Miles Aircraft
“Joystickers” and L&G et al,
The launch of Miles Vol.3: "Miles Aircraft -The Post-War Years" at Woodley & White Waltham on Saturday 23rd July in beautiful weather can only be described as an overall resounding success. The main thing was, people enjoyed themselves especially the book’s author, Peter Amos, who was in his element selling books and chatting ”Miles” to all and sundry. Also, WLAC at WW who must have made an absolute fortune selling ice creams+ Cadbury's flake at £1-50!....not to mention "bacon butties" by the dozens!
Now, aeroplanes:-
Wasn’t it nice to see Nice to see all those delightful Miles aircraft there and interesting other visitors:-
To our collective chagrin nobody at the time twigged that a most interesting historical happening was about to take place at WW on Saturday afternoon. Circa 1530hrs (ie shortly after some of the Miles returned to WW ex overhead Woodley) the BBMF Hurricane IIC got airborne and did a sweep over the airfield and over the Miles line up before disappearing. Thus ended the Miles day at WW/Woodley
The Hurricane was LF363....and the relevance is that at the very last Miles Aircraft "At Home" Day held at Woodley Aerodrome on Sunday 20th July 1947 this very Hurricane (then silver overall) was in The Static Display at Woodley alongside the Miles line up of types!!! Thereafter Miles went into demise.
So, upon reflection, LF363 had indeed a very legitimate reason for actually being part of yesterday's line of types assembled in front of the Clubhouse.
....and that is what aviation historical research is all about, folks!
Aye,
Douglas A Rough
PS: Also, I wonder how many people realise the hangar at Woodley where the books were sold was the original Miles Tech. School Robins hangar rescued from the airfield to become the basis of The Museum of Berkshire Aviation.
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What follows is Peter Amos’ account of the day:-
To Ken & Jean Fostekew: They have been the mainstays of The Museum of Berkshire Aviation at Woodley ever since Pontius was a Pilot
Dear Jean and Ken,
How can I ever thank you both enough for so kindly arranging such a wonderful day – I was overwhelmed by the number of people who came and it was good to see so many old friends and people I had known for many years but had very rarely, if ever, seen before. Everyone also seems to have enjoyed themselves to the full if the number of e-mails I am receiving is anything to go by!
White Waltham was also an overwhelming success and our revised display boards were apparently never without interested readers. Mary and Terry set them up and decided to stay there to represent The Miles Aircraft Collection, play host to any visitors and try and answer questions! I only wish now that I could have arranged to have had some books there as well as they were being asked where they obtain them!
Peter Bishop very kindly took Karen and her son William for a flight in Messenger G-AJWB and that went down very well as I don’t think that Karen had ever flown in one of her father’s creations before.
Now, do you believe in fate?
On Friday, a Hurricane of the B of B Flight, had a technical problem en route to base and decided to forced land at White Waltham. By late Saturday afternoon they had fixed the problem and it duly took off to return to its base, much to the delight of the crowds there.
Nothing unusual about this, many would have thought, but a bonus for the crowds at White Waltham.
But here’s where the story takes on a strange twist, for that Hurricane was none other than LF363 – the actual Hurricane that was displayed in the static park at Woodley on that never-to-be-forgotten last Miles Aircraft ‘At Home’ Day on that wonderful Summer’s Sunday of 20th July 1947!!!!!!!!!! I remember seeing it there and have photographs to prove it!
Was it fate that caused it to have to forced land at White Waltham? If only I had known, I would have asked the pilot to have done a flypast over the museum.
I think I’ll send this story to the B of B Memorial Flight with a photo of at Woodley all those years ago.
Thanks once again for such a never-to-be-forgotten day.
Kind regards,
Peter Amos
This links in with R_R Car & Whitney Straight G-AERV photos . Note also to include the Miles Monarch G-AFLW blister-hangar bound on 23rd July 2016 so Whitney Straight its nearest relative was used instead.
Aerial view collage of the Museum of Berkshire Aviation showing the hangar where the book launch took place....It was the former Miles Aircraft Technical School hangar and was move from the airfield to its present location to form the basis of the Museum Photo DARough
Expanded view of Woodley aerodrome on 20th July 1947 on the occasion of the last Miles Air day before the form folded. Hurricane IIc LF363 is in the middle LHS behind the Gemini and next to the Spitfire. By sheer coincidence LF363 was also present at WW on 23rd July 2016. (see earlier photos at WW on 23rd July 2016 incl a close up of LF363 at Woodley).
