Hi Guys, although there are already two threads about the Mossie flying, I thought I'd make a new one to cover the event itself, since in time I hope pictures will appear here.
To begin with, it was a very special day, as I've written in other forums, quite emotional for some. I saw grown men cry at the sight of the Mossie zoom by on its first fly past. No word of a lie. A guy standing near me was openly weeping as it blasted by. The pilot, Keith Skilling flew that machine like there was no tomorrow; boy, he was low and faaaast! You wouldn't have thought that the aeroplane had only flown for the first time two days earlier! After its first flight I could still smell the fresh paint applied to its engine cowls from the night before! (Take a look at the images of it over the last few days and you'll see its engine cowls were not painted during its first flights.)
During the show I wore two caps, my "just happy to be here and I'm really enjoying myself" one and my "take some photos for the magazine - yours sincerely, The Editor" one, so I got up close with some of the veterans that attended; they were really enjoying themselves and some of them were quite unnerved by all the attention.
Apart from the Mossie flying, three times throughout the day and in formation with a Vampire during its second display and a Spitfire, Mustang and Kittyhawk during its last, the rest of the flying was as you'd expect for an event like this. Despite being enjoyable to watch; all attention was on the Mosquito at all times. After its first flight there was a bunch of re-enactors; Germans, Americans and Brits battling it out, but no one was paying them any attention when the Mossie taxied back and parked right next to the crowd line! The "Germans" did get their photos taken with "ze vooden vunder".
I've been to quite a few events like this in my life in a number of different countries, but this one was unique. Thanks to all for making it happen.
To begin with, it was a very special day, as I've written in other forums, quite emotional for some. I saw grown men cry at the sight of the Mossie zoom by on its first fly past. No word of a lie. A guy standing near me was openly weeping as it blasted by. The pilot, Keith Skilling flew that machine like there was no tomorrow; boy, he was low and faaaast! You wouldn't have thought that the aeroplane had only flown for the first time two days earlier! After its first flight I could still smell the fresh paint applied to its engine cowls from the night before! (Take a look at the images of it over the last few days and you'll see its engine cowls were not painted during its first flights.)
During the show I wore two caps, my "just happy to be here and I'm really enjoying myself" one and my "take some photos for the magazine - yours sincerely, The Editor" one, so I got up close with some of the veterans that attended; they were really enjoying themselves and some of them were quite unnerved by all the attention.
Apart from the Mossie flying, three times throughout the day and in formation with a Vampire during its second display and a Spitfire, Mustang and Kittyhawk during its last, the rest of the flying was as you'd expect for an event like this. Despite being enjoyable to watch; all attention was on the Mosquito at all times. After its first flight there was a bunch of re-enactors; Germans, Americans and Brits battling it out, but no one was paying them any attention when the Mossie taxied back and parked right next to the crowd line! The "Germans" did get their photos taken with "ze vooden vunder".
I've been to quite a few events like this in my life in a number of different countries, but this one was unique. Thanks to all for making it happen.