Cosford 2003

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The show at  the world famous Cosford Air Museum is, without doubt, one of the very best in Europe. This year's show was particularly spectacular, many reports say the best ever. The show theme was a pageant, in celebration of the first 100 years of powered flight. The show started with a display of models of early aircraft and worked through the decades up to modern jet aircraft. The finale was a  formation of the largest number of multi-engined model bomber aircraft ever seen. 

The weather was great, hot and sunny. The public attendance was the largest the LMA has ever had at an event. Hopefully this report will serve as a reminder of a great weekend. Thanks to all those who came and supported the event.

A list of the pilots and models that flew is shown below. 

WW1 AIRCRAFT UP TO 1920

Ian Turney-White:  AVRO Triplane 
Dave Tappin:         Blackburn Monoplane 
David Horton:        Etrich Taube 
John Stevens:       Eindecker 
John Parker:         Depardussin 
Ian Turney-White:  Ponniet 
Mick Butler:          Nieuport 24 
Harry Harland:       DR 1 
Ted Cooke:           SE 5A 
WWI Display Team
Roger Bale:           Vickers Vimy 
T Wall:                 Sopwith Pup 
Tony Chaplin:       Sopwith Pup 
Roger Bale:          Vickers Vimy 
Tony Hooper:        Avro 504 

 

AIRCRAFT OF WW2

John Greenfield:    Stuka 
John Menhennet:   Junkers JU52 
Chris Poyser:        Hurricane 
Ted Allison:           Hurricane 
Steve Vodrey:        Spitfire 1A 
Andy Johnson:       Wellington 
Mike Rawlings:       Wellington 
John Greenfield:      Wellington 
Andy Wynn:           Spitfire VB 
Tony Hooper:          Me110 
Simon Askew:        Lancaster 
Richard Rawle:       Mosquito 
Karl Mander:          Spitfire IX 
Lance Bell:            Fw 190 
Ted Allison:           Texan AT6 
Liverpool Spitfires 
Jon Horne:             Spitfire IX 
Pat Dare:               Henschell 129 
Phil Robertshaw:    Heinkel 111 
Chris Bland:           Me 163 
Kerin Taylor:           Spitfire IVX 
Ivan Jordan:            Me 109 
Richard Rawle:       Spitfire 
Steve Holland:        Catalina 
Stephen Carr:         Vengeance 
Phil Clarke:            A24 Banshee 
John Deacon:         B24 Liberator 
Steve Ogden:         Hellcat 
Phil Clarke:            P 47 Thunderbolt 
David Arkwright:     P47 Thunderbolt
Jason Webb:         P47 Thunderbolt 
John Webb:           P 47 Thunderbolt 
Dave Johnson:       B 17 
Andy Johnson:      B17 
Stephen Carr:        B 17 
John Greenfield:     Hawker Typhoon 
David Arkwright:     Texan AT6 
Phil Clarke:            P51D 
Ivan Jordan:            P51D 
Martin Waller:         P51D 
Peter Simpson:       P51D 
S K White:             Bearcat 
Ken Bones:            Tigercat 
Ray Slack:             Skyraider 

POST WAR TO MODERN AIRCRAFT

David Horton:           Northrop Flying Wing 
Tom Arkwright:         Spacewalker 
Steve Copson:          Spacewalker 
B W Foster:             Piper Arrow 
Greg Hayfield:          Stolp Starduster 
Dough Rigby:           Knight Twister 
D Langwade:            Bell 47G Hellicopter 
Chris Gale:              Piper Cub 
Pat Dare:                 Zlin Model 12 
Roy Hill:                   Pzl Wilga 
Robert Stevenson:    Super Chipmunk 
Mike Standing:         Taylorcraft 
Dave Johnson:          Beech 18 
Steve Johnson:         Llett Chemllak 
Gordon Whitehead:   Piper Tomahawk 
Dough Rigby:            Hyperbipe
Chris Johnson:          Cessna 182 
D Langwade:             Air Ambulance Heli 
Chris Bland:              DH Chipmunk 
John Menhennet:      Bristol Brabazon 
Dave Womersley:     Minicab GY20 
Andy Wynn:             Beechcraft Bonanza 
James Morris:           Pitts 12 
Geoff Graves:            Cap 232 
Richard Gale:            Studaker 
James Moore:           Extra 300 
Steve Holland:           Zlin Akrobat 

 

POST WAR AIRCRAFT UP TO WW2

Peter Siggens:        Spirit Of St Louis 
John Benham:         Long Range Monoplane 
Arthur Searle:          Shorts Scion 
Tom Arkwright:        Fairchild PT19 
Bryan Mole:            Flybaby 
A Frogatt:               Aeronca Champ 
Ralph Love:             Tiger Moth 
Tony Chaplin:          Tiger Moth 
Ron Ferre:               Tiger Moth 
John Townsend:       Miles Magister 
David Turner:            Tiger Moth 
Dave Womersley:     Tiger Moth 
David Horton:           Miss Daisy Mae 
Jeff Pearson:            Bucker Jungmeister 
Tony Woodhouse:     Bucker Jungmeister 
Keith Mitchell:          Bucker Jungmeister 
Dave Lowe:              Turbulent 
Dough Rigby:           Klem 35DA 
Sid King:                 Desford Light Twin 
John Anslow:           Lockheed Vega 
Mike Standing:         Piper Cub 
Andy Johnson:         Gee Bee RI 
Steve Holland:          Gee Bee R2 
David Boddington:     Schneider Racer 
David Arkwright:        Ryan PT 21 
Mike Standing:         Stampe 
Martin Waller:           Gladiator 
Brian Rawcliffe:         Chilton Racer 
Steve Foxon:            Piper L4 Grasshopper 
Eddie Evans:            Super Stearman 

POST MODERN JETS

Paul Bellinger:      F100 Supersabre                                  Mick Burrell:           F20 Tigershark 
Mark Leavesley:   Starfighter                                            Dave Johnson:         Vulcan 
Gordon Nichols:   Victor                                                  Mick Burrell:            DH110 
Andy Johnson:     F15                                                     Dave Johnson:         F15 
Mark Leavesley:   F18 Hornet                                          Andy Aitkin:             Eurofighter Typhoon 
Ali Mashinchy:     L39 Albertross


In addition, to the pilots there are obviously many other people involved in arranging such a large event. There are too many to name, but we must certainly not forget to thank, Arthur Searl without whose massive efforts there would not have been a show at all. Also, I would like to mention Glenn Masters who arranged the flying programme and ensured the smooth operation of the pageant.

 

So what's it like trying to organise transmitter control for all these pilots. Well the task is carried out by the reliable hands of Shelia and Dave. Here is Shelia in a quieter moment with just some of the transmitter boxes in sight!

 

As for the aircraft that flew, well it is impossible to include photographs of them all.  The photographs below are just a selection of many of the superb models on view. 

 



Ian Turney-White's 50% Avro Triplane. This model started the pageant. On Saturday in very light winds it flew great. On Sunday there was a cross wind and doesn't  this model hate crosswinds! Still, Ian successfully managed a short flight to get the proceedings off to a great start.

 

 

Thumbs up from Roger Bale as he prepares the 20% scale Vickers Vimy. This was designed by Dave Boddington giving a wingspan of 12ft and wing area 48sq. ft. The overall length is 100" and it is powered by two 26cc Zenoah engines turning 18" x 8" propellers. It is covered in Solartex. Lance Bell  helped Roger in many aspect of the construction and test flying.

 

 

One of several 25% scale Focker Triplanes.

 

 

John Townsend's 50% scale Miles Magister landing.

 

 

Steve Holland has brought his Catalina out of retirement this year. It was nice to see it flying it again after several years 'living' in a barn.

 

 

Ted Allison's 50% scale Harvard. This has a wingspan of 14ft and wing area of 28 sq. ft. It weighs 86lb. It is powered by a 3W-140cc Vegas driving a Smart 30" x 10" propeller. Futaba radio drives the model's 11 servos and 7 functions using a 6V supply system.

 

 

Steven Carr's B17.

 

 

 

Richard Rawle's great two-seater 50% scale Spitfire.

 

 

The three Wellington bombers of John Greenfield,  Mike Rawlings and Andy Johnson.

 

 

There were plenty of nice low passes too.

 

Sharon return Steve Hollland's, Fiber Classics kit built, G-Bee to the pitts after flight.

 


What a nasty lot for the LMA can be! Dave Bishop, commenter extraordinaire, was persuaded to leave his commentary box to receive a presentation, or so he was told. The first photograph shows the presentation being made by Keith Mitchell and Dave Johnson. While this has happening John Greenfield was entertaining the public by demonstrating the LMA trainer, the Super Greenley. Before he realised what was happening, Dave Bishop was told it was his turn to prove he could fly models as well! He was escorted to the flightline where John was ready with a spare transmitter and buddy lead connected. As you can see Dave accepted the challenge and even managed a few aerobatics.

 

 

Steve Holland's 50% scale Zlin was flown slowly, close and was fully aerobatic. This is a 15ft wingspan and wing area of 41 sq ft. It weighs 70lb. It is powered by a Desert Aircraft 150cc Boxer engine turning a 32" x 14" propeller. It is covered in Profilm.

 

 

A real treat to watch fly, a turbine powered helicopter.

 

 

A real fantastic model of a F100D Super Sabre by Peter Richardson.

 

 

There was a good variety of jets on show.

 

 

This trio of photographs shows Dave Johnson's Vulcan taking off and in-flight. A fabulous sight.........

 

 

Equally good of-course was Gordon Nichol's Victor............

 

.......and to cap it all, when they flew together they were very good indeed!

 

 

Finally, to complete the show there was the mass bomber fly past. A few non-bombers crept in as well, but they were all multi-engined aircraft in the slot. On Saturday there were thirty engines in the sky at once. The models were: B17 - Dave Johnson (4); Liberator - John Deacon (4); B17 - Stephen Carr (4); two Wellingtons from the Liverpool club (2x2); HE111- Phil Robertshaw (2); Catalina - Steve Holland (2); B29 - Gordon Nichols (4); ME110 - Tony Hooper (2); Ghost Squadron Wellington (2) and the Beech 18 of Glenn Masters (2).Andrew Brown's photo gives an impression of the pilots box. Imagine that lot shouting low pass followed by and me, and me.......

 

 

 

 

This page was last updated on 7/1/04.

 

 

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