HISTORIC CADETS TAKE TO THE AIR
THE AIR Training Corps celebrated their 70th birthday in style with a flypast at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
A series of historic gliders and light aircraft, all types flown by the Air Cadets during the history of the Corps, passed over the showground to demonstrate how much flying has changed in the Air Cadet Organisation.
The flypast organised and led by instructors and pilots from 621 Volunteer Gliding Squadron (VGS) based at Hullavington, in Wiltshire, just down the road from RAF Fairford.
Among the aircraft taking part in the flypast were the Bulldog and Chipmunk light training aircraft. The gliders included the most modern Air Cadet glider, the Grob Viking T1, as well as a more historic Sedbergh which features an open cockpit.
Flt Lt Phil Woods, technical officer at 621 VGS, has been heavily involved in the preparations for the flypast. "It's been very exciting to be part of the preparations," he said, adding, "as far as I am aware, this is the first time the Air Cadets have put on an air display at the Air event."
621 VGS is unique in that it has its own small historic flight of gliders owned by private individuals. Bristol-based 2152 Squadron of the Air Training Corps has also been involved in the preparations to launch the flypast from Hullavington.
Preparatory work for the flypast began several months ago, but practice flying only began in the week before the Air Tattoo with the first formation being flown on the Friday evening before the event.
July 29, 2011
