30/04/2007 by Pudsey.

It’s great at Coningsby coz there’s a museum here all about BMF – so I went & had a look. We owe so much to ‘The Few’ who flew in the Battle of Britain – it must have been horrendous … not knowing if you’d come back again … seeing all you r friends disappear. I feel quiet humbled now about flying with these guys who do so much to keep their memory alive. Andrea & Dale bought me a BBMF badge – I shall now wear it with pride. I’m looking forward to my flight in both the Hurricane & the Spitfire even more now after my museum visit – it will make the flight’s mean so much more. I now know that they are 4 aircraft that make up the Flight – the Lancaster (which I’ve been on!), the Hurricane & the Spitfire – the Battle of Britain Fighters & also the Dakota. Well it’s one down & 3 more to go … think I better go & find these pilots & book my slots to have a go ….

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29/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Managed to find a pc today & logged onto the forum … Dale’s been busy posting comments about the photo shoot (that’s right rub it in – just coz I didn’t go!) He’s also put a couple of pictures up there – but they are copyright to Andrea & mustn’t be used yet until they appear in the BBMF mags etc. The pictures are really good – Andrea is an Ace Photographer … I must tell Debs that she needs to practice more & then she might be that good!! Lots of talk on the forum about THE WEDDING! Well it’s not long now … Hey just had a thought – I’ve not seen my invite – hope I’ve got one … well I’m sure they wouldn’t miss me out – a superstar bear that I am! Perhaps my invite is with Nigel & Debs … it’s ages since I’ve seen those 2 – hope they’re ok, oh yes – of course they will be, they’ve just returned from a week in Spain – after leaving me behind! Hey this is turning into a bad habit – leaving me behind.

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28/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Well I’ve nearly been here a week now with my new mates the BBMF boys :-). Dale & Andrea are coming up later with JB to photograph the Lancaster in flight … oooh hope I get to have a flight again! I was on polishing duty this morning helping getting the Lancaster looking her best … unfortunately it made a mess of my fur so off I went to have a wash … another one!! Any way while I was having my wash the BBMF boys all jumped in the Lancaster to buzz off to have their photo taken … Oi! Boys wait for me!! Well they didn’t come back & I was left on the ground I hear the boys had a great time posing for the camera & waving to Andrea – well I had a great time waiting for them to come back – NOT!! Andrea Snapper-Flash managed to take some great photos of the Lanc above the clouds as there was a strip of cloud around the coast. The Lanc then went off to Holland for Operation Manna Celebrations.

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27/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Another special day today – it’s the unveiling of the ‘Phantom of the Ruhr’ colour scheme ceremony - & Dale’s coming to this & attending the mess dinner tonight – oh wow! Everybody loved the new colour scheme & lots of pictures were taken – Dale is convinced that it looks like Wingbasher … he wants to put a poll up on the forum – well that should be fun Dale has pointed out an interesting fact to me … there are only 3 Lancasters in the whole world that can move under their own steam – 1 is at East Kirkby (Just Jane) & I’ve taxyed on that one; 1 is the BBMF one which I’ve just flown on; & the other is in Canada & I should be going out there with Howard Cook … does this mean that I’m going to be the only person who has been on all 3!! Caught up with Major tonight at the mess dinner – loved his attire!! Well it was goodbye to Dale & Andrea again after the dinner as they had to depart while I’ve got more flying to do with the BBMF boys … Lanc done & dusted … now where’s that Spit??

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26/04/2007 by Pudsey.

After the excitement of yesterday, today was a quiet relaxing day back at base. The Lancaster is being put on display in the hanger ready for tomorrows unveiling - but seeing as I’m such a lucky bear I’ve already seen it! I think it’s a great colour scheme and I can imagine the German fighters faces when they saw this heading for them!! I wish I had Debs camera with me, I could have taken some nice pics of the Lancaster and me of course! I also went to watch the Eurofighters fly again - really would like a go in one, but I guess not this visit because I’m here with the BBMF boys :-). Had to have a bath tonight to get my fur nice and shiny for tomorrows event. Dale and Andrea are coming up for the unveiling ceremony and also are staying for the mess dinner - oooh posh! I wonder if I’ll get an invite for the dinner - well I am a superstar bear and I’m sure their evening would be made all the more special with me there!! Hmmm… who do I need to speak to, to make that happen then??

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25/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Well today is the day that the Lancaster comes home to Coningsby, in the new colour scheme… with me on board! Ooohhh it was great I actually got to fly in this Lancaster (remember the taxi run at East Kirkby??) and all four engines were working!  The first flight was a test flight from Coventry and back again after it’s overhaul by Air Atlantique and I got to see the new colour scheme… oooh it’s good. I’m such a special bear because not many people have seen this new paint job - not even Dale :-). The test flight was successful so we were allowed to fly it home. So after some lunch we flew from Coventry to Coningsby - wow what an amazing aircraft - it looks so big and cumbersome on the ground but it’s so graceful in the air - I love flying in it :-). The guys on the crew were great and explained everything to me - I feel such a Lancaster expert now! And I’ve done something not many people have - I’ve flown on a Lanc !! Hey Dale and Andrea have you flown on a Lanc then??!!

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24/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Nice relaxing day at Coningsby today finding my way around… oooh there’s lots of different aircraft here - I’ve found the BBMF hanger with the Spitfire and the Hurricane in there. The lovely BBMF boys have already told me that I’m going to fly in them soon… oooh good I just can’t wait. On my wanderings around the camp I found the other aircraft that are stationed here - the Eurofighters… Oh wow aren’t they fast! It was great fun to watch them go flying… the noise… the speed… it was great! I tried hard to sneak a ride in one but I was too late for today… Oh well maybe next time. I’ve been told that I’ve got to get an early night tonight as tomorrow is a special day - it’s the day the Lancaster comes home :-). I did tell the BBMF boys that I’ve been on a Lancaster for a taxi run - but unfortunately only three engines would work… well the boys have assured me that all four engines will be working this time… oooh good!!

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23/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Dale and Andrea are taking me on holiday today - wow! They wouldn’t tell me where we were going and I was so excited in the car - think I drove them both mad with my excitement! Well, we went to Coningsby - home of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and I’m to spend over a week here - ooh wow wow wow - thanks so much Uncle Dale - you’re the best!! We then had a great time watching the Dakota and the Spitfires flying doing a display practice - ooh it was great and we took lots of photo’s. Dale was mesmorised by the Spits - as normal says Andrea! Ooh I’d love to fly in a Spitfire - I have said Andrea… So have I said Dale - loads of times! Perhaps I’ll get to fly in one this week while I’m here - I really do hope so. Then it was time for Dale and Andrea to go so they left me with the BBMF boys while they headed back to Norwich… Right guys time to listen to the worlds best flying bear…

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22/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Another day at Norwich and Happy Landings. Dale took me on another lesson - well the students just love me! He told me it was a very important lesson - it was “Slow Flight” - I couldn’t understand why Andrea was laughing at this… until we went on the lesson Apparently PPL’s have to do 2 hours of this during their training… ooh I guess this is the part that Dale falls asleep then! Andrea was still laughing when we landed I logged onto the forum when we were back… ooh I do love reading all the comments on there… Oooooh and I spotted me on the gallery Good old Dougal and Yorricks have put up some of the photo’s from yesterday at Duxford - I look so handsome - especially when standing next to Dougal and Yorricks!! Andrea cooked me a lovely roast beef dinner today - this really is the life - good food - lots of flying and life at an airport… I really do hope I end up here Had to help Emily with some homework tonight… she’s got to get ready for her Sats tests.

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21/04/2007 by Pudsey.

Busy day again - Dale took me on some more lessons with him - well students really do vary! Some are absolutely brilliant and I love flying with them… and then there are the ones who you dice with death when you fly with them - It’s a case of close your eyes and pray!! No wonder Dale is going grey Oops I’ve just been told off - Dale says everybody has to start somewhere… and not everyone can be as brilliant as him!! I then went out for the rest of the day with Dougal and Yorricks - check out my pics!! They took me to Duxford as it was a Cessna bonus day - oooh it was great, I love Duxford! I had great fun showing Dougal and Yorricks around. I told them all about my trip to the tower and my mate Colin who works there. When we went into the shop I was pleased to see that my “Spitfire” was still there - I wanted to take little Dougal in the Spit with me, but big Dougal wasn’t having any of that! But they did take lots of pics of me again. Brilliant - I’m such a superstar !!

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