Project propeller 2014 - Gloucester Airport Dave Anderson, Colin Granton, Dave Bredon
Project propeller 2014 was the third one I had been on
and this was by far the best attended the best organised
and the most enjoyable.
For those that don’t know Project
Propeller is an annual reunion for 150+
WWII aircrew, to which they are flown from
all over the UK in light aircraft by current volunteer pilots
and crew. The event changes location each year and is often held
at former WW2 bases or current RAF stations. This year
Gloucestershire Staverton played host to the event opened in
1931, Gloucestershire Airport was known as RAF Staverton during
the war. The RAF took over the site in 1936 and used it as a
training school until August 1946. The airfield was used by a
number of units and flights, including the No44 Group
Communication Flight. A satellite strip of RAF Staverton at
Brockworth hosted the first flight of the Gloster E28/39 jet
aircraft. Various testing took place at RAF Staverton, including
a plan for Lancasters to tow Spitfires from their airfields to
targets such as Tokyo, this plan of course was not needed
following the surrender of the Japanese after two A-Bomb
attacks. Today Gloucester is a very successful and very busy
general aviation field, that has both engineering facilities, a
few scheduled services and the home to the new Jet Age Museum,
which was being used for the PP meet.
This year Colin Granton took the Cardinal G-BRDO and
Dave Bredon and I went along in the Arrow G-STEA, our three
veterans were John Forsythe, John Hall and Mike Warren all true
Hero’s in their own right, each having some great stories on
missions most of us have only seen on TV. Both John F and Mike W
had been shot down during the war in Lancasters, John surviving
three crash landings in the English Channel and Mike suffering
terrible injuries but making it back to England where both
continued to fly during the remainder of the campaign. It was an
honour for Colin, Dave and I to have spent the day with them.
Saturday was a bright sunny day, we
moved both aircraft from the hanger to stand 8 where Weston
Aviation helped out (big thanks to Kelly) by first bringing the
BBC news crew and Mike Warren. Mike and Colin were interviewed
for the North East news (shown Sat PM available on I player!!)
and Colin took off and did a circuit with Mike and the camera
man for footage. Shortly after they returned Kelly brought our
other passengers and we were soon on our way. Climbing up to
4000ft just east of Leeds and then a direct track to Gloucester
was approved when both East Midlands & Birmingham radar heard
that we were part of PP. Arriving in the Gloucester area was
like Heathrow on a busy day, I think at one time we were number
14 to land having been put in the hold for two orbits. There was
no radar direction from Gloucester just an approach to follow a
set procedure designed to be safe and easy to follow, though not
easy for some when a US registered Cherokee decided he didn’t
want to follow the rules and cut in front of us, I think out two
passengers thought it was an air to air combat flight!
On landing we parked on the North
side runway with around another 40 aircraft that had already
arrived, shuttle busses took us to the museum area where there
was a marquee and seating. With the veterans checked in they
soon went off to find old friends and make some new ones, we sat
and chatted with both current crew and listened to stories from
the war, a great afternoon in the warm sunshine, I also met Stan
Instone, we recently reported on a piece of his Lancaster that
was shot down over Germany being re-united with him. The BoBMF
sent a Spitfire and Hurricane to do a few flypasts, I think this
brought a few tears amongst the group. Soon it was time to go
and each veteran and crew were presented with a bottle of
commemorative “Lancaster” Beer and pint glass, a fantastic
donation from Thwaites brewery and organised by our very own
Colin Granton.
Departure wasn’t much easier than the
arrival with our Arrow number 15 in line for departure, after 30
mins of slow taxying we were off heading North on a straight
line for DTV where both aircraft arrived back shortly after 6pm.
A very memorable and worthwhile day
for us all, roll on PP 2015
We have a few pictures to add later but resident Gloucester photographer Dave Haines has some excellent photo's and pics of each visiting aircraft on his web page - click here to view
A log of aircraft visiting for Project
propeller 2014
| D-EEAH | Bolkow Bo.208 Junior C |
| D-EGHW | Bolkow Bo.209 Monsun 150FV |
| EI-VII | Van's RV-7 |
| G-ADND | de Havilland DH-87 Hornet Moth B |
| G-ASWX | Piper PA-28 Cherokee C 180 |
| G-ATEF | Cessna 150 E |
| G-ATEZ | Piper PA-28 Cherokee 140 |
| G-ATTX | Piper PA-28 Cherokee C 180 |
| G-ATYS | Piper PA-28 Cherokee C 180 |
| G-AVCM | Piper PA-24 Comanche B 260 |
| G-AVOM | Centre-Est DR.221 Dauphin |
| G-AWVA | Reims-Cessna F.172 H |
| G-AXTA | Piper PA-28 Cherokee B 140 |
| G-AYGD | SAN Jodel DR.1050 Sicile |
| G-AYSX | Reims-Cessna F.177 Cardinal RG RG |
| G-AZEW | Beagle B121 Pup 150 |
| G-AZNO | Cessna 182 P |
| G-BAJO | American Aviation AA-5 Traveler |
| G-BAKW | Beagle B121 Pup 150 |
| G-BANX | Reims-Cessna F.172 M |
| G-BASN | Beech C23 Sundowner 180 |
| G-BBMZ | de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk 22 |
| G-BCGC | de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk 22 |
| G-BEPY | Rockwell Commander 112 B |
| G-BFVS | American Aviation AA-5B Tiger |
| G-BFZO | American Aviation AA-5A Cheetah |
| G-BGLO | Reims-Cessna F.172 N |
| G-BHLX | American Aviation AA-5B Tiger |
| G-BHOR | Piper PA-28 Warrior II 161 |
| G-BHUG | Cessna 172 N |
| G-BHWY | Piper PA-28 Cherokee Arrow II R-200 |
| G-BJBW | Piper PA-28 Warrior II 161 |
| G-BJDE | Reims-Cessna F.172 M |
| G-BJDW | Reims-Cessna F.172 M |
| G-BMYC | Socata TB-10 Tobago |
| G-BNTP | Cessna 172 N |
| G-BOJZ | Piper PA-28 Warrior II 161 |
| G-BOYP | Cessna 172 N |
| G-BPIU | Piper PA-28 Warrior II 161 |
| G-BRDO | Cessna 177B Cardinal |
| G-BREY | Taylorcraft BC-12D |
| G-BREZ | Cessna 172 M |
| G-BRRK | Cessna 182 Q |
| G-BSDH | Robin DR.400 Regent 180 |
| G-BSEU | Piper PA-28 Archer II 181 |
| G-BSIM | Piper PA-28 Archer II 181 |
| G-BSNX | Piper PA-28 Archer II 181 |
| G-BUTZ | Piper PA-28 Cherokee C 180 |
| G-BXVO | Van's RV-6 A |
| G-CBCP | Van's RV-6 A |
| G-CBEZ | Robin DR.400 Regent 180 |
| G-CDMA | Piper PA-28 Warrior 151 |
| G-CEIZ | Piper PA-28 Warrior II 161 |
| G-CEZI | Piper PA-28 Cadet 161 |
| G-CGDJ | Piper PA-28 Warrior II 161 |
| G-DHAH | Aeronca 7AC Champion |
| G-EHAZ | Piper PA-28 Warrior III 161 |
| G-ENEA | Cessna 182 P |
| G-EOLD | Piper PA-28 Warrior II 161 |
| G-FNLD | Cessna 172 N |
| G-FTIL | Robin DR.400 Regent 180 |
| G-GCUF | Robin DR.400 Major 160 |
| G-GIPC | Piper PA-32 Saratoga SP R-301 |
| G-GREY | Piper PA-46 Malibu Mirage 350P |
| G-GWYN | Reims-Cessna F.172 M |
| G-HELA | Socata TB-10 Tobago |
| G-JONL | Czech Aircraft Works SportCruiser |
| G-LEAM | Piper PA-28 Dakota 236 |
| G-LFSR | Piper PA-28 Arrow IV RT-201 |
| G-LIZI | Piper PA-28 Cherokee 160 |
| G-LIZZ | Piper PA-23 Aztec E 250 |
| G-LORR | Piper PA-28 Archer III 181 |
| G-MEGS | Cessna 172 S |
| G-OHAC | Reims-Cessna F.182 Skylane Q |
| G-OIHC | Piper PA-32 Saratoga II HP R-301 |
| G-OSKY | Cessna 172 M |
| G-PECK | Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six 300 |
| G-PURR | American Aviation AA-5A Cheetah |
| G-RATV | Piper PA-28 Turbo Arrow IV RT-201T |
| G-SIXD | Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six 300 |
| G-SIXT | Piper PA-28 Warrior II 161 |
| G-SPED | Alpi Aviation Pioneer 300 |
| G-STEA | Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow |
| G-TALF | Piper PA-24 Comanche 250 |
| G-UILT | Cessna T303 Crusader |
| G-VBCD | Beech C90 King Air |
| G-VIVS | Piper PA-28 Warrior 151 |
| G-VONS | Piper PA-32 Saratoga II TC R-301T |
| G-WACY | Reims-Cessna F.172 P |
| G-WWAL | Piper PA-28 Cherokee Arrow R-180 |
| G-YAKX | Yakovlev Yak-52 |
| HB-PHG | Piper PA-28 Archer II 181 |
| N29566 | Piper PA-28 Arrow IV RT-201 |
| N346JV | Piper PA-46 Malibu Meridian 500TP |
| N3957S | Cessna 172 E |
| N39TA | Beech B24 Sierra 200 R |
| N518XL | Liberty XL-2 |
| N661KK | Piper PA-28 Archer II 181 |
| N821CC | Cirrus Design SR-22 |
| N89GH | Cirrus Design SR-22 |
| N928HW | Rockwell Commander 114 B |
| ZJ280 | Eurocopter AS.350 Squirrel HT.1 |
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