WIX Archives
Re: Magical Moments
Posted by Steve Young on Fri Mar 07, 2003 04:44:42 PM
In reply top Magical Moments posted by Mike Henniger on Fri Mar 07, 2003 12:16:08 PM
Two stand out for me.
The most recent was Rob Davies bringing P51D 'Big Beautiful Doll' over the hedge to land after displaying at Gransden two years ago. Very special to me, partly because that's the lovely little grass airfield that I fly from, but mainly because the layout of the airfield meant I was only about 50 yards from him as he whistled and crackled over the hedge for a perfect arrival. Utterly beautiful.
But the one which really blew me away was Duxford's Battle of Britain 60th anniversary display in 2000. The end of a long afternoon, and I'd just watched a stream of Spitfires and Hurricanes taking off. Watching a single aircraft displaying for the next few minutes (can't even remember what it was), I found myself thinking nothing could ever surpass the massed takeoff I had just witnessed.
Wrong.
From behind the crowd, the Duxford wing swept overhead. They'd obtained special CAA dispensation to do it, and everyone in the crowd was taken by surprise. 19 Spitfires and 4 Hurricanes. And not a dry eye in the house.