Sywell Aerodrome is located 6 miles north-east of Northampton and was originally opened in 1928. During the Second World War RAF Sywell was used as a training facility and was later an important centre for the repair of Wellington bombers. Extensive sheds and hangars from this time still remain on the site.

These days the aerodrome caters for private flying, flight training and corporate flights. There is one fixed-wing flying school, one microlight school and a helicopter school. Sywell has three all-grass operational runways and a fourth all-weather concrete runway.

There is a 1930s Art Deco hotel with a bar and restaurant facilities with access to a large garden overlooking the apron and runways. On the day we visited to have lunch we were entertained by a pilot from The Blades aerobatic display team, practising in the skies above.

Tags:   Northamptonshire light planes helicopters airports Sywell Aerodrome

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We spotted this rather grand old lady of the skies twice flying over Cremyll in south-east Cornwall when we were there on 28 November 2017. Can it really be 50 years old?

According to www.helis.com/database/cn/192/ it was delivered in 1965 and entered the record books by making the first transatlantic flight by a civilian helicopter. A special extra fuel tank was fitted in the cabin. (See www.helis.com/database/news/transatlantic/)

It subsequently spent 16 years with British Airways (1970-86) and has been with British International since then, other than an eleven-year period (Jan 93 - May 04), when it was with other carriers. It has been based at Newquay Airport since May 2017.

Tags:   Helicopters Sea King helicopters G-ATFM Sikorsky S-61N Mk II British International record-breaking helicopter

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This outstanding former RAF interceptor of the '60s and '70s is mounted on a plinth on the premises of Castle Air just off the A38 near Liskeard in Cornwall.

It is 32 years since this plane took its last flight in November 1987. According to Wikipedia, the Lightning remains the only UK-designed and built fighter capable of Mach 2. It was designed, developed, and initially manufactured by English Electric and was operated by the RAF, the Kuwait Air Force and the Royal Saudi Air Force.

The Lightning was initially designed and developed as a high speed interceptor to defend the V-bomber airfields from attack by anticipated future nuclear-armed supersonic Soviet bombers such as the Tupolev Tu-22, but it was subsequently also required to intercept other bomber aircraft such as the Tupolev Tu-16 and the Tupolev Tu-95. The Lightning had an exceptional rate of climb, ceiling, and speed but was limited by its fuel capacity. Later developments provided greater range and speed along with aerial reconnaissance and ground-attack capability.

Source: Wikipedia

Tags:   RAF Lightning fighter jets XS936 English Electric Lightning Castle Air, Cornwall

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I spotted this AgustaWestland AW109E helicopter at the premises of Castle Air at Trebrown, near Liskeard in Cornwall. The company, which has other facilities at Biggin Hill and at Gloucestershire Airport, is involved in the charter, management and sales of aircraft. According to their website they have a fleet of AW109 turbine helicopters available to charter.

Developed as the A109 by Agusta, the helicopter originally entered service in 1976 and has since been used in various roles, including light transport, medevac, search-and-rescue, and military roles. The AW109 has been in continuous production for 40 years. It is a lightweight eight-seat twin-engine helicopter, known for its speed, elegant appearance and ease of control.

Sources: Wikipedia and www.castleair.co.uk

Tags:   Cornwall Castle Air Trebrown helicopters AgustaWestland AW109E G-ZIPE

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I am sure that many of us will have seen this Spitfire in the media coverage relating to the D-Day anniversary. I came across it today at Sywell Airport, just to the north of Northampton, where it is now based. This plane is accredited with shooting down the first enemy aircraft over the Normandy beachhead on D-Day (a JU-88) and shared the second. The pilot was Flying Officer Johnnie Houlton DFC.

The Grace Spitfire ML407 was originally built at Castle Bromwich in early 1944 as a Mark IX single seat fighter and served in the front line of battle throughout the last twelve months of World War II with six different allied Squadrons of the RAF’s 2nd Tactical Air Force. ML407 flew a total of 176 operational combat sorties amassing an impressive total 319 combat hours.

In 1950 it was converted to the two seat configuration for the Irish Air Corps as an advanced trainer. Having been in storage it was offered for sale in 1968 and Sir William Roberts eventually bought the aircraft for his museum in Strathallan, which sold it to Nick Grace in 1979. It is now operated by Ultimate Warbird Flights.

Please see www.warbirdflights.co.uk/spitfireml407 for full details.

The light was dreadful (though thankfully the rain had ceased) and I was using Judy's iPhone, so I've processed it differently to my normal style. I hope it works.

Tags:   Northamptonshire Sywell Airport Spitfire ML 407 WWII fighters aircraft RAF Spitfire Mk IX

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