Sunday 25 August 2013

Crossing the Daily Mail Circuit of Britain 1913 Finishing Line

The final sector - Newquay to Duxford - saw Plane Sailing's Catalina "Miss Pick Up"  completing its' Circuit of Britain to commemorate Harry Hawker's achievement 100 years ago competing for the Daily Mail "Circuit of Britain" Prize.


A few photographs taken en-route- Needles to the Netley finishing line, with thanks again to Southampton NATS ATC for enabling operations in the airspace they control.

On with the images taken from a supporters' aircraft by Karl Drage...
















Passing by Queen Victoria's favourite holiday residence, Osbourne House, Isle of Wight, with Cowes and the Saunders-Roe hangar above.


 Flying overhead Calshot


  Netley Sailing Club, Southampton Water


Orbit at Netley 



Crossing the Finishing Line!  Netley Chapel, Southampton Water.



The Project Hawker Website is at http://projecthawker2013.com

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Duxford to Southampton - Catalina Begins 100th Anniversary Commemoration of Harry Hawker

Plane Sailing's Catalina "Miss Pick Up" (Catalinas picked up shot-down airmen from the sea in WW2) flying from Duxford to Southampton on 21 Aug 2013 to commemorate Harry Hawker's achievement 100 years ago competing for the Daily Mail "Circuit of Britain" Prize.

A few photographs taken en-route from a supporters' aircraft by Karl Drage and Mike Cross.


 Airborne rendezvous just west of Guildford. 




Many thanks to Farnborough Air Traffic Control for calling out relative positions to aid the formation join.



Change of sides; in the waiting position prior to taking up echelon starboard position in formation


 Back-lighting nicely handled



 Hello Jeff Boyling!



 Captain Rod Brooking has the sunny side of the office


Airborne Treasure


People, Shapes, Lines, Light, Shadow




 Landing Gear for Terra Firma - rather than the water landing gear - down.




 On Approach



Short Final, Southampton. 



 "Over the Numbers" Runway 20


"Touchdown" - in the Touchdown Zone - Nicely Done!

Many thanks to Southampton NATS Air Traffic Control for their kind assistance.


Link to a further post covering the Catalina departure from Southampton

Air to Air Images of Catalina "Circuit of Britain" 5-Day Event - Southampton Outbound 21-Aug-2013


Following on from the post of air to air images en-route Duxford-Southampton,  this post shares some images from the second leg of the Plane Sailing's Commemoration of Harry Hawker's achievment 100 years ago on the Daily Mail "Circuit of Britain" Race.



 Catalina cleared to "Enter, Backtrack, Line-up and Wait Runway 20"



A mile of road takes you one mile, whereas a runway...  ...Catalina lined up at the beginning of runway 20 Southampton Airport ready to take-off on the second sector of the Commemoration Event.



 After takeoff turning to fly down Southampton Water - location of the "Circuit of Britain" start and finish line.



 Catalina crosses the Start Line of the 1913 Daily Mail "Circuit of Britain" Race at Netley, Southampton



Miss Pick Up approaching Hamble Aerodrome and River




A nod to the WW2 Atlantic and Russian Convoys and their "friendly white birds"




Historic Calshot Spit and Flying Boat Base - Cat's Shadow




 Over the Solent to the Isle of Wight




A Shadow much feared by U-boat crews




Catalina fly-by of the Isle of Wight Boat Museum. Cowes (location of Bat-boat flown by Harry Hawker) and the Saunders-Roe hangars (Union Jack) where many flying boats were designed and built.



  Catalina returning to the mainland south of Daedalus Airfield, Lee-On-Solent - a one time RAF Coastal Command base and home of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm - where many flying boats were operated - including Catalinas.


Catalina passing Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth as she begins her actual Circuit Of Britain in earnest.



Best wishes to Jeff Boyling, Rod Brooker, the team and supporters!

Follow the rest of the adventure at http://projecthawker2013.com


And to round off our own flight a short session with a second ex-Canadian WW2 Warbird ...

Many a WW2 pilot trained on this historic aircraft, seen here near Portsmouth Harbour.



Thanks for looking!