Waddington Airshow 2012
A big thank you to everyone, in the air and on the ground, for the show. The wind was a big factor during the parts of the flying I saw, yet everyone performed with dash and applomb.
It's the first time I'd seen the Korean Black Eagles display, and I was very impressed. They seem to have mixed the best bits from Red Arrows / Thunderbirds / Pat de France / Frecce / Blue Angels. Maybe it was because I'd not seen them before that the novelty value made me think they were stars of the show.....
Looking forward to a repeat at Fairford this weekend.
Thanks again
It's the first time I'd seen the Korean Black Eagles display, and I was very impressed. They seem to have mixed the best bits from Red Arrows / Thunderbirds / Pat de France / Frecce / Blue Angels. Maybe it was because I'd not seen them before that the novelty value made me think they were stars of the show.....
Looking forward to a repeat at Fairford this weekend.
Thanks again
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I am happy that the S Koreans won the Waddington team display trophy on their first visit. They were indeed a great crowd pleaser with large, noisy and brilliantly painted aircraft, lots of action and some novel manoeuvres.
The Frecce were great as always, and the crowd loves the antics of the good Fabio Capelli!
However, I must say that I was very impressed by the home team, who also had to compete with the worst of the Waddington weather. The Reds have had a dreadful start to the 2012 season, losing 3 pilots, two of them fatally, having to regroup and reform as a 7 ship at short notice. Nevertheless they have perfected a tight, precise and visually attractive show this year and they repeatedly show that they are also skilled and professional enough to adapt their display to the vagaries of the UK weather. Saturday was the first time I have seen them this year and I felt immensely proud and moved watching them display. Other teams may please the crowd more, but for style and flawless precision, whatever the weather, our Reds have it in my humble, perhaps biased, opinion. They are the best of the best and a credit to the RAF.
The Frecce were great as always, and the crowd loves the antics of the good Fabio Capelli!
However, I must say that I was very impressed by the home team, who also had to compete with the worst of the Waddington weather. The Reds have had a dreadful start to the 2012 season, losing 3 pilots, two of them fatally, having to regroup and reform as a 7 ship at short notice. Nevertheless they have perfected a tight, precise and visually attractive show this year and they repeatedly show that they are also skilled and professional enough to adapt their display to the vagaries of the UK weather. Saturday was the first time I have seen them this year and I felt immensely proud and moved watching them display. Other teams may please the crowd more, but for style and flawless precision, whatever the weather, our Reds have it in my humble, perhaps biased, opinion. They are the best of the best and a credit to the RAF.
Last edited by Genstabler; 2nd Jul 2012 at 18:18.
The Koreans were excellent, as were BBMF who gave a very polished Twin Spitfire display including a syncro segment. Reds were a good warm up act.
Last edited by Stitchbitch; 3rd Jul 2012 at 09:52. Reason: Missing a .
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Waddingtom Airshow Day Ticket:£26
RIAT Day Ticket:£39
Scottish Open Day Ticket:£30
Man Utd Premier Game Ticket: cheapest £30
Sunday Ticket for the British Grand Prix: from £100
Edinburgh Zoo: £15.50 adult £11.00 for a child 3-15
For what you get I would say that Airshows are still pretty good value for money! Astounds me that people STILL complain about the price of an airshow ticket.
RIAT Day Ticket:£39
Scottish Open Day Ticket:£30
Man Utd Premier Game Ticket: cheapest £30
Sunday Ticket for the British Grand Prix: from £100
Edinburgh Zoo: £15.50 adult £11.00 for a child 3-15
For what you get I would say that Airshows are still pretty good value for money! Astounds me that people STILL complain about the price of an airshow ticket.
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Waddingtom Airshow Day Ticket:£26
The flying stuff was pretty good but the static was lacking. Loads of vintage RAF stuff that was now in private hands and a load of G- light aircraft that most didn't glance at twice. All intentionally well spaced out. Many people wouldn't actually know there was a static display up by the E3 hangars unless they had a long walk up there. OK so the Qataris cancelled and I think there was supposed to be a Dutch KDC-10, however I am continually surprised that there wasn't even a single Typhoon available for static display given how many we're buying and how much they cost. This was the RAF's principal show of the year. I can understand the lack of C130 / L1011 / VC10 on the ground but not so much the fast jets.
I sound like Victor Meldrew but nothing prepared me for the realisation that not only had I been watching the Red Arrows since 1985, some 27 years since my first RAF Leuchars show, but they were still flying the same aircraft!
Last edited by Skipness One Echo; 3rd Jul 2012 at 14:03.
Ranger 703,
Ref your last post,
the problem is that at one time, certainly as far as R.A.F. Battle of Britain displays were concerned, the admission was free. You still had to pay for you car of course, unless you walked in!
One thing I will take my hat off to though, regarding the organisers of Waddington and the other R.A.F. shows, in relation to RIAT and Yeovilton, you can still drive in and park up without any nonsense. At Fairford you have to queue up like your flying BA to New York. I recall the afore mentioned B.O.B. displays as a nipper, the car was the central point to operate from, parked as near as possible to the crowd line, one could picnic from there with no need to move, where as now a lot of people find they have to leave the motor far behind.
FB
Ref your last post,
the problem is that at one time, certainly as far as R.A.F. Battle of Britain displays were concerned, the admission was free. You still had to pay for you car of course, unless you walked in!
One thing I will take my hat off to though, regarding the organisers of Waddington and the other R.A.F. shows, in relation to RIAT and Yeovilton, you can still drive in and park up without any nonsense. At Fairford you have to queue up like your flying BA to New York. I recall the afore mentioned B.O.B. displays as a nipper, the car was the central point to operate from, parked as near as possible to the crowd line, one could picnic from there with no need to move, where as now a lot of people find they have to leave the motor far behind.
FB
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
FB, when we first staged the air show at Waddo we were worried that our road links were inadequate and we would not be able to cope a la Finningley. It was, IIRC, one reason why we opted for the 2-day format. In the event leasing and maintaining a road across a farmer's land (another expense) solved that problem.
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The Typhoon was in the "Combat ISTAR" section between 3 and 4 hangers. I suspect you didn't find it due to the Airshow App not working and the update coming out on Monday, after the show closed!
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Given the tight budget constraints these days, I thought the airshow was extremely well done. Times have changed but the variety and mix was enjoyable, and all at a very reasonable entry price. I for one enjoyed the entire package.
Skipness One Echo, I feel you missed out a bit by snubbing the G reg aircraft. IMHO they serve the aviation industry well, in fact they form an important link in promoting aviation for anyone aspiring to fly professionally, or maybe to those who just want to enjoy flying for fun. I spoke to one couple who had flown their odd looking G reg light aircraft around the world (can't remember the type), their zigzag journey was for 36,000 miles, and to me at least, that was an amazing accomplishment!
RAF Waddington's very own flying club were also doing some sterling fund raising work with their mixed fleet of G-reg machines.
Overall it was an excellent performance in not the best of weather conditions, and you have the thumbs up from me RAF Waddington!
Skipness One Echo, I feel you missed out a bit by snubbing the G reg aircraft. IMHO they serve the aviation industry well, in fact they form an important link in promoting aviation for anyone aspiring to fly professionally, or maybe to those who just want to enjoy flying for fun. I spoke to one couple who had flown their odd looking G reg light aircraft around the world (can't remember the type), their zigzag journey was for 36,000 miles, and to me at least, that was an amazing accomplishment!
RAF Waddington's very own flying club were also doing some sterling fund raising work with their mixed fleet of G-reg machines.
Overall it was an excellent performance in not the best of weather conditions, and you have the thumbs up from me RAF Waddington!
Last edited by sapco2; 3rd Jul 2012 at 17:09.
Waddo pics
I attended the show on Sunday and was pretty much impressed with the Black Eagles. Without getting into the whose a better and bigger display comparison/argument to the Reds, two things do stick out in my mind. The novelty of a foreign air force's display team (bar from the regular UK airshow participants such as the Frecce Triccoleri or the Patrouille de France, Patruilla Aguila or the Royal Jordanian Falcons) and secondly the appearance of the T-50 flying in an operational manner albeit daily practice from the ROKAF.
One particular move, that the Black Eagles Lt commentator was keen to show the versatility of the T-50, was the 360 degree turn from one aircraft over another aircraft flying straight towards the audience.
Cheers
One particular move, that the Black Eagles Lt commentator was keen to show the versatility of the T-50, was the 360 degree turn from one aircraft over another aircraft flying straight towards the audience.
Cheers
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And the mighty Vulcan of course, which is due it's air test later this week so that it can do RIAT.
Does anyone know if it's a night stop for them down there, or two flights from DSA?
Does anyone know if it's a night stop for them down there, or two flights from DSA?
*(subject to weather, serviceability)
waddington airshow
watched some of the airshow from the cheapest seat in town -why no ex-military discounts?? - on the road just short of the 03 - now 02? - threshold -on the display line.
watched the arrows-in what I thought from my angle was a rather lack lustre - for them - flat display.
the radio commentry announced the next act - the GR4 Tornados and then lost interest and began droning on with airshow trivia.
thought well that's it and made to depart when suddenly from my 6 o'clock at about 50ft 500kts wings back and full reheat on appeared the tornado!!
the earth erupted and everyone near me hit the deck! what a flypast -followed by a tight 2 ship display giving it max with sim bomb bursts.
a superb display and definitely one up for the working airforce on the airshow prima donnas!!
look forward to seeing you again next year.
watched the arrows-in what I thought from my angle was a rather lack lustre - for them - flat display.
the radio commentry announced the next act - the GR4 Tornados and then lost interest and began droning on with airshow trivia.
thought well that's it and made to depart when suddenly from my 6 o'clock at about 50ft 500kts wings back and full reheat on appeared the tornado!!
the earth erupted and everyone near me hit the deck! what a flypast -followed by a tight 2 ship display giving it max with sim bomb bursts.
a superb display and definitely one up for the working airforce on the airshow prima donnas!!
look forward to seeing you again next year.
