It is not often you bump into a world famous detective, especially one aged at least 130, who is still using his ‘little grey cells’.

Step forward Hercule Poirot – possible the most famous Belgium in the world. When Agatha Christie published her first book (The Mysterious Affair at Styles) featuring the famous private detective in 1920, she imagined that he had already served and retired from the Belgium police.

When I spoke to him he claimed he was not working and was just out for a day of ‘pleasure’ but it was early in the morning and he was unsure what ‘dastardly deeds’ could happen.

I got the distinct impression that he would get immense pleasure from exercising those ‘little grey cells’ to solve a crime!

Note: Martin Gaisford is the actor who plays Poirot. He has been officially endorsed as a Hercule Poirot lookalike by Agatha Christie Ltd. For more information on Martin see http://www.martingaisford.co.uk/4584.html

To listen to my interview click on the Video Podcast tab above or click here

In this video the pilots Martin Willing and Ray Corsten talk about the the T28 and its history as a training aircraft for early generation jet aircraft. They also talk about her flying characteristics and how she saw active service in a number of conflicts in different parts of the world as a ground strike aircraft.

The T28′s radial engine has a very distinctive sound as can be heard in the video especially when she seems to ‘cough’ into life and when making low fast passes as part of the display routine.

For more information on the T28 and Martin see their web site at http://www.radialrevelation.airdisplay.info/

To watch the video interview click on the Video Podcast tab above or click here

In this video we talk to the Red Hawks two person formation aerobatic team of Mathew Hill and Bob Grimstead about the Fournier RF4. The aircraft are often described as a power glider. Mathew and Bob talk about the history of the planes and the amazing affection that they are held in by owners and enthusiast.

These planes are probably the lowest powered (and cheapest to run in terms of fuel use!) aerobatics aircraft flying today. The combination of a quiet engine, smoke, music and formation aerobatics lends a graceful style to the display.

Before each performance Mathew and Bob practice their routine on the ground which you can see in the video and in the picture above. For more information on the Red Hawks see the website athttp://web.me.com/mafew/RedHawks/Who_Are_We.html

You can watch the video by clicking on the Video Podcast tab above of by clicking here.

Watching the Antonov An-2 fly is a strange experience. You almost want to get up there and give her a push. She is just so slow – big and lumbering.

In this video we talk to Chris Thompson and James Black about the Antonov An-2 – the largest single engine bi-plane in the world.

Chris and James talk about its ‘big baby’ flying characteristics due to its size and large and powerful 1000HP engine. They need a crew of two – one to fly it and the other to manage the engine and aircraft. Its overall size and flexibility of its load area can be appreciated when on static display. Chris and James talk about all the varied uses this type of aircraft have been put to, her history and their involvement with her.

For more information see the AN2 club web site – http://www.an2club.info/

To watch the video click on the Video Podcast tab above or click here

In this video we talk to Trevor Pegrum and Ted Lay about their Tiger Moth.

They talked about the aircraft’s history, her flying characteristics and their long personal association with her.

Ted re-built and restored her following a crash and Trevor learned to fly in her and has been flying her, with Ted, for 50 years.

Being at Oxford Airport for Fly To The Past, was almost like coming back home for the aircraft, as she was built at the old Morris Motor Company Cowley manufacturing facility (now owned by BMW and producing the Mini) which switched to aircraft production during World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Motor_Company#Second_World_War)

To watch the interview click on the Video Podcast tab above or click here.

One of the things the organisers of Fly To The Past asked us to do was to create a record of the day by interviewing the pilots and owners of the aircraft and taking shots of the exhibitors, participants and the air displays. Having done that it was a short step to edit the resulting footage into a short summary and promotion for the 2012 event which happens on September 1st and 2nd at Oxford Airport.

The video is on YouTube and is being promoted via social media.

It can also be seen by clicking on the Video Podcast tab above or clicking here.

In this interview we talk to Alex Smee who flies the Bücker “Jungmeister”.  She dates back to the mid 1930′s when she was designed for single seat aerobatics. She quickly achieved legendary status, becoming unbeatable in competition due to its unrivalled handling characteristics and agility. The performance so impressed the German Luftwaffe that by 1938 she had become their standard advanced trainer.

From the 1936 Berlin Olympics onwards (the first and only time aerobatics has been performed as an Olympic sport), this classic biplane swept the boards at every International competition. One of the first aeroplanes was ferried across the Atlantic in the Hindenburg airship to compete in events round America, such as the 1937 Cleveland Air Races. The Jungmeister went on to spearhead the rapid growth of the North American airshow scene.

Alex, who performs aerobatics in a variety of aircraft, says that the Jungmeister still compares well to newer types even though she is  almost 80 years old!

For more information on Alex and the Jungmeister see http://incomparablejungmeister.weebly.com/index.html

To watch the video click on the Video Podcast tab above or click here.

Following on from the success last year in 2012 the show will move to a two day format on September 1st and 2nd at Oxford Airport.

Oxford Revival will be on the Saturday and the Oxford Festival of Flight on the Sunday.

The plans over the two days include:

The list of ‘non-flying’ attractions are now being finalised. This is the latest list…

Traders Village

Old Fashioned fairground rides

Lookalikes – Hercule Poirot, Wills and Kate,

Re-enactors in 1940 period costume

Military Vehicles

Classic cars and bikes (X 100)

Helicopter rides

Classic Flight leisure rides

Period Photography

Affordable Fashion Fair – vintage clothing and accessories

John Miller Orchestra

Youth Theatre ‘Guys & Dolls’

Static Aircraft display (x 24)

Air display aircraft on the ground

Catering: Churchill Club, Spitfire Club, Hurricane Hampers

Bars

Ice cream

One of the stars of the Fly to The Past airshow in Oxfordshire on August 21st will be an appearance and display by the last remaining airworthy Vulcan bomber.

I was fortunate enough to be able to interview Robert Pleming,  the CEO of the Charity that is behind the rescue and restoration of it. It has been an amazing effort with a target to keep flying until its 60th anniversary in 2012.