Spitfire at White Waltham

[Bee_Jay]

Chaps,

In the office today next to White Waltham airfield and just been party to an amazing piece of flying by a spitfire which seemed to be preforming over the airfield for some reason - he just flew off north... Anyone know why today of all days and what is going on?

Now someone is trailing smoke and doing aerobatics...

[Bee_Jay]

Just answered my own question: http://www.wlac.co.uk/events.htm

September
Tuesday 9th

ATA Reception
Between 10:00 to 12:00 hrs local the Club will be hosting surviving members of the ATA prior to them receiving their awards at 10 Downing Street. A static display of period aircraft & a flying display by a Spitfire, Hurricane & Harvard are planned.

[eharding]

Bee_Jay said:

Chaps,

In the office today next to White Waltham airfield and just been party to an amazing piece of flying by a spitfire which seemed to be preforming over the airfield for some reason - he just flew off north... Anyone know why today of all days and what is going on?

Now someone is trailing smoke and doing aerobatics...

We fly regular aerobatic slots in the overhead at 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00 on weekdays, although I suspect given the weather today (and the price of smoke-oil - not generally turned on during a practice) that this might have been a few aeros for the ATA girls....

Was it a biplane sounding like a Yak? No sign of the Extra parked up...

http://www.wlac.co.uk/web_cam.htm

No idea where the Spit came from - Carolyn Grace used to keep her two seater at WW, now at Duxford. There is one up at Booker (bounced my Pitts-breaking mate in his new Extra 300 a couple of weeks ago and indulged in a bit of a tail-chase....) but may well have been one of the BBMF fleet.

[Audimuse]

Leachurs have a airshow on the 13th with a spitfire performing, also Grangemouth in scotland will have fly past the same day.

[eharding]

BBC News video..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7607312.stm

[Eric Mc]

Interesting that a shot of a Fairey Fulmar Royal Navy fighter slipped in amongst the newsreel shots of Spitfires and Hurricanes.

[eharding]

As you know, a very strong connection between Fairey and White Waltham - the site of the industrial estate at the northern edge of the airfield is built on the old Fairey works. There is currently a sadly decaying Gannet hidden away at the far corner of the field, the intention being to renovate it and turn it into a gate guardian, but given the state of it I have my doubts. There is a also a spare twin-mamba tucked away in the hangar next door, although I doubt we could stick it on the Yak and have a hope of having a sane C of G (unless I have an extra large lunch and fly it from the back seat..)

[toppstuff]

That Robs Lamplugh chap keeps his Spit and Mustang on the farm just down the road - down Hungerford way I think.

Plenty of Spits around these days. Had one fly over the house the other day.

And did anyone go to Flying Legends? They must have had 8 or 9 of the beauties !

[Eric Mc]

Fairey had to move to White Waltham when the old Great West Aerodrome got absorbed into the building of Heathrow.
White Waltham must have been quite an interesting place in the 1950s.