| Kemble Airport recently secured the future of the Great vintage Flying Weekend (G-VFWE). Due to this it was decided to extend the usual one day event to a whole weekend and invite participants who would usually attend G-VFWE. So, on the Saturday we welcomed Aeroncas. Luscombes, Austers etc together with a very rare De Havilland Queen Bee. The actual G-VFWE will take place in May 2009 when it is hoped that many hundreds of visiting aircraft will descend upon the Cotswold venue.
The Open Day provides an opportunity for visitors to see the many aviation clubs, organisations and business that occupy this immensely friendly and well presented former RAF airfield. Delta Jets had their hangar open to the public with several of their aircraft on show and there was a line-up of unrestored Hunters, along with one of the three Canberra PR.9s, available for close-up inspection. Event sponsors Redrow Homes had two hot air balloons on display and it was possible to take trips in microlights, helicopters and an Air Atlantique De Havilland Devon. There were also tours of the Control Tower available and many local re-enactment groups had got together and brought along displays of all sorts of military vehcles. Outside the entrance to the excellent AV8 Restaurant, two aviation related charities had joined forces for the weekend. The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund (RAFBF) & Fly2Help which is based at the airport were raising funds for both organisations through the sale of raffle tickets and a Saturday evening barbecue and auction. Over the weekend a total of over £7000 was achieved and will be split between the two. For full details of Fly2Help, please click on the banner which appears on each page of this website. On the second day, a star special guest was Joy Lofthouse who lives locally. Joy was one of the famous ATA pilots during WWII and flew a large number of types both large and small. She was delighted to be photographed with the Red Arrows who dropped into their old base before and after a special engagement at Rendcomb for Help The Heroes. Later in the afternoon, the airport manager took her for a flight during which she of course took the controls. Each afternoon there was a short flying display, though as usual during 2008 the weather played a large part in the proceedings. Saturday was bright and sunny, but Sunday was claggy to say the least with swirling fog during the morning palying havoc with arrivals. Delta Jets of course played their part with Andy Cubin and Brian Cornes in the 'Black Arrows' and 'Blue Diamonds' Hunter T7s and Brian again was in the air with the 'Raspberry Ripple' Jet Provost T5A. A regular at Kemble is Steven Roberts with his delightful De Havilland Hornet Moth. Surprise participants were three aircraft from Peter Holloway's stable which is based at Old Warden. These comprised the Focke Wulf Stieglitz, Klemm and Bucker Bestmann. It was the first time I had seen these delightful inter-war machines. Sunday's display was enhanced with Peter Teichman in his P-40 Kittyhawk, Andrew Dixon's popular Pembroke, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire IIa and Hurricane IIc and an amazing display by the Air Atlantique Dakota. However, it was difficult to decide whether that was the highlight as earlier in the afternoon, John Fairey flew in from Brimpton in his Percival Provost. Once Brian Cornes had finished his solo slot in the Jet Provost T5A, John got airborne and there followed a series of perfect formation passes from the pair, representing the earliest and last generations of the Provost family. Although not displaying at Kemble, the Red Arrows can always be relied upon to do something a bit special. Following their usual formation departure for their special display at Rendcomb, their return at the end of the afternoon had the assembled crowd chuckling at the 'commentary' from Red 1 as they performed a full 9-ship Parasol Break - a manoeuvre seldom seen these days. During the weekend, the schedule of Kemble events for 2009 was announced: May 9th/10th Great Vintage Flying Weekend Jun 20th/21st Kemble Air Days Sep 20th Kemble Open Day For full all Kemble airport matters please see www.kemble.com |
Aeronca Champion G-BPFM |
Aeronca Champion G-BPGK |
Aeronca Champion G-BPGK |
Aeronca Champion G-BPGK |
Aeronca Chief G-IVOR |
Auster Alpha RCAF 693 G-BLPG |
Auster AOP.9 WZ662 G-BKVK |
BBMF |
BBMF |
BBMF |
BBMF Hurricane IIc LF363 |
BBMF Hurricane IIc LF363 |
BBMF Spitfire IIa P7350 |
BBMF Spitfire IIa P7350 |
BBMF Spitfire IIa P7350 |
BBMF Spitfire IIa P7350 |
BBMF Spitfire IIa P7350 |
BBMF Spitfire IIa P7350 |
Bucker Bestmann GL+SU Peter Holloway Collection |
Bucker Bestmann GL+SU Peter Holloway Collection |
Bucker Bestmann GL+SU Peter Holloway Collection |
Bucker Bestmann GL+SU Peter Holloway Collection |
Bucker Bestmann GL+SU Peter Holloway Collection |
Bucker Bestmann GL+SU Peter Holloway Collection |
Bucker Bestmann GL+SU Peter Holloway Collection |
Bucker Bestmann GL+SU Peter Holloway Collection |
Bucker Bestmann GL+SU Peter Holloway Collection |
Bulldog G-BULL |
Canberra PR9 XH131 |
Canberra PR9 XH131 |
Canberra PR9 XH131 |
Canberra PR9 XH131 |
Canberra PR9 XH131 |
Chipmunk WB569 'R'G-BYSJ |
Chipmunk WB569 'R'G-BYSJ |
Chipmunk WG472 G-AOTY |
Chipmunk WG472 G-AOTY |
Cool Dude! |
Curtiss P.40 Kittyhawk 43-5802/49 G-KITT Peter Teichman |
Curtiss P.40 Kittyhawk 43-5802/49 G-KITT Peter Teichman |
Curtiss P.40 Kittyhawk 43-5802/49 G-KITT Peter Teichman |
Curtiss P.40 Kittyhawk 43-5802/49 G-KITT Peter Teichman |
Curtiss P.40 Kittyhawk 43-5802/49 G-KITT Peter Teichman |
Curtiss P.40 Kittyhawk 43-5802/49 G-KITT Peter Teichman |
Curtiss P.40 Kittyhawk 43-5802/49 G-KITT Peter Teichman |
Curtiss P.40 Kittyhawk 43-5802/49 G-KITT Peter Teichman |
Curtiss P.40 Kittyhawk 43-5802/49 G-KITT Peter Teichman |
Curtiss P.40 Kittyhawk 43-5802/49 G-KITT Peter Teichman |
Curtiss P.40 Kittyhawk 43-5802/49 G-KITT Peter Teichman |
Dakota IV KK116 G-AMPY Ari Atlantique Classic Flight |
Dakota IV KK116 G-AMPY Ari Atlantique Classic Flight |
Dakota IV KK116 G-AMPY Ari Atlantique Classic Flight |
Dakota IV KK116 G-AMPY Ari Atlantique Classic Flight |
Dakota IV KK116 G-AMPY Ari Atlantique Classic Flight |
Dakota IV KK116 G-AMPY Ari Atlantique Classic Flight |
Dakota IV KK116 G-AMPY Ari Atlantique Classic Flight |
Dakota IV KK116 G-AMPY Ari Atlantique Classic Flight |
Dakota IV KK116 G-AMPY Ari Atlantique Classic Flight |
Dakota IV KK116 G-AMPY Ari Atlantique Classic Flight |
Dakota IV KK116 G-AMPY Ari Atlantique Classic Flight |
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