Melo965
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I even included your airport in the top right corner of the Flight 7 picture.MOST impressive, and thanks so much.
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Please see the most recent updates in the "Where did the .com name go?" thread. Posts number 16 and 17.
Spitfire K5054 90th Anniversary Circumnavigation of the UK: May 2026
- Thread starter Melo965
- Start date
bosspecops
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It'd be interesting to fly these legs twice, once in a suitable Spitfire and once in the RAF's supporting aircraft for the same legs. Comparing the flight times would be interesting, I'm not sure a Typhoon would manage to keep slow enough!
Or even that Jupiter chopper could keep up for Flight 6!
Or even that Jupiter chopper could keep up for Flight 6!
bosspecops
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I even included your airport in the top right corner of the Flight 7 picture.
I think I may make a slight diversion during my Flight 7 to overlfy Dean Forest Regional, and my own house even!
ScottishMike1
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It was the air cadets and the university air squadron that had kept the secret, as well as polished greased and oiled the old bird. She had been hidden in a corner of one of the remotest hangers, concealed behind a wall of cardboard and wooden boxes of spares. In the RAF days it was one of those token secrets, known to most, but not spoken about. The RAF had left Leuchars for Lossiemouth and the airfield handed over to the army, however the RAF Cadets and Officer Cadets from the University squadron still gathered there. But as the saying goes: “A new broom sweeps clean” and eventually an over enthusiastic army Sargent Major commanding a cleaning detail had come across the Otter in his devotion for floors “You Can See Your Face In”. Not that anyone would of thanked you for a view of his.
Both RAF and Army would have been happy to once again pile the boxes around the Sea Otter and have her forgotten. Neither wanted blame for wasting tax payers money, but the secret was out, loose squaddie talk in the local taverns alerted “Malky” Torbin, the Fife Free Press reporter in the twilight of his career. Fed up with his bosses exhortations to provide click bait headlines for the online version of the publication Malky recognised a good old fashioned scoop. Beer and whisky chasers loosened army tongues.
It had played out to our advantage, the MOD (Ministry Of Defence) had been eager to turn the story into a positive. Government money flows when a politician sees an opportunity to portray himself as the good guy. The Minister thought it a wonderful idea that the Otter should accompany the Spitfire on the tour and he posed, shoes polished, by the aircraft, portrayed as the saviour of the RAF’s great history and traditions.
The upshot was money and personnel were made available and the Sea Otter was ready for it’s first flight trial in over 70 years.
The weather was unusually good and Suzanne and I would soon be airborne on the short flight from Aberdeen’s Dyce airport to Leuchars to witness the event.
Her beloved Beagle Airdale looked stunning in the morning sun. There are some advantages in being the CTO of one of the biggest helicopter operators in Aberdeen:
Despite Dyce’s infamous lack of space a corner had been found in one of the Barstools hangers and the tech staff looked after the plane as if their jobs depended on it (because they probably did). Suzanne still gave it a full visual inspection before powering up:
I had promised funding through my Golden group of aviation companies and Suzanne had called in favours forcing Barstools Helicopters to also sponsor.
We had been given clearance to land at Leuchars. Despite now being in Army hands it was still a diversionary airfield and maintained as such.
Dyce ATC directed us to the north runway:
After take-off we had an 180 degree loop to head south on a 210 heading for Leuchars following the North Sea coast. The problem with a high pressure over the North Sea is it creates what locals call a “Haar” or sea fog that can stretch up to 20 miles inland, this could well be a major problem when the circumnavigation is following the North Sea coast. Cruising at 3000’ we were above it but it could make landings difficult.
Not many minutest passed before it was time to contact Leuchars ATC and we are directed to a left circuit for rwy 9 taking us up the firth of Tay over Dundee. The Tay bridge is just about visible ahead.
Having descended to 1500’ both rail and road bridges are behind us now:
Time to turn onto base leg for Leuchars, the haar is not a problem thank goodness:
We are allowed the rare privilege of parking in front of the Officers mess opposite the Sea Otter:
TO BE CONTINUED
Both RAF and Army would have been happy to once again pile the boxes around the Sea Otter and have her forgotten. Neither wanted blame for wasting tax payers money, but the secret was out, loose squaddie talk in the local taverns alerted “Malky” Torbin, the Fife Free Press reporter in the twilight of his career. Fed up with his bosses exhortations to provide click bait headlines for the online version of the publication Malky recognised a good old fashioned scoop. Beer and whisky chasers loosened army tongues.
It had played out to our advantage, the MOD (Ministry Of Defence) had been eager to turn the story into a positive. Government money flows when a politician sees an opportunity to portray himself as the good guy. The Minister thought it a wonderful idea that the Otter should accompany the Spitfire on the tour and he posed, shoes polished, by the aircraft, portrayed as the saviour of the RAF’s great history and traditions.
The upshot was money and personnel were made available and the Sea Otter was ready for it’s first flight trial in over 70 years.
The weather was unusually good and Suzanne and I would soon be airborne on the short flight from Aberdeen’s Dyce airport to Leuchars to witness the event.
Her beloved Beagle Airdale looked stunning in the morning sun. There are some advantages in being the CTO of one of the biggest helicopter operators in Aberdeen:
Despite Dyce’s infamous lack of space a corner had been found in one of the Barstools hangers and the tech staff looked after the plane as if their jobs depended on it (because they probably did). Suzanne still gave it a full visual inspection before powering up:
I had promised funding through my Golden group of aviation companies and Suzanne had called in favours forcing Barstools Helicopters to also sponsor.
We had been given clearance to land at Leuchars. Despite now being in Army hands it was still a diversionary airfield and maintained as such.
Dyce ATC directed us to the north runway:
After take-off we had an 180 degree loop to head south on a 210 heading for Leuchars following the North Sea coast. The problem with a high pressure over the North Sea is it creates what locals call a “Haar” or sea fog that can stretch up to 20 miles inland, this could well be a major problem when the circumnavigation is following the North Sea coast. Cruising at 3000’ we were above it but it could make landings difficult.
Not many minutest passed before it was time to contact Leuchars ATC and we are directed to a left circuit for rwy 9 taking us up the firth of Tay over Dundee. The Tay bridge is just about visible ahead.
Having descended to 1500’ both rail and road bridges are behind us now:
Time to turn onto base leg for Leuchars, the haar is not a problem thank goodness:
We are allowed the rare privilege of parking in front of the Officers mess opposite the Sea Otter:
TO BE CONTINUED