Phil Duckett RIP

[gwoof]

It is with great sadness that I pass on the very sad news that Phil has passed away. He was found in his home last Saturday. At present nothing further is known, I will let you know when further details are known.

History and memories was the only place I could think to post this. Phil was there when I joined MAS in 1972. We toured Europe and the US in the '80s and while I did less after getting married Phil carried on spotting anywhere and everywhere.

He leaves the spotting world a lonelier place.

Ian Powell

[Deleted]

I'm so sorry to hear this. I knew Phil well in the mid-70s to early 1980s, when we were both on the MAS committee. He often used to give me a lift home after the meetings, dropping me off in Aigburth Road, while he went up Barkhill, back to Rose Lane. I also went on a couple of day trips with him - notably my first visit to Duxford in 1976 after the Viscount G-ALWF had arrived there. We also saw a deployment of USAF F-100 Super Sabres at RAF Lakenheath. Good times, great aircraft!

RIP, Phil.

Dave

[GHB]

Very sad news indeed. Went on several purges with Phil , and had many a jolly drink in the Coach and Horses, Childwall Abbey and Falstaff. A gentleman and a friend.
R.I.P Phil

[calflier]

Sad news indeed,I had not seen Phil for many years,but I remember a purge in the Volkswagen Beetle he had at the time,around East Anglia in the 1970,s,We camped out in the beer garden of a pub near Woodbridge, I think !,Then the next morning when we were driving away,an emergency stop was made,He had put an old coat over the engine of the Beetle to keep out the moisture during the night and forgot about it,needless to say it was chewed up into the engine,we we cut it out after about an hour,great times.
RIP phil.

[gerrymanning]

So sad as he was far too young to have died. I remember him well once giving him a lift back from an airshow at Valley in the 1970s. He once told me that he had seen all the RAF's Harriers except one that was preserved.... in Beijing!!

[bulldog]

It is always very tragic when friends pass away ,especially so when suddenly and at (like many of us) a relatively young age. My memories of Phil are numerous but I fondly remember his old blue VW Beetle when with four up and a full tank wouldn't go up hills at more than about 20mph. Burn off some fuel and it managed a bit more. Now he has passed to the airfield in the sky we can remember him and others when we look up in pursuit of our hobby.
On a more serious note I have been asked to let everyone know that the funeral is to be held on Friday 21st March at 1.00pm at Widnes Crematorium.

Goodbye old friend

Clive

[viscount]

Went to pay my personal 'farewell' to Phil this afternoon and was very pleased to meet up with several one-time MAS members at the Crematorium doing the same.

I'd overlooked that my association with Phil extended right back to Hillfoot Hey schooldays in the late '60s. I got to know Phil best in the halcyon MAS days of the '70s and into the mid '80s on coach trips, sales stalls, book sales, working together on the MAS Committee and "purges". I well recall a fortnight camping with Phil and John Downey on a trip that took in RIAT Greenham Common, St Mawgan, Woodbridge and Coventry Air Displays plus 51 other airfield and museum locations in August 1976. Glorious memories of a golden summer.

Although I rather lost track of Phil after his move to Yorkshire, whenever we did meet it was as though only weeks, not years had passed. We last met a few years back at a MAS reunion at the (then) Marriott Terminal Hotel. Friendly, knowledgeable, sharing; but a very private person too.

The service at Widnes this afternoon took-in his lifelong interest in anything aviation. Neil reminded us of trips far and wide around Britain, Europe and the USA. One particular trip shared by Neil and Phil to Prestwick to watch a night-time delivery was related and we were reminded of the long hours as 'spotters' we sit waiting in fields and car parks in hope that something unusual would drop-in and make our day! Phil was certainly well travelled in search of military aviation and football - LFC have lost a life-time devotee too at home, and away in Europe.

Precious memories, thanks Phil, God speed and blue skies.

Brian.


PS Neil, should you read this, can you drop me a PM please.

[gwoof]

It was a shame to meet many old friends under such sad circumstances yesterday. Grateful for the opportunity to say goodbye to Phil.

Brian, not sure if Neil is a member here but I've emailed him your message.

Ian

[bulldog]

The service and people present yesterday reminded us ageing spotters how precious those days were we all had together in the heyday of the MAS. Memories that none of us will ever lose, as was said Phil has passed on from this life but to those of us who had the privilege of knowing him well he will live on when we recall those halcyon days.

As I have said on a previous occasion I have a powerpoint of the history of the MAS which John Downey compiled many years ago. I watched this again yesterday and it brought back many memories.

If anybody wants a copy making please pm me and I will make them one.

Clive

[johnoakes]

As a former MSAE committee member from the 60s I would love to have the power point--its difficult to link faces to names as you get older but the memories of those days and the friendship does not fade.
Ron and I have been mates for well over 50 years now and I suspect many other on this forum have similar long lived friendships.

Its sad to realise that our oldest friends are going to join the great airport balcony in the sky someday---hopefully not too soon.

Hope they save me a chair by the steps and out of the wind--only old balcony spotters will appreciate that LOL

e mail address [e-mail]

Thanks in anticipation.
John

who--- on the hangar stained window--- was the one who painted himself and the floor--LOL--happy days.

[grmben]

Only recently read about Phil Duckett while looking around to see what happened to MSAE since I left Liverpool in 1972.
As a teenage plane spotter in the mid-60s/early 70s, I spent many hours on the old balcony sitting with Phil and his big old radio. I remember a gentle, friendly soul and I'm sure he introduced me to the old clubhouse where we'd spend many Sunday afternoons being tolerated and sometimes entertained by George Jones slide shows. Phil and I did once hitchhike from Liverpool to a Cranfield air show one sunny day in '69 or '70. We walked the last few miles, explored the deserted display show tents in the early evening (liberating a few soft drink bottles on the way). We slept by the side of the road, watched many arrivals the next morning then got the bus to Luton airport where we spent the next night before returning home. He was just very good company with no 'side' at all. I went off to University in '71, my family moved back down south and I lost touch with old spotters.
I can't recall the MSAE trips I might have gone on but do recall one which I think was organised by a guy called Geoff Greavey(?) who went on to become an air traffic controller. That coach trip involved early morning calls to East Midlands, Northolt, Heathrow, Gatwick and probably others but it's all a bit vague now.