 G-AMRA, G-AMSV (left) and G-AMPY (breaking formation) performed rather majestic... |
Douglas C-47B G-AMSV (c/n 16072/32820) is seen here on finals, only a few feet over the runway, seconds before that familiar screech of the tyres...G-AMSV is the last DC-3 of Air Atlantique in the oil pollution role.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is responsible for responding to major oil and chemical pollution incidents from shipping at sea that would threaten UK interests. The MCA deals with oil and chemical spills from ships where these threaten to cause pollution in UK waters or on the UK shoreline. In the event of a major pollution incident from a shipping casualty at sea, the MCA will activate the National Contingency Plan (NCP) and deal with the spillage. The response will normally be through a combination of aerial dispersant spraying and mechanical recovery operations at sea. |
 Douglas C-47B G-AMPY (c/n 15124/26569) is planning to touch down late (plenty of runway left !).
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 G-ANAF (c/n 16688/33436) did not fly, pity, it must be quite a sight to see this "Thales Testbed" with the spherical radar under its nose on a flyby. Thales, according to the add, is a technology firm in the market for avionics, in-flight entertainment, simulation and crew training, Air Traffic Management, etc. It seems that G-ANAF in this configuration was used for the Nimrod 2000-project, testing the new Nimrod radar. This went on in the late 1990s and was all very secret of course.. More details on the use of this radar then and now, would be welcome. |
 Electra G-LOFE (c/n 1144) in a rather spectacular righthand final approach and will zoom along in front of the enthusiastic crowd ! It just goes to show you don't need a lot of noise to make a spectaculair air display ! |
 Another shot of G-LOFE, note the smoke trails of the engines.
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 The Nord N.2504 Nortatlas (marked as 62-SI, but registered as F-AZVM, c/n 105) performed a stunning approach, coming in high, diving steeply and after landing going in full reverse... The performance must have been similar as in wartime (Diên Biên Phú comes to mind: the longest, most furious battle of the French Expeditionary Corps in the Far East...."170 days of confrontation, 57 days of hell").It is operated by the "Noratlas de Provence" and is a welcome guest at air shows. It has the colours which she wore in Algeria, when she was on duty at the "Sahara" transport Group. |
 The restoration of this Shackleton AEW2 WR963 (the radome has been removed and it's repainted like an MR.2) has not yet succeeded in getting it off the ground, but instead it ran its engines twice a day. The contra-rotating props made rather a nice sound, not anything like the Antonov An-22 at all. No.1 is churning out the right rpm's here, while no.2 is just getting there. |
 Lockeed L.188PF Electra N2RK was supposed to be reregistered G-LOFI but apparently the paperwork has not quite been settled with the CAA. The titles "Reeve Illusion" apparently is not meant as back-stabbing Bob Reeve, but rather having to do with a slight 'dig' at John Reeve, the airline's general manager and responsible for the Reeve Aleutian Electra purchase deal and he is thus daily reminded that some things take longer than expected to come to fruition... Apparently there is a crewing problem which does not permit the Reeve Electras to be flown as yet by Atlantic Airlines: the latter operates the Electras with 2-man cockpit crew while the Reeve aircraft are configured for a 3-man cockpit crew. |
 Sad, sad, the demise of Reeve Aleutian (Bob Reeve ceased his operation in Alaska in December 2000). This Lockeed L.188PF Electra (c/n 1140) still has "44C" on the nosewheeldoors, dating from the time it carried tailnumber N9744C, but it has been reregistered as N4HG for "Electra Airways" (a Delaware Corporation). |
 It truly was an event enjoyed by all, spectators as well as performers. |
Back to Propliners in the UK, 2003
Source:  Propliner magazine, no.95 (Summer 2003). |
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