Favourite Airshow Moment
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Favourite Airshow Moment
The Spit thread was beginning to head towards Airshows, so I would start this one.
I was a the free one at Folkstone a few years ago watching a routine by a SEP, but I can't remember which. The crowd was looking at it as it flew off to the right (as you look out to sea), when the crowd was hit by this godalmighty BOOM as 2 Tornados, low down, flew in from the left, full Afterburner, the works.
It scared the bejesus out of everyone
. Fantastic
I was a the free one at Folkstone a few years ago watching a routine by a SEP, but I can't remember which. The crowd was looking at it as it flew off to the right (as you look out to sea), when the crowd was hit by this godalmighty BOOM as 2 Tornados, low down, flew in from the left, full Afterburner, the works.
It scared the bejesus out of everyone
. Fantastic
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Also love watching Will Curtis displaying - in the S2C used to be impressive, but the Sukhoi is something else.
Also a few years back a Hurricane and Tornado put on a formation display at Folkestone - very impressive to watch.
tKF
Also a few years back a Hurricane and Tornado put on a formation display at Folkestone - very impressive to watch.
tKF
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I remember at Farnborough in the 70's, my father and I were in one of the hangars when it all went quiet? People started to make their way hurriedly to the doors to look outside to identify the low rumble ... we followed. The rumble deepened as a Vulcan bomber swept past doing a low run and then pulled up to what looked like verticle. As it did, the pilot pulled out all the stops and I think I learned that day a little of what it must be like to feel an earthquake!!! 
The noise, the compression on the lungs and the tremour felt, was nothing short of AWESOME!
SS
The noise, the compression on the lungs and the tremour felt, was nothing short of AWESOME!SS
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Seeing the BBMF always gives me a lump (in the throat) ..... Marvellous.. But the Typhoon is my new favourite. That thing is just a rocket with wings. Sounds superb too!!!
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The Stealth Bomber at Biggin a couple of years back (2001-ish?).
I was looking round the RAF chapel, came out and it passed overhead looking for all the world like a UFO.
Wierd
I was looking round the RAF chapel, came out and it passed overhead looking for all the world like a UFO.
Wierd
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Anyone remember seeing the Starfighter at airshows, I was impressed many years ago by a Luftwaffe F104 at Leauchars airshow, low level run at 100ft or so down the runway, full reheat. Flew past at I presume around 600 kts and after what seemed an age the noise hits you, incredible. Then into a vertical climb. The Lightning was equally impressive, modern fighters just don't seem quite the same!
Can't wait to see the Vulcan at airshows again, fingers crossed!
Can't wait to see the Vulcan at airshows again, fingers crossed!
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Got to agree with Shortstripper on this one - i remember seeing the Vulcan at Shoreham one year, must have been late 70's or early 80's and as a kid it simply took my breath away. Awesome is the only word! Roll on next year and we'll see it again - for anyone who hasn't experienced it, when XH558 gets airborne again, move heaven and earth to see it, 'cos it'll do the same to you! 
Another fond memory was about 15 or so years ago, my brother and I went to an airshow 'oop north' somewhere to film Dennis Kenyon displaying - the Red Arrows were there too. They departed as we filmed, and some half-hour later the announcer said over the tannoy 'And now ladies and gentlemen, a highlight of the show, I give you the Red Arrows...' At that precise moment, with no sound or prior warning, the entire formation flew from the back of the crowd overhead and broke in a burst in front of the crowd line, with an explosion of noise. Utterly unexpected, and utterly magical...
JP
Another fond memory was about 15 or so years ago, my brother and I went to an airshow 'oop north' somewhere to film Dennis Kenyon displaying - the Red Arrows were there too. They departed as we filmed, and some half-hour later the announcer said over the tannoy 'And now ladies and gentlemen, a highlight of the show, I give you the Red Arrows...' At that precise moment, with no sound or prior warning, the entire formation flew from the back of the crowd overhead and broke in a burst in front of the crowd line, with an explosion of noise. Utterly unexpected, and utterly magical...
JP
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North Weald, 198?
Northwest Orient B747 doing passes down the runway escorted by various warbirds, Spitfire, P-51, P-47, P-40 etc.
A whale followed by minnows. I have a video of the event taken from the cockpit of the P-40, it is amazing.
Northwest Orient B747 doing passes down the runway escorted by various warbirds, Spitfire, P-51, P-47, P-40 etc.
A whale followed by minnows. I have a video of the event taken from the cockpit of the P-40, it is amazing.
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Brendan O'Brien and John Taylor when they first started the RF-4 displays with music.
It was just so different from the repetitive fly-bys of the jet jocks.
But my vote is for sheer beauty, Pete Kynsey aerobatting the Jungmann at Headcorn, '91ish. There may have been a fly-in or it may have been an ordinary sunday but it just captured me that day.
It was just so different from the repetitive fly-bys of the jet jocks.
But my vote is for sheer beauty, Pete Kynsey aerobatting the Jungmann at Headcorn, '91ish. There may have been a fly-in or it may have been an ordinary sunday but it just captured me that day.
Vulcan XH558 leading the Red Arrows doing a low pass down West Malling's runway viewed from the cockpit of Sally B which was shaking from the vibration. Marvellous
Even if West Malling is no longer with us at least XH558 looks like getting back into the air in the near future.
F-4 Phantom in the early 70's turning within the runway area of St. Athan's with condensation trails covering the wings in a near vertical bank.
Xavier Lapparent (sp?) in his 400hp Sukhoi wonderplane doing helicopter like maneuvers at North Weald a few years ago.
Even if West Malling is no longer with us at least XH558 looks like getting back into the air in the near future.
F-4 Phantom in the early 70's turning within the runway area of St. Athan's with condensation trails covering the wings in a near vertical bank.
Xavier Lapparent (sp?) in his 400hp Sukhoi wonderplane doing helicopter like maneuvers at North Weald a few years ago.
Fixed+Rotary (aircraft, not washing lines)
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Vulcan and Lightning at RAF Finningley sometime in the late 70s - awesome spectacle.
Impromptu Tornado performances in the Lake District, especially fast and low over Windermere.
Eurofighter on handling exercise while stuck in traffic near Preston.
I'm sure I saw a Spitfire / Hurricane combo as a small child but can't recall where...
But the best, by far, was the Concorde / Red Arrows down the Mall at the Golden Jubilee celebrations at the end of the long fly past.
http://www.rafmarham.co.uk/relations...s/jub-fly1.htm
Impromptu Tornado performances in the Lake District, especially fast and low over Windermere.
Eurofighter on handling exercise while stuck in traffic near Preston.
I'm sure I saw a Spitfire / Hurricane combo as a small child but can't recall where...
But the best, by far, was the Concorde / Red Arrows down the Mall at the Golden Jubilee celebrations at the end of the long fly past.
http://www.rafmarham.co.uk/relations...s/jub-fly1.htm
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Many of the above...
Plus Brian Sanders in the R3350 Sea Fury at Chino in 2000 - a dive in from 6,000 and a low pass probably getting on for 500kts - looked and sounded wonderful. Shame it wasn't a Centaurus up front though...
Plus Brian Sanders in the R3350 Sea Fury at Chino in 2000 - a dive in from 6,000 and a low pass probably getting on for 500kts - looked and sounded wonderful. Shame it wasn't a Centaurus up front though...
Last edited by treadigraph; 3rd Jun 2005 at 11:23.
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I think it is hard to beat being a kid through the late 70's/early 80's. There was some great metal flying about back then. I used to adore going to airshows and watching Phantoms, Starfighters, Vulcans, Harriers, in fact anything that made so much noise you could feel it! That's what hooked me into flying, and I've never lost that thrill.
It's not quite the same now, though. The current generation of fast jets is fascinating in a different way. I'm looking forward to seeing the Typhoon in action, but not as much as seeing the Vulcan back on the display circuit. That old girl is my alltime favourite.
It's not quite the same now, though. The current generation of fast jets is fascinating in a different way. I'm looking forward to seeing the Typhoon in action, but not as much as seeing the Vulcan back on the display circuit. That old girl is my alltime favourite.
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Finningley in the 60's - the vulcan scramble with 6 or 8 vulcans taking off at 15 second intervals, one climbing, one rolling the next lining up.
The noise had to be felt to be believed. Hooked for life!
The noise had to be felt to be believed. Hooked for life!