It was at the height of the mid-winter depression that occurs post-airshow season when it was announced by the 'Friends of The Fighter Collection' (FoTFC)that it would hold its first open evening for a number of years, the last being in 2009. The FoTFC blog provided regular updates on the event with posts detailing a number of presentations for the night and trademark TFC teasers on which aircraft were likely to be pulled out of the hangar and lit up at night for the photographers present.
Initially there were no plans to have any of them running at night, which has become the norm at aviation events throughout the winter months, but eventually it was announced that one aircraft would be run up on the evening, joined by another which was to be lit up outside the hangar.
Ahead of TFC's event, which didn't start until the museum had closed at 4pm, the brothers Marsh (Elliott and Greg) and I attended a presentation by former SR-71 Blackbird pilot Colonel Richard Graham in the Marshall Auditorium which was followed up an hour later, now with Huw Hopkins in attendance, by a walk-around of the SR-71 in the American Air Museum. I thoroughly recommend these talks and walk-arounds by Col Graham, as each one is different due to Richard either remembering different stories or answering the various questions put to him by the public.
Prior to the event getting underway properly in Hangar 2 at 5pm, TFC engineer Martyn Coleman gathered up the first few attendees, who were eagerly waiting outside the hangar doors and quite simply asked 'Where do you want me to position the Bearcat and P-47?' This allowed those present, after picking their jaws up from the floor, to decide on the positioning of the two aircraft in the best location to take advantage of the early evening sunlight.
Having taken a vast amount of photos of the Bearcat (F8F G-RUMM) and 'Snafu' (P-47G Thunderbolt G-CDVX) in some stunning light, it was time for the event to start. The first speaker of the night was Ken Gray (no relation to Stephen and Nick) with a presentation on the history of the 'Friends of The Fighter Collection' supporters' club and how they have and continue to interact with the enthusiast community and members of the public. The Friends of The Fighter Collection began 22 years ago with the publication of the first Fighter Log, currently a thrice-yearly magazine that updates the 700 or so current supporters with the latest news on the collection and its activities.
FoTFC's Ken Gray told GAR: "It was created at a time when people were writing in constantly to the office staff here. They were just inundated with mail and didn't have the time to answer it all. We felt that people obviously had an interest in what was going on here and the only way to counter that was to produce what eventually became a four-monthly news magazine. We put on competitions and marketed new merchandise, and that's really how it all started. Within the first year we had about 70 members and we very quickly expanded to about 200 members shortly thereafter."
The whole purpose of the FoTFC is to support the daily activities of the Collection on the ground and, consequently, in the air, as Ken explains. "Initially it was set up to pass out information and keep people informed of what TFC were doing but we also wanted in some way to equip the many volunteers we have here to do their job. Any money we raise is purely to buy ground support equipment, mainly for the volunteers, and anything that the engineering ground team need."
Equally, the FoTFC has continued to give the Collection a platform from which to engage its many supporters, either through the popular Fighter Log or via its website. Indeed, TFC was one of the first historic aircraft collections to have a website in the early days of the internet and its web presence continues to lead the way for this type of organisation, with an increasing emphasis on social media including the FoTFC Blog and the recently established Facebook and Twitter accounts (@TFCDuxford). Since it first started in the run up to Flying Legends 2008, the blog has had over 500,000 hits, which shows just how well it has been received by the enthusiast community.
Ken reflects on how the internet shaped the FoTFC's presence in the aviation world: "We were starting to put up photographs and more information about the Collection's aircraft on our website. As that took off, we changed the format of the Fighter Log and it went colour for the first time. We went further on the internet and started merchandising e-commerce and TFC itself was behind all of this and could see that it's a way to get the message across and gain support.
"We're happy with Facebook and it's linked to the blog so we're taking advantage of that. We can see who is supporting us; we have a reasonable following on Facebook. We like it and I'm sure we could do a lot more but we have to emphasise that this is a volunteer outfit and we do what we can with our resources. We don't think Twitter really works for us because we're never sure who's reading it and we don't know what influence we have through it."
This increased utilisation of online social media - be it through aviation forums, Facebook, Twitter or their blog - enables TFC to maintain a level of openness about its day-to-day goings on that you aren't likely to find from other warbird operators. "What we've realised is that you can fight the internet and become very reclusive, but that doesn't really help us", explain Ken. "In fact, our biggest help are the people that wander through the hangar taking photographs. They put their photographs on the internet forums and that's free marketing for us, so we're encouraging that and we're happy to see it. It helps keep the interest in TFC alive."
The second presentation of the evening took the discussion away from warbirds and aviation and broached the subject of the Automobile Land Speed Record and the Thrust SSC project. It was hoped that Wing Commander Andy Green OBE would be in attendance alongside the main presenter, Robin Richardson, to provide an update on the ongoing attempt to break the 1000mph barrier with the Bloodhound SSC project but unfortunately Andy's day job in the RAF precluded this from happening.
Robin shared his experiences of being on the Thrust SSC project team, which included some tales of the engineering hurdles that had to be overcome before Andy Green could take Thrust SSC through the sound barrier at 763.035 mph in October 1997.
The third and final formal presentation of the evening detailed TFC's involvement in the flight simulation world and its partnership with Eagle Dynamics. Jim Mackonochie was assisted by Chris Ellis, a member of the Virtual Red Arrows, through the presentation, which demonstrated the progress and development of TFC's flight simulator titles, which include Lock On, DCS: Black Shark and DCS: A-10C. Jim also described how the flight simulator engine developed by TFC and Eagle Dynamics has been used by the US Department of Defense, United States Air Force and Air National Guard to train current A-10C pilots as well as UAV operators and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) ahead of deployments to Afghanistan. This presentation was concluded with a demonstration of TFC's next flight simulator title, DCS: P-51D, which is likely to remain in development for a further three to four months.
With all of the presentation now complete, all of the guests were invited outside to watch the Collection's Spitfire Mk.Vb (EP120 / G-LFVB) being run up in the dark with Brian Smith at the controls. Fortunately Duxford Airfield Fire and Rescue Service lit the Spitfire with the headlights of one of its fire tenders. The limited lighting actually provided some different and more atmospheric photographs.
After the engine run, it was time to head back inside to a warm buffet meal, which was appreciated by the majority, as the temperature had plummeted outside under clear and starlit skies. After everyone had eaten, a raffle was held with prizes ranging from a pair of Gold Passes for Flying Legends to calendars and DVDs.
Once the draw had been completed, guests were invited to walk amongst the aircraft in the hangar and outside or to talk with ex-Sea Fury pilot Neville Williams alongside the Sea Fury FB.11 currently under long term restoration.
It was during this period that many of the Collection staff sought feedback on the event and discussed plans for the future. GAR asked Ken Gray whether supporters can expect to see the night-shoot concept expanded upon in future, given the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the evening on the night itself (and in subsequent feedback online): "We're based at a public museum - people have to pay to get in, we encourage people to join Friends to take advantage of concessions and the arrangements we have for these evening events. Regarding future events, there's got to be something that adds value to it ...it would likely be in a similar format to this, with additional talks and attractions."
Whilst on the subject of night-shoots, the engineers who set up the lighting could not have been more helpful throughout, with the lighting being regularly moved at the behest of the photographers present so that they could cover just about every angle they could think of. The lighting used was also well tailored to each of the aircraft on display, with fluorescent strip lighting being used on the Bearcat and standard incandescent lighting being used on Snafu.
Special mention must also be made of the volunteers who worked all through the day and long into the night to keep the hangar and the aircraft in pristine condition for the assembled throng; the caterers who put on such a lovely spread; Steve Tuffin, Chief Engineer, who ensured there was an aircraft to be run up and, it goes without saying, the rest of the staff of TFC and their assembled guest speakers, all of whom threw their all into the event to make it a very special night indeed.
TFC would like to remind airshow attendees that this year's Flying Legends will take place one week earlier than normal on the weekend of 30th June / 1st July as a result of the Olympic Airspace Restrictions and that advance purchase tickets are now on sale.
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