FighterControl

On Friday 13th I did my usual thing and went along to Duxford for a preview of arrivals and practise displays prior to the Battle-of-Britain airshow over the weekend. Well worthwhile - less than half the cost of a weekend ticket and without the crowds, albeit with lots of like-minded photographers. I was very pleased, and fortunate, to be able to photograph the elusive Tempest which was only outside for about twenty minutes, while it was towed from the Aircraft Restoration Co hangars to another hangar in the middle of the airfield.

A couple of shots of the Tempest here plus the visiting Saab B17 and a rare Aeronca L-3C Grasshopper in USArmy marks.ticflickr.com/65535/53996567203_7fa7f41587_h.jpg[/img][/url]PR533/5R-V (MW763, G-TEMT) Tempest II, in RAF/33 Squadron markings, Duxford 13-09[url=https://flic.kr/p/2qgtijq]PR533/5R-V (MW763, G-TEMT) Tempest II, RAF-33 Squadron mks, Duxford 13-09-24 by John Hughes, on Flickr-24[/url] by 17239/F7-J (SE-BYH) Saab B17A ex-Swedish AF, Duxford 13-09-24 by John Hughes, on Flickrhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/59726808@N03/]John Hughes[/url], on FlickrPR533/5R-V (MW763, G-TEMT) Tempest II, in RAF/33 Squadron markings, Duxford 13-09-24 by John Hughes, on Flickr

Nice selection of shots, still not seen the Tempest, maybe one day. Thanks for sharing these with us.

It is elusive... it was hiding in a hangar during last weekend's BofB show. I caught it during the end-of-show reshuffle though. The programme did list it in the line-up, as flying with the P-47 and F8F but that spot was taken by the Fury ISS instead. I guess they need to do more testing first.

TempestII by Jelle Hieminga, on Flickr

Unfortunately, I think its a bit more complicated than just test flying.

I had a chat with someone from Duxford in July. The early Centaurus has different magnetos to the later ones as on the Sea Fury etc, the early ones are quite problematic and unreliable. I'd have thought if it was possible they'd fit the later magnetos to the Tempest so perhaps there's still work to do to get the reliability up to scratch.

Lovely pics of a lovely aircraft.