Here we go then, the final chapter!
We leap forward a couple of hundred miles to rejoin the aircraft at Halifax NS following the relatively short hop from St John's.
Canadian CP-107 Argus, 10734
Poor weather had delayed the pair for a couple of days, but once airborne, the pilots were determined to enjoy a decent view of the Canadian wilderness.
It was during this leg (near Cape Cod) that Phil was at about 1,000ft when flew over a US Coast Guard Grumman Albatross which was just taking off from the water!
To add a unique moment to the end of the trip, a meeting up had been arranged between the solo pilot of the other Fennec and an old friend who was serving in the US Army. The Fennecs flew along the Eastern Seaboard to Atlantic City and then turned north with the Huey in tow, using the distinctive sandy peninsular of Sandy Hook as a navigation aid.
Shortly afterwards, the formation split and the two Fennecs continued north to New Jersey.
Turning finals for Newark Liberty with the Newark Bay Bridge in the background
The local authorities came out in force to meet the new arrivals
During the flight over Canada, the solo Fennec unintentionally collected a souvenir of the flight - the top of a snow-covered pine tree which the aircraft had hit with one of the underwing tanks
And it's at this point that Phil and the two pilots parted ways with the Fennecs as a series of paperwork wrangles took some time to sort out. Neither eventually made it to Honduras and ended up as warbirds on the civil register.
Here's a couple of bonus items:
A view of Phil's Fennec taken from the Huey during the flight along Sandy Hook
And here's Phil taking some cinefilm of the Huey taking a picture of him...
|Hope you've enjoyed this tale of derring-do! There might be another along soon...