Thanks for your comments, ozzy- here's some treats for you. Sadly, I lost a disc of pix from that week, including a few Spitfire shots, but here's something interesting: The one and only Bob Hoover talking to a large awestruck audience about his experiences flying the Spitfire:

I recall that he was standing on the wing of a Spit during this chat, so the cowling and prop visible in the foreground is probably that of a Spitfire... anybody recognize the markings (I don't)?
Bob's not half as pretty as a Spit, but he's worth a look-see. Other notable speakers that week: Chuck Yeager, Dick Rutan, and Neil Armstrong (under a gorgeous full moon, no less).

And can you guess what warbird this is?


Yep. A Fairey Firefly.


...and one more. I didn't quite have the shutter speed right for the "prop disc" effect, but I was close at that point...

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Don't remember...

Totally great shots Rotty, I'm dead jealous!

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It was my first time with a digital camera (not film), and I was experimenting like crazy with stops and shutter speeds. I took no notes; sorry.  I think for the Fairey shots I had the camera set up to simulate 400 film... I got a few nice discs in some shots, but that CD-ROM delaminated (moisture I think) b/4 I could dupe it , so I can't show them to you.

If anyone's curious: I don't recall any specifics of Hoover's or Yeager's talks, but I have some great memories from AV03 regarding some aviation celebrities: Neil Armstrong's reply when asked how he felt when Apollo 11 started moving off the pad after numerous delays ("Surprised!"), and the look on Dick Rutan's face when I asked him if his brother was going to let him play with SpaceShip One (everyone else was gushing about his incredible  Voyager flight, which he was there to speak about- I just wanted to ask something different; break the sycophantic spell, so to speak). To his credit, he sort of half-smiled and said: "That project's going really well. We're all excited". He even signed my program. I also met Lane Wallace from Flying magazine (a very nice lady and excellent writer); she gave a very interesting lecture about the Vickers Vimy.

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Oohhh... nice! But a TRUE SimV maniac would've cropped the copyright info. off the picture and claimed it as one of his own!

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That's a beautiful shot. Nice Spit too.

Bob Hoover is one of my heroes. (I have plenty of heroes & had the pleasure of meeting a few but unfortunately not Mr Hoover.) I heard he gave up display flying recently.

True 'dat, Charlie (I was totally kidding), and to Hagar: I didn't get to meet Bob (I was off to check out something else, actually, when I passed by him and the Spitfire), but he's a fave of mine, too. Did you ever see him do his airshow thing (I missed out, unfortunately)?