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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 1176.PDF
FLIGHT, 22 June 1950 . It. Visitors cluster against the fence to watch the Brabazon starting-up for one of the two flights which it made during the afternoon BRABAZON TEA-PARTY Bristol's Famous Aircraft Acts as Host to its Builders and Their Friends CLOUDLESS skies and a unique ''family '' atmos-phere contributed to the outstanding success of theBristol Aeroplane Company's "At Home," held at Filton on Saturday, June 10th. Some 50,000 spectators— most of the 17,000 employees, with their relatives and friends—gathered alongside the main runway to witness a display by the company's test-pilots, who flew such well- known Bristol creations as the Beaufighter, Brigand, Freighter, the 171 Helicopter and, of course, the mighty Brabazon. Although the programme was essentially " Bristolian " in character, it so happened that four Vampires of 501 Squadron R.Aux.A.F. were due to practice formation flying that afternoon ; their performance was remarkable for its precision and polish, and spoke volumes for the keenness and pride which the members of Gloucester's own squadron show in their flying. Two Tiger Moths, piloted by the Commanding Officer and an instructor of No. 25 Reserve Flying School, provided endless excitement with some of the craziest manoeuvres of which these versa- tile aircraft can ever have been guilty, some seemingly unavoidable head-on collisions causing many averted heads at the crucial moment. The Brabazon was then lined-up for the first of its two flights and an atmosphere of absorbed, almost reverent silence settled over the crowd as Bill Pegg and his crew gave a '' take-off to touch-down '' cockpit commentary which was relayed to the public over the broadcast system. The aircraft made several fly-pasts at about 800ft and, on a later flight, carried out some relatively low-level " beat-ups." That aerobatics are by no means outside the scope of the worthy Beaufighter was convincingly shown by Hugh Statham, while another product of the same family tree, the Brigand, (flown by the Brabazon's reserve captain, Walter Gibb) was rolling with the ease of a Spitfire and, free of " warlike stores," going very fast with only one fan turning. The Freighter was then put through its paces by Ron Ellison, Bristol's assistant chief test-pilot and, to complete the programme, Eric Swiss, who was "jockey- ing" the 171 Helicopter, left the audience in some con- siderable doubt as to which way he really wanted to go. As one of the highlights of this demonstration, the 171 was made to give a remarkable impersonation of the cele- brated Oozelum bird. To round-off an enjoyable afternoon—during which thousands of teas were served—wives, children, grand- mothers and small nephews spent a pleasant hour visiting the well-planned static exhibition which had been arranged in the central bay of the Brabazon hangar and at which, by a full-scale production, a model or components, prac- tically every product of the Bristol company was represented. Writing in a souvenir programme, Bristol's chairman, Sir William G. Verdon Smith, said that the event had been organized to give employees a private '' close-up'' of the Brabazon, and to enable them to see in one afternoon a wide variety of the firm's productions. Rightly, in our view, the " At Home " was not open to the general public. Flown by Walter Gibb, the Brigand executed some lively rolls. m ip^" Flight " ph<»to0rei)fck The Brabazon assembly hall and part of !the big crowd at Filton. " Flight" photograph. i
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