No image for today--instead we have images! We just got sent these with an explanation below.
Photographs show Michael Marshall with his pilot Mark Hootons following
their arrival at North Weald. Also enclosed are a photograph of
Michael showing his flying log books to his instructor Ian Glenn of the
Cambridge Flying Group with whom he flew on 30 March 2009 to celebrate
the 60th Anniversary of his gaining his Private Pilot's Licence. The
final photograph shows Michael Marshall flying in one of two Tiger
Moths over Cambridge. Michael is in G-AEOI and his son Robert was
flying in formation in the other aeroplane.
Michael Marshall said: "I have been very lucky to have enjoyed 60
continuous years of flying which have 'passed in a flash'. I am
delighted that the dH82 Tiger Moth aircraft in which I first learned to
fly are still operational at this airfield".
2009 is the Centenary of the founding of Marshall of Cambridge in the
motor business on 1 October 2009. It is also the 80th Anniversary of
the Company's entry into aviation. The Company's first airfield at Fen
Ditton was opened on 9 June 1929.
After gaining his Private Pilot's Licence in 1949 at the minimum age of
17, Mr Marshall joined the RAF as a National Service Pilot in 1950,
doing his training at Gimbley in Canada. He subsequently served at RAF
Feltwell in Norfolk and RAF Valley where he flew de Havilland, Vampire
and Meteor aircraft. Following his university education at Jesus
College Cambridge, Michael Marshall joined Marshall of Cambridge in
1955 and took over as Chief Executive of the Group of Companies in 1989
on the retirement of his father, the late Sir Arthur Marshall
Marshall holds the distinction of operating the oldest airfield in the
country, from which Tiger Moths have been operated on a continuous
basis. The Tiger Moth first arrived at Cambridge Airport on 26 January
1938 and over 300 were operated by Marshall during the Second World War
as training aircraft. The Company trained over 20,000 RAF pilots.
Cambridge's first airport at Fen Ditton, was opened by Marshall of
Cambridge on 9 June 1929, and to celebrate the 80th Anniversary, the
Company's Annual General Meeting was combined with the Business and
General Aviation Day (BGAD) Aviation Exhibition at Marshall Airport
Cambridge on 9 June 2009. A small flying display was arranged
following the Company's Annual General Meeting for the benefit of
members of the Marshall Family, employees and visitors to the Airfield
for BGAD. Following lunch Michael Marshall was treated to a surprise
flight in a de Havilland Vampire historic aircraft, the type of
aeroplane he flew as a National Service Pilot with the Royal Air Force
in 1952!
Having gained his Private Pilot's Licence in 1949, Michael Marshall
joined the Royal Air Force and began his Royal Air Force Pilot training
at Gimbley in Canada on 9 April 1951 flying Harvard Aircraft. He
subsequently returned to the United Kingdom in April 1952 where he was
based at RAF Valley in Anglesey. On 10 April 1952 he had his first
flight in a Vampire 5 Single-seat fighter aircraft and continued flying
the Vampire until 1953. He made his last Vampire flight on 27 April
1953.
On 9 June Michael flew in a privately owned Vampire T11 Aircraft owned
by Mark Hootons, based at North Weald in Essex. The news of the flight
was kept secret from Michael until minutes before the flight.
Michael Marshall said: 'I was really thrilled to take the controls of
the Vampire and fly the aircraft to North Weald. It brought back very
many happy memories of the true delight of Vampire flying, and I was
very grateful to have had this very special and unique experience.'
Michael was flown in the Vampire by the aircraft's owner Mark Hootons,
who is pictured with Michael Marshall following their arrival at North
Weald.
Michael Marshall gained his Private Pilot Licence on a Tiger Moth
aircraft on 30 March 1949 when he was required to fly four figures of
eight at 2,000ft. During a special commemorative flight on 30 March
2009 he was accompanied by Ian Glenn, the Chief Flying Instructor of
the Cambridge Flying Group, when he replicated the earlier flight test
conducted sixty years earlier. Ian Glenn said: 'Michael flew a perfect
series of figure of eight as well as two perfect circuits and
landings.' Michael Marshall regularly uses his pilot's licence to fly
his Rallye Minerva aeroplane.
Happy Birthday, Virgin Atlantic!
AirSpace user Niels Boswinkel 
Recent Comments