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MG MGA - MGA in Flight International
| One of the UK's most respected weekly aviation magazines(civvy and military), Flight International, is carrying a picture this week of a white MGA being loaded into a Bristol Freighter. Page 33 in Uncle Roger's Festive Quiz. The car appears to have an interesting wedge extension in the boot (trunk) that holds the lid horizontal, thereby increasing the storage space by about 70%. There is also a large case on top of the boot rack. Rear view must be nigh on impossible. The Bristol Freighter was a post war twin engine, high wing, fixed undercarriage aircraft with nose doors for loading freight. I guess it just about made the 50 to 60 mile trip across the channel from Southend to the Calais area! I will scan the photo tonight. Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Here is the picture, courtesy and copyright Flight International - I hope. Steve  |
| Steve Gyles |
| Hi Steve I bet that photo is from your log book , first trip as Captain probably looks as though it's from your era, regards Gordon (now ducking) |
| g c pugh |
| Hi Steve - good old Silver City airways - I made an Airfix model of that plane back in the 50's - excellent photo brings back memories. |
| Cam Cunningham |
| I have a similar photo taken around 1955 of my Austin A55 being loaded at Lydd for Le Touquet I was 18 then -memories !! Paul |
| P D Camp |
| If you Google (images) 'bristol freighter' you will see any number of old car types being loaded. May even be the one of your car Paul. Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Hi Steve still no witty reply to earlier comments Gordon |
| g c pugh |
| Hi Guys, I'm told PJB147 & LBL304 were flown to Switzerland for events in 58. Extract of article here: http://www.mgcars.org.uk/mgccmga/regalia/2005%20MGA%20Yearbook.pdf I'd like to see a photo of that if anyone comes across one. Merry Christmas Mark. |
| Mark Hester |
| Flew in a Bristol Freighter when I was in the Air Training Corps. I think that they were training a new pilot, anyway the thing leapt up and down and I was very airsick! |
| Barry Bahnisch |
| Sorry Gordon, I did not know you wanted a witty response! Photo of my actual first trip as a captain is attached (February 1966), The only propellor-driven aircraft I flew. No room for an MGA. Steve  |
| Steve Gyles |
| Hi Steve , the good old Chippe , done a few hours in those myself,courtsey of RN pic attatched with my first car , a frogeye, circa 72, the aircraft is still active I believe unlike the car Gordon,  |
| g c pugh |
| Hi Steve,nice picture.I first flew WK589 at RAF South Cerney during basic flying training 12 Dec 1966. Interestingly,the first a/c I EVER flew in was WK590 at RAF Woodvale. On the theme of a/c with opening doors(Cam,are you a Scouse?)I was once plane- spotting as a kid at Speke a/p Liverpool and watching an ATL Carvair(ie car-via-air)of Aer Lingus taxy up to 50 yards from where I was standing.Nose doors opened.Scissors riser went up to doors and a coffin was slowly rolled out onto the scissors lift and lowered to the ground. Incidentally Steve ,after South Cerney I was posted to RAF Syerston for Jet Provost training where I traded in my Frogeye for MGA CLU 776 in stunning Alamo Beige( still registered but now shown as white---anybody know the current owner?). Happy days.Merry Xmas/Nadolig Llawen all. |
| MR Blencowe |
| MR Blencowe (first name?) We should know each other. That picture is at South Cerney during my basic flying training Jan/Feb 1966. I too went to Syerston for my Jet Provost course, thence to Valley (Gnats), Chivenor (Hunters), Coltishall (Lightnings), etc You probably arrived at Syerston at about the time I graduated - 20 January 1967. My car in those early days was a Morris Oxford, bought for £50. Weekly pay at Cerney I seem to recall was £6-5s-8d. Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Hi Steve.Merry Xmas.Just got back from a 6 1/2 miler up in the Berwyn Hills behind us----in shorts--on Xmas Day! Wonderful,covered in mud and not a soul around.Seems like we might have a lot to talk about.Did you see the Top Gear programme last week along the lines of "Get out.you might start talking about MGs"? I was at Chivenor '69 and did you ever get to Decimomannu Sardinia 73 to 76 with the Lightnings? Must go the visitors have arrived!!! Give me a ring on 01490 413265.Must meet up sometime after 1 Apr when the VVC comes back on the road. Meurug " Gone Native" Blencowe Don't you just love David Lieb's apposite parentheses elsewhere on the BBS? TTFN |
| MR Blencowe |
| MR Blencowe CLU 776 is not shown on either DVLA or My Car Check, but perhaps check with MGCC MGA register or MGOC http://www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk/EvlPortalApp/ https://www.mycarcheck.com/ Yes I saw Top Gear... Clarkson,,, what can I way!!! Anyone else got any photos of MGA's being loaded onto cargo planes? I smell turkey, so Merry Christmas to all Mark. |
| Mark Hester |
| Meurug Never went to Deci, either with the Lightning or Phantom. Did my air to air gunnery mainly in Cyprus. Yes, saw Top Gear, got one of the MG holdalls he showed! Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| You guys provide some of the best entertainment on the web ! What a great thread. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year ! -Chuck Mosher |
| Chuck Mosher |
| Just a picture to get you guys going again. -Chuck  |
| Chuck Mosher |
| One more to show the full event ... Something to remember ! -Chuck  |
| Chuck Mosher |
| Chuck Yes, that really has me jealous. Is it yours? If so, I'm booking a flight over for a trip! I tried to organise one of my Phantom F4 postings to be at RAF Coningsby, home of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, so that I could perhaps get onto the flight. My posting was changed at the last moment to RAF Leuchars (adjacent to the St Andrews Golf Old Course). They said they needed my experience immediately on 43Sqn up there. On my 3rd trip on the squadron I ejected and broke my back. My dream of flying a Spitfire had gone. Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Sorry, Steve, not mine :-( I'm just a fan of this aircraft and era. A toy like this requires a significantly different income profile than an MGA ! The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight must be quite an experience to see. Our local MG club has a "fly in" event every year or so where you can get a picture of your car next to this aircraft. The local Commemorative Air Force wing (Formerly Confederate Air Force, but political correctness ruled the day) also provides rides on a B-25 Mitchell or a B-17 Flying Fortress for a couple hundred bucks. All for a good cause, of course ! I hope to go for a ride with my grandson next spring. More pictures then ! -Chuck |
| Chuck Mosher |
| Chuck The BBMF has one Spitfire that actually took part in the B of B in September 1940. It then got relegated to a training role. Eventually it was sold as scrap along with a handful of other Spitfires for about £25 ($40) each. Fortunately its documents showed its history, and the new owners donated it back to the RAF Museum. The aircraft is P7350, a Mk IIA, the 14th aircraft of 11,989 built at Castle Bromich. Spitfires shot down 521 enemy aircraft in the B of B, while Hurricanes accounted for 655 victories. Only 19 of the 50 single seat fighter squadrons in the battle were equipped with the Spitfire. Interesting how many people think that the Spit was the most numerous aircraft in the battle. Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Hi Chuck,nice aeroplane.Not toooooo sure about the shorts. My friend from RAFO Thumrait in Oman has recently moved down from Spokane to Belton in Texas and keeps harassing me to go over.He's a bit "odd" but what do you expect after 40 years with tanks in the US Army? Still he should enjoy driving a midget ie a sure bum and burst eardrums. Steve is correct about the BoB.On cars(and reverting back to Steve's original post)Didn't Bristol make a Hurricane car? I know they did a Beaufighter and Triumph a Spitfire( had one of them,it was dire). Steve-my Dad was the last SWO at Warton before the USAF took it over in the early 50s.We lived in the MQs at RAF Kirkham and "our kid" was born in Lytham.Small world. PS Our daughter has an MG ZR and had a 1500 Midget for years a while ago.She goes to work in an old Corsa diesel. Yesterday,she said she was on the lookout for another Midget.Oh Gawd,not again.And just when I was no longer keeping Swarfega in business.Well,you know I always found that owning an MG played havoc with one's manicure. TTFN |
| MR Blencowe |
| Meurug Certainly is a small world. Have you also been to Thumrait? Spent a week there flying Tornados in the 80s. More recently been to Muscat on numerous business trips. Another little known fact: The adjacent village to Warton, Freckleton, suffered the greatest single loss of life as a result of a military aircrash in WW2. A USAF B-24 bomber, trying to get back into Warton in bad weather, crashed into the local village school killing 61 people, including the crew. Apparently there is a plaque in Westinster Abbey. http://www.iwm.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.2850 Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Hi Steve I wondered do you still fly , either privately or with your job regards Gordon |
| g c pugh |
| Hi Mark Hester,yep CLU 776 is like the five legged haddock from Aberdeen-it does not exist.Should have said 776 CLU(which does---apparently)Another CRAFT "senior" moment.But hey it was 40 years ago! Hi Steve,survived 4 years at Thumrait(2 x 2, 86-88 and 94 -96) but as a civvie.Second time round with a Yank firm-but we won't go into that. Only ever got to Leuchars once for a race when I was at Turnhouse 70-73.I was coming in in the first 5 or so and at around 1/4 mile from the end which I could see I just stopped and was violently sick.Which directly relates to why I had to give up flying a long time ago--but did have a wonderful hour in a Lightning in Sardinia and in a Hunter, 2 against 2, in Oman.How about falling asleep for 4 hours as an ATC Cadet in the tail cone of a Shackleton or swiping bits while flying in a Anson(well,what DO you expect,we were a Liverpool Squadron?). And, oh yes, we had our much loved mgb roadster whilst at Turnhouse which we brought up all the way from Thorney Island. |
| MR Blencowe |
| Gordon Yes I still fly - club class to Riyadh. Meurug (unusual Welsh name, new to me). Those Hunter guys at Thumrait knew how to fly. I was in transit with 5 others from the UK in Tornado GR1s. As we entered Omani airspace from Saudi Arabia, we let down to 250 feet above the desert (we would liked to have gone lower, but rules were rules in those early days of the aircraft). For obvious political reasons we also had to allow the Omani Hunters and Jaguars intercept us and escort us into Thumrait. They came up from below and complained that they had to go on 100% oxygen because of the excessive height! Picture attached taken by my navigator running into Thumrait airfield. As a follow on, I was most impressed during Red Flag in the States. Running out of a target at less than 100feet at 0.95M, a fellow bomber, a USAF F4 that I had just earlier watched fire a live Maverick, shot past me - below. Some flying.  |
| Steve Gyles |
| Hi Steve, not quite the same I guess gordon |
| g c pugh |
| Hi Steve - I too have one of those MG holdalls - stupid Clarkson at it again. Yes meurog - I am from near Liverpool (but not strictly a scouser being born near Lincoln - dad based at Cranwell during the war)- did my plane spotting at Speke airport using airport transfers tunbridge wells too - also my first flight in a Chipmunk from Woodvale in 1960 ( with the ATC)but always wanted to fly in the RAF - photo attched of the closest I got to a Spitfire this summer .cheers Cam |
| Cam Cunningham |
oops - missed the photo
 |
| Cam Cunningham |
This thread was discussed between 16/12/2008 and 27/12/2008
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