Staff from 621 VGS displayed an aircraft at a Buckingham Palace Garden Party as part of Project YOU – Youth Organisations in Uniform.
The aircraft was transported in its trailer through Central London to Wellington Barracks, where the funeral of Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe, the most senior British Army officer to die in action since the Falklands, was taking place in the Wellington Barracks chapel.
Due to the arrival on Lynx helicopter, set to land into the area designated for the Project YOU parking, the entry time was delayed and so the land rover and trailer proceeded to circuit St James’s Park until entry was permitted.
After security checks in Wellington Barracks the time came when the assembled organisations were called forward to the Palace. With the Queen in residence entry had to be through the tight Electricians Gate on the Southern side of the gardens. This required the trailer to be decoupled and some pushing and shoving of the trailer by hand in order to negotiate the tight corner.
Once in the aircraft was rigged on the grass in front of the rear steps of the Palace. The concerns of the watching grounds keepers had already been foreseen and special pads had been made to spread the weight of the aircraft fuselage dolly wheels so as not to damage the Royal lawn. After rigging the trailer was hidden out of sight by the garden shed and the aircraft was pushed to the bottom of the garden to form the centrepiece of the Air Cadet display.
During the early part of the day several hundred people from the participating youth organisations spent time visiting the stands with local dignitaries. Lunch was served consisting of, amongst other items, tea and cucumber sandwiches. With the sun shining ice-cream tubs were offered to guests on silver platters.
On time, HRH Price on Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall entered the garden and the national anthem was played. He then proceeded to tour the various organisations stands. On arriving at the Air Cadet stand Sqn Ldr Dave Woolcock introduced the Viking with FSC Ellie Nicholls, Flt Lt Brian House, Flt Lt Nick Blake and myself Plt Off Phil Woods. With Ellie sat in the aircraft, both Charles and Camilla took an interest in the aircraft before being introduced to cadets from Middlesex wing.
At the end of the event, the displays needed to be cleared within the hour. Care was taken as there was little room to manoeuvre the aircraft, being possibly the biggest single item, between the other organisations equipment back into the trailer. Departing through the Electricians Gate required the same effort as entering, as well as the traffic being stopped to allow the combination to pass round a set of bollards in the centre of the carriageway.
Pausing only for a quick photo taken passing the corner of the Palace the aircraft was transported back to Hullavington before the staff proceeded to join the RIAT detachment.
