All the members of the Royal Aero Club Records Racing and Rally Association spent most of the week watching the weather reports in preparation for their flight across the English Channel to Abbeville in France, a former WW2 German Fighter base. An infamous airfield commanded by the German Ace Adolf Galland and now the home of the Aero Club de Somme.

As always a very warm welcome awaited us and after an uneventful flight down the country from Netherthorpe, I met and circumnavigated several very heavy rain showers, coasting out at Lydd to arrive at Abbeville to find the airfield smack under the biggest shower so far. After a few minutes orbiting to the south and performing the statutory sheep removing fly-by I was able to land and after tying the RV down in yet another shower I settled down in the very welcoming bar to await the rest of the racers.

The weekend was set to be a memorable one as it fell on the very same day 100 years after Louis Bleriot’s first flight across the Channel. Needless to say a commemorative race had been arranged and the various air traffic authorities were having kittens as our planned course ran from Abbeville to the Boulogne VOR and then to the Bleriot Plage (where the man took off from originally) and then directly across the channel to the top of the White Cliffs just passing to the right of the old “Chain Home” radar masts of WW2 Battle of Britain Fame. Needless to say very many other aviators wished to fly the route on this day and the area promised to be very busy!

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For the first time in a couple of years the weather smiled on Compton Abbas when the Royal Aero Club turned up for the now almost annual air race meeting. Compton is a wonderful privately owned airfield with a slightly undulating runway but more than adequate in terms of length. With plenty of parking albeit giving a lengthy walk to your aircraft when you have been one of the later arrivals.

Many of the racers arrived on the Friday and enjoyed an excellent meal in the re-opened Italian restaurant in the former church in the town of Shaftsbury, famous for Gold hill as seen in the old Hovis adverts and a must see item on the sightseeing tour.

Saturday dawned and at the practice briefing for the Strongbow Trophy a new course was revealed. Not usually a problem but it made the run up to turning point three a completely different picture and as this turning point is usually hidden over a ridge and behind the end of a wood several of the racers had difficulty in finding it. I eventually found it after three laps and then promptly lost it again on the first lap of the race.

The race began and the new handicapping software again proved its worth and the racers came to the finish nicely bunched with the RV of Gerry Humphries and the Pup of Neil Cooper crossing the line first only to be excluded Neil for excess speed and Gerry for switching his smoke on!

In the end Dan Pangbourne in a PA28 was first followed by Craig Beevers in the red Siai Marchetti and third was new racer Ben Chapman who flew his RV4 very capably. There were many other penalties due to missed turning points.

Saturday evening’s entertainment was provided by Clive the owner of the airfield in his very tasty restraint and the bus collected us around 11:30 to be abed ready for the following days racing.

The weather held for the Sunday race the Goodyear Trophy and the race got underway on time, an uneventful race ensued and Neil Cooper kept his speed down just enough to cross the line without exclusion unlike Gerry Humphries who did indeed exceed his handicap speed and was gonged out again. Second was Roderick Morton in the Slingsby T67 200m and Geoff Boot managed a third.

As always at Compton a great weekend and good fun was had by all (except possibly those excluded) but I for one will try harder next time.

John Kelsall

The RRRA decended on a sun soaked Menorca last weekend with our Spanish hosts making the whole weekend an absolute pleasure. Their enthusiasm and help was second to none and every possible little problem resolved with ease.

A fantastic airfield with some 3000 mtrs situated just a mile to the east of the main International airport, the venue was indeed ideal. ATC at Mahon being exceptionally helpful in assisting the performing of Octagons and race practise, The course some 28 miles a lap consisted of 4 laps with an unusual slight right turn on the home run to avoid urbanisation thus testing the skills of the race pilots. Some 12 entrants from the UK, 1 Italian ( Complete with supporters club ) and 2 Spanish completed the line up for Saturdays Isle of Mallorca race, a magnificent trophy designed and fashioned by our Spanish colleague Gabriel Gomilla Frau.

With temperatures soaring and the surface temperature approaching 30c the competitors lined up for the 4.30 start. All under way in under 30 mins the field completed 4 laps with some very close racing and overtaking in the airfield turns. As the field descended past point Alpha it was the very distinctive black and white fresian RV7 of Gerry Humphries accross the line first followed by Geoff Boot in an SF260, being hotly pursued by Craig Beevers also in a SF260. All the field coming home safely with the Spanish Yak 52 coming in a long way behind due to overheat issues. Our Itaian competitor Luigi coming a respectable 4th in his first 3R's race.

Saturday evening saw a gala dinner attended by senior Spanish officials from local Government and the Spanish Royal Aero Club and the Mayors from the island held in S'Algar on the complex where the racing fraternity were based. All in all a fantastic evening with good food and excellent local beverage. The trophies and certificates awarded by the official guests,

Sunday dawned yet another fantasic clear hot day and looked ok for an earlier race and indeed the competitors lined up agian for the Isle of Menorca race with yet another beautiful trophy designed and supplied by Gabriel. With under 5 mins before the start of the race, ATC at Mahon concluded it unsafe to race due to sea mist rolling in on the south coast and reducing visability. but within 20 mins it had cleared sufficiently for the race to start. with all aircraft away nicely and on time, the race continued with some more exciting and competitive racing being evident in the 4 laps. Some magnificent scenery and views on the race circuit adding to the fantastic weather made for a great race with Race 293 Roderick Moreton in a Slingsby T67 crossing the line in first place to take the trophy.

Full results on the results page of the site. In all a brilliant weekend of air racing with all due credit and respect to those pilots who made the trip from afar. Special thanks to Robert Calloway-Lewis in the Auster. The President of the San Luis Aero Club presenting the 3R's with the flag of Menorca.....on the condition we return it next year. Thanks to all at San Luis airfield especially Jose Luis Barrero and Gabriel, Peter Earp, and all the competitors and officials who made it possible for this first ever Anglo-Spanish event to happen. The journey home delayed by a day for some pilots due to bad weather in France, but made bearable by the excellent weather enjoyed in Menorca. Racing in the sun ...Yes please.

Entry Form Bleriot Cross Channel Air Race ONLY

General Members Letter Regarding Bleriot Cross Channel Air Race ONLY

Supplimentry Rules and Regs - Bleriot Cross Channel Air Race ONLY

HALIFAX DOWN! -  On the Run from the Gestapo, 1944

On the night of 22/23rd April 1944 Tom Wingham was the bomb aimer in the crew of a 76 Squadron Halifax shot down while on the way to bomb Düsseldorf. Coming to in a tangle of parachute and harness straps he realised the precariousness of his situation and so, dazed and aching with a painful concussion and navigating by the stars alone, he quickly set off on his long and difficult journey home through occupied territory, constantly depending on the kindness of others who risked their lives to help keep him hidden.

Tom made his way from Holland, at the hands of “The Escape” and was then passed via “L’Armée Secrète” a London run organisation operating in the east of Belgium, but fell right into the path of the Gestapo. In a deadly game of hide and seek Tom evaded his captors long enough to witness the retreat of German soldiers as he stayed at the house of Madame Schoofs, which became a temporary German HQ.

In the 1980s Tom assisted a Dutch air historian with some research and this prompted him to look into the details of his own crash. What he uncovered not only shed more light on his own story but also those of his fellow crew members. He plotted approximately where each person landed that fateful night and slowly their incredible stories emerged.

Added to his own experiences their accounts make Halifax Down! an extraordinary first hand insight into the experience of a heavy bomber crew shot down in World War Two.

For further information please contact Sarah Driver on 020 7924 3966 or email sarah@grubstreet.co.uk

Following a protracted series of negotiations with the Essex county Council, The Royal Aero Club was once again welcomed to North Weald’s historic aerodrome for the first Air Race in this year’s exciting calendar.

Saturday dawned gloriously allowing the 20 entrants the perfect conditions to practice the newly laid course courtesy of Alistair Allan the present British Air Racing Champion and to fly their Speed deducing octagons.

The trophy to be flown for today is the very fitting Beverley Snook Memorial Trophy. Flown in memory of our former President who was a wartime ATA pilot and raced a MK14 Spitfire race number 100 upon which the fine silver trophy is modelled. The Race was started by a special guest Tom Wingham DFC. Who was a Navigator on Halifaxes and successfully evaded capture after bailing out over occupied Belgium in 1944 Tom made it back to England where he went on to complete two further tours of duty,finishing as a Navigator on Pathfinder Mosquitos.

Tom is a very sprightly 86 year old who is looking forward to the launch of his book Halifax Down at the Flying Legends air Show at Duxford later in the year, put me down for one please!

The weather held and the race started at 1600 hrs to follow a course which kept the pilots on their toes not only because the turning points took some finding but quite a part of the course was beneath the Stanstead Control area and at one point came within a mile of the Class D airspace. To the pilots credit no-one encroached into the Class D box and no complaints were made by the locals over whom we flew.

After a successful first run of our new handicapping software (courtesy of Siai Marchetti pilot Craig Beevers) the race was won by vintage air racer Rex Levi in a Grumman AA1B Race number 79 Second was Roderick Morton Flying his Slingsby T67M 200 race number 293. Third was Gerry Humphries Race 67 in a Van’s RV7

The party continued in the Squadron Bar at North Weald and a most enjoyable evening was had by all.

The weather held for Sunday with only a change to the wind direction and strength, the new race altitude wind was found by former Harrier pilot Gerry Humphries from Ireland in his striking Frisian Cow painted RV7.

The Race started at 12:30 With Rob Callaway-Lewis in his Auster as Scratch man. New Racer Ben Chapman in his RV4 was able to race after sorting a frustrating engine problem on his first day . Despite finishing well down the field his performance looked tight and consistent and certainly I would suggest is one to watch for the future.

Again there were the usual crop of cut corners and penalties for low flying and the final result was Race number 82 Gordon Belerby from Leeds flying a group owned AA5B Race 82 who proudly carried off the Battle of Britain Trophy a stunning bronze statuette depicting a battle of Britain pilot in full kit. Second was Rob Callaway-Lewis flying his Auster Race number 123 and third was Rex Levi in the AA1B what a weekend for Rex?

The new software in now able to provide not only start times for the handicap but also to interrogate the downloaded GPS data to provide race finish order, top speeds and individual lap speeds and much, much more this will be a great help to pilots in finding where they went wrong!

Everyone is looking forward to the next race which will take place in Menorca at the end of May. This promises to be a great event with a contingent of international pilots lined up to compete from France Italy and Spain.

Please note that, for security reasons bookings cannot be accepted after Wednesday 8th April 2009.