATED 07.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1995*

Post by HuwJHopkins »

This really is, and seemingly will develop into, a great insight into the history of Flying Legends. Possibly one of the fullest and most in-depth to exist in one place? I can only think of Ben Dunnell's excellent 25 year retrospective published in Aeroplane a few years back.

I myself will only be able to contribute from 2003 onwards, but look forward to reading the rest!

-

No one:

Absolutely no one:

Elliott:

Elliott Marsh wrote:Contrary to the VHS/DVD commentary, MH434’s solo was flown by Brian Smith, not Rod Dean.


:wink:

DaveBr
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Re: UPDATED 07.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1995*

Post by DaveBr »

Fantastic thread idea, thanks Elliott!

My first Legends was 2002, so my personal recollections will begin there. I do have all the programmes and all the official videos back to 1995 though (was there a video release for 1994? I think not). Perhaps this will serve as a prompt to rewatch those early shows.

Given the recent Spitfire discussion on facebook that opening pair of Spitfire Mk.XIVs SM832 & MV293 got my attention - would love to see something like this again. MV293 and RN201 pairs display for 2020 perhaps!?

Elliott Marsh
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Re: UPDATED 07.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1995*

Post by Elliott Marsh »

1996

The event

The Saturday of Flying Legends 1996 is widely regarded as the event’s pinnacle, and a defining moment in the present day historic aircraft movement. The breadth and depth of the line-up was superb, and the flying displays themselves lived up to the line-up’s promise. And it all played out under beautiful blue skies!

Sunday was marred by the loss of Michael ‘Hoof’ Proudfoot, TFC’s Chief Pilot, in the P-38 Lightning.

The flying programme

Tigercat, Bearcat x2, Hellcat & Wildcat

Blenheim, Lysander x2 & Gladiator

Twin Pioneer

Bf 109G ‘Black 6’ solo

Mosquito & ‘Black 6’ dogfight + Spitfire scramble
Mosquito, Bf 109G & Spitfire Mk.XIV x2
Spitfire x8

BBMF (Lancaster, Spitfire & Hurricane)

Bristol F2b

Diamond Nine Tiger Moth team

Rapide x2

Cosmic Wind

Skyraider x4
Corsair x3
Avenger
TFC Skyraider & Corsair brief solos

Fiat G.59

P-38, P-40 & P-63

B-17, P-47 & P-51D ‘Big Beautiful Doll’

B-25 x3 & P-51D x9

Fury ISS & Bearcat x2

Balbo (39 aircraft*)
- P-38, P-40, P-63 & P-47
- Mustang x3
- Mustang x3
- Mustang x3
- Spitfire x3
- Spitfire x3
- Spitfire x2 & Bf 109G
- B-25 x3 & Mosquito
- Tigercat, Hellcat & Wildcat
- Corsair x3
- Skyraider x3
- Fiat G.59
- Fury & Bearcat x2

*Complete footage of this is hard to come by to verify, but that seems to be the order, as best I can work out.

What was new?

Plenty! Debuting for TFC were the Tigercat (piloted by Steve Hinton) and Spitfire Mk.V EP120 (flown by Dave Southwood). Their second Bearcat (Paul Bonhomme’s mount for the weekend) had appeared at Fighter Meet in May, but was still very much the new kid on the block.

Legends went truly international in 1996. First timers from Europe included three Skyraiders and Christophe Jacquard’s Corsair. I feel like one of the Mustangs may have been a first timer too, but would need clarification of that.

Context & observations

Whilst Saturday’s Cats sequence opened with the Tigercat and Bearcats flying formation aerobatics in vic formation whilst the Hellcat and Wildcat flew by, Sunday started with a low-level formation pass by all five aircraft. They made a second formation pass before splitting into a bonkers tail-chase full of steep wingovers and rolls.

The Tigercat and Bearcats flying formation aerobatics was likely the first time this happened until the Horsemen did the same 20 odd years later, led, incidentally, on both occasions by Steve Hinton.

The Mercury Flight grew in number with the addition of a second Lysander, this being the Aircraft Restoration Company’s first Lizzie. The quartet made two formation passes before splitting into their respective routines (the Blenheim and Gladiator flying consecutive solos, the Lysanders flying a spirited pair sequence).

The Twin Pioneer was a bit of an oddity for Legends but paved the way for more unique vintage airliners in future years.

‘Black 6’ flew a phenomenal aerobatic solo at the start of the Mosquito sequence – it holds up as one of the best 109G displays you could ever hope to see. The subsequent display was equally tremendous – Spitfires scrambling off the grass, bounced as they got airborne by the 109 that in turn was chased down by the Mosquito banking in topside in the weeds. It’s hard to describe the ensuing free for all, but it was pure 1990s madness. Epic stuff.

Ten Spitfires were scheduled, but I believe two went tech on the day. This was the first year Spitfires appeared in larger numbers and was technically the first time they hit double figures.

There was a definite (albeit brief) ‘lazy lunch’ light vintage interlude from the warbird action, which was quite a nice way of splitting the programme into two segments of almost back-to-back heavy warbird action.

One of the French Skyraiders arrived on Saturday (too late to display) or on Sunday; “only” three Skyraiders flew on Saturday.

The naval sequence deserves special mention. After a formation pass, the Skyraiders began tail-chasing whilst Dan Griffith went ape in the Avenger. As they were doing their thing, the Corsairs arrived in vic-three and began their own tail-chase. It was all a bit 1990s – Raiders in pairs hooning down the grass, Corsairs in stream chasing them down, the Avenger going bananas in the background. I have some recollections of this that amount to big radials storming over the tank bank at low level, one after the other. Halcyon days indeed!

The nine Mustangs all got airborne off the grass, in vics of three with the lead two sections rolling almost simultaneously, six abreast. Mental. The tank bank was the place to be, and I still remember that feeling of excitement. Their display was one long streaming tail-chase, with the bombers doing their now traditional low-level beat-ups. This was the last time we saw the Mitchells and Mustangs mixing it – the next time three Mitchells were on the bill (2009), they flew with Christian Amara’s P-40.

As per previous years, all bar two of the Mustangs were European visitors. It’s interesting that as time went on, the UK gained a stronger Mustang population as the continental numbers began to wane – a number of sad crashes destroying airframes that had attended the earlier Legends. Things would swing back the other way, with the UK losing a number of aircraft to sales and crashes as the continental population grew, but the difference is that the airframes from the mainland haven’t attended Legends. Many are elusive even in their home countries (I’m looking at the aeroplanes under MeierMotors’ care, here).

The French B-25 flew at the 1994 and 1996 shows and would not be seen at another Legends until 2005, when it participated in the victory flypast over London.

The Ultimate Big Pistons 1996 were Ray Hanna, Stephen Grey & Paul Bonhomme. It was sensational, and many still talk about it to this day.

With TFC’s Hurricane on the bench and Shuttleworth’s brand new Sea Hurricane on static only, no civilian operated Hurricanes flew in the show.

1996 fielded the largest ever Balbo – 39 aeroplanes. It hasn’t been surpassed since, and is unlikely to ever be topped.

DaveBr
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by DaveBr »

I'm trying to put together a definitive-ish list of which aircraft were in each show, which I can share if there's interest? Currently working on 1995, via Elliotts write up above and some idle googling - it's not difficult to identify most of the participants, subject to how much cross-checking one wants to get in to! I'll need to have a look at the programme and the video in due course to confirm a few things...

In the meantime, I've found the following possible additions so far:

It seems that TFC's Sea Fury FB.11 VX653/G-BUCM was also out on the flightline for static display.
I've also seen listed that both the RNHF Swordfish and Firefly were there, including a photo of the Swordfish in the air. Were these part of the show proper?

Elliott Marsh
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by Elliott Marsh »

Please do share, Dave - I'd be very interested in a definitive list! I've seen a few checklists around online, but nothing I'd really consider as definitive.

Good point on the RNHF aeroplanes - I've just found what alleges to be a photograph taken at FL95 of the Firefly, but I'd need to check the official video (and YouTube) to confirm whether it flew in the show (our findings would suggest so) and where it placed in the programme.

Meanwhile, just look at those posters. Classic. And a steal at £10 per adult! The hotline number brings back some memories too.

Image

Image

DaveBr
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by DaveBr »

I've got most of the posters too. In a previous house we had a spiral staircase and I had the posters up round the stairwell. :biggrin:
They're sadly relegated to a tube in the loft somewhere now.

Mike
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by Mike »

Just as a note, I believe that Steve Connor’s new online streaming channel, due to go live any day now, will include the videos from (initially) about 10 of the more recent Flying Legends shows, as well as several earlier ones too.

Elliott Marsh
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by Elliott Marsh »

On the Firefly point, my own family photographs of the flightline walk show it was there in 1995. When I have a chance I'll consult the official video to see where it (and, presumably, the Swordfish) placed in the flying programme.

As an aside, can anyone confirm how the Joker slot worked in 1996? The Fury and Bearcats were displaying as aircraft were taxying out for the Balbo, and seem from video footage to have slotted onto the end of the massed formation for its first pass. Did the three continue their sequence as "jokers" after the take-offs, then slot in as the Balbo made its approach?

DaveBr
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by DaveBr »

I'm halfway through the 1995 official video (been watching it while commuting...) and it is successfully answering many of my questions. Full findings to follow when I've seen it all.

In the meantime...

I was interested to see the 5 Spitfires in the mid-show slot (AR501, MV154, MH434, ML417, TE566) didn't include the XIVs from the opening slot, so the show actually included 7 Spitfires + 1 from the BBMF.

Couple of points from the airshow programme:
TFCs P-40M is listed in the programme, but I haven't seen any evidence it took part or was on the flightline.
EP120 featured in a Stephen Grey article in the programme, but didn't make it's first post-restoration flight until September 1995.

Mike
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by Mike »

DaveBr wrote:TFCs P-40M is listed in the programme, but I haven't seen any evidence it took part or was on the flightline.

Wasn't this owned/operated by Christophe Jaquard in AVG markings at that time?

DaveBr
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by DaveBr »

Mike, yes quite probably, but I’m not sure of exact dates it went to/from France.

Elliott Marsh
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by Elliott Marsh »

Excellent work!

I think it was in France in 1994 to 1997/8 (in AVG markings as Mike says; previously it was RAF desert camo iirc), but would need clarification of that. It was definitely back with TFC for 1998. I recall it was traded (that was what was published in the magazines at the time, so don't shoot the messenger) for SM832, and then repainted in the Aleutian tiger scheme. SM832 later went to Friedkin, and Jacquard got his PR.XIX, but that's another story.

Mike
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by Mike »

ISTR there was a Yak-11 (G-KYAK) in the deal somewhere too. It eventually went to Germany and ended up as a gopping-awful chromed pimpmobile.

DaveBr
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by DaveBr »

OK... here is my best effort so far at 1995 participants. Feel free to question/amend/shoot down :smile:

Apologies if the screenshot format is a bit crap, but it's the easiest way to share right now.

A few notes:
- I'm not confident which of the 3 Lysanders flew - is this correct?
- I've made an educated guess at which 2 of the 5 C47s/DC3s listed onsite flew in the display based on the fact they appear to be in military schemes in the brief shot in the video.
- The RNHF pair are slotted in after the Cat/Avengers in the official video, although I wouldn't take the running order as definitive.
- The in-cockpit cam looking back at Nick Grey's face while flying the P-51 is worth seeing... :smile:
- The 5 twins coming through at the back of the Balbo looks awesome!
- There are home videos on youtube where you can hear most of the original tannoy commentary. It would be possible to get more of the pilots noted from this but I haven't had time/inclination to do this yet.

**Edit - spreadsheet removed. See below for updated version**
Last edited by DaveBr on Tue 14 Jan 2020, 8:50 am, edited 1 time in total.

Elliott Marsh
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by Elliott Marsh »

Fantastic stuff! Certainly a few pilots my brother and I can clarify over the weekend.

I'll look into the Lysander question, but I want to say it was Sabena's that flew, and it would very likely have been Jean-Michel Legrand (who wrote a book on the type). I believe it went on to Fairford for IAT 95 after Legends, but not sure if it returned to Belgium first.

Pino Valenti flew his G.59. More to come...

DaveBr
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by DaveBr »

I thought it was maybe the Sabena Lysander too, but then I couldn't remember where I'd seen that, so I didn't change it. You could probably tell from the video with a closer look.

I think in the video there is also a fleeting glimpse of the MS Criquet (Storch) latterly owned by HAC, but it wasn't really enough to include it.

Ben Dunnell
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by Ben Dunnell »

DaveBr wrote:OK... here is my best effort so far at 1995 participants. Feel free to question/amend/shoot down :smile:

Apologies if the screenshot format is a bit crap, but it's the easiest way to share right now.

A few notes:
- I'm not confident which of the 3 Lysanders flew - is this correct?
- I've made an educated guess at which 2 of the 5 C47s/DC3s listed onsite flew in the display based on the fact they appear to be in military schemes in the brief shot in the video.
- The RNHF pair are slotted in after the Cat/Avengers in the official video, although I wouldn't take the running order as definitive.
- The in-cockpit cam looking back at Nick Grey's face while flying the P-51 is worth seeing... :smile:
- The 5 twins coming through at the back of the Balbo looks awesome!
- There are home videos on youtube where you can hear most of the original tannoy commentary. It would be possible to get more of the pilots noted from this but I haven't had time/inclination to do this yet.

Image
Image


I have a complete list of pilots for this show — so, to fill in (most of) the gaps from that:

P-47 — Carl Schofield
P-51 G-HAEC — Cliff Spink
P-51 N51RR — Norman Lees
P-51 F-AZJJ — René Bouverat
P-51 F-AZMU — Maurice Etcheto
P-51 F-AZFI (Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis, not Air B Aviation) — Marc Mathis
P-51 N11T — Tom van der Meulen
P-51 N167F — Lars Ness (Walter Eichhorn in the Balbo on Sunday)
Spitfire MH434 — Brian Smith
Spitfire MV154 — Pete John
Spitfire AR501 — Stewart Waring
Spitfire TE566 — Rod Dean
Mosquito — John Davies
Gladiator — Andy Sephton
Lysander OO-SOT (the only one of the three present to fly) — Patrick Lamoulin
Hind — 'Dodge' Bailey
G59 — Pino Valenti
Ju 52 — Walter Eichhorn
Bf 108 D-EBEI — Heinz-Dieter Bonsmann
Nord 1002 G-ATBG — Lindsey Walton
F2B — Bill Bowker
504K — Dennis Neville
DrI — the list I have cites David Starkey, not Robin Bowes, in this
Catalina — someone with the surname Schreurs
Avenger F-AZJA — Didier Chable
Avenger G-BTDP — Dan Griffith
BBMF — don't know
C-47 G-BVOL — Philip Cardew
B-17 — Mac McKinney
B-25 N320SQ — Jan Maasdam
A-26 — Anders Saether
Swordfish and Firefly — don't know as I only have the Saturday programme and they were present on Sunday only

Plus the MS505 G-BPHZ definitely flew on one day only, in the hands of John Romain. The Cub was G-AKAZ.

However, please bear in mind that this was the list on the pilots' flying programme. There may, of course, have been some changes in reality.

DaveBr
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by DaveBr »

Awesome, thanks Ben! I'm busy this weekend but will update the spreadsheet and repost when I get chance...

On to 1996 next week. :smile:

DaveBr
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by DaveBr »

Here is the updated 1995 spreadsheet, including all the extra information from Ben.

I'll post my first attempt at 1996 in the next day or so. I think there's going to be more questions on that one - doesn't seem to be so much online and the official video is somewhat lacking.

15-16 July 1995:
Image
Image
Last edited by DaveBr on Wed 26 Aug 2020, 6:20 am, edited 2 times in total.

DaveBr
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by DaveBr »

1996 full list coming soon... in the meantime, questions :smile: :

I think I've got 8 confirmed P-51s:
North American P-51D-25 Mustang 44-73149 "Moose/Candyman" G-BTCD
North American P-51D-25 Mustang 44-72917 "Big Beautiful Doll" G-HAEC
North American P-51D-20 Mustang 44-72035 "Jumpin Jacques" F-AZMU
North American P-51D-20 Mustang 44-63788 F-AZFI
North American P-51D-25 Mustang 44-73877 "Old Crow" N167F
North American P-51D-25 Mustang 44-72773 "Susy" G-SUSY
North American P-51D-25 Mustang 44-73027 F-AZJM
North American P-51D-25 Mustang 44-73339 N51RR
Which was the 9th? Presumably one of the other two that was also there the previous year - F-AZJJ or N11T (Damn Yankee). Any thoughts?

I believe the 8 flying Spitfires to be:
Supermarine Spitfire LF Vb EP120 G-LFVB
Supermarine Spitfire FR XIV MV293 G-SPIT
Supermarine Spitfire F XIV SM832 G-WWII
Supermarine Spitfire LF IX E ML417 G-BJSJ
Supermarine Spitfire FVIII MV154 G-BKMI
Supermarine Spitfire IX ML407 G-LFIX
Supermarine Spitfire Tr.9 PV202 G-CCCA
Supermarine Spitfire LF IX MJ730 G-HFIX
Of the 2 Spits that went tech, TD248/G-OXVI must be one, as it's Silver and Red scheme is clearly visible on the flightline. I'm guessing (and it's only a guess) that the other would be MH434 - or was this around the time that MH434 was overhauled?

I'm struggling with the foreign Skyraiders, two French and one Belgian. So far I've got:
Douglas AD-4NA Skyraider 125716 F-AZFN
Douglas AD-4NA Skyraider 126965 OO-FOR (guess based on it being Belgian registered)
What was the other French one? F-AZDP from AJBS seems a good guess, but it is a guess.
If the second French one was only there on Sunday that would explain it's absence from the official video.

Mike
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by Mike »


DaveBr
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by DaveBr »

Apologies for jumping around from year to year, but I'm back to 1994 now. I realised the other day that my copy of the 1994 programme also has the Flypast magazine review tucked inside. The review handily lists the participants for the most part, so it was easy to put together the list. Corrections welcome as always.

Flying Legends - 16th-17th July 1994:

** Edit - Updated spreadsheet now posted below **
Last edited by DaveBr on Fri 17 Jan 2020, 12:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Ben Dunnell
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Re: UPDATED 08.01 - Flying Legends retrospective - *1996*

Post by Ben Dunnell »

DaveBr wrote:Apologies for jumping around from year to year, but I'm back to 1994 now. I realised the other day that my copy of the 1994 programme also has the Flypast magazine review tucked inside. The review handily lists the participants for the most part, so it was easy to put together the list. Corrections welcome as always.

Flying Legends - 16th-17th July 1994:

Image
Image


Can't help with many of the gaps for this one, but I think Nick Grey was in P-51 G-BTCD, and René Bouverat's F-AZJJ left on Sunday morning. Gaby Évèque flew the C-47. The Cubs were G-AKAZ, G-AJES (flown by Pat Crawford) and, if memory serves, G-AKIB (flown by Mike Bennett).

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