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From the Cockpit………………..
June 2008
Dear Fellow Aviation Artists,
Well, Summer has come at last; we know this for sure now the rain has warmed up!! Anyway , if the planes can fly, so we can paint.
Our season continued with a visit to the Museum of Army Flying at Middle Wallop in March, when it hammered down, but we were thankfully under cover. The showery weather followed to a new venue for us, ATC at Lasham. The latter specialise in overhaul and fitting out of some very large commercial aircraft. We were especially intrigued by the Boeing 757 undergoing maintenance in the hanger and the defunct Russian airline fleet outside.
In between these two visits, Paul Couper organised a presence for us at the Society of Friends of the New Forest Airfields at Sopley. Again on a weather note, it should have been called snowy, as Winter arrived on that Sunday. Nevertheless we had a good show and managed to raise public interest in our Society. Our most recent activity has been visits to the Fleet Air Arm museum at Yeovil ton and Goodwood airfield.
A review of Goodwood and details of our next activities are included with this newsletter, so let me move onto other items.
Exciting news..... we have now got agreement to hold our Annual Exhibition in the Historic Dockyard at Portsmouth. The dates for this year are Friday 17th to Sunday 26th of October. The location will be in the main visitor restaurant area and will be a fine viewing platform for our work. We are now planning on making the dockyard a permanent venue for our future annual exhibitions. And with that in mind, 2009 is the 90th anniversary of the Fleet Air Arm and for next year we have already agreed that the Fleet Air Arm will be the subject of our BAA Trophy competition. For this year we plan to have the Beales Trophy as an open competition, the SAAS trophy for best in show and the BAA trophy as 'Flying Boats over the Solent' All of these will be awarded to coincide with this year's exhibition.
Until then, for those of you keen to get exhibiting, there is an opportunity in September when one of our members, Colin Courtice, will be helping to organise a show in Furzey Gardens, Minstead called 'Flying High – A Celebration of Aviation Art'. This will run for the whole month and for further information, please contact him on 01590 624003.
Well, I must conclude now. In closing I hope to see as many of you as possible sometime during the rest of this year, but in the meantime, as ever........
Happy Painting, Alan.
March 2008
Dear Fellow Aviation Artists,
Since my last letter, we have begun our new season with a well attended visit to Milestones at Basingstoke. This was our second time here and we had as ever plenty of subjects to choose from. That combined with the benefits of heating and good light in the middle of Winter made for some good sketches and paintings. Sadly for me, it reminded me that on our first visit I was driven by Philip Adams who I'm sorry to tell you, sadly passed away just before Christmas. I have written and passed on our condolences to his widow Catherine. Philip's Father built Lancasters and it remained his favourite aeroplane.
We had a good attendance at our AGM at Hursley. Thanks to all who could make it. As ever there were many constructive suggestions. The drawing competition was an open choice one and won by Ted Baker with his sketch of a low-flying Sunderland.
Our season continues with a visit to the Museum of Army Flying at Middle Wallop in March and then on to a new venue, ATC at Lasham. The latter specialise in overhaul and fitting out of some very large commercial aircraft. We are awaiting to see 'what will be on the menu' for that visit on April 12th.
As this year's activities get under way, Paul Smees, our Programme Secretary, has been busy with some suggestions for our special event this year. As I mentioned in my previous letter, we plan to put on a trip of the type that normally we cannot provide due to the cost involved and the radius from our usual area. Already several other ideas have been put forward but any extras are always welcome. We are also busy on the Committee looking at a venue for our Annual exhibition. We have had one suggestion in the New Forest but the costs look high at present.
Well, I must conclude now. In closing I hope to see as many of you as possible sometime during this year, but in the meantime, as ever........
Happy Painting, Alan.
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