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[raflaunches]

Despite me totally messing up my calendar with double booking this weekend (wanted to be at Luton MBC club open day but had to attend work at Fairford) I got to see something I’d hoped to see for a long time- a Messerschmitt 262 flying in the UK.
I was one of the Green Gate searchers at RIAT looking after approximately 20,000 people coming through that particular gate per day. I didn’t get to see the entire show but did get to see the Me 262 and many other interesting aircraft whilst en route to work each day. For anyone in attendance and came through Green Gate sorry about the weather and the queue on Saturday as we were searching 100% of everything that came through and we did get a few complaints from visitors but better to be safe we told them than be a victim of terrorism or protestors. Did find some interesting items and had a laugh but now absolutely knackered (actually more than Mayhem weekend if you believe that, Klunk!)
Some pictures I managed to take:

[KitS]

Awesome seeing a 262 flying anywhere, but in the UK is just got to have been AMAZING!


RIAT's always a good event, so long as the weather holds out. I'm just slightly biased though as my daughter is Head of Admissions there, and I can get a free pass most years. 

[Tug Fanatic]

Wonderful to see an ME262 flying.
To get it flying is an achievement as I believe the original engines lasted about 5 hours.
 

[raflaunches]

It was truly amazing to see it flying, could see why when allied pilots were stunned when they first saw one for real. The engines in this one are GM versions so should last a lot longer than the originals.
I enjoyed the weekend apart from my accommodation which was typically military hence why the last picture is of RIAT Tours! My tent wasn’t the worst leaking tent but I felt like I had aged 10 years in a weekend!

[Circlip]

Used to do the annual pilgrimage to Mildenhall. Never more than fifty feet spacing between the various 'Dets' barbeques on the field and the constant stench of burgers. Vulcan, Blackbird and U2 always impressive, was there the year the 'Vintage Pair' came together. One guy attended every year to take photos of the B52 flybys but due to it being the last on the program(me), was always though the coach window going back through Mildenhall village to avoid the exodus crush.


 Regards  Ian.

[JimG]

Wonderful to see an ME262 flying.
To get it flying is an achievement as I believe the original engines lasted about 5 hours.

This is one of the new build aircraft with more modern engines based on measurements taken from an original in an American museum. As there is nothing original about it it can't be registered in the UK without a massive amount of paperwork and stress calculations required for any new aircraft. (As long as there are the original dataplates and a few original parts they are classed as restorations which is why many of the Spitfires being "restored" at the moment can get away with it. A comment once made was that they had jacked up the dataplates and rolled a completely new Spitfire under them then registered it as original.)
Jim

[Tug Fanatic]

This is one of the new build aircraft with more modern engines based on measurements taken from an original in an American museum. .................................
Jim

That explains a lot.