Vintage & Classic The Journal of the Vintage Aircraft Club V A C www.vintageaircraftclub.org.uk | Issue 63 | Autumn 2018 The VAC Committee Letter from the Chair Anne Hughes VAC Honorary President - D F Ogilvy OBE FRAeS Jo Jurd t seems no time at all since my Whitby as seen from Chipmunk G-AKDN last letter when we were VAC Committee Icrossing our fingers for good Chair Anne Hughes flying weather and looking 01280 847014 email [email protected] forward to attending summer events in the UK and abroad! Well Vice Chair and Secretary Steve Slater aviators and air show attendees 01494 786382 email [email protected] have enjoyed many wonderful Treasurer Peter Wright flying days and evenings and VAC 07966 451763 email [email protected] members have been able to Membership Secretary Stephanie Giles attend many of the events to 01789 470061 email [email protected] which we are invited. Events Anne Hughes as above On a personal level, I’ve been a Magazine Editor Tim Badham New members little frustrated by the sight of our email [email protected] ● Tim Scorer of London Prototype Beagle Pup tucked up Safety Officer Trevor Jarvis ● Keith Williams of Solihull in the corner of the hangar all email [email protected] ● John Edwards of Shepperton season and I’m sure that Trophy Steward Rob Stobo ● David Ratcliffe of Fleet frustration is felt by some of you 01993 891226 email [email protected] ● Anthony Milburn of Surbiton who have ongoing projects. Webmaster Mark Fotherby ● Mark Slater of Bedfordshire However a ride in the lovely Miles Magister at Breighton, with email [email protected] ● William Tollett of Oxford thanks to Charles Sunter, and a ● Lynn Allen of Silverstone flight over Whitby in the Merchandise Cathy Silk ● Robert Mott of Banbury Chipmunk KDN to see tall ships email [email protected] ● Jon Hartle of Droitwich Spa in the harbour soon put a smile ● Lynn Williams of Aberdare airfield where the true diversity of of the business end of the day on my face! General Data Protection Regulation ● Michael Souch of Southampton the VAC fleet could be seen! A big either in the post or by mail On your behalf I was invited by ● Edward Toulson of Wakefield welcome to all of you who made chimp. I am always keen that the In accordance with the new EU directive concerning the RT Hon. Grant Shapps to the decision to join the VAC at the AGM is an opportunity to meet ● Jack Bradley of Keighley Data Protection, the VAC committee have put attend the All Party Parliamentary Rally. You won’t regret it!! socially as well so we are together the VAC policy and set up a sub-committee ● Stephen Parsons of Tenterden Group reception at the House of It was the time of year too for the providing a light lunch, as we did to ensure all updates are made at regular intervals. A ● Tom Harris of Leighton Buzzard Commons and was particularly selection panel to get together to last year, and hope to celebrate copy of the policy document can be found on our ● Mike Lodge of Hailsham pleased while there to be asked by find a suitable recipient of this the RAF 100 with a collection of website.-- ● Rob Lamb of Northampton the Aviation Minister, Baroness year’s Liz Inwood Taildragger VAC aircraft in military colours! ● Ben Faulkner of Hampshire Sugg, to tell her about the VAC. No Scholarship. We had many very Please bring as many as you can! ● Anthony Milburn of Surbiton Aim of the VAC problem, and it was a real suitable candidates and difficult As 2019 is a time to celebrate fifty- The aim of the Vintage Aircraft Club is to provide a pleasure to show her the VAC decisions to make as a result. five years of the VAC we are focal body for owners, pilots and enthusiasts of Contents merchandise and recruitment Congratulations to Jon Hartle on looking towards a Summer fly-in vintage and classic aircraft by arranging fly-ins and From the Editor 4 stall at the LAA Rally. She receiving the 2018 award and we event as part of that celebration. other events for the benefit of its members. The VAC Events (LAA Rally, Turweston) 5 promised to read the VAC look forward to following his We have plenty of ideas and Vintage Aircraft Club is a member Club of the Light Out and about in classic style 7 magazine on the train! progress in training and meeting suggestions for winter events and Aircraft Association.and supports the General Princely Grasshopper flies again 9 As you will read elsewhere, the him at our events. will keep you posted. Aviation Awareness Council. LAA Rally was an amazing event, How it all began 10 I am pleased to tell you that Steve Thank you to Tim Badham for an not only because it was ice cream Certifying the Auster 9 14 recently spent an enjoyable excellently compiled and very Disclaimer weather, but also because of all afternoon with our President, Reading Flying Group 50th Anniversary 17 readable first edition as the new “Vintage and Classic” is the quarterly journal of the the hard work put in by so many David Ogilvy, at Aerospace Bristol. Vintage and Classic editor. Thank Scottish field of play 18 Vintage Aircraft Club and as such is a privately people to make it happen. David has always been well you too to Trevor Jago from North produced magazine. The views contained within its Not all Moths are biplanes 20 Congratulations to the LAA published and is happy to share Weald who does the lay-out for us. pages do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or George Holt Thomas – book review 22 organisers and a really big thank his aviation stories with us. We I am looking forward to seeing the Vintage Aircraft Club. The magazine is free to L-Birds over Normandy 23 you to Cathy Silk and team who look forward to hearing more this issue when it arrives through members, but £5.00 when purchased separately. New bank account details 23 work hard on behalf of the club. from him in the future. the letter box! We were really pleased to chat to Dates for the Diary 2018/2019 24 As I write this the Committee is Anne Hughes In the Summer issue we included the first part of David you all as you passed by the VAC still making final preparations for Cover photo: John Dible’s Foster Wikner Wicko GM1 is the Beale’s story about flying his Belfair to the Czech Republic, stall and to see the wonderful the AGM in October and by now sole survivor of eleven built. Tim Badham part 2 will appear in the Winter edition contribution you made on the you will have been sent the details P AGE 2 V INTAGE & CLASSIC | ISSUE 63 | AUTUMN 2018 V INTAGE & CLASSIC | ISSUE 63 | AUTUMN 2018 P AGE 3 From the Editor Anne Hughes Tim Badham eedback about the new style Return of the unique Mercury to I was delighted that Alan made the “Vintage & Classic” has been the UK shows the vibrancy of the long trip across from his home in Fmost encouraging and I vintage scene. Wales to the LAA Rally at Sywell thank you all for your comments which enabled us to meet up. I had about the Summer issue. last met Alan when I took some air- The most popular article in that to-air pictures of him flying his edition turned out to be “The Comper Swift back in the 1980s – of Finmere Years”. Shortly after it was course neither of us has changed a published I was contacted by Alan bit since then! Chalkley, who asked if I might be I plan to include further articles interested in hearing about how the about the VAC’s history in future Roy Nerou sent his Chilton G-AFSV to the LAA Rally, seen here with the Mew Gulls Club came into being. This was a known for a while) was set up. editions, to not only remind us of dream come true as he had been This edition of “Vintage & Classic” our roots but also to reveal how involved right from the outset. Alan includes an article based on much the Club has helped very kindly agreed to put some conversations with Alan and his maintain people’s interest in older notes together about those initial detailed notes. We now have a aeroplanes and their operation. VAC Events years of the Club. Amazingly, he fascinating insight into why the Copy for the next edition should Anne Hughes even found the original letter from Club was created and some idea of reach the Editor by 14 December. Roy Mills that instigated the the challenges faced by that Tim Badham ou will see on our listings VAC at the LAA Rally We were also fortunate to be able meeting at which the VAC (or enlightened band of enthusiasts that many of our events in to interview Alfie Badminton who, [email protected] e are fortunate to receive Vintage Aircraft Group as it was who made it happen. the Summer say “VAC at fourteen, is our youngest VAC Y an invitation from the Invited”. We are fortunate as a member and is learning to fly at LAA Rally organisers to club to receive these invitations W Bagby. Alfie’s confidence with the bring our merchandise and and they give you an opportunity microphone was an example to us recruitment stall and also to have Liz Inwood Taildragger Scholarship awarded for 2018 to meet up with VAC members at all and I would particularly like to the opportunity to take over Michael Miklos an event that suits you.