1981 Biggin Hill Air Fair

[Fargo Boyle]

I'm still scanning my old prints on to Flickr, and thought some of these might be of interest. The quality isn't always great, but there are some happy memories of more carefree displays and some 'planes and pilots no longer around...

Hunter F51 G-HUNT

Hunter F51 G-HUNT

Spitfire FR.XIV G-FIRE

RNHF Firefly AS5 WB271

RNHF Sea Hawk WV908

B-17G G-BEDF 'Sally B'

Album (and others) here

https://flickr.com/photos/191578449@N02/albums/

[farnboroughrob]

Love it, the 70's and early were the hey day of Biggin. The 90's shows were not a patch on these shows with some serious heavy metal on show. Back then there was nothing else like it in Europe and it attracted masses of international visitors.

[Stagger2]

Great memories of those amazing times. Spencer Flack's trio of personalised red aircraft were always welcome at displays. (Sea Fury...not shown)

[buccs2b]

I was at the 1985 Biggin show where G-HUNT, G-BOOM, G-FIRE & G-PROV were on display/flew

[GeeRam]

I'm still scanning my old prints on to Flickr, and thought some of these might be of interest. The quality isn't always great, but there are some happy memories of more carefree displays and some 'planes and pilots no longer around...

Hunter F51 G-HUNT

I think that's likely to be the late, great Stefan Karwowski flying G-HUNT there. His displays in G-HUNT were just fabulous, as they were in TFC's original P-51D and F-8 Bearcat.

[JMC]

One of my favourite airshow venues as a youngster. Oh how I miss it.

The Fairey Firefly, I long for the day one returns to UK skies. One of my favourite warbirds of all time.

[Fargo Boyle]

"I think that's likely to be the late, great Stefan Karwowski flying G-HUNT there"

I'd assumed Ray H but yes, think you're right. I remember his Bearcat display at the first GWAD in awful weather conditions - one of the best I've ever seen.

[GeeRam]

"I think that's likely to be the late, great Stefan Karwowski flying G-HUNT there"

I'd assumed Ray H but yes, think you're right. I remember his Bearcat display at the first GWAD in awful weather conditions - one of the best I've ever seen.

Yep, I was there that day as well, in the awful weather, and yes his Bearcat display that day was one of those 'special ones'.

Ray H only ever flew an ex-military jet just the one time after he left the RAF, he had no interest in doing so.
The only time was IIRC, after a lot of persuasion, the 30th(?) Anniversary of him becoming lead for the Reds (or 30th Anniversary of his last flight as Red Leader, one of the two) and he flew a Gnat in Reds scheme with Gnat instructor Bob Thompson in the back seat, and Mark H flying the L-39 alongside for air-air photo sortie, I think for one of the aviation mags.

[st24]

Great stuff, loving the old '80s shows vibe. I'll never be a fan of civvy painted warbirds but I thought G-HUNT was just glorious and Stefan K's displays were just superb, albeit without a blue note.

[st24]

The Fairey Firefly, I long for the day one returns to UK skies. One of my favourite warbirds of all time.

Same. I felt like I'd lost an old friend that day at Duxford....

[Wrexham Mackem]

These are great pics. I'd love to see more Fargo.

I don't think I had the pleasure of seeing Karwowski fly G-HUNT, it was Adrian Gjertsen in my day. But I did very much have the pleasure of witnessing his displays in the Fighter Collection Bearcat. Superb.

As for the Firefly - my dad worked on Fireflies in the Fleet Air Arm in the late 40s and the RNHF was a very special thing in our family. Very very sadly missed.

[Fargo Boyle]

Thank you for the nice comments.
Wrexham, I'm still uploading my old prints as and when I can spare the time. On the advice from this forum I bought an Epson FF-680 scanner which will scan 30 or so in about 20 seconds and am very pleased with the results. Plenty more to come, the link to my albums page is in the OP.
Anyone have advice on removing prints from the old 'sticky' albums?