What a busy few months the team have had in putting together another Open Day & Fly-In. Aviation legend Bob Davy will be returning with his Yakovlev Yak-3 in Ukrainian Air Force markings. He will be bringing some friends with him including a Yak-52, Yak-18 and a Nanchang CJ-6A to name a few from the amazing West London Aero Club at White Waltham Airfield. Also making the trip north is DH Vampire WZ507 which was at one point an exhibit at the Solway Aviation Museum at Carlisle. From closer to home we expect subject to weather and serviceability a wide range of aircraft and helicopters from all over the northern half of the UK. Ranging from the genuine Vietnam War veteran Bell Huey '509' through to WW2 replica aircraft like the Titan T-51 Mustang all the way through to 'state of the art' aerobatic aircraft like the Xtreme XA-41 and Extra NG. Of course these are the ones we've approached, we never know what might actually just turn up on the day, one of the joys of a Fly-In! On the ground we expect to have a WWII reenactment group and anti aircraft gun among other things. The Huey team will be bringing their stall along with the Vulcan Crew Bus and mobile unit from the Solway Aviation Museum. Of course all this is down to the great British weather behaving itself so lets get some fingers and toes crossed for a cracking weekend!
Some lovely spring sunshine on March 6th brought our first jet movement of 2022. The Teesside based Jet Provost Mk.III XM479 / G-BVEZ is no stranger to Kirkbride but it's always a treat to see and smell this stunning vintage jet.
Saturday 13th November saw Dave Murray (centre) pull Carlisle Flight Trainings PA-28 G-EJRS along Kirkbride Airfields runway in a Charity pull. Dave is raising funds for the local Hospital as well as the Veterans Garden in Dumfries. You can find out more at the link... https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/dave-murray-1 He is pictured with Carlisle flight Trainings owner Alan Rayson and Kirkbrides John Plaskett.
On the 15th & 16th April 663sq AAC sent a team to set up a Forward Air Refuelling Point (FARP) at Kirkbride. Over the two days there were multiple visits by their WAH-64D Apache Longbows. The Squadron very kindly let a few of us have a tour of their impressive helicopters. Many thanks go out to all involved and we hope to see you at the airfield again at some point in the future.
What a few weeks it has been at the Airfield, first the Mustang now a Hurricane. Saturday 20th June saw Kirkbride get a very special visitor. R4118 is a combat veteran from the Battle of Britain. It's almost 80 exactly since she was taken on charge by 22 Maintenance unit at RAF Silloth before being delivered to 605 Squadron. Hurricane Heritage bought the aircraft up to Kirkbride with some little friends including a Harvard FE511, Nanchang CJ-6 and a pair of Vans an RV9 and RV4.
Above: Hawker Hurricane Mk1 R4118 / G-HUPW belonging to Hurricane Heritage. Below: Hurricane Heritage also brought their Harvard FE511 / G-CIUW to Kirkbride.
Saturday 30th May saw the first WWII Warbird to land at Kirkbride in what we thing is over 60 years. Shaun Patrick brought his North American P-51D Mustang in to visit the airfield. This aircraft is a familiar sight on the UK Airshow circuit as it used to wear the familiar Shark mouth markings, however it has just been given a new coat of markings in the colours of Lt Col Donald Blakeslee.