Simviation Forum - Bugsmashers unlimited

Sep 18^th, 2005 at 5:26pm

Hagar Offline
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Bugsmashers. That's what Flying Trucker calls my favourite vintage light aircraft & I can't think of a more appropriate name. Wink

Here's a few shots from my visit to the Luscombe & Pietenpol fly-in at Popham today. That's just an excuse & it's by no means restricted to those types. Started off in glorious sunshine but clouded over later. Shame about that as a little sunshine would have made all the difference. Never mind. It was a wonderful day out & the airfield was packed with bugsmashers of all types.

And now for my piece de resistance. This is a very rare aeroplane. Recognised it as soon as I saw it but I've never seen one before & never expected to. (When I was knee-high to a gnat I had a cigarette card with one in a similar colour scheme.) Anyone know what it is?

No cheating by looking it up. That's too easy. Roll Eyes

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Reply #1 - Sep 18^th, 2005 at 5:34pm

C Offline
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You had me stumped there Doug! It came back as soon as I googled the reg! Not a type I'm overly familiar with, but coincidentally I was looking at a few photos of it the other day (I've been going through 1999-2000 issues of Aeroplane!)...

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Reply #2 - Sep 18^th, 2005 at 5:45pm

beaky Offline
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You got me stumped with that one... and drooling over the rest!!
Popham's definitely on my list... great photos, Doug.
Grin

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Reply #3 - Sep 18^th, 2005 at 5:47pm

Willit Run Offline
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Beautiful Shots!!!!!

&&

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Reply #4 - Sep 18^th, 2005 at 6:18pm

Steve-O Ex Member

After a tireless search, which yielded several odd results.
I must conclude that the aforementioned aircraft is a Foster Wikner Wicko.

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Reply #5 - Sep 18^th, 2005 at 7:04pm

Hagar Offline
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Quote:

After a tireless search, which yielded several odd results.
I must conclude that the aforementioned aircraft is a Foster Wikner Wicko.

Quite right Steve but I did say no cheating. Roll Eyes

Anyone can do that. Tongue

Foster Wickner Wicko G-AFJB beautifully restored by Joe Dible and Ron Souter at Southampton, where I believe the Wicko was first built. This is the only example left anywhere in the world & it flew for the first time in over 40 years just a couple of weeks ago. I was very lucky to see it. You can see from this the amount of work involved. http://www.g-gyav.org.uk/pictures_7.htm

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Reply #6 - Sep 18^th, 2005 at 7:08pm

Steve-O Ex Member

Quote:

Quite right Steve but I did say no cheating. Roll Eyes

Anyone can do that. Tongue

...

That's not cheating, it's just thinking outside of the box... and using the avaliable tools.
Besides, someone was going to do it; it was just a matter of time.

Anywho, they are nice shots.

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Reply #7 - Sep 18^th, 2005 at 7:15pm

Hagar Offline
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Quote:

That's not cheating, it's just thinking outside of the box... and using the avaliable tools.
Besides, someone was going to do it; it was just a matter of time.

Anywho, they are nice shots.

Thanks Steve. I knew I should have masked the registration. Roll Eyes

PS. It only take a couple of seconds to find out what it is if you know where to look. I have the CAA & FAA registration databases in my favourites. Tongue

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Reply #8 - Sep 18^th, 2005 at 7:30pm

Steve-O Ex Member

Well, if you're going to ~~cheat~~ think out side of the box, might as well make it a challenge.

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Reply #9 - Sep 18^th, 2005 at 7:36pm

Hagar Offline
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Quote:

Well, if you're going to ~~cheat~~ think out side of the box, might as well make it a challenge.

Not sure it's exactly thinking out of the box. If it's not in the CAA database a quick search on Google should find it. http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=G-AFJB+&btnG=Google+Search&meta=cr%3Dcoun...
I knew leaving the registration would be too much of a temptation but I didn't want to spoil a nice shot by masking it.

Only joking Steve. It's all in good fun. Thanks for looking & the nice comments. Wink

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Reply #10 - Sep 18^th, 2005 at 9:24pm

Flying Trucker Ex Member

Wonderful shots Doug...one and all Wink

Everything looks so green and fresh, and the strip looks as if it was just cut and rolled. Wonderful!

Thanks for posting them.

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

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Reply #11 - Sep 19^th, 2005 at 4:03am

ozzy72 Offline
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Beautiful shots Doug, and I'd have never got the Wicko, never seen one before!

There are two types of aeroplane, Spitfires and everything else that wishes it was a Spitfire!

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Reply #12 - Sep 19^th, 2005 at 11:35am

TacitBlue Offline
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Very nice shots indeed. I see Mr. Autogyro is out delivering pension cheques again. Wink

A&P Mechanic, Rankin Aircraft 78Y

Aircraft are naturally beautiful because form follows function. -TB

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