Fly in Lancaster, P-40, or P-51 -- Together in Formation

[Dave Hadfield]

There is a thread (poll) currently where someone expressed a wish to fly in a P-40.

Perhaps this crosses a line regarding promotion, and if so I'll remove it, but this year at Vintage Wings of Canada we are going to take up members in a 3-ship formation. We will contribute the P-40 and P-51 (both 2-seaters, the P-40 having dual controls) and Canadian Warplane Heritage will contribute the Lancaster -- with it's seats also filled.

Formation re-join.



Helmet-cam view.



This is the back seat of the P-40, with one of our AMEs flying the thing.



View from the ground during an airshow formation of 4 fighters with the Lanc.



This is something that can happen no place else in the world. We'll be doing it about 5 times this season. Location: Gatineau (Ottawa) or Hamilton, Ontario. http://www.vintagewings.ca/en-ca/wings/contactus.aspx

Dave

Last edited by Dave Hadfield on Sun Feb 08, 2015 12:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[C VEICH]

I am already jealous of the lucky participants, whomever they may turn out to be! Always enjoy your posts and photos Dave, thanks for taking the time to share.

[Dave Hadfield]

Thanks! It should be a lot of fun. The boys from CWH were saying they were mobbed last summer when they took the Lanc to the UK. They could have flown members all day, every day.

Here's a photo we took over Ottawa upon her return.



Dave

Last edited by Dave Hadfield on Sun Feb 08, 2015 12:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Chris Brame]

WOW . Have you had many Lancaster veterans go for the rides? Must be some great stories there.

[Dave Hadfield]

Yes, the CWH boys have had many, but of course that's decreased to a trickle now...

I have had vets in the P-40 cockpit with me. In fact our P-40 is painted in the colours of Stocky Edwards when he flew Kittyhawks in the desert in 1942. And then I had him with me during an airshow flight in 2009.

It was wonderful to give him the stick and watch him get reaquainted with the airplane. He's the highest-scoring surviving Canadian fighter pilot.





Dave

[Pogo]

Perhaps this crosses a line regarding promotion, and if so I'll remove it

Boy I hope not (what do I know?). As mentioned above, you always have great stuff Dave, and this is more of it, looks like an exchange of information regarding warbirds to me. I vote let's save the pillory for the next guy while I drool over that P-40 back seat with full controls, oh my... <pant, pant>

[vernicator]

Dave

Hey, I can see my apartment in that shot! Unfortunately I was helping someone with some home renos in a southern part of Ottawa that day and I missed the whole thing.