The U.S.A.F. seem to have problems identifying display locations in the UK. the bomber display at Blackbushe instead of Farnborough being a recent example.
I remember an air display at Elmdon (now Birmingham International) airport back in the 1950's. The highlight was breaking the sound barrier by three F86 Sabres of the U.S.A.F. At the appointed time the Tannoy was switched into the team leaders radio transmission, we could hear that they were commencing their dive, speed increasing and now breaking the sound barrier! the hushed crowd then heard three muffled double bangs similar to distant field gun fire and wondered what all the fuss over supersonic bangs was about. Meanwhile a few miles away at Hockley Heath, where there was a disused wartime glider training airfield, all hell broke loose when three sonic bangs were aimed straight at the unsuspecting village.
Back at the show we stood around for a while before the three Sabres came flashing across the airfield at a very impressive speed.
On another occasion, at a Battle Of Britain air display at Gaydon, there was to be a flight refuelling demonstration by the U.S.A.F. at three o'clock. At the scheduled time we were told that the next item was the flight refuelling display, we stood around searching the sky and did not see a thing.
Later I cycled back to my home, which was near Honily airfield, to be told by my mother that two big aeroplanes had been going around the area at three o'clock with one "towing" the other one.
