David Bladen's Aircraft Photos: Sandtoft - Families' day and fly-in 18/08/12

Once again, thanks to Trevor Marshall and all the staff at Sandtoft for their hard work in arranging what turned out to be a truly enjoyable day.

The weather didn't look too promising at first, however, by the close of play, 35 visiting aircraft had graced the tarmac or, in the case of the DH2 replica, the grass.

Visitors noted during the day were:-

G-AVVC Reims-Cessna F.172H
G-AYCJ Cessna TP.206D
G-AZFI Piper PA-28R-200
G-BAEP Reims-Cessna FRA.150L
G-BATV Piper PA-28-180
G-BEAC Piper PA-28-140
G-BFVH Airco DH-2 - marked as '5964 RFC'
G-BJZN Slingsby T.67A
G-BROR Piper L-4H
G-BSXD SOKO J-20 Kraguj - marked as '30146 Yugoslav Air Force'
G-BTHE Cessna 150L
G-BYYC Sisler SF-2A
G-CBEI Piper PA-22-108 Colt
G-CBUG Tecnam P.92 Echo
G-CFIA Best Off Skyranger
G-CGWT Best Off Skyranger
G-EFBP Reims-Cessna FR.172K
G-EGAG Socata TB-20
G-EKOS Reims-Cessna FR.182
G-GRVE Van's RV-6
G-IVII Van's RV-7
G-KARA Brugger MB.2
G-OACF Robin DR.400180
G-OBMS Reims-Cessna F.172N
G-OTRV Van's RV-6
G-PUPP Beagle B121-150
G-RVAW Van's RV-6
G-RVDR Van's RV-6
G-RVNS Van's RV-4
G-RVUK Van's RV-7
G-RYAL Jabiru UL
G-SABA Piper PA-28R-201T
G-TYAK Yakovlev Yak-52
N9362 Sud Aviation SA.316B

A further 'visitor' was the cockpit of Westland Scout XP902, part of Aeroventure's display.

Sonex Homebuild G-CGPL. I had a good long chat with the owner/builder of this lovely little machine. Construction took 4 ½ years and it flew for the first time just a couple weeks before, care of a CAA test pilot.

The first of many Van’s to grace Sandtoft’s tarmac during the day, Van’s RV-6 G-RVDR arriving from Breighton. (And before anyone contacts me about incorrectly placed apostrophes, Van’s is the correct spelling!)

Best Off Skyranger G-CGWT

Sandtoft resident G-BPKM , a Piper PA28 Warrior, on short-finals to runway 23

Sisler (HAPI) SF-2A Cygnet G-BYYC, one of only 7 on the UK register

A very welcome ‘rotary’ visitor in the shape of Sud Alouette III N9362, resplendent in its 'tiger' clour scheme.

Yakovlev Yak-52 G-TYAK

A type I’ve never seen flying before, SOKO Kraguj G-BSXD, still wearing the colours of its former operator, the Yugoslav Air Force.

A type I've not seen for a long time, Piper PA22 Colt G-CBEI

Another welcome ‘warbird’, the Wickenby-based Airco DH2 replica, G-BFVH, in RFC markings.

Brugger MB2 Colibri G-KARA. about to touch down. This aircraft reminds me very much of the Folland Gnat. Why? Because you don’t so much get in it as strap it to your back!