RAF Leuchars air show, USAF no show?
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Last edited by TomJoad; 6th Sep 2013 at 16:17.
Aye !
Remember my first ever airshow was Leuchars in the 50īs or 60īs. I was a mere stripling of a lad and got a last minute place in car, replacing some poorly child.
74 Sqdn flying the illustrious Lightning will endure in my crumbling memory.
Long time ago and very far away !!
El G.
74 Sqdn flying the illustrious Lightning will endure in my crumbling memory.
Long time ago and very far away !!
El G.
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Had my first ever flight as a 9 year old at the Leuchars show.
Air Atlantique did 20 minute hops with a brace of DC-3s, think they might have had a Rapide there aswell.
Wouldnt get away with it now security wise I guess.
And to think we won the cold war
Air Atlantique did 20 minute hops with a brace of DC-3s, think they might have had a Rapide there aswell.
Wouldnt get away with it now security wise I guess.
And to think we won the cold war
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Earlier this week, with further investigation, we traced the fuel leak seen on Sunday to No.5 Tank Starboard, not as indicated by the leak as being from No.7 Tank - the leaking fuel was tracking back in the aircrafts structure and emerging under No.7 Tank.
The No.7 tank sump plate pipework is clearly visible to the left of the No.5 tank sump where
our technicians are now working.
We are currently getting ready to inspect No. 5 Tank fully, having drained and vented it, to assess the size of the problem. The tank will then be removed and sent to FPT Industries for further investigation and possible repair or remanufacture.
We dont have a date for when the aircraft will be likely to be serviceable but we will update you just as soon as the engineers and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) feedback the information.
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I guess I'm pretty lucky living near to Finningley so I get to see XH558 coming and going. It's ironic that one gets a better and closer look at XH558 at Finningley than at the air shows, where the aircraft is so far away!
Sadly, I haven't managed the long trip up to Leuchars in a long time. I remember a great couple of days there with 111 Squadron, with display pilot Archie Liggot kindly taking me for a supersonic run and some aeros in one of their Phantoms. Waiting for the train to head home was fun - can't be many stations where one can watch Phantoms roar over!
TomJoad, maybe you misinterpreted what I was saying. I'm not feeling any pain - I was lucky enough to see all the good stuff years ago so I can't say I'm particularly worried if there's never so much as one decent air show ever again. I just think it's a great shame in terms of the RAF's relationship with the public.
Sadly, I haven't managed the long trip up to Leuchars in a long time. I remember a great couple of days there with 111 Squadron, with display pilot Archie Liggot kindly taking me for a supersonic run and some aeros in one of their Phantoms. Waiting for the train to head home was fun - can't be many stations where one can watch Phantoms roar over!
TomJoad, maybe you misinterpreted what I was saying. I'm not feeling any pain - I was lucky enough to see all the good stuff years ago so I can't say I'm particularly worried if there's never so much as one decent air show ever again. I just think it's a great shame in terms of the RAF's relationship with the public.
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RAF Lossiemouth or Prestwick?
Much as I'd love the superb spectacle that is the RAF Leuchars airshow to move to RAF Lossiemouth, I can't see it. Apart from it's geographical location Lossie is not the easiest to access for huge volumes of traffic and has no rail link either.
The best move would be to hold it at Prestwick. It's got decent road links, a railway station and is on a main bus route. Also the town of Ayr is a belting night out!
The best move would be to hold it at Prestwick. It's got decent road links, a railway station and is on a main bus route. Also the town of Ayr is a belting night out!
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WH,
Understand what you are getting at but perhaps the airshows you were so found of reflected the RAF of the day. Today's RAF is much different, in size, equipment and personnel. I will be at Leuchars tomorrow with my young children and I am sure that they will be as impressed by all the "good stuff" as you were in your day; it's all relative. The days of the RAF mounting the airshows that you recall are well and truly over - we no longer have that capacity, and to be honest with you I don't think there is the public appetite beyond the immediate interest group. Perhaps it is time for a combined service Military Tatto with a more capability demonstration focus than ceremonial. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the day out tomorrow, even if the cloud is low there is always something to see and as it is the last BoB at Leuchars it kind of makes it special anyway.
Tom
Understand what you are getting at but perhaps the airshows you were so found of reflected the RAF of the day. Today's RAF is much different, in size, equipment and personnel. I will be at Leuchars tomorrow with my young children and I am sure that they will be as impressed by all the "good stuff" as you were in your day; it's all relative. The days of the RAF mounting the airshows that you recall are well and truly over - we no longer have that capacity, and to be honest with you I don't think there is the public appetite beyond the immediate interest group. Perhaps it is time for a combined service Military Tatto with a more capability demonstration focus than ceremonial. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the day out tomorrow, even if the cloud is low there is always something to see and as it is the last BoB at Leuchars it kind of makes it special anyway.
Tom
Last edited by TomJoad; 6th Sep 2013 at 17:39.
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Outlaw,
Been a wee while since I've been to Ayr but "a belting night out" - really that good eh
I agree though it won't move to Lossie far too remote. Apparently they have announced in the local press now that it will be the last one at Leuchars - sad but then again nothing stays forever. On a more serious note I wonder if they considered the impact of closing RAF Leuchars in terms of promoting the military profile in Scotland.
Tom
Been a wee while since I've been to Ayr but "a belting night out" - really that good eh
I agree though it won't move to Lossie far too remote. Apparently they have announced in the local press now that it will be the last one at Leuchars - sad but then again nothing stays forever. On a more serious note I wonder if they considered the impact of closing RAF Leuchars in terms of promoting the military profile in Scotland.
Tom
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El Grifo, I was that soldier, 74 Squadron being my first squadron at Leuchars. F3s, dont`t you just love them. Enough time to see a kite off, have a coffee, game of darts and see the same aircraft back in again ! Like 55 minutes flying time on a good day. Twas luxury to finish up on 43Sqdn, and their phabulous Phantoms.
TomJoad: Enjoy your day at Leuchars, as a veteran of many shows going back to the mid 1960s I will miss it but I won't be there tomorrow, not enough interest for all the hassle involved.
As an aside, a friend of mine, an air trafficker, was posted to Prestwick and was enjoying a night in a local pub in Ayr when he was engaged in conversation by a local, who asked him what his job was. He told the man he was an air traffic controller, whereupon he was poked in the chest by the man who said "well, you've made a right arse of the roundabout in Ayr town centre"
As an aside, a friend of mine, an air trafficker, was posted to Prestwick and was enjoying a night in a local pub in Ayr when he was engaged in conversation by a local, who asked him what his job was. He told the man he was an air traffic controller, whereupon he was poked in the chest by the man who said "well, you've made a right arse of the roundabout in Ayr town centre"
The best move would be to hold it at Prestwick. It's got decent road links, a railway station and is on a main bus route.
.... and it's got HMS GANNET SAR Flight!
Jack
.... and it's got HMS GANNET SAR Flight!
Jack
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Outlaw, Prestwick is actually not a bad idea, if the intention was there.
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Realistically, I don't think anything will come along to replace the Leuchars show. I think it's fair to assume that the RAF will concentrate its efforts on Waddington in future. That wouldn't be so bad if Waddington is made into a better show, but I can't see any appetite to change the current format... just yet. But who knows - maybe with only one annual event to work with, there might be more enthusiasm for thinking of ways in which a much better show could be staged, but I suspect that for the foreseeable future (at least while the Reds and BBMF are still around), Waddington will not change significantly. Thing is, if the Vulcan doesn't come back next year and the Swedish HF stays home, you have to wonder whether there's much prospect of any sort of show that's really worth seeing.
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Originally Posted by wub:8034936
It was at a Prestwick air show that Cdr Beattie of the RNHF had to throw away the Sea Fury when he experienced an asymmetric gear problem.
Why would a Gear Up landing not have been a better option?
The aircraft could have probably been salvaged.
The aircraft could have probably been salvaged.