Henstridge
First time I've been here for almost 5 years ! Thankfuly the cafe is still there and open. From here you get a very good view of the tarmac runway. Over on the farside were several new to me blue metal hangers with a couple more still being built.
New for me here was the Christen Eagle II G-NUTA
The owner of this aircraft was very happy to chat about his Eagle. He bought it from a Germany owner although the aircraft was based at the Vendee Air Park in France. G-NUTA was registered in the UK on 15.8.06 and was previously D-ECCA being built from kit in 1991.
Two Vans RV-9 aircraft departed whislt I was having a coffee - G-CCGU and G-RUVY, both taxied out from the new hanger area.
Compton Abbas
This lovely airfield is up on top of a hill, approx 10 miles East of Henstridge. I reckon it is one of the most scenic airfields in the UK - add in a good cafe and a large viewing area too it is an excellent place to visit, not that it was busy during my quick stop ! The grass strip looks a little bumpy in comparison with the tarmac at Henstridge.
The only activity was G-WARZ a based Pa-28-161 Warrior doing circuits and bumps. This aircraft was built in 1997. The photo below shows plenty of mud by the gear and underwing.
Kingston Deverill - The Park
Next stop was the gliding airfield at Kingston Deverill home of the Bath, Wilts and North Dorset GC. This strip in on top of large hill just north of Mere. Luckily there was some mid week activity - outside was the beautiful Glasflugel Libelle 201B G-DCLP wearing competition number "948".
This Libelle was built in 1971 and is the former BGA 1630 and took up its new G registration on 1.10.07.
The local club uses Piper Pa-25-235 Pawnee G-BUXY for air tows - this has a 4 bladed propellor to give it some more towing power.
This Pawnee as built back in 1963 and was imported from Canada before becoming G-BUXY on 18.3.93 - 45 years old.
There is one large hanger here and among the gliders present was SZD 50-3 Puchacz G-CKAN.
This Polish built glider was built in 1997 as c/n B-2106. It was originally delivered to the Netherlands as PH-1104 but sufferred a major accident in the summer of 1997. After a rebuild in Poland it arrived in the UK as BGA 4938 in 2001. It became G-CKAN on 26.11.07. Another Puchacz was in the hanger too - "FUY" BGA 3546.
No comments:
Post a Comment