FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1956
1956 - 1002.PDF
Veterans on TV Shuttleworth Aircraft in BBC Programme OLD WARDEN AIRFIELD, in Bedfordshire, is suggestiveof the park of a country mansion—as, in fact, it is—and aday there among the veteran aircraft of the Shuttleworth Trust was not to be missed. A visit by a B.B.C. television filmunit provided the opportunity; the next Panorama feature was to touch on the 47th anniversary of Bleriot's crossing of the Channel,and A. Cdre. Wheeler invited Flight to come along and watch. Though we have not seen the televised result at the time ofwriting, we can believe it to be none the worse, and probably better, for the absence of a shooting script. Producer MichaelPeacock and his henchmen were apparently thinking the whole thing up as they went along; and with urbane Richard Dimblebyas interlocutor a trio of well-known pilots revealed unsuspected thespian abilities.By way of introduction Mr. Dimbleby appeared at the wheel of a 1903 De Dietrich, incidentally conducting this thunderousbolide with considerable mastery. In the passenger seat was Mrs. Shuttleworth, who explained how the Trust and the agriculturalcollege were founded in memory of her son, killed in the R.A.F. Then A. Cdre. Wheeler told the interviewer something aboutthe veteran aircraft, which were lined up outside the hangar: the 1909 B16riot (fan-type Anzani), 1911 Deperdussin (Y-typeAnzani), 1912 Blackburn monoplane (50 h.p. Gnome), Sopwith Pup (80 Le Rhone), Avro 504 (110 Le Rhone) and—a big chrono-logical leap—a Mk 11 photo-recce Spitfire. Only the Bristol Fighter, now stabled at Cranfield, was absent. Next (we use theword figuratively, for each scene was shot out of sequence, in the best film-making tradition) the Bteriot was brought out for JeffreyQuill. Seated in it, Vickers-Supermarine's erstwhile chief test pilot (he is now sales manager) answered questions about itsdesigner's historic achievement. Dramatis personal: Jeffrey Quill, S/L. Jackson (working on the Bleriot's engine), Richard Dimbleby, Peter Twiss, A. Cdre. Wheeler. Above, the Avro 504 and the Sopwith Pup performing for the cameras. The Pup's Vickers gun is mounted in an unorthodox manner. "Flight" photographs S/L. L. A. Jackson, who supervises the veterans with expert-ness and affection, was introduced to the microphone. Then Quill taxied out, with a fine old-fashioned brrtt-brrtt-brrtt, presently tobecome airborne to a dizzy 25ft before touching down in front of cameras on the far side of the field. This was quite an achievementfor the Bleriot and its 47-year-old engine. Next A. Cdre. Wheeler beat up the cameras with the Pup—arevealing demonstration of how the little World War I fighter could be handled—and finally it was the turn of Lt.-Cdr. PeterTwiss, Fairey test pilot and world speed record holder, to take off in the 504, with Dimbleby as passenger, for air-to-air shots to betaken from an Auster. Altogether a good day, nostalgically reminiscent (to one just oldenough to remember it) of a more leisurely aviation era: the same long patient waits for this, that or the other; the same staccatothresh of rotary engines; the same unforgettable reek of castor oil. And, of course, there was plenty of laughter—mainly over con-versations that, perhaps fortunately, found no place in the sound- track. Thus the occupants of the 504, awaiting the word to start:Dimbleby passenger, in dual-control rear cockpit): "I've got six lovely instruments here." Twiss (pilot, in front cockpit): "You're lucky. I've got none." Dimbleby: "Is it all right for this petrol to be trickling into myshoes? I suppose it's part of the flight plan?" Wheeler (standing alongside): "Exactly. It shows the aircraft is serviceable." * * * An intensely interested visitor was Lt-Cdr. F. G. Tallman,U.S.N.R., of Glenview, 111., a veteran-aircraft enthusiast who owns a Sopwith Camel (110 Le Rhone) and is now rebuilding aPfalz D.XII (180 Mercedes) complete with original armament; he has also owned a Nieuport XXVIII and Spad S.VII. R.E.C. (Left) the Bleriot "in full flight." (Below) Deperdussin, Blackburn, Avro 504, Pup, Spitfire II, Bleriot. "Flight" photographs
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
