I grew up very near Woodford aerodrome, Cheshire, UK. Im sure you know thats were the Lancaster and later the mighty Vulcan were assembled in the huge AVRO hangers. Fairey aircraft works are about 5 miles from my home as well. Every year there was the airshow and my house was directly on the flight path. You could VERY clearly see the pilots in their seats. The sound of the epic aircraft with their furious MERLINS and howling OLYMPUS jets mere feet from is something i will never forget. Four perfect Merlins attached to a Lancaster bomber flying so low you felt you could almost touch them make an impression on a boy. Made your chest rattle! I deeply respect and I am so thankful that there are amazing men and women out there who toil for years so the old birds can sore again. Thank you for your hard work bringing these films to us.
Ahh! The beautiful Lysander, my favourite! I love the connection with the French Resistance and the brave pilots and crew who flew over the channel to the moonlit clandestine rendezvouses in French fields during the war 👌 Brave souls indeed, and a superb aircraft. Thanks Chris 👌👍
Many decades ago, I think the Westland Lysander was the first Airfix model kit that I assembled. Apart from being young and getting myself covered in glue, it may have been responsible for me later becoming a pilot. Mind you, if it had gone the other way, I could have ended up as a glue sniffing hippy addict!
it was the punks who were the glue sniffers.... the hippies were all too stoned on pot or mushrooms.... but i too escaped that fate, and spent many happy hours building airfix kits, and yes the Lysander was also one of my favorite... i often wonder if it was concentrating on building the models or accidently getting high on glue fumes which kept me and my brother so quiet, happy days, i guess all the old black and white war movies fed the interest in those wonderful aircraft... have fun
@@stephensmith1118 Ah, that bloody glue! It went everywhere except on the kit eh! Untill we got better and moved onto the Tamiya Lancaster which I still have!
.thought you were glue sniffing when building the air fix kit . But not going down the street... yeh interesting smell wasn't it . Never thought in that way did we .
Excellent! My father worked at Westland during WW2 and related a memory of seeing a Lysander take off from the Westland airfield when he was on his bicycle on his way to lunch. It throttled back until it was stationary at about 50ft facing into a strong wind. It was still hovering there when he returned from his lunch break!
Lysander is a beautiful aircraft, thank you for sharing your video. When I was young the Strathallan Collection near where I live restored their Lysander to flight (now with the Shuttleworth Collection)? I sometimes saw it flying, beautiful.
Splendid video, and congratulations with the rebuilt ! Keep this proud bird in the air ! It was special seeing Chris taking part ! He was born with wings !
Brilliant collection of clips, Chris, thanks so much for this. My Airfix was a favourite too - such an unusual shape. Great to see the restoration back in the air, well done to all involved…
Super coverage Chris and designed and built in the West Country too ! I must revisit Yeovilton . It's been a few years since l last visited and just at the moment i can 't renember if they have one on display.. Thanks Chris
The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum reports that on June 16 2018 the aircraft was heavily damaged when engine failure required a hard landing in a farmer's field. It is currently undergoing a second restoration to static status and will never fly again.
My mother used to fly and in 1935 as Jill Wyndham with David Llewelyn they broke the record back from Cape Town to Hanworth flying a Hendy Heck built by Parnalls at Yate
Brilliant video, Chris. I love vintage machines of all kinds. Unfortunately, I can only afford my classic motorcycles. I was taken to Airshows at Prestwick as a young boy and have loved vintage aircraft since. A Spitfire visited Cumbernauld airport, but I couldn't afford £3000 or £4000 to fly in it.
Is this the Lysander that was on the farmer's field near the old Gravelbourg Commonwealth Air Training Station? I used to fly into the field and look at the great numbers of WW2 aircraft the fellow had. Over three years, never met him.
It was retired from the RCAF in 1946 and then sold to a Prairie farmer. The airframe was donated to the Museum by Dennis Bradley and Alan Ness in 1975. In 1983, the “Friends of Canadian Warplane Heritage” started restoring it at Niagara Falls Airport, NY. The project was transferred back to Hamilton in October 1996 and the Lysander finally flew again for the first time in over sixty years in 2009. Please susbcribe to my channel. Chris.
Great video, thanks for your excellent work. The Lysander is such an interesting and unique aircraft and in its own way quite beautiful. Westland produced some very interesting aircraft . do you know if there are any Whirlwinds flying?
No the Lysander in my film is now with the Canada's Warplane Museum. The Westland Lysander Mark III had sat out in a farmer’s field in rural Saskatchewan for decades. The Lysander you refer to I think is now based in the UK. Please do have a subscribe to my channel. Chris.
It was interesting to hear that Canadian gentlemen tell how they like kids to touch the aircraft fabric, get oil in their hand and stick their heads inside the plane. Here in the UK lDO NOT TOUCH” signs proliferate and rope barriers keep the kids from really learning or experiencing anything worthwhile …
As I recall, when I was a kid, Air Classics magazine was following a man in Canada who had gathered pieces from many locations to put together a flying Lysander. There were none flying nor in civilian hands I believe, at that time. The issue that covered the end of the project and his test flight had a full page ad in the back from the Swiss government that they had 5 of them for sale! You know they just waited for him to finish his to do that. They apparently had been given to Switzerland to be able to fly out officials in case of an invasion. They had kept them in good condition in storage all this time.
Why was the Lysander so big and heavy? It only carried a pilot and observer didn't it, so wouldn't a smaller lighter type like a Taylorcraft Auster have been easier to get into and out of small french fields?
Not really sure tungstenkid, it did also carry bombs, depth charges, auxiliary fuel tank for long distance flights and often a third passenger, its engine was powerful which could pull it out of trouble when taking off, I fly an old aircraft like an Auster and the wartime ones were often underpowered, I am no expert and those are my random thoughts. Please have a subscribe to my channel. Cheers Chris.
what a quirky but beautiful aircraft.
Sure is quirky but very sturdy. Please subscribe Barry. Chris.
I grew up very near Woodford aerodrome, Cheshire, UK. Im sure you know thats were the Lancaster and later the mighty Vulcan were assembled in the huge AVRO hangers. Fairey aircraft works are about 5 miles from my home as well.
Every year there was the airshow and my house was directly on the flight path. You could VERY clearly see the pilots in their seats.
The sound of the epic aircraft with their furious MERLINS and howling OLYMPUS jets mere feet from is something i will never forget. Four perfect Merlins attached to a Lancaster bomber flying so low you felt you could almost touch them make an impression on a boy. Made your chest rattle!
I deeply respect and I am so thankful that there are amazing men and women out there who toil for years so the old birds can sore again. Thank you for your hard work bringing these films to us.
Really happy you enjoyed the film Keith, do please check out my channel and have a subscribe. Chris.
Ahh! The beautiful Lysander, my favourite! I love the connection with the French Resistance and the brave pilots and crew who flew over the channel to the moonlit clandestine rendezvouses in French fields during the war 👌 Brave souls indeed, and a superb aircraft. Thanks Chris 👌👍
Thank you Kevin a very interesting aircraft, thanks for watching. Chris.
Oooohhhhh the startup of a cold radial... thank you soo much for including it...and no cheezy music covering it up.
Thanks Brent it has quite a bark !
Please have a subscribe. Chris.
Love the Lysander, such a beautiful Aircraft. Thank you from Down Under, Australia.
Glad you enjoyed it Brushitoff, please have a ponder about subscribing. Cheers Chris.
@@GULLPERCHFLYER I am Subscribed 👍🍻
Many decades ago, I think the Westland Lysander was the first Airfix model kit that I assembled. Apart from being young and getting myself covered in glue, it may have been responsible for me later becoming a pilot. Mind you, if it had gone the other way, I could have ended up as a glue sniffing hippy addict!
Thanks for your funny feedback Keith, guess you may already be subscribed. Best regards Chris.
it was the punks who were the glue sniffers.... the hippies were all too stoned on pot or mushrooms.... but i too escaped that fate, and spent many happy hours building airfix kits, and yes the Lysander was also one of my favorite... i often wonder if it was concentrating on building the models or accidently getting high on glue fumes which kept me and my brother so quiet, happy days, i guess all the old black and white war movies fed the interest in those wonderful aircraft... have fun
@@stephensmith1118 Ah, that bloody glue! It went everywhere except on the kit eh! Untill we got better and moved onto the Tamiya Lancaster which I still have!
.thought you were glue sniffing when building the air fix kit . But not going down the street... yeh interesting smell wasn't it . Never thought in that way did we .
Excellent! My father worked at Westland during WW2 and related a memory of seeing a Lysander take off from the Westland airfield when he was on his bicycle on his way to lunch. It throttled back until it was stationary at about 50ft facing into a strong wind. It was still hovering there when he returned from his lunch break!
Amazing memories many thanks, do please have a subscribe. Chris.
Lysander is a beautiful aircraft, thank you for sharing your video. When I was young the Strathallan Collection near where I live restored their Lysander to flight (now with the Shuttleworth Collection)? I sometimes saw it flying, beautiful.
Glad you enjoyed it quite a unique aircraft. Do please have a subscribe to my channel. Chris.
Great Article, I think they were flown out of RAF Winkleigh Devon during WW2 on night time mission's.
Thanks Hefin. Chris.
Splendid video, and congratulations with the rebuilt ! Keep this proud bird in the air ! It was special seeing Chris taking part ! He was born with wings !
Thank you very much appreciate you watching please have a subscribe to the channel. Chris.
Brilliant collection of clips, Chris, thanks so much for this. My Airfix was a favourite too - such an unusual shape. Great to see the restoration back in the air, well done to all involved…
Thanks Martin appreciate your feedback. Chris.
Great video.
Thank You
Appreciate your kind feedback Chris.
Super coverage Chris and designed and built in the West Country too ! I must revisit Yeovilton . It's been a few years since l last visited and just at the moment i can 't renember if they have one on display.. Thanks Chris
Thanks John there is one at the Shuttleworth collection and one at Duxford both flying. Chris.
Fascinating aircraft, it looks as if it ought to be very heavy but clearly isn't.
Its quite a machine Andy, do please have a susbcribe. Chris.
The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum reports that on June 16 2018 the aircraft was heavily damaged when engine failure required a hard landing in a farmer's field. It is currently undergoing a second restoration to static status and will never fly again.
Many thanks for that update. Chris.
My mother used to fly and in 1935 as Jill Wyndham with David Llewelyn they broke the record back from Cape Town to Hanworth flying a Hendy Heck built by Parnalls at Yate
That is very interesting Hector some names there I need to read up on. Please consider subscribing to my channel. Chris.
Bet it is fun finding parts for a Centaurus radial!
Good point Tom these restoration teams can be quite resource full. Chris.
Brilliant video, Chris.
I love vintage machines of all kinds.
Unfortunately, I can only afford my classic motorcycles.
I was taken to Airshows at Prestwick as a young boy and have loved vintage aircraft since.
A Spitfire visited Cumbernauld airport, but I couldn't afford £3000 or £4000 to fly in it.
Vintage motorbikes will be good fun. Chris.
Is this the Lysander that was on the farmer's field near the old Gravelbourg Commonwealth Air Training Station? I used to fly into the field and look at the great numbers of WW2 aircraft the fellow had. Over three years, never met him.
It was retired from the RCAF in 1946 and then sold to a Prairie farmer. The airframe was donated to the Museum by Dennis Bradley and Alan Ness in 1975. In 1983, the “Friends of Canadian Warplane Heritage” started restoring it at Niagara Falls Airport, NY. The project was transferred back to Hamilton in October 1996 and the Lysander finally flew again for the first time in over sixty years in 2009. Please susbcribe to my channel. Chris.
Great video, thanks for your excellent work. The Lysander is such an interesting and unique aircraft and in its own way quite beautiful. Westland produced some very interesting aircraft . do you know if there are any Whirlwinds flying?
Thanks. Grant, sadly no Whirlwinds flying, I have produced a few films about the Whirlwind, please subscribe and check out my channel. Chris.
@@GULLPERCHFLYER I believe there is a Whirlwind being rebuilt/ restored / reproduced in the UK currently.
Was this the Lysander that farmer Harry Whereat (RIP) kept & worked on on his farm for many many years?
No the Lysander in my film is now with the Canada's Warplane Museum. The Westland Lysander Mark III had sat out in a farmer’s field in rural Saskatchewan for decades. The Lysander you refer to I think is now based in the UK. Please do have a subscribe to my channel. Chris.
It was interesting to hear that Canadian gentlemen tell how they like kids to touch the aircraft fabric, get oil in their hand and stick their heads inside the plane. Here in the UK lDO NOT TOUCH” signs proliferate and rope barriers keep the kids from really learning or experiencing anything worthwhile …
Thanks Tony good point. Do have a subscribe please. Chris.
As I recall, when I was a kid, Air Classics magazine was following a man in Canada who had gathered pieces from many locations to put together a flying Lysander. There were none flying nor in civilian hands I believe, at that time. The issue that covered the end of the project and his test flight had a full page ad in the back from the Swiss government that they had 5 of them for sale! You know they just waited for him to finish his to do that. They apparently had been given to Switzerland to be able to fly out officials in case of an invasion. They had kept them in good condition in storage all this time.
Thanks Tom appreciate your historical feedback. Please consider subscribing. Chris.
My late father flew the second prototype, K6128, in India in 1939.
How interesting Peter. Be much appreciated if you can subscribe. Chris.
Why was the Lysander so big and heavy? It only carried a pilot and observer didn't it, so wouldn't a smaller lighter type like a Taylorcraft Auster have been easier to get into and out of small french fields?
Not really sure tungstenkid, it did also carry bombs, depth charges, auxiliary fuel tank for long distance flights and often a third passenger, its engine was powerful which could pull it out of trouble when taking off, I fly an old aircraft like an Auster and the wartime ones were often underpowered, I am no expert and those are my random thoughts. Please have a subscribe to my channel. Cheers Chris.
The Greek Myth of Hero and Lysander is a precursor to the Romeo and Juliet story in Shakespeare.
Interesting observation many thanks. Chris.
The undercarriage bow looks like a bridge girder.
Maybe it was Ian. 😊
@@GULLPERCHFLYER i heard stories attesting to its strngth snywa
Anyway.
Mmm just watching now just found out i am right drop of French resistance etc as i watch. Sorry im jumping the gun again.
They carried out many SOE Flights. Chris.
@@GULLPERCHFLYER yes the special operation executive. Drops . Hedge hoppers. Or pick ups like me you have many intrests. Chris.
Designed for a role which the Austers, Cubs and Storchs did far better. It was really too big and bulky for its role
It sure was a sturdy built machine. Please have a subscribe. Chris .
the anouncer should learn toi pronounce LYSANDER not LYZANDER
Good point Michael. Chris.