Hi folks, I run a small side hobby digitising old video tapes from various interests including aviation. I have some archive clips of my own and have recently been given a stash of tapes with a ton of local footage from the late 80s and 90s. I'm sure some of you will enjoy the trip down memory lane from the Ards/Ulster Airshows - we have both amateur camcorder recordings as well as some of BBC TV coverage from the post-event shows. There's some camcorder footage from the Buccaneer arriving at Langford, as well as some Wessex footage of the 72 Squadron farewell in 2002.
Our first upload to share here is from what I understand to be a UAS visit to Aldergrove Apron. This was at some stage in 1996 just before the Merchantman retirement, but after the Parcelforce Vickers Viscount had a gear up landing at Aldergrove in March 1996. It makes me feel old to think I was alive when these old birds were still doing the cargo runs, but the highlight for me is the British Midland. That's the livery I remember most from childhood.
If anyone has any similar footage I'd love to digitise the tapes and share the footage. If anyone can help find videos of spotting at Aldergrove in the 1990s I'd be well chuffed.
Enjoy.
Next up is a UTV Segment from 1993 - some of the terminal interior looks the same today! Nice to see the Midlands, the shuttle and the shuttle check-in desks.
Another new upload and this one is easily the best - 72 Squadron farewell including air-to-air footage. Enjoy!
That Wessex Farewell video is very good. I was lucky enough to have a flight in Wessex XR525/G which I believe is in RAF Cosford Museum. I had a tour around 72 SQN late 1990`s with a Canadian pilot named " Mack " He had the ye olde handlebar moustache et all, he joined the RAF specially to fly the Wessex. He was some charachter.
I think I may have some VHS and Video 8 stuff from mid 1990`s airshows at Newtownards,one features the MATS Lockheed Constellation amongst other things.I will have to dig them out :o
Quote from: angry turnip on Aug 01, 2025, 18:54That Wessex Farewell video is very good. I was lucky enough to have a flight in Wessex XR525/G which I believe is in RAF Cosford Museum. I had a tour around 72 SQN late 1990`s with a Canadian pilot named " Mack " He had the ye olde handlebar moustache et all, he joined the RAF specially to fly the Wessex. He was some charachter.
I think I may have some VHS and Video 8 stuff from mid 1990`s airshows at Newtownards,one features the MATS Lockheed Constellation amongst other things.I will have to dig them out :o
Nice! I'd have loved to have seen around the apron, especially when it was full of Lynx, Gazelle, Puma, Wessex and the odd Chinook. The ATC guys would have earned their keep back then with so much mil traffic as well as the passenger stuff.
Didn't see the Constellation in any of the stuff I've worked on so far - it might have been into the 2000s?
I think the Connie was over from USA for Berlin Airlift 50th, so it would have been 1997 or 1998.
John Travolta owned it for a while according to the commentary at Ards. I maybe horribly wrong. ;D
Quote from: angry turnip on Aug 02, 2025, 18:28I think the Connie was over from USA for Berlin Airlift 50th, so it would have been 1997 or 1998.
John Travolta owned it for a while according to the commentary at Ards. I maybe horribly wrong. ;D
You were bang on - looked up the 1998 video in this pile and sure enough there's a silver one doing a few passes!
Another video from the archives - Shorts 330 transported to Ulster Aviation Society. This one is likely 1992 or 1993.
" Excuse me sir, is this your vehicle? " Looks like a bit of head scratching as to how they were going to get onto the bypass out of the harbour estate.
Those highviz jackets are tiny lol,driver with the tash looked rather fed up,no forward planning?
Another one from UAT - this time the Sea Hawk being extracted via the roof when it got 'stuck' inside the hangar due to development work around it.
Another video from the collection - this one is very rare indeed. Can any of the members help identify a possible year? Not sure if this is an RAF gliding club or the early days of the UFC. Are we talking 70s, maybe 60s here?
I reckon early 1960`s judging by the cars and the fact everyone looks old. ;D
Tiger Moth G-AOUR was one of the Ulster Flying Clubs aircraft from August 1961 until it was PWFU in July 1965.
Quote from: angry turnip on Sep 20, 2025, 00:32I reckon early 1960`s judging by the cars and the fact everyone looks old. ;D
Tiger Moth G-AOUR was one of the Ulster Flying Clubs aircraft from August 1961 until it was PWFU in July 1965.
Thanks for the info on that. That ties up nicely.
Another batch of uploads today with some behind the scenes footage and other flying segments from the UAS open days at Langford Lodge in the late 90s, early 2000s. I'm sure some of the members on here may have attended.
Great to see the military helos like the Wessex/Puma etc.
Would love to track down more camcorder footage from anyone that filmed local aviation in the 80s/90s.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI2_MIXCO3g8xAaApx90AhcrUALlfuNU2
It was the Spitfire birthday this week. Here's another bit of rare footage we found on a tape. Anyone know where this one ended up?
Quote from: causeway74 on Mar 06, 2026, 14:05It was the Spitfire birthday this week. Here's another bit of rare footage we found on a tape. Anyone know where this one ended up?
BBMF have her now it seems according to this website.
https://archives.wartimeni.com/article/the-enniskillen-spitfire
Quote from: JasonT1981 on Mar 06, 2026, 17:03Quote from: causeway74 on Mar 06, 2026, 14:05It was the Spitfire birthday this week. Here's another bit of rare footage we found on a tape. Anyone know where this one ended up?
BBMF have her now it seems according to this website.
https://archives.wartimeni.com/article/the-enniskillen-spitfire
I saw that article but think it is out of date. It was likely only with BBMF for a short time.
P7832 is recognized as a surviving Spitfire, however there is no publicly available information confirming whether it is currently on display in a museum, part of a private collection, or maintained as an airworthy aircraft.
P7832 is the "Genuine" Enniskillen plane, but the plane in the video is P7350 which belongs to BBMF, and is the oldest flying Spitfire.
From what I can find P7832 was Struck of charge (SOC) 28/06/45 and supposedly scrapped.
This video must be from 1994 as P7350 went for a major overhaul in St Athan Wales and came out wearing this paint scheme around that time. It was the. Repainted 3 years later.
Some lovely old school footage here. Thank you.
Interestingly, had a friend do work experience at Aldergrove in late 90s, with the RAF - said that they Wessex pilot and co-pilot would exit the cockpit while rotors were still coming to a halt...
Quote from: rookie on Mar 07, 2026, 10:17P7832 is the "Genuine" Enniskillen plane, but the plane in the video is P7350 which belongs to BBMF, and is the oldest flying Spitfire.
From what I can find P7832 was Struck of charge (SOC) 28/06/45 and supposedly scrapped.
This video must be from 1994 as P7350 went for a major overhaul in St Athan Wales and came out wearing this paint scheme around that time. It was the. Repainted 3 years later.
According to that article ,Jeffrey Quill took ownership of the Spitfire donating it to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in 1965. So that would contradict it supposedly being scrapped in June 1945. However I can`t find any other evidence of P7832 listed as a member of the BBMF Fleet as yet.
It`s a mystery Scooby -Doo.
I take it this was your source for the scrapping....
P7832 IIa CBAF MXII 6MU 1-1-41 SFPP f/l in bad vis overshot and hit obstruction Farnborough CB 12-1-41 F/O WC Potter safe 1CRU sas 20-1-41 72Sq 23-4-41 74Sq 9-7-41 Overshot into ditch Acklington AC 14-8-41 Sgt JB Edwards safe. ros 610Sq 8-9-41 340Sq 28-11-41 Belly landed in field Kirkmichael Keeper Cottage Ayr CB 30-1-42 F/O P Coignard (Fr) safe SAL riw 6-2-42 61OTU 28-9-42 Burst tyre on landing Montford hit by P7444 3-1-43 FSgt PH Closterman (Fr) safe 52OTU 7-5-43 Heavy landing broke port u/c leg Aston Down CB 28-7-43 Sgt WH Marriage safe. SAL Gosport 23-5-44 5PAFU 6-11-44 SOC 28-6-45
Re the footage of Langford Lodge open day in 1995 when Sally B visited, was there a similar day in 1996 when she came?
I remember going and the staff were letting you inside, but the queue was massive.
I also remember the grass had just been cut that week, it was a lovely sunny day, warm - when the choppers were leaving, the grass was going EVERYWHERE. As you will have seen from 1995 footage, there was no real cordons up, people were free to go around and as close to the choppers as they pleased.
Well before our time. Any of the older members remember Silver City?