is hoping to land a place in the Guinness Book of Records by flying the world's largest model aircr

by Maxine Gordon

YORKSHIRE'S only air show is hoping to land a place in the Guinness Book of Records by flying the world's largest model aircraft at next month's event.

Judges from the prestigious records book will be on hand at the Elvington Air Show to confirm history in the making.

Organisers of the Evening Press-sponsored air spectacular - which takes off on August 29 and runs until Bank Holiday Monday - are bringing a giant model of the Boeing B29 Superfortress which dropped atomic bombs on Japan.

The two B29s Enola Gay and Bockscar were only used in the Japanese theatre.

They dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, effectively bringing an end to the war.

A guest of honour at the show will be Colonel Fred Olivi who co-piloted the Bockscar during the raid on Nagasaki.

The quarter-scale model of the B29 has a 34-ft wing span and is currently in Belgium. Its appearance at Elvington will be its first time in England.

Dave Tappin, organising the air show, said: "It is a real scoop. The B29 is the biggest remote-controlled model in the world.

"The Guinness Book of Records people are coming to validate it while it is over in England."

Mr Tappin said the model was incredibly high-tech, with the monitoring equipment on a par with that used in Formula One racing. He said: "It has ground to air telemetry so people on the ground can take readings of its electronic systems while it is in the air."

The model is powered by four 160cc four-cylinder petrol engines.

Besides an extensive display of model aircraft, the show will also have a collection of rare bombers from the Second World War. And to make sure there is fun for all the family, there will be fairgrounds, amusements, go-karts and helicopter rides available too.

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