MEETINGS - SEASON 2011-2012
Monday 20th February 2012 - Graham Spiller – ‘From Stokes Bay to Pearl Harbour via Taranto'.
The use of the aerial torpedo owes much to tactics and techniques developed by the Royal Navy. December 2011 was the 70th anniversary of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s attack on Pearl Harbour and Graham will explore the links to Stokes Bay and Taranto.
Monday 19th March 2012 - Steve Bridgewater - ‘100 years of Air Displays.’
Steve is editor of ‘Jets Monthly’ and his enthusiastic talk last year resulted in our successful visit to ‘Airbase’ at Coventry. He returns as a life long fan of air displays with a well illustrated review of an unbelievable century of public events.
Monday 16th April 2012 - Manuel Queiroz - Chasing the Morning Sun'
Manuel will describe his epic 2006 round-the world flight in his Vans RV-6. You can have a preview of the aircraft, his route and other information if you visit his web-site. This is the link to get there :
http://www.chasingthemorningsun.com/home_page.htm
Monday 21st May 2012 - TBA
Information about this meeting will be available shortly
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Monday 16th January 2012 - John Coote 'Life as a Vulcan and Nimrod Navigator'.
John gave a superbly illustrated and detailed talk on his 37 years of service with the RAF. His first tour was on 617 Squadron as a Vulcan Plotter. He then moved on to Nimrod Maritime Patrol aircraft and undertook an exchange tour with the US Navy on P-3C Orions. He spent three tours in the Ministry of Defence and two tours in Research and Development. He has now joined the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) for a short second career. The meeting was well-attended and the appreciative audience were given an expert insight into the work of a Specialist Navigator.
Monday 12th December 2011 - Neville Cullingford – ‘The Royal Observer Corps - The Eyes and Ears of the RAF’.
Neville has been a lifelong aviation enthusiast and historian whose ROC service started in 1956. He re-counted the ROC's wartime role as the "Eyes and Ears" of the RAF including hightlights and its many other WWII activities.
Monday 21st November 2011 - Peter Garrod - ‘Flying with the Air Transport Auxiliary’.
Peter is Commodore of the ATA Association and his illustrated recollections of flying during World War 2 provided a fascinating evening. After eyesight problems prevented him from joining the RAF, he trained on Tiger Moths and then progressed to fly some 78 types with the ATA from White Waltham and Hamble and a further four types with the RAFVR post war. Peter spoke of the origins and role of the ATA, his own service and his experiences in ferrying a variety of single and multi engine aircraft around the UK.
There are some informative web-sites describing the background to the organisation which are well worth visiting, one of which is : http:// www.atamuseum.org/
Another site giving information of the ATA Museum at Maidenhead is also interesting for those wishing to know more or to arrange a visit :http://www.maidenheadheritage.org.uk/
Peter’s personal story is available on line in an Imperial War Museum recording (9944) made in 1987of his experiences whilst flying with the ATA. It can be heard on :http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80009727
After answering many questions, Peter was warmly thanked for his excellent presentation which had been enjoyed by a well-attended meeting.
Monday 17th October 2011 - Sam Evans – ‘Vulcan to the Sky - a Technician’s View’.
Following RAF and civilian engineering experience, Sam is the Airframe Technician for Vulcan XH558. His well illustrated presentation recounted the story of the aircraft’s return to flight outlining the technical issues involved and future plans. Some thirty-five members attended and Sam provided an interesting and well illlustrated history of the type, this particular aircraft and the efforts made to keep the Vulcan flying. He stressed the importance of continuing to raise funds describing the huge costs associated with maintaining XH558 for flight. Those attending were much impressed by the skill and devotion required of the staff and volunteers in achieving the aim of keeping this iconic aircraft flying.
Monday 19th September 2011 – Air Commodore Graham Pitchfork – ‘The Men Behind the Medals’.
Graham was a Director of Military Intelligence at the MoD before retiring in 1995 and now is an aviation historian, consultant, author and journalist. He recounted the fascinating stories of aircrew from varied branches of the Royal Air Force who were decorated for feats of bravery during World War Two.
Terry Giles reports :
“Graham made a welcome return to present his talk on ‘ Men Behind the Medals’. The presentation was very well received and benefitted from Graham’s usual deep research of the subject and fantastic recall of detail. Each inspiring story of the flying exploits of men decorated for their gallantry in the air during the Second World War was preceded by a look at the design and surprising thought behind the appropriate colours of the medal ribbon involved. Another entertaining and thought provoking evening from an excellent speaker.”
Monday 16th May 2011 - Pete Pitman - 'Tangmere and the World Air Speed Record'
Pete spoke of Teddy Donaldson’s 1946 Meteor IV record and Neville Duke’s famous all-red Hunter. He also covered all the British record holders up to and including Peter Twiss in the Fairey FD2 in 1956 and a ‘where are they now’ section on the pilots and their aircraft. The audience was given a polished audio/visual presentation to explain this fascinating topic.
It was presented in an interesting and chronilogical way accompanied by contemporary photographs and newsreel reports of the record breaking flights including, in addition to the Meteor records, those of the Hunter and Swift both in 1953 and finally the FD2. A visual reconstruction of the Hunter episode in 1953 where Neville Duke experienced in-flight damage to the aircraft's undercarriage and wing was particularly impressive. Two of the aircraft - a Meteor and Duke's Hunter - are now safely housed in the Museum representing an exciting period in Britain's aviation history.
Pete, who is Tangmere's Education Officer, was accompanied by Dave Coxon, Museum Curator. The Museum had produced a booklet on the subject and many copies were sold in aid of the Museum during the interval.
Monday 18th April 2011 - Phil Nelson – ‘Half a Century of Pilot Training'
Phil is a popular BWAG speaker and a large part of his full and colourful flying career has involved pilot training in the RAF, for British Airways at nearby Hamble and subsequently on Boeing 737’s for many of the major UK and continental airlines.
Monday 21st March 2011 - Tony Davies - ‘From Red Pelicans to Victors'
Wing Commander Tony Davies made a welcome return to continue his recollections of a varied and exciting service career. This included RAF No 3 Group during the Valiant’s withdrawal, subsequent long experience with the Victor V-Bomber and flying with display team ‘The Red Pelicans’.
MEETINGS OF OTHER GROUPS :
GOSPORT AVIATION GROUP :
21st February GAS AGM - Members only - to be followed by the GAS Photographic Competition
20th March Steve Bridgewater – “100 Years of Airshows”.
17thApril David Miller - "Air Accident Investigations Branch"
15th May Details to be advised
GAS meet at Stubbington Social Club, 7.30pm for 8pm.
| 
