XH558 - was Re: using new technology etc

[ANDY HOLT]

>>>>
I was born too late to see the SR-71 fly. I could still see a U-2 fly
though (those are also neat planes). There's so many cool planes, and
so little time to experience them all. (SR-71/A-12, U-2, B-52, CF-105,
Avro Lancaster, Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, Messerschmitt
Bf 109, Avro Vulcan, Antonov An-225, Concorde, Mitsubishi A6M Zero,
North American P-51 Mustang, Junkers Ju 52... and that list is
incomplete.)
<<<<

At RAF Duxford (less than an hours drive from my home) you can see
Concorde*, a SR-71, a Lancaster, a Vulcan**, one of the only two remaining TSR-2s***, a Bf109**** and many many more.

* This was flown in to the airfield but could never be flown out again because the runway was then shortened for the building of the M11.
** There's another Vulcan less than 10 miles from my home :)
*** If you think the SR-71 was killed-off with unseemly haste read the history of the TSR-2
**** I expect that quite a lot of Bf109s are currently being made airworthy in time for the75th anniversary of AdlerTag … it quite surprised me that there were more flyable than I might have guessed, but none in the possession of the RAF or the Confederate Airforce - but I'd bet that the Battle-of-Britain flight will have restored at least one from the RAF museum soon.
OK - fun question, when was the last time that Bf109s and Spitfires were in genuine aerial combat (and who flew which side)?
(Last time both were flying in close proximity was probably during the making of the film "Battle of Britain" in 1968/9)

Yes, I know this is OT - but does seem a popular thread.

Andy