No live Birthday Flypast! Well done BBC! [Archive]

Julian Hensey

16th Jun 2007, 12:14

Isn't it shameful when the BBC reporter has not educated himself about what is in the flypast.. get this....

"and here come, erm well I think they are tornados, I am not an aircraft spotter"

"oh these are the eurofighters"

"and now we have nine aircraft in formation let's see they must be....."

duh

"yes they are the red arrows"

Someone should take him outside and remove him for not at least reading up about what he was commentating on - so much for promoting british industry! (no wonder Prince Charles said "he really is an awful person") :D

BEagle

16th Jun 2007, 12:19

Well, they just did a nice flypast of BEagle Towers!

9(?) EuropHoons

VC10 + F3s

Nirmod + GR4s

Thanks all!! I'm sure that HM was impressed.

electric.sheep

16th Jun 2007, 12:35

Excellent flypast, good to see the hardworking helicopter crews being acknowlegded by being included in the formation. :bored:

Roland Pulfrew

16th Jun 2007, 12:57

Well I had to pop out of the re-opening of my local to see the flypast. It was p!ss!ing it down but got a fab view of the VC10 and Tornado 5-ship. Missed but heard other elements. Told the landlady that I had organised a flypast for the reopening;). Thanks all, lovely to see, but still didn't get me a free beer. Well done to all involved and, as per normal, shame on the BBC!
Beags what is a Nirmod?;)

AC Ovee

16th Jun 2007, 13:03

Witchell referred to the 6 Typhoons as Tornados, at first, then called them Eurofighters. He called the VC10 and F3 Tornados as a Nimrod with Jaguars. When the Nimrod and the Tornado GR4s then flew by they were, "Well, here we have some other aircraft." Finally, the Reds were identified correctly only because, "The red, white and blue plumes can only come from the Red Arrows." Absolutely awful commentary.

niknak

16th Jun 2007, 13:23

Playing the Devil's Advocate, I wonder how much this complete and utter waste of service time and money cost?

Planning, time and commitment by all involved, practice plus the day itself.

Compare this with the present cutbacks and what our service personnel of all ranks are having to suffer at the cost of real lives in real conflicts, I am staggered beyond belief that the whole event went ahead.

I am a great supporter of the monarchy, but the if the Royals had any spine or backbone, they would have cancelled today.

Perhaps the top neddies who run the armed services were too cowardly to even suggest such a thing, no change in policy there then...:rolleyes::ugh:

aviate1138

16th Jun 2007, 13:27

AC Ovee said finally.....
"Absolutely awful commentary."
Aviate1138 observes....
Seeing as Mr Witchell had little else to comment on he should be given a huge rocket for his unprofessional presentation. The Royals had it right when one was heard to say "That dreadful man!" And he is a Ginger!!! Ooops so are some Royals!!! ;)
BBC never fire, they promote instead........ :(
Aviate 1138

Radar Command T/O

16th Jun 2007, 13:28

Nice to see my enforced annual £135.50 is being spent on a quality service. :ugh:

The Helpful Stacker

16th Jun 2007, 14:08

BEagle

16th Jun 2007, 14:21

"Beags what is a Nirmod?;)"

A bit like a Coemt, but rather more war-like!!

Union Jack

16th Jun 2007, 14:36

So far as I am aware, the flypast is not shown live as part of the Trooping because of the gap between HM leaving Horse Guards and reaching the balcony at BP. Hence its inclusion at the end of the BBC2 precis of the Trooping, which will be on tonight between 1755 and 1910.

Pity that BBC could not have mentioned that the flypast would be on BBC News 24 at the end of the Trooping, and double pity about the poor commentary.

Sounds like BEagle got the best deal - I'd love to have seen a Nirmod!:)

Jack

hobie

16th Jun 2007, 15:26

It's times like this you miss Raymond Baxter .....

Cremeegg

16th Jun 2007, 15:47

Sadly the Beeb dispensed with his services long long before he left us. The "quality" of the commentary was just awful - lets start a campaign to get Witchell on a shopping channel where he belongs or back to Loch Ness to write another book about the monster.

LOTA

16th Jun 2007, 15:51

I dread to think what the BBC might do with tomorrow's Falklands fly-past;

Maybe they should get Brian Hanrahan on the case; he won't be able to tell us what the aircraft are but at least he should be able to count them as they fly past!:)

Tigs2

16th Jun 2007, 17:10

Witchell was absolutely rubbish during his so called commentary. HM should insist that he is not permitted to cover any Royal events at all. He did not deserve a penny for his work (said in the loosest possible terms) today.
I hope Raymond Baxter was looking away or otherwise busy in the big crewroom in the sky!

Edited so that i wouldn't have 'Raymond' turning in his grave also!

hobie

16th Jun 2007, 18:57

T2 ..... "Raymond" ;)

There is a fine photo of him here ....

http://www.answers.com/topic/raymond-baxter

lowlypax

16th Jun 2007, 19:54

Some video taken from the tail turret of the Lancaster during the fly past from the BBC web site here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_6760000/newsid_6760300?redirect=6760395.stm&news=1&bbwm=1&nbram=1&bbram=1&nbwm=1

Chugalug2

16th Jun 2007, 20:05

Well I suppose Pprune regs require posts on this thread to be restricted to the RAF flypast coverage (and well done one and all for as always an excellent show despite the conditions), but the whole Beeb annual production of this ceremony has been digging itself into a rut for the last few years. The real problem is that no one in the Beeb has served, knows anything about the forces other than an instinctive resentment of the waste of resources spent on them, and think that their street cred relies on displaying a haughty ignorance of anything military. So last year we had the Equine Correspondent wittering away as though it were a gymkhana, and this year a Vox Pop with Brownies Cubs and NOK in the crowd by a new Beeb lad spewing total insincerity on how impressed he was with the music, the marching and even the height of a bearskin wearing Captain (pan right to unimpressed subject officer). Next year I suspect some bubbly lass will be wandering through the ranks sticking a mike in front of those parading and wanting to know just how does it feel marching in front of the Queen? The main commentary is turgid, full of "special salutes" by coachmen, kettle drummers, ensigns etc etc. I wonder if our other PS Broadcaster, Channel 4, might take it over soon as "Get me out of here, I'm on parade!". This annual coverage is becoming more and more a comment on those not in the forces, rather than those being televised, who are.

microlight AV8R

16th Jun 2007, 21:04

Well done to all involved, I saw the VC-10 and three F3s close together over Lowestoft at 1200... They disappeared into cloud !! That must've been fun?
They were quickly followed by a lone Hawk. What was that about?
Was he there to catch the RA(T) infringers??

As for the BBC, it was simply diabolical. Who was the pillock prancing around horseguards making stupid comments about the height of Officers. What a complete wet blanket!

Finally, did anybody hear the Tornado F3 described as an FR.3 ???
Has the Beeb let the cat out of the bag? Is this the end of the post PR.9 capability holiday? Mods: Feel free to delete this if I've uncovered summat classified.

Archimedes

16th Jun 2007, 21:09

At best, it'd be more like reducing the capability holiday to a 'capability long weekend in the country' rather than ending it...

toddbabe

16th Jun 2007, 22:18

Get a fecking grip will you, witchell wasn't on a recce check by the standards unit, he is royal correspondent not defence!
Who gives a flying **** if he got it wrong? those that know he got it wrong knew what the a/c were and those that didn't know probably couldn't give a toss.

AlanM

16th Jun 2007, 22:21

Lone hawk was "Hawk whip"

So pants down to the F3s........!!

(JOKE!)

Well done all - it looked OK on radar..... Shame the BBC news later only showed the start and end formations - esp as the Typhoons looked very tight from pics I have seen.

GeeRam

16th Jun 2007, 22:52

esp as the Typhoons looked very tight from pics I have seen.

Indeed......and amazingly quiet when they flew over me close to Northolt......:uhoh:

Oh well......must just be getting old and getting ever more nostaglic for the sheer noise of the massed RR Avon's, Olympus's and Spey's from the 'good old days' of Trooping flypasts........:{

EyesFront

16th Jun 2007, 23:32

I was sheltering from the rain in an ATC display tent at the Chesham Schools Carnival today when we heard low flying aircraft pass overhead. After this happened again, we rushed out to look and were in time to see the Nimrod with four GR4s fly directly overhead, followed by the red arrows in diamond nine. We had a sudden rush of visitors, wanting to know how we'd organised such a splendid flypast for their fete.... Obviously we challenged the TA recruiters to 'top that', and asked the sea cadets which ship they were bringing...

I just hope we don't have to pay for the fuel out of the £97 we made photographing kids in the cockpit of a Hunter F6 (just the nose, on a trailer...)

Clockwork Mouse

17th Jun 2007, 10:48

Despite the rain shower, did you hear the cheers of the crowd when the Reds came over with their smoke on? Heartening!

Jaguar Pilot

17th Jun 2007, 11:01

It's times like this you miss Raymond Baxter .....

Would that be the same Mr. Baxter who, commentating on one of my displays, described the Jaguar as "supersonic at all altitudes"?

tailchase

17th Jun 2007, 11:39

It would be difficult to see a more impressive sight than the full flypast overhead from the rain lashed decks of the Tatty Cat moored alongside Charing Cross Bridge. The weather must have been a very close call indeed and given the torrant that started just as the Lancaster/Hurricaine/Spifire element went over, I have to think that another 5 minutes and it would not have happened at all - an excellent performance from all involved in very difficult conditions.
The 9-ship of Typhoons was superb and the sight of the VC10 brought a lump to my better half's throat as she spent most of her childhood flying about in them to and from boarding schools.

danieloakworth

17th Jun 2007, 22:14

Good effort by all involved. I had the misfortune of organising the event in 1998, and the weather was v.marginal then. Hopefully this year the boys won't have to contend with official whinges from inside the formation, leading to multiple debriefs to sooth a couple of LMF ego's.

Blacksheep

18th Jun 2007, 00:50

Who gives a flying **** if he got it wrong? Well, I do for a start. The whole point of pageantry, pomp & circumstance is getting it right. Right down to the minutest detail. Ask any RSM. It is discipline that differentiates between the military and ordinary civilians; anyone involved in ceremonial such as Trooping the Colour - and that includes His Serene Ignorance, The Royal Corrrespondent - should know their business right down to the last detail. Anyone who doesn't has no part to play in the proceedings.

Getting it right.

That's what professionals like Dimbleby and Baxter were all about, and why they were so good at their job.

serf

18th Jun 2007, 09:47

The flypast was merely a sideshow to the main event.

Phanjagthunhar

18th Jun 2007, 15:43

It's times like this you miss Raymond Baxter .....

Raymondo was, of course, known to take the occasional sip of sherry! A few of his commentaries reflected that admirably; but he still managed to identify the aircraft correctly!

I shall always remember him commentating on, I believe, a Farnborough show when a Saab 105 trainer (a sort of Swedish Jet Provost, I recall) was doing its stuff. The sequence had lots of gear cycling action and the inevitable happened: he landed wheels up! The somewhat indignant pilot (bet he was a QFI!) got out of the cockpit and proceeded to kick the airframe, as if to blame it in front of the world. To which Raymondo said, 'it is such a good trainer, hic, that it even lands wheels up without a fuss!'

As to his comments about the supersonic Pussy Cat, he was probably only regurgitating what some mouthy Jaguar display pilot (and QFI/IRE to boot!) had told him in the bar the previous night, or even that lunchtime! The pilot in question had forgotten that he was no longer flying Lightnings!

hoodie

18th Jun 2007, 16:19

The incomparable Beau Bo D'Or shows you what the BBC didn't:

http://heady.co.uk/falklands/tony_blair_fly-past_raf.jpg

In a novel attempt to secure more aircraft for Tony Blair’s acts of folly, The RAF took to the skies for The Falklands anniversary and asked the public directly to help them out.

A2QFI

18th Jun 2007, 16:37

If Witchell is the Royal correspondent he should stick to talking about hats and colour coordinated outfits and take someone with him who knows something about the military side of things. If he doesn't know, or can't be bothered to find out, what the aircraft are he should co-opt some who does to help him!

A2QFI

18th Jun 2007, 16:40

I had a Jaguar supersonic at about 500 feet, once! Speak to the occupants of Masirah control tower at the time for fuller details, or ask Mike Sharp(e), the other pilot.

wz662

18th Jun 2007, 20:47

Acording to Radio four this morning today is the aniversary of the first woman to fly the Atlantic (Emilia Earhart) as a passenger in a TRIPLANE :ugh: Nations shall speak truth unto nations - at the expence of accuracy.

Blacksheep

19th Jun 2007, 00:21

I had a Jaguar supersonic at about 500 feet, once! Phew! Damned good luck to pull up just in time, eh? :}

Low Flier

19th Jun 2007, 06:13

Didn't catch the name of the BBC talking head, perhaps it was Richard: he certainly sounded like a Dick Head.

He opined something along the lines of "The reason why there are no Sea Harriers in the flypast, despite the fact that the Harriers were undoubtedly one of the most important weapons in the conflict, is that they only have one engine and so cannot fly over London".

Nary a word about Sea Harrier being binned, but his words were probably drowned out by the twin-engined Spitfires or perhaps by the multi-engined Sparrows.

Green Flash

19th Jun 2007, 09:38

As has been said, Raymond Baxter was the TV aviation commentator. Who have we got who could attempt to fill his boots? For total change of pace how about Bruce! :\

AlanM

19th Jun 2007, 09:51

Well said about the singles over London, of which fixed wings are NOT banned at all. Helicopters are over a portion but not planks.

That said, I refuse to allow a C150 to do it. (the CAA have banned single engined fixed wings from non standard flights - such as aerial photography and banner towing between LHR and LCY)

As for the fly past, I guess it is all about the alight clear element - Would a Spit or Hurricane be able to reach the river at 180kts/1500ft from Buck Pal? A hawk may not, as won't a harrier, but that is also made up of lots of composite materials etc - and in the case of a crash needs a massive exclusion zone does it not?

Maybe that was the reason.

Low Flier

19th Jun 2007, 17:12

AlanM puts forward a an intelligently expressed suggestion why Harrier was not represented in the flypast which celebrated a war which was so conspicuously, and marginally, won as a result of the British ability to attentuate and attrit the defending power's air power.

While I respect his well-informed opinion, I doubt that the cordon around the urban crashsite of a Harrier would be much larger or more expensive/inconvenient than that of an abandoned Hawk.

What really gripped my **** was the BBC rickhead's ignorance. They had some well-informed pongo types giving good quality commentary/gen about the reasons for various details of the parade, such as techie stuff about Cavalry and Guards and Hussars horsey thingies, etc, but there was buggerall intelligent comment about the air aspect of the Falklands recapture.