Page 5 - December 2019

It is especially great to have Sonja here to be
reunited with KDN as well as seeing the original Cup
again after so many years. Sonja has also brought
her “keeper’ Cup.

It is a smaller version of the original that she was
allowed to keep. While the original Cup has Pat’s
name and race date engraved on it, Sonja’s has
KDN’s registration and the winning speed also
engraved on it. This is the first time Karen and I have
ever seen these trophies and we are very excited to
see them together with KDN. We have a very nice
day visiting with Sonja and the other pilots listing to
them exchange racing stories.
ADVENTURES WITH G-AKDN
We are also looking forward to entering this years
CHAPTER 21 BY DAVE GILLESPIE
Kings Cup race with KDN. It is unlikely we will
achieve the speed of Sonja and Pat but it will be a
rewarding experience just to have KDN participating
63 years after her first win. I don’t know if there is
another airplane that will have that distinction. As
we will see, the racing is sometimes the easiest part
of the event.

Pat Fillingham holding The Kings Cup with Sonja at his side.
1953
The slim streamlined silver Chipmunk G-AKDN streaked
across the finish line winning the 1953 Kings Cup Air
Race at a speed of 140 mph. Piloted by deHavilland test
pilot Pat Fillingham with his wife Sonja navigating. Now
63 years later KDN wearing it’s wining race number 54, is
reunited with her Navigator Sonja Fillingham and the To be continued….
original Kings Cup Trophy!

Karen and I have flown KDN to Kemble Airfield on the
Eastern side of The Cotswolds for the Kings Cup reunion.
There are many other aircraft flying in today that also “A pilot who says he has never been
share the prize of winning the Cup. It is amazing to see frightened in an airplane is, I’m afraid,
the wide range of types that have their names engraved
on the trophy. The weather has been typical UK summer lying.” — Louise Thaden
with rain. I believe this has limited some from attending,
but we are surprised at the ones that do make the effort
are the older vintage types as opposed to the modern
ones that are more recent winners.