Update of Dave Homewood of New Zealand’s trip around the UK under the ‘Wings over Britain’ title, a spinoff from Wings over New Zealand Podcast.
The first four weeks of the five-week Wings Over Britain Tour has been phenomenal. I have managed to do and see so much, and catch up with so many people all around England. I have become fully immersed in the British historic aviation scene, visiting museums and airshows, airfields and memorials. Everyone I have met along the way has been so supportive and helpful too. As well as most of the major museums, I have seen a lot of small ones, some I was not even previously aware of.
The Curtiss ‘Hawk’ formation at Flying Legends airshow. (Photo by Dave Homewood.)
The years of planning for this trip has meant the timetable has been rammed with visits all over the place, ably assisted by friends who have joined me along the way, and offered me accommodation in some places to. The only hiccups so far have stemmed from the rail strikes, something I was unaware was happening in the careful planning of the itinerary, and has had a little bit of an impact, meaning a couple of planned places have had to be missed.
The RAF Museum’s Wellington Mk.X, star of ‘Th Dam Busters’. (Photo Dave Homewood.)
It is clear that England is a country with an ingrained love of historic aviation and a real culture for remembering the past, especially WWII. It has been especially pleasing to find reminders of the New Zealanders herein a lot of places who flew and fought for Britain in the two World Wars, as well.
Lancaster ‘Just Jane’ taxiing at East Kirby. (Photo by Dave Homewood.)
The result of the tour so far is around 20 episode recordings have been made, with a few more yet to be made, all going well, in the coming week. I am yet to visit Duxford, in Cambridgeshire, which will be the last of the big museums for my trip. Three episodes have already been edited and released.
Allan Winn, the New Zealander who is the former Director and CEO of Brooklands Museum, and currently the vice president of the Brooklands Trust. (Photo by Dave Homewood.)
More will follow in the coming weeks including episodes recorded at Biggin Hill, East Kirkby, the International Bomber Command Centre, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Shuttleworth, and more. Dave Homewood
The Red Bull P-38 Lightning and B-25 Mitchell. (Photo by Dave Homewood.)
James Kightly, from Melbourne, Australia, discovered his passion for aviation at the Moorabbin collection in the late 1960s. With over 30 years of writing experience for aviation magazines in the UK, US, Australia, and France, he is a feature writer for Aeroplane Monthly and an advisor for the RAAF History & Heritage Branch.
James has interviewed aviation professionals worldwide and co-runs the Aviation Cultures conferences. He has flown in historic aircraft like the Canadian Warplane Heritage’s Lancaster. At Vintage Aviation News, he ensures accurate and insightful aviation history articles.
Outside aviation, James has worked extensively in the book trade and museums. He supports the Moorabbin Air Museum and the Shuttleworth Collection. James lives in rural Victoria with his wife and dog.
About James Kightly (Commissioning Editor)
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James Kightly, from Melbourne, Australia, discovered his passion for aviation at the Moorabbin collection in the late 1960s. With over 30 years of writing experience for aviation magazines in the UK, US, Australia, and France, he is a feature writer for Aeroplane Monthly and an advisor for the RAAF History & Heritage Branch.
James has interviewed aviation professionals worldwide and co-runs the Aviation Cultures conferences. He has flown in historic aircraft like the Canadian Warplane Heritage’s Lancaster. At Vintage Aviation News, he ensures accurate and insightful aviation history articles.
Outside aviation, James has worked extensively in the book trade and museums. He supports the Moorabbin Air Museum and the Shuttleworth Collection. James lives in rural Victoria with his wife and dog.
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