Aerobatic Gallery

Tipsy T.66 Nipper Mk.III G-AVKT

Tipsy Nipper Mk.III G-AVKT (msn 70), prototype of the Mark III, at an air display in the Netherlands, circa 1969, parked next to Le Manchots (the Penguins) aerobatic display team. On 19 August 1972 the aircraft was taking part in a display in which it was to attempt to cut paper streamers; these were carried in the form of toilet rolls in the cockpit and were dropped by the pilot. The first rolls were dropped when the aircraft was 800 feet above the ground and these were successfully cut. Another roll was dropped from only 200 feet and the pilot attempted to turn back to cut the streamer in the limited height remaining as it unfurled. With power on, the nose of the aircraft was seen to rise and a steep turn was started to the left; bank was seen to increase to 75 degrees when the nose dropped and the aircraft dived steeply into the ground, killing the pilot. Date: circa 1969

© The Peter Butt Aviation Collection / Mary Evans A The Peter Butt Aviation Collection / Mary Evans

United States Air Force - Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star

United States Air Force - Lockheed T-33A-1-LO Shooting Star 51-4076 (msn 580-5370) of the USAF Thunderbirds aerobatic team. 1952: USAF 3530th PTW. Support hack for the Thunderbirds acrobatic team. 9 November 1961: Struck off charge at AMARC, Davis-Monthan Air Base. Date: circa 1961

© The Peter Butt Aviation Collection / Mary Evans

1952, 1961, 3530th, 51 4076, 580 5370, Acrobatic, Aerobatic, Air, Amarc, Base, Charge, Circa, Davis Monthan, Force, Hack, Lockheed, Msn, November, Ptw, Shooting, Star, States, Struck, Support, T 33a 1 Lo, Team, Thunderbirds, United, Usaf