Vera Overhead at Cranleigh

Another shot of Vera the Avro Lancaster from Canada flying overhead whilst in Cranleigh , it was making an appearance at the Wings and Wheels show back in August whilst it was over here. Vera has now returned to Canada after a wonderful visit flying with Thumper ( the only other airworthy Lancaster ). She did have later in her few weeks here a problem with one of her engines, having to land at Durham Airport with smoke pouring from the affected engine. I believe all is ok now and Vera is safely on the other side of the Atlantic.

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The Dakota- an iconic Plane

One last sot of the planes from the Wing's and wheels event near Cranleigh. This shot shows the iconic Douglas DC-3 known as the Dakota. A work horse of a plane both in the military and civil worlds of aviation. I have flown in one many years ago on a holiday trip, however a journey I made back in the 1970s took me on an Illyshin ll 14 which was a Russian copy near enough of the Dakota. That journey ( from Brno to Prague and then onto Heathrow ) had for the second leg of the trip a flight on an Illyushin ll 62 which was also a Russian copy and this time of a VC-10. I deviate, the Dakota shown here is actually a Dakota DC-3 47A and now takes part in airshow displays and is in U S air force markings. I am sure John could correct me if there are any aviation errors.

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Silver Machines

Another view from Sainburys car park on the day the Wings and Wheels took place, this time a couple of older jets - a Meteor and a Hawker Hunter looking the part in the sunshine.

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Underbelly

A much closer view of this iconic plane, take a long look as I have said before only about another year of flying time permitted as by then the engines will be too old to be used further. The Vulcan looked after our security during the cold war and was capable of delivering a nuclear bomb had the situation called for it, thank goodness in that part it never had to fulfill it's role.

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Graceful But Oh So Noisy

The Vulcan, always a favourite at air shows with it's graceful flight but the sound from the engines is very loud. BUT, the days seem to be numbered for the Vulcan, the engines are coming to the end of their allotted lifetime and there just ain't any replacements. The costs if it could even be possible would be totally prohibitive. This is the first time I have seen the Vulcan since February 1970 when I saw one come into land at RAF St.Athan when I was there on a survey. This magnificent plane was one of the "V" bombers used back in the days of the cold war - the others being the Valient and the Victor.

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Flight !!

Vera and Thumper flying high with their own escort of birds on the wing startled by the sudden appearance of these two special icons on one of the displays that they are attending this month.

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Up & Away

The Red Arrows are up to their usual standard and the sky makes a spectacular stage for their performance.

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They do make a pretty pattern don't they?

A quick one handed shot standing in the middle of Sainsburys car park Cranleigh as the Red Arrows circled to return to the Wings and Wheels airshow at Dunsfold. The team certainly put on a show and watching from where we were it is hard to imagine how all the intricate manoeuvres are calculated and controlled to give a spectacular and safe performance.

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All Safely Gathered In

The harvest has been gathered in and when we arrived at the field all that was left was many bales of hay spread about the field ( and they were very comfortable to sit on for a time whilst I waited in hope of a Vulcan passing by ). By the time it was time to go the farmer had collected the bales to build a haystack- or at least put into store in a barn somewhere. Oh, and the Red Arrows can be seen just passing through.

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On The Wing

This is the last two airworthy Lancaster aircraft flying together for the first time in about 50 years during the month long stay of the Lancaster housed normally in a Canadian Heritage museum. I hope I am correct in saying that the Canadian Lancaster is the only surviving bomber from the Dam Buster Raids. Living History !!!!

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'ELLO VERA....

You may remember a short while back in the quizzy thread, John Lawrence asked who Vera was and that she had set off on a journey of just over 3500 miles. Well meet Vera the second of only two airworthy Lancasters in the world and in the care of a Canadian heritage museum. Vera ( called from the registration around the roundel ) is over in England for a few weeks and is appearing at many airshows. This shot was taken from a cornfield next to Sainsburys car park in Cranleigh as it took part in the Wings and Wheels show at Dunsfold nearby.

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