A 'Gopro' flight with a 1947 Tipsy Trainer out of Bicester Airfield, UK. The Tipsy is accompanied by a Piper J3-65 'Cub' of USAAF specification.
The Tipsy Trainer is a small sports two-seat monoplane. Designed in 1935 as a private project by the manager of Avions Fairey, E.O.Tips, it It was built under licence in Belgium by Avions Fairey and the UK. It first flew in 1937 with a total of 42 being built.
Early examples were prone to tip stalling with little warning, this was addressed with design modification in later examples. A few are still flying.
The Piper J-3 Cub shares the same production years with the Tipsy Trainer. The aircraft's standard chrome yellow paint has come to be known as "Cub Yellow" or "Lock Haven Yellow" after the city of manufacture.
The military variant is distinguishable by the Plexiglas 'greenhouse' for improved visibility. It was used extensively in World War II for reconnaissance, transporting supplies, artillery spotting duties, and medical evacuation of wounded soldiers.
Filming was undertaken over the former RAF Bicester airfield, noted as one of the best preserved 'Expansion Era' bases. Formerly a Wellington and Halifax bomber base, it retained a grass runway such that, unable to handle later RAF operational aircraft the original buildings saw no later modernisation or addition of modern buildings.
The music (the very sudden end is original and not an edit error- ed) is Mammagamma by 'The Alan Parsons Project'. I have been unable to establish who currently owns Publishing/Licencing rights and would be grateful if anyone can advise.
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