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She flies through the air with the greatest of ease...
Ok, so how many young ladies do you know who would consent to be strapped to the
top wing of your aeroplane and zoom about the sky?
(No.1 of the top ten questions in the series: Test your Totty...) |
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It's summer 1982 and we are happily stood at the front of the crowd lining the
runway at Blackpool Airport.
The young lady takes off and waves to the crowd as she hurtles past, smiling despite the
flies plastering her face - aha! So that's why those things are called Tiger
Moths...!
Below, the Mosquito - lucky she didn't have to pick that particular insect from
between her teeth... |
| Air Atlantique were still regularly flying Douglas DC3 Dakotas from Blackpool
at this time and their fleet had been used the previous year to make the TV series
Airline with Roy Marsden.
Short flights in the Dakota were available on the day and there was no shortage of people
wanting to take advantage of the chance. |
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| I've always thought that the Dakota was one of the most beautiful of aeroplanes -
if an aeroplane can be called 'beautiful'.
Another of the DC3s was parked up on the tarmac and there was an opportunity to get up close!
They were one of the staples of many small airlines, bought up by ex-RAF pilots and crews who
were desperate to stay flying after the war. |
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| One of the early jet fighters used by the RAF, the Vampire, with its distinctive
tail joined to the wings by twin booms, rather than the main fuselage. |
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| As at all the other airshows held at the Blackpool airfield there was a display of
classic and vintage land vehicles.
The old Ford Popular caught my eye as Dad's first car was just such a Ford 'Pop', I can
remember him fitting flashing indicators as an add-on kit and they were so dim that when he
first used them a lorry driver coming the other way had hysterics at the sight... |
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