AFTER yet another outstanding Bournemouth Air Festival and one that included an impressive flypast of a rare Catalina flying boat G-PBYA, Miss Pickup, members of the Poole Flying Boat Celebration (PFBC) joined the pilots and plane at Hurn Airport to celebrate the era of flying boats and the 70th anniversary of RAF Hamworthy.

Captain Paul Mulcahy and co-pilot John Warman joined the festivities which emphasised the key role of Bournemouth and Poole in the development of aviation, in particular flying boats.

RAF Hamworthy has been active in Poole since 1942 and initially operated a squadron of Catalinas. These, together with the BOAC, civilianised Sunderland flying boats, creating a strategic hub in Poole Harbour .

Whilst the PFBC are actively researching this valuable heritage before it disappears into the mist of time they are taking opportunities to publicise this history through plaques and storyboards around Poole Harbour as well as undertaking a range of projects to engage and stimulate a broad range of local schools and organisations.

We would like to thank the Daily Echo and Mark Smith of Bournemouth council for making the Air Festival such a memorable event.

DAVID WAKEFORD MBE, PFBC Trustee