A couple of old bits of paper...

[Techy111]

what size engine is in that pup

Joe

Now if i remember rightly Joe.....Its about 12cc..........

Sorry Peter... :roll: ...Next time your in London mate pop in for a cuppa and a chat..... ;-)

Tony

[Nigel H-J]

Wonderful Peter, a very interesting read. Incidentally, that newspaper article was printed on my ninth birthday

Gawd, doesn't time fly!! :o

Nigel.

[Macs]

Keep 'em posting Peter!
regards,
Macs

[Rick Piper]

Hi Peter

Wow what a superb job you did saving all this stuff to go with your personal memories

Brilliant reading and i love every single one mate.

Regards
Rick

[Nigel H-J]

Now this could be viewed as a silly question Peter but had you stayed in the RAF a bit longer, would you have been tempted to apply for a position with the Red Arrows or in those early days was it by invitation? Just curious.

Nigel.

[Trev Clark]

I am pretty sure that in those days, you had to be QFI and serving with a unit like CFS or at least be in Training Command who operated the Red Arrows until the advent of Strike Command. As far as I know, Peter remained at the 'sharp end' and a possible posting to one of the famous Hunter aerobatic squadrons like 111 Sqn, the Black Arrows, would have been more on the cards. I am sure Peter will enlightnen us.
I am glad you like like your new Smart, Peter (600cc turbo BTW), when I had mine we all used to wave at each other or flash headlights when we passed another one. I am afraid those days are long gone. It was the most fun car I have ever owned.

[petermcleland]

Trev,

Mine is a slightly later model (last year) so it has the 700cc Turbo engine which has 61 BHP.

Red Arrows was by invitation and a gruelling selection procedure. One of my mates on 208 Squadron in Kenya (Dinga Bell) managed to get in the Reds and stayed for four or five seasons. You would need to be currently flying on a squadron in UK or perhaps a QFI in UK I think. I was never really in either of those positions...My squadron flying was 2nd TAF and Kenya and Arabian Peninsula and I was never a QFI but a PAI. My formation aerobatics was always in four ship Squadron teams 2nd TAF (266 Squadron) and Arabian Peninsula (208 Squadron) and can not really be compared to the Professional performance of the Red Arrows. We were Squadron pilots first and we did the Formation and Solo aerobatics displays as a secondary sideline, with a minimum workup period just prior to each display...Needless to say I would have loved to have flown with the Red Arrows

Edit...Trev, we Smart owners still wave at each other

[petermcleland]

Hi Peter
I had to do a search on what one of those looked like..
:o ...<<<<<< that was my responce to seeing the picture of it on google

85mph?????

geez Id never have guessed
what size engine is in that pup

Joe...It is a 698 cc Turbocharged engine and is a two seater with six gears manual or fully automatic as I wish :flying:

[petermcleland]

Now this could be viewed as a silly question Peter but had you stayed in the RAF a bit longer, would you have been tempted to apply for a position with the Red Arrows or in those early days was it by invitation? Just curious.

Nigel...See my answer to Trev above :flying:

BTW...I have the original four photographs that were merged to make that newspaper shot and also a fifth shot further round the loop as we were pulling tip streamers:-

[Filonian]

[quote="petermcleland"]Trev,

Mine is a slightly later model (last year) so it has the 700cc Turbo engine which has 61 BHP. /quote]

Ah, one of those "cut & forgot to shut" jobs Peter.