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Thanks to the info from Tony Hoskins Spitfire AA810 I was able to visit the grave of Sandy Gunn, who is alongside fellow ‘Great Escapers’ at this beautiful war cemetery in Poznan, Poland. To have heard his story and now to see this was extremely moving.

This is dedicated to our TLG mucker James Cartner. The wonderful Westland Wessex first flew #OTD 20th June 1958. I remember watching them as a boy, and yet James actually flew them, and probably damaged a few, in Royal Air Force service. Retired in 2003. The Wessex, not Jimbo…

This is thoroughly recommended to anyone with an interest in aviation history and much more. We were recently given our own private tour by Ian Walker, which you can listen to here for some inspiration, should you need it: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/top…

I used to see these target-towing (TT) Canberras when on holidays in North Cornwall, operating out of RAF St Mawgan. I think the Royal Navy also operated FRADU Canberras out of RNAS Culdrose. The RAF retired its Canberras #OTD 23rd June 2006 after 55 years service. RAF_Luton 😉

I really have no idea I’m afraid Paul. Is it anywhere in particular in fact? A glorious illustration nonetheless. Historic Croydon Airport

1/2: The Soviet Union’s blockade of Berlin, which led to the Berlin Airlift, began #OTD 24th June 1948. Dunsfold aerodrome in Surrey played a key role in the airlift as did AviationFilming’s Dakota (G-DAKS) here seen at Dunsfold’s Wings & Wheels in 2016.

2/2: Head of AviationFilming Mike Woodley spoke to us about G-DAKS’s incredible history, both in military service and as a ‘film star’, among a host of other fascinating stories about his own very colourful life in films and aviation.Listen here: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/top…

Air Hotel (1936) The first flying boat for Imperial Airways takes to the air on The Medway next to Short’s Rochester factory. These made enormous sense when few aerodromes that could take large aircraft. Wartime aviation expansion meant they were an anachronism after 1945.

The hugely successful Vickers Viscount first flew #OTD 16th July 1948, from the then grass runway at Wisley in Surrey, entering service with BEA in 1953. Sir George Edwards, of VC10 fame, took over the Viscount programme following the death of Vickers chief designer Rex Pierson.

I love everything about this, including the wonderful Shorts flying boat. What I would have given to see these fabulous craft fly, or just see them at all. 😍

They used a fair bit of CGI for the film apparently. Here’s how she looked during Top Landing Gear’s visit to Dunsfold last year to interview Mike Woodley who owns the collection of 3 747s based there as part of AviationFilming’s impressive and diverse fleet.

Just managed to snap a shot of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum 🇨🇦Avro Lancaster overhead as I was commentating live on a race at the #WRChamps World Rowing near Niagara Falls. Last saw it in 2014 when it teamed up with the RAF BBMF Lanc in the UK🇬🇧. Sadly I’ll miss the Red Arrows here next week.

The Hawker Siddeley Nimrod entered service with the Royal Air Force #OTD 2nd Oct 1969 RAF St Mawgan with 38 & 42Sqns, replacing the long-serving Avro Shackleton. These aircraft would have been familiar sights to Cornwall holiday makers like me during that time. I miss them.

A while since we’ve posted, but TLG followers will get the significance here. The magnificent De Havilland Mosquito, the “Wooden Wonder” flew its final RAF sortie #OTD 15th December 1955, with a PR34. As with the Spitfire’s final RAF sortie, it was during the Malayan Emergency.

Test pilot Peter Twiss set a new airspeed record #OTD 10th March 1956, exceeding 1,000mph in the Fairey Delta FD2. The story of this achievement is fascinating, as is the fact the Fairey were developing this futuristic aircraft at the same time they were producing the Gannet!

Well… couldn’t believe my eyes👀! Had the flight number been AF0104 I might have twigged a bit sooner…🙄🫣. Nice one Flightradar24 😆👍👏

Flt Lt Alan Pollock performed one of aviation’s most audacious feats #OTD 5th April 1968, when he flew his RAF Hawker Hunter through London’s Tower Bridge in protest at defence cuts. In July 2020 Alan told the whole incredible story to Top Landing Gear: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/top…

The fabulous BN Islander first flew 60 years ago today! This is the military Defender variant on display ArmyFlyingMuseum. It had been flown operationally by TLG chum and renowned Beaver pilot George ‘Smokey’ Bacon, who I was delighted to meet up with the other day at Middle Wallop.