Spitfire and Hurricane star at Bidford Wings and Wheels
AFTER 28 years as a pilot flying Boeing 787s for Tui Airways, David Keays from Temple Grafton recently retired but he was airborne once again in his 1932 American built Waco UEC when he flew to this year’s Classic Wings and Wheels at Bidford Airfield to be part of the large ground display at the air show.
David co-owns the Waco which was privately owned when it first started flying in Oregon and Washington state after which it came to Europe where it was bought by David and his fellow flying enthusiast and was re-furbished by them. It took off again in 2016.
“The interior is original,” David said. “The aircraft is very graceful and very desirable. They were used for commuting, family outings and corporate communications flying people to meetings around the states. I was with TUI for 28 years and before that I spent ten years with the RAF and now I fly the Waco so you could say I’ve done something completely different.”
Other spectacular displays at the show included a Spitfire and Hurricane flypast and Richard Goodwin gave the world’s first display of his jet assisted Pitts Special which the crowd loved.
On the ground there was also plenty to enjoy with a collection of vintage and classic cars including a 1933 Derby Bentley and a 1969 Piper car.
Money raised by the tombola and raffle will be donated to Myton Hospices in Warwick and Coventry.
With a big crowd, lots of food and craft stalls, loads of ice cream plus sunshine and blue skies the whole day turned out to be top flight.
