433. Goodwood Revival

The following Wednesday began a very, very busy period for all of us.

Sue and I headed to Shuttleworth on Wednesday evening to spend the night there so as to be ready to tow the trailer to Goodwood on Thursday and arrive before their deadline of midday. This worked fine, and my nearly new Skoda Kodiaq towed the trailer flawlessly to Goodwood, where we arrived in the middle of organised chaos. We weren’t told which gate to use, and had to do a U-turn when we turned up at the wrong one.

Meranwhile, Theo and Chill had picked up our home for the weekend – a rented mobile home that sleeps four, and successfully managed to find our allocated parking spot on campsite C.

Once inside the airfield we were unclear how to get to our allocated spot, but Rob Wildeboer, aerodrome general manager, was absolutely magnificent, and got us sorted out with everything we might need, including much-needed cups of tea! With 1264 rigged, there were a good many visitors to speak to even before the official opening, and we met up with Dave Proctor from Shuttleworth as he waited for the Anson to arrive. By about six 1264 had been put away in the hangar for the night by Rob’s expert team and we headed back to the mobile home to get settled in.

We slept as well as could be expected, and our alarm was a beam of sunlight which shone through a gap in the windscreen cover onto my head at exactly 0700. We headed off to the display area, where Rob’s team had positioned us for the day. Meals were provided in the pilot’s tent, and for the next three days of non-stop sunshine and gentle breezes we spent the daylight hours talking non-stop.

The Petrel Glider, dating from the 1930s was brought by Graham Saw and his brother, while TVAL-built BE2f was flown from Stow Maries. Thank goodness for our trailer!

The Anson, with Dave Proctor behind.

The event is unimaginably large, and while the aircraft park is dwarfed by the paddock area with some truly spectacular cars and bikes, there was a non-stop stream of interested visitors, most of whom had taken the trouble to dress in costume of one period or another, and all of whom wanted to hear about 1264’s story.

This DC3 took first prize in the Freddie March Awards. I hope those who polished here were suitably rewarded.

Serried ranks of Bentleys, all ready for the race. Anybody care to guess what this lot might be worth?

Every morning and evening a Spitfire and two Mustangs performed a display, and the evening show in particular was spectacular against the evening sky.

 

Sue’s artistic photo of the light on 1264’s fuselage

This 600cc Indian of 1914 is a smaller version of the one Grandad had.

But we each got time to watch one race during the weekend…

… and to meet up with friends. Bo Hare, who we last met a month or two ago,  was preparing an AC Cobra and a couple of Ferraris for races, but found time to potter round the paddock in his radial-engined bike.

By Sunday evening we were hoarse, stiff, tired and happy. It had been a wonderful weekend, and we’d been placed third in the Freddie March Trophy.

But the excitement was only just beginning.