Mystery flypast from the 70's

[Tim McLelland]

Here's a challenge then - any ideas when - and what for?

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Shefftim/viastevenbeeny.jpg

Formation of RAF Phantoms leading a formation of Lightnings. It appears to be the Severn Bridge, haeding East.

Why would a formation be over there and heading in that direction? Very odd!

[WE992]

Any chance of a bigger photo so we could actually see it please?

[Background Noise]

Something to do with the Silver Jubilee of 1977? A practice maybe?

[NutherA2]

The size of the picture makes ident difficult, but could it be the Forth road bridge? If so the formation could have been Leuchars based. Lightnings might have struggled to get from any of their home airfields to the Severn bridge & back at low level, whereas Leuchars – Edinburgh – Leuchars was just about achievable. :E

[Duckbutt]

Pretty sure it is the Severn Bridge, confirmed by that tall electricity pylon also visible.

[Tim McLelland]

Sorry about the photo size - I resized it a tad too much! It is the Severn Bridge and it appears to be circa 1970 - Lightnings are natural metal and the Phantoms are camouflaged with full-colour roundels.

I'm mystified!

[Background Noise]

I agree about the location. Can you upload a bigger picture - photobucket will take a full size pic and put a link up to a reasonable sized one for the forum. I think we'd be interested to see it even if we can't help with the question.

[Tim McLelland]

Mystery solved - one of the guys on the Flypast forum says the Investiture flypast was repeated on 5 July over Cardiff - aircraft recovered to Fairford which is precisely the direction they're heading on that photo. Thanks guys!

[PPRuNe Pop]

Do please always size photographs in a 800x600 format.

This restrains them from impinging the right side of the page and gives everyone a good chance to see what they are.

The size on this page is just not acceptable, as most people have already observed.