A Cody Summer Social – the West Tistead Airfield Fly-In 

On a slightly dubious weather weekend in early July, some faithful members of the ‘De Havilland Group’ (the group of Cody members who originally visited the De Havilland Museum as part of a Cody social last winter) were persuaded to join the Commodore to visit a light aircraft Fly-In at West Tistead Airfield just alongside the A32 in Hampshire near his home. 

As the weather during the morning was rather ‘iffy’ the aircraft didn’t really start arriving in earnest until about lunchtime, at which point the weather started to improve quite markedly to the point that by about 4pm it was a lovely sunny afternoon. Cody members who made it were Rob B (Commodore), Simon M (Rear Commodore), Stephen D (Committee member and Social Secretary) and Jackie D, who (rumour has it) was rather dubious of whether the trip to a rather obscure green field in the middle of a wood in Hampshire would be worthwhile. But she still managed to let out an excited ‘lots of planes’ shout when she finally rounded the corner of the wood and saw the assembly of wonderful old and new light aircraft lined up in the field. There was also a vintage car display, made up mostly of Morgans from a local Morgan Owners Club. 

 Whilst there were about 30 aircraft at the peak, and many of them De Havillands of various types, including a rare Leopard Moth, the star of the show was undoubtedly a superb bright yellow Boeing Stearman that flew in in the mid-afternoon. In between admiring the aircraft and keeping Ann’s dog Cara (being expertly looked after for the day by Simon) from chewing bits off the aircraft, we availed ourselves of the laid-on refreshments of coffee and cake and sat in the lovely evening sunshine watching the various aircraft come and go. 

In all, a nice way to spend a sunny summers’ afternoon in the convivial company of other Cody aviation enthusiasts (our history is, after all, from the Royal Aircraft Establishment Sailing Club) especially given the poor start to the day.

The picture is of 4 aircraft, all of De Havilland lineage, lined up in a row in the dispersal field of the airstrip: Puss MothTiger MothChipmunk, Puss Moth. 

Rob B