Vimy Sightings

Here are some comments entered by people who have seen the Vimy in flight or at an air show or other event. Please email the webmaster@vimy.org with any Vimy sightings.

Best wishes to Steve and Mark - Thank you for reminding us that "Passion is always reason." Godspede and tailwinds!
Tom Claytor - Bush Pilot - 7 Continents Expedition
The Explorers Club - New York, USA

Chris Holombo from Mountain View, CA , USA, who visited on 6/6/2002 and learned about this site from A Search Engine, said:

Yesterday, June 5, 2002, my wife and I were driving north on Highway 280 near Woodside, Ca, when we saw the Vimy flying towards us, then turning east over Woodside and disappearing behind nearby hills. Later, while hiking at Filoli (a preserved estate near Woodside) we saw it fly overhead and heard its unique sound. I had previously read about it in Sport Aviation and National Geographic but never seen it and had no idea it was around. It was a real thrill and treat to see such a magnificent plane in the air. (A note of interest; this sighting followed by only four days sightings of the B-24 and B-17 that visited Moffet Field on June 1-3. Three obsolete but great aircraft flying in the same area in 4 days.)

Watch the Vimy fly into and out of the airport by the Pomona Fairplex in Pomona, California while we were working the Pomona Auto Swap in the middle of July. What a wonderful and fantastic experience to see it flying. Just couldn't believe it. Thanks for the opportunity.

I was able to see and hear about the project for the first time this year at Osh Kosh (2001). Very impressive. Not being a pilot I can't even imagine what it is like to go here and there in this aircraft. I'm sure all is not perfect in an endeavor such as this but the good times must make up for the uncomfortable times many times over. I hope that things can work out so that flying/appearance schedules can be published. Keep it flying!!! God be with you... ( I WANT A RIDE!)

6 AUG 2001

I viewed the Vimy in flight approximately at 14:30 HRS today heading in a southwest direction over the San Gabriel Valley area of southern California. I heard the unique sound of the engines first, then glanced upward, and to my amazement, observed the twin engine biplane flying at an incredibly "slow" speed. I thought it was a homebuilt "ultralight" and didn't pay too much attention until I drove by the El Monte Airport around 15:45 HRS and "saw" the Vimy parked and tethered there. What an "awesome" sight!! I stopped, took some pictures, and briefly spoke with the pilot, who in turn, gave me the web site for the Vimy. It's not every day that one has the opportunity to witness the world's largest "homebuilt" airworthy biplane in flight, but also to see it on the ground and appreciate the enormous size of the beautifully built aircraft. I'm glad I had the opportunity to take some precious photos of the "vivid reminder" of one of man's greatest invention -- the incredible flying machine!!
Good luck with the Transatlantic flight tentatively scheduled for June of 2002.

Sincerely,

Donald E. Hewko
(El Monte, CA)

3rd visit to guest book. Happy to see the website again. Feel privileged to have seen the Silver Queen at two locations in July. Saw her in flight at Topeka-Forbes, KS on 22 July, Oshkosh several times and Topeka-Forbes on 31 July on her way back to CA. Saw her take-off at OSH for Iowa on 30 July. I have a picture in my camera of her take-off there; the EAA B-17 was in the same picture. I got back home in Lawrence in time to see her land at Topeka-Forbes on 31 July.
Queen fans should rally in her support to help change engines before next June or July for the trans-Atlantic flight. What BMW has done to the project is pure cussedness, a bean counters lack of imagination and vision. It is ugly!!! I understand BMW didn't even want out gracefully as evidenced by a lawsuit!!
I hope a group of engine installation designers and mechanics volunteer to make the engine change to Orenda or other new engine. The Orenda 600HP looks like the answer to a lot of the marginal performance issues with the airplane and it is a reasonable change from original Vimy materials and design. Such a change also makes the next phase of duplication of historical flights more likely to get a government clearance. It would be hard for Vimy to do a "Wrong Way Corrigan flight" if a clearance to fly the Atlantic was denied.
Vimy fans and BMW Rider fans ought to bombard BMW management with protests re their vicious attack on the Vimy Project!!! Product Liability concerns that have been raised by BMW management, after all that has been done since the flight to Australia, are unfounded.
Glenn Woodmancy-EAA member, Lawrence, KS

Sunday, I saw the report on your trip to Oshkosh in the July 12 AV-Web and clicked to your site from there. I was happy to see that you would be overnighting at Flabob Airport near my home in Redlands. I hopped in the car and drove right over. Most of the hoopla had died down and only a few people were still around but that did nothing to detract from the joy of seeing this airplane. You have done an incredible job of recreating a historic aircraft. Congratulations!

I am only sorry I did not get to see it in flight!

Jim Spee
Redlands, California

saw your bird at bracket this last sunday, didn't know what it was, but my, what an impressive work.

While at a pool party on Saturday July 14th, I heard this slow moving buzzing sound and looked up to see the Vimy in beautiful flight. I was dumbfounded to see this plane flying, because I thought they were only in books that I had read as an adolescent. I excitedly pointed it out to everyone around and told them what it was! It brought history alive for us all. Thanks!

I work at Gnoss Field in the airport manager's office. I have seen the Vimy in the pattern and in its hangar on many occasions dating back to May 2001. It is a most impressive looking airplane and when you are up close the size of it amazes you.

The first time I walked into the hangar I met John who was very gracious in giving me the full tour.

Saw it yesterday evening doing a touch and go and Gnoss,while we were holding short of the runway...amazing sight!!..keep it up!!

I was sorry to miss the Vimy at the EAA gathering in Oshkosh, WI, in July. I was hoping I might see it at Gnoss field when I passed through Novato, CA, in September. I actually found the hangar where it is kept, but the hangar was closed and nobody was there. I only got to see the Vimy through a crack in the door. Better luck next year, I hope.

For those who are looking for a Vimy model, there is a web site that sells models and publications: www.greatmodels.com/ where you can see and order their products. They have a 1/72 scale model of the Vimy made by Maquette Models. Also, they sell a book from Albatros Publications titled "Vickers Vimy" by J.M. Bruce.

I have watched the plane being built and later test flown. You did your test time the same time I was doing the test time on my Starduster II. John is a great craftsman and I enjoy seeing his work.

Walking with the kids at the Ballard locks in June, looked up and said to the wife and my 3 year old "that plane has the same name as us". (no direct relation, BTW)

My son and I were working in the yard on a rainy Sunday, in Kelso, Washington. I noticed a very unusual sound of an airplane overhead. I hear many differnt small planes every day and this drew my attention because of its unusal sound.

I looked up and saw a large, unusaul biplane lumbering slowing against a strong headwind below a low cloud cover. Calling my son to observe what I seen he enthusiatically noted that this must be the "Vimy" that he read about in a recent National Geographic.

It was a memorial moment to see such a vivid reminder of the past flying overhead.

It stopped everyone on the Dolphin Point beaches of Vashon Island 6/11/00 as the twin engine biplane very slowly lumbered westward, climbing hesitantly through rain under a low ceiling. It was obvious it was rare, but it wasn't until reading the National Geographic that night that its uniqueness was clear. Thanks to the Vimy project for getting the aircraft around the world for us all to see, in action none-the-less.

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