Aircraft Movements & Spotting Site for Durham Tees Valley Airport
Project Propeller 2013 RAF Coningsby Saturday 22nd
June 2013 Dave Anderson & Colin Granton
Project Propeller is an annual reunion for 150+
WWII aircrew, to which they are flown from all over the UK in light aircraft
by current pilots that volunteer both their time, aircraft and fuel. Each
year, the aircrew have a wonderful day out where they are able to meet up
with former colleagues, enjoy lunch, live wartime music and the facilities
of the venue and most importantly, get airborne once again. This year the
event was hosted by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby,
the station home to the Typhoon T3s and FGR4s of 3(F), XI, 17(R) and 29(R)
Squadrons, the Tornado GR4s & recently Typhoon FGR4 of 41(R) Squadron (the
Fast Jet & Weapons OEU), plus the Lancaster, Spitfires, Hurricanes, Dakota
and Chipmunks of the BBMF. Held inside the BBMF hangar with the fleet on
view for the visitors to look around, and for a few lucky ones to sit inside
some of the old aircraft they had flown over 60 years ago.
Last year we took a couple of veterans down to
Wickenby. This year our very good friend David Breden and owner of resident
Piper Arrow G-STEA offered his services. So along with Colin's Cardinal
G-BRDO, plans were made for the trip. With over 70 aircraft booked into
Coningsby our slot time between 1000 to 1030 was reserved. We decided to set
off together and fly down in formation, giving our passengers a more
enjoyable journey. The weather was fine but very windy with strong
crosswinds forecast at Coningsby. This put a number of aircraft off reducing
the numbers to only 36. I crewed up with David in the Arrow leaving two
minutes behind the Cardinal at 0936, with retractable undercarriage we soon
caught up and joined along side for some nice air to air photography. The
journey down was almost a straight line over Scunthorpe and RAF Scampton
into Coningsby, arriving at 1015 we were the first two aircraft to arrive
that morning. Our passengers had a great time mixing with old crew and
looking around the BBMF. Sadly the wind prevented the flying display from
the Dak, Spit and Lancaster so to keep things moving 29 Sqd opened their
Typhoon hangar for us to look around. It’s amazing how fast some of the guys
at 90 years old can move when the chance to sit in a modern jet came
along, Tony one of our passengers was first to enjoy the privilege and no
doubt pass some of his wisdom onto the young fighter pilot that was proudly
showing him his new Typhoon jet. As the afternoon drew to a close around 2pm,
we gathered up our guys and set of back to Teesside, the dozing passengers
was a reflection on yet another great day out for the WW2 veterans – roll on
Gloucester for PP2014.
The following aircraft took part
| Visiting Aircraft | |||
| D-EEAH | Bolkow Bo.208 Junior C | ||
| G-ATYS | Piper PA-28 Cherokee C 180 | ||
| G-AVCM | Piper PA-24 Comanche B 260 | ||
| G-BAFL | Cessna 182 P | ||
| G-BAPX | Robin DR.400 Major 160 | ||
| G-BCGC | de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk 22 | ||
| G-BEPY | Rockwell Commander 112 B | ||
| G-BEZP | Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six 300 300 | ||
| G-BHOR | Piper PA-28 Warrior II 161 | ||
| G-BNSG | Piper PA-28 Arrow III R-201 | ||
| G-BORL | Piper PA-28 Warrior II 161 | ||
| G-BOYP | Cessna 172 N | ||
| G-BRBI | Cessna 172 N | ||
| G-BRDO | Cessna 177 Cardinal B | ||
| G-BSEU | Piper PA-28 Archer II 181 | ||
| G-BTSZ | Cessna 177 Cardinal A | ||
| G-ENEA | Cessna 182 P | ||
| G-FNLD | Cessna 172 N | ||
| G-GIPC | Piper PA-32 Saratoga SP R-301 | ||
| G-GREY | Piper PA-46 Malibu Mirage 350P | ||
| G-LIZZ | Piper PA-23 Aztec E 250 | ||
| G-OJGT | Maule M-5 Lunar Rocket 235C | ||
| G-OMNI | Piper PA-28 Cherokee Arrow II R-200 | ||
| G-OSKY | Cessna 172 M | ||
| G-OSND | Reims-Cessna FRA.150 Aerobat M | ||
| G-OVFR | Reims-Cessna F.172 N | ||
| G-RATV | Piper PA-28 Turbo Arrow IV RT-201T | ||
| G-STEA | Piper PA-28 Cherokee Arrow II R-200 | ||
| G-UILT | Cessna T303 Crusader | ||
| N10MC | Cirrus Design SR-22 | ||
| N2136E | Piper PA-28 RT-201 Arrow IV | ||
| N29566 | Piper PA-28 Arrow IV RT-201 | ||
| N2CL | Piper PA-28 Turbo Arrow IV RT-201T | ||
| N821CC | Cirrus Design SR-22 | ||
| N89GH | Cirrus Design SR-22 | ||
| N928HW | Rockwell Commander 114 B | ||
| BBMF Hangar | |||
| EN398 | Full Scale Model of Supermarine Spitfire | Preserved outside BBMF hangar | |
| P7350 | Supermarine Spitfire IIa | BBMF | |
| LF363 | Hawker Hurricane IIc | BBMF | |
| MK356 | Supermarine Spitfire LF.IXe | BBMF | |
| PA474 | Avro Lancaster B.I | BBMF | |
| PM631 | Supermarine Spitfire PR.XIX | BBMF | |
| PZ865 | Hawker Hurricane IIc | BBMF | |
| TE311 | Supermarine Spitfire LF.XVIe | BBMF | |
| WG486 | de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10 | BBMF | |
| WK518 | de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10 | BBMF | |
| ZA947 | Douglas DC-3 C-47A-60-DL | BBMF | |
| 29 Squadron Hangar | |||
| ZJ801 BJ | British Aerospace EFA Typhoon T.3 | 29 Sqdn | Royal Air Force |
| ZJ803 BA | British Aerospace EFA Typhoon T.3 | 29 Sqdn | Royal Air Force |
| ZJ805 BD | British Aerospace EFA Typhoon T.3 | 29 Sqdn | Royal Air Force |
| ZJ806 BE | British Aerospace EFA Typhoon T.3 | 29 Sqdn | Royal Air Force |
| ZJ807 BF | British Aerospace EFA Typhoon T.3 | 29 Sqdn | Royal Air Force |
| ZJ810 BI | British Aerospace EFA Typhoon T.3 | 29 Sqdn | Royal Air Force |
| ZJ814 BH | British Aerospace EFA Typhoon T.3 | 29 Sqdn | Royal Air Force |
| ZJ910 BV | British Aerospace EFA Typhoon FGR.4 | 29 Sqdn | Royal Air Force |
| ZK306 BT | British Aerospace EFA Typhoon FGR.4 | 29 Sqdn | Royal Air Force |
| ZK328 BS | British Aerospace EFA Typhoon FGR.4 | 29 Sqdn | Royal Air Force |
| ZK344 BQ | British Aerospace EFA Typhoon FGR.4 | 29 Sqdn | Royal Air Force |
| ZK379 BB | British Aerospace EFA Typhoon T.3 | 29 Sqdn | Royal Air Force |
| ZK380 BG | British Aerospace EFA Typhoon T.3 | 29 Sqdn | Royal Air Force |
| ZJ927 | British Aerospace EFA Typhoon FGR.4 | 41 Sqdn | Royal Air Force |