Inside the Spitfire factory
Discussion
All you wanted to know about "Night Fright". Like so many DC-3/C-47s, she's had a long and colourful history -
https://www.night-fright.com/history/
https://www.night-fright.com/history/
Ayahuasca said:
I wonder whether some sort of official permission is needed to fly old aircraft in military colours?
You need a CAA registration exemption, and for foreign markings you need permission from the government of the foreign nation concerned - at least, as I recall. When we repainted G-YAKH in the "White 33" colour scheme (historically from a WW2 Lavochkin) the process was eased by one of the group members - an Air Commodore - schmoozing the Russian air-attache at the time into signing off the relevant paper work - I think some slap-up dinners at the RAF club were involved. Not sure if the Russians would still be so convivial about it today. One of the Nanchangs at White Waltham is in PLAAF colours, and when a second one arrived the owners wanted a similar scheme, but the Chinese embassy basically told them to do one, and that was that (and no-one can remember how they got the sign off for the first one...) - so the second one ended up in Sri Lankan colours.Edited: - that is of course you want an authentic scheme without a UK registration marking - if you're happy to have the G-reg painted over your colour scheme, you can have what you want (although you might run into trouble flying into Germany with some original Luftwaffe markings)
Edited by eharding on Tuesday 6th October 19:57
eharding said:
Ayahuasca said:
I wonder whether some sort of official permission is needed to fly old aircraft in military colours?
You need a CAA registration exemption, and for foreign markings you need permission from the government of the foreign nation concerned - at least, as I recall. When we repainted G-YAKH in the "White 33" colour scheme (historically from a WW2 Lavochkin) the process was eased by one of the group members - an Air Commodore - schmoozing the Russian air-attache at the time into signing off the relevant paper work - I think some slap-up dinners at the RAF club were involved. Not sure if the Russians would still be so convivial about it today.Simpo Two said:
eharding said:
Ayahuasca said:
I wonder whether some sort of official permission is needed to fly old aircraft in military colours?
You need a CAA registration exemption, and for foreign markings you need permission from the government of the foreign nation concerned - at least, as I recall. When we repainted G-YAKH in the "White 33" colour scheme (historically from a WW2 Lavochkin) the process was eased by one of the group members - an Air Commodore - schmoozing the Russian air-attache at the time into signing off the relevant paper work - I think some slap-up dinners at the RAF club were involved. Not sure if the Russians would still be so convivial about it today.It’s absolutely brilliant and Peter and his son come across incredibly well, let alone everyone else. Having had the misfortune of meeting a well known parent and sibling, airshow Spitfire pilot royalty a few years back, who were both incredibly rude and arrogant, I’ve always been sceptical about some of these ‘characters’ in the community.
But peter monk comes across as nothing more than an out and out enthusiast and a decent bloke who you could happily have a beer with, this is one of the best programmes on historic aviation I’ve seen....and I’ve seen a lot
But peter monk comes across as nothing more than an out and out enthusiast and a decent bloke who you could happily have a beer with, this is one of the best programmes on historic aviation I’ve seen....and I’ve seen a lot
Yertis said:
aeropilot said:
Short Stirling by the looks of it.
D'you reckon? I was wondering. Is't the Stirling a bit more slab sided than that though?aeropilot said:
I'm pretty sure it is based on the shape/detail of the fuselage longeron's, and the fact that the only other option would be a Halifax which has a slightly different longeron shape, plus the Halifax wasn't as roomy inside as the Stirling for para's, with a sloping rear underside towards the tail. I think its too big to be an Albermarle (if it is though it would mean these were Pathfinders, as they were the only only ones dropped by Ablemarle's on D-Day)
(Also, I'm impressed by your longeron knowledge, indeed by the use of the word 'longeron'. I once used the word in front of an Air Cadet officer who insisted that the correct word was 'aileron', and that it referred to 'the flaps on the wings'. Even as a 14 year old I knew he was talking out of his backside.)
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