Ye traditional Spitfire Spotting

Fri 8 Jul 2022, 15:28

Malcolm, I believe those were two Boeing Stearmans. They’re based at Enstone. 

Fri 8 Jul 2022, 13:28

Started up for the day, this spotting sport.

Two yellow painted light aviation biplanes flew over low in formation about 12 noon or so. Had engine cowlings and that swept-wing De Havilland lepidopterish look about them (or a Stampe made?) but my recognition skills are not up to the finer arts of ye olde aeronautical archaeology at that level of detail.

Thu 7 Jul 2022, 22:08

While we are discussing unusual flyovers, I heard an unusual supercharged piston engine aircraft fly ove Oats wholefood shop in Chippy - about 3.33-45pm? - this afternoon. Didn't quite sound like a Merlin but that strong supercharger "whistle" was most marked. Now I'm sure I saw a large-rudder post Mark XIV Spit go over the other day, as reported here. Maybe a Griffon engine? Would not be surprised if the RR superchargers on both engines sounded similar.

I must look up what engine the Canadian-built Canadair F-86s the RAF used in big numbers, and which used to regularly overfly my hometown in Canada, which engine they used. It wasn't the notoriously smokey Yank turbojet I'm sure.

Thu 7 Jul 2022, 19:01

Odd. Flightradar described the Sabre as a Ukrainian built MIG. 

Thu 7 Jul 2022, 17:51

Malcolm - in case you missed it, ML407 (Mark IX dual-seat conversion) overflew your house at 12.20 this afternoon.  And looking ahead, you may get another chance to see the Canadair Sabre going over, since it's on static display at the Fairford air show.

Mon 4 Jul 2022, 20:58 (last edited on Mon 4 Jul 2022, 20:59)

Carbon Fibre composites are wonderful things! Only watched the film clip as from my lad who assured me that everyone was fine. They also use neck/helmet braces to protect the neck/base of skull from fractures nowadays. Wish had one of those in the early 80s when sustained a basal skull fracture in a motoring mishap. Still quite disabling to this day.

In the USA oval tracks with solid walls and nowhere to run off to and dissipate kinetic energy, until braces were mandated, there were broke-neck fatalities seemingly every year before I came to Blighty and my war-bride mother's Sussex village near Goodwood and stopped following NASCAR etc.

Still wish had seen the Sabres. Anyone know if they were Canadair built as the RAF used ,until supplanted by Hunters? The engine noise was distinctive.

Sun 3 Jul 2022, 21:00

Malcolm, not one ... many, sad to say. Probably the most infamous was Lorenzo Bandini at Monte Carlo in the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix. Saw as a 14-year-old live on TV, and will never forget that image. Formula One was utter carnage back then -  three or four drivers a season.

Sun 3 Jul 2022, 20:51

I saw the F-86 Sabre. Nothing showed up on FlightRadar24.

Looked pretty special!

Sun 3 Jul 2022, 19:29

No, my prejudice for the double ellipse wing! My son is into F1 racing and told me about the spectacular pile up on the first few seconds of the Silverstone race which I had no idea was happening. The "Halo" saved the heads of two drivers flipped upside down. I stopped watching racing when back in the ... 70s? 80s? ... someone was immolated live on TV and decided never again. Metal fuel tanks burst.

Sun 3 Jul 2022, 19:08

It was for the Formula 1

Sun 3 Jul 2022, 19:00

It's pure sentimentalist aesthetiscm...

Sun 3 Jul 2022, 18:59

Double elliptical wing or the clipped wing stooging about lately? Little or big rudder? I always harbour a slight feeling of ... disappointment ... when it isn't the ellipse wing, even though know how important at one point the low altitude performance optimisation was.

Sun 3 Jul 2022, 18:55

Oh darn darn darn. I used to watch Canadair F86's flying over regularly as a kid in Ontario. Could you tell if they were the Canadairs which the RAF bought in great numbers in the 50s, or the US made ones? I can't remember - did the Canadair use RR Avons or an indigenous Orenda turbojet? Both had quite distinctive sounds, eg CF100 Canuck my Uncle flew.

I was all afternoon in a window facing west over the valley and never heard a turbojet engine...

Sun 3 Jul 2022, 18:52

A brilliant display by a Spitfire at the Battle Proms yesterday evening..

Sun 3 Jul 2022, 18:41

Another rare one went over at 4.05 this afternoon - an F-86 Sabre.  Heading from the Burford direction - which is the way it went a couple of days ago.

Sat 2 Jul 2022, 20:30 (last edited on Sun 3 Jul 2022, 05:41)

Battle of the Proms at Blenheim Palace today and they were due a fly past so I assume it was for this?

Sat 2 Jul 2022, 20:09

19.58 hours Saturday. A later Mark Spitfire just passed over Charlbury, south to north, at some speed. Later mark because it had the bigger rudder. Clipped wing or no not known as it was banked as it went past. Anyone else spot it? I’d have thought it out a bit late in the day for an air display. Unless it was one of the scale models that are supposed to be being constructed at Enstone Airfield. Unfortunately couldn’t hear the engine note as RR Merlins are so distinctive with the supercharger. I think the reproductions are using a 600hp 6 cylinder which will sound very different.