FlyPast - February 2011

FEATURES

MANCHESTER DOWN
Andrew Thomas tells of risky Avro Manchester bomber `ops' over Germany in World War Two.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION
Steve Beebee donned his thermals and visited a very special night event at Coventry's AIRBASE museum.

INTO THE ABYSS
Could a burning Grumman S2F Tracker, flying only inches above the sea at night, make it back to its carrier? Captain Dick Blizzard was the pilot and tells us what happened.

LOST PATROL
FlyPast's Steve Beebee pays a personal tribute to his grandfather, who perished in a Lockheed Hudson `op' in World War Two.

WELCOME ABOARD THE `LANC'
Look inside a `living Lancaster' with a portfolio from lens-man extraordinaire, Darren Harbar.

DAY OF THE DEMON
Hawker's biplane fighter in focus, plus a look at the world's only remaining flying example.

REGULARS

FOR VALOUR - RON MIDDLETON
Stirling pilot Ron Middleton was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross in 1943, after a raid on Turin. Graham Pitchfork recounts the events that lead to the honour.

MEN BEHIND THE MEDALS
Air Cdre Graham Pitchfork profiles Tom Freer DFC, a brave Bristol Beaufighter pilot, who plied his trade over the Mediterranean.

AIRFIELDS NEW SERIES
Ken Ellis visits Hampshire's Schneider Trophy related sites, Advance Landing Grounds, and more.

GLORY DAYS
Warren E Thompson presents rare colour images of the USAAF's `Mighty Eighth' bombers in Europe during World War Two.

FLYPOST AND `OPS' BOARD
Bumper bag of readers' letters and comments, plus dates for your diary.

FINALS
Continuing the Hampshire theme, we look at a Folland Gnat tribute at its birthplace, Hamble.

NEWS
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 airborne

* Any competitions described may no longer be valid