Vulcan over Cambridge

[pvmw]

I’ve spotted on the Vulcan website that XH558 is due to be displaying on the 20th September at the Goodwood Revival and then at a “private event” in Cambridge.

As I won’t be going to the Revival (I can’t bring myself to make Lord March even richer, so I only go if I can scrounge a ticket) and I don’t live far from Cambridge I had the idea of driving up the M11 to see it pass. However, Cambridge is rather large, so it would be nice to have some idea where the event is taking place. I don’t plan to gate-crash it, but parking up a mile or so away should still give a good view.

Can anyone give me a slightly more accurate location than “Cambridge” which may be on the flight path?

[aerobelly]

The "private event" is the 100th Anniversary celebration of the Marshall Group, being held at Cambridge Airport on the eastern edge of the city.
They are expecting 10,000 attendees and the surrounding roads are very likely to be jammed with watchers who couldn't get tickets. Tickets are a bit easier to obtain than I thought they would be, friend of a friend etc, but you will need a contact at Marshalls to get one.

If I were going without a ticket it would be by bicycle to have some ability to move around to find the best viewing place. The southern and eastern boundaries of the airport have big grass verges, so that's where I'd aim for first. I expect that the police will not allow cars to park there, so be prepared for a walk to get there. There is a Park & Ride on the north side of the airport, but you'd need to get there before the Saturday shoppers fill it up.


Best of luck,

aerobelly

[pvmw]

Thanks for that. How very annoying. Until 6 months ago I worked for an avionics company in Cambridge. I’ll have to get in touch with some ex-colleagues and see if they will be on the roof.

Do you have any idea what time the display is scheduled for?

[Guest 112233]

Err Me tooo any times even approximate

CAT III

[Gulf4uk]

information you need :

subscribe to ******* : Goto search . XH558 click FOLLOW 558
All the info you need on that , Dep Dest return and more as it
happens

TONY:ok:

[Gulf4uk]

information you need :

subscribe to tw**ter Goto search . XH558 click FOLLOW 558
All the info you need on that , Dep Dest return and more as it
happens

TONY:ok:

[Gulf4uk]

How odd seems the Word TWIT TER ( *******) is not allowed why is that
I wonder ?

TONY:confused:

[aerobelly]

I'll try to get a list from the invitation docs, but first I need to get my Linux computer to read a CD wrotten by Microsoft Vista ;-((

From memory the first movement is arrival of Lancaster for static display mid-morning. Flying displays start around 14:00 with one of Typhoon/F16/somethingelsefastandpointy and continue with a good selection of Old Warden and North Weald residents, plus the full BBMF. Vulcan appears late afternoon, maybe four-ish, and the display continues until around 6 with the 'Arrers. One aircraft I've not yet seen flying is a Meteor, I don't know where that's coming from.

If you're there I'll be immediately identifiable by being middle-aged, festooned with cameras, and

oh never mind.


aerobelly

[aerobelly]

Well I hope this works, I can't find how to make it fixed-width font or a proper HTML table in Pprune's system. If really unreadable PM me and I'll email it.
All times BST (I assume, they don't say...), gates open to public at 12:00.


Type(s) Takeoff Display Landing
Lancaster X X 1455 to static display
Typhoon or Tornado or Harrier X 1500 X flypast
Gipsy Moth 1450 1503 X flypast
Fokker Triplane 1505 1505 X display
Flying Circus 1510 1509 X display (!)
Tiger Moths 1511 1520 1530 aerobatics
Tiger Moth Formation (9) 1519 1531 1533 flypast some depart
Miles Formation 1520 1533 X display
Hawker Hind 1530 1540 X display
Lysander 1540 1547 X display
Rapide 1546 1554 X formation (?)
Puss Moth X ? X with Rapide?
Red Arrows 1610 1605 X arrival with smoke
Auster Formation 1610 1630 X departure
Vintage DH a/c 1615 X X departure
Spitfire 1625 1630 X display
Hurricane 1626 1637 X display
Lancaster 1644 1646 X display
Dakota 1650 1656 X display
Meteor 1713 1713 X display
Venom 1720 1720 X display
Vampire 1727 1727 X departure
Hunter 1734 1734 X display
C-130 Hercules/Tristar X 1741 X flypast
Glider 1742 X X departure
Motor Glider 1743 X X departure
Grob Tutors CUAS 1744 X X flypast
Vulcan X 1746 X flypast x 2
B17 X 1751 X display
Red Arrows 1755 1800-1830 X display


The event is actually on Sunday, so the P&R should be fairly free, until attendees fill it up....


'b

[fallmonk]

Can i just say how good it was to see 558 "in the flesh" at Leuchars airshow sat there was fantastic ,still amazes me the sheer size of her and the agility when in the air was a great day out .
Altho the 3.5 hr delay to exit the base was a bit off a down to the day :ugh:

[nicolai]

Many thanks for the timetable there, aerobelly.
The view from the road at the south end of the runway was very nice; the Red Arrows did a brilliant show, helped by the lack of cloud and wind for the smoke displays (probably the only time I've wished for very slightly more wind at an air display, to clear out the smoke from previous manoeuvres). Also present B-17 "Sally B", Venom, Vampire, Meteor, Spitfire, Austers, etc, etc.
XH588 seems to have skipped the event, unless she was much earlier in the schedule than intended, unfortunately.
Still a great show all round!

[chevvron]

Would the Vulcan have been near Bagshot about 3.35pm today on its way to Cambridge? Caught a glimpse of something delta-ish looking south west from Windlesham but as I was driving, I couldn't track it.

[Guest 112233]

It did come to Cambs early - at about 15.50. I briefly saw it thunder down the 05 Approach. - I got the time incorrect earlier - Yes the Lancaster followed it in - you lucky lot to see the display. PS for anyone who has not seen a Vulcan in the flesh or remembers it vaguely from childhood - Its BIG,noisy and also very manuverable -(I only caught a glimpse of the display). PPS you tend not to get much warning of its impending arrival if its low and quick ? 300 kts in that first run in ?

CAT III

[MuppetOne]

Excellent display with a howl to boot :D :O

[aerobelly]

The Vulcan was still just visible as the Lancaster appeared at around 1600BST. Good display by the Vulcan, much better that the two flypasts suggested by the programme.

I thought it very well organised, and a thoroughly enjoyable day. Well Done Marshall's!


'b

[nicolai]

B**ger, I got there just when the Lancaster did.

[SilentHandover]

Chevv

It was near Bagshot at that time, it routed up from Goodwood via the Farnborough overhead then up towards WOD.

SH

[zab]

Both Flying Fortress "Sally b" and the Vulcan made an appearance at Sanicole airshow in Belgium Yesterday made the more than 5 hours sitting in gridlock :ugh:getting to and leaving the show worthwhile. A fantastic sight.:ok:

[ViscountFan]

Watched 558 fly quite low over Ampthill on Sunday - presumably en route to Cambridge. Brought back memories of Farnborough many years ago. in the words of Roger Bacon of Straight and Level fame, 'Oh the sweet nostalgia of that never to be recaptured moment!'

[aerobelly]

On Monday evening I met a lady who had spent the day fending off the phone calls to Marshalls during the event -- she said that there were more positive than not, but the nots were rather abusive. And Elly Sallingboe; they live in the same village, and were clearing out/looking at displays from the church's Flower Festival this weekend. (I was retrieving items I'd loaned for someone else's display.)

The event was being discussed on the buses around Cambridge on Monday, and I've been told that the streets were lined with people watching the Reds.

Shame I won't be around for the Marshall's 200th!


'b

[Guest 112233]

I bet that the display by the Reds in that late evening sunshine, will linger in the memories of those that saw it (unlike me !!!!!!!) for decades to come.

I nabbed the Lanc and the V Shaped pointy thing with the OM-10 though - A reflex test the '558 - It will be fun to see the images; if any, come out , an ancient 280mm telescopic lens, good lighting, kodachrome 100 ASA - real camera, real aeroplanes and a real challenge to capture - PS the Avro frightened the dog. Poor old sod ( I mean the dog.).

If they (the photo's) are not too fuzzy, I will post the results on PPruNe in sheer spite, in response to the auto focus, best shot selector, anti wobble, digital brigade.

I have a Mk 1 eyeball shot selector with a optical system broadly equiv to a 12Mb digital optical system - Yes the film is an old one, but still within its processing date. - It sounds as if the day was something very special indeed.

CAT III

[aerobelly]

I was using my OM4. Much better results than the digital, even though it takes a week to see them instead of viewing the same evening. (Now where did I "store" my developing tank?)

Missed some of the Reds display though. They hadn't been my favourites for some time, but the 2009 display has some stunners. If I'd seen the display diagrams before they started I'd have had the camera out earlier.

Funnily enough the next evening I was offered two OM10 bodies with one MotorDrive and a collection of lenses. Shame the MD won't fit the OM4: just the thing for display teams.

'b

[Guest 112233]

Aerobelly - An OM4 lucky chap. My OM30 sorry, not the medium size, was ready for action too, but my location ment that I litrally only got a fleeting glimpse of the Vulcan. At least you could hear the Lancaster comming. Those old tokina lenses do have a quality feel, both optically and as examples of engineering. Good quality colour film does have the ability to capture scenes with feel for the moment. Digital cameras are very good too, but the rare fun of getting it just right with a film camera, is special. (My 10 is in good shape - the 30 is battered )

CAT III