Didn't she just ... And that howl ...

I even got my head sunburnt...
 

Brilliant weather despite forecasts. Vulcan looked majestic. Well done to all concerned.
Anyone know why the B52 didn't display?

Where's the after sun?

Just got back - face as red as a tomato!

I also wondered what happened to the B52. Didn't hear an annoucement or anything... :confused:

It was a fantastic day - highlights apart from the Vulcan were the Blades and the typhoon just to top things off at the end!

:)

Same Scribbler ... although don't tell the missus!

alC ... The B52 was possibly suffering from jealousy after 558 stole the show, and the aftersun is currently doing the rounds in our front room :}

I wonder how many photos were taken of XH558, I'd say thousands!

http://www.ghostrecon.net/fileman/us...5072008279.jpg

As a Vulcan did at Boscombe Down some years ago when it took off after the B52 (boring) display

Envy all you guys at Waddo today.

XH558, Welcome Back. :)

Well done to the Reds for even trying to display. The Typhoon & Spitfire display was something else, very well co-ordinated. The Spanish display, was very entertaining, with a constant stream of different groups of aircraft coming in different directions. Seeing a pair of Avro's finest bombers in formation, will hopefully convince sponsors that there is a need for the Vulcan on the display circuit.

But most amazing was the rush of people when the sound of Olympus Engines became louder, I reckon more photographs were taken than on a Japanese coach party visit to London.

Thousand miles away, so I only saw the video.

But a lump in my throat just the same.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1...r/IMG_1937.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1...r/IMG_1938.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1...r/IMG_1939.jpg


well there's 3 of them of 558 & 474

Two photos from my camera.

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s...5/IMG_2800.jpg

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s...5/IMG_2779.jpg

Very Nice Alc

Got up early doors, looked at the TAF,not happy driving a 200 mile round trip with such a risk of sh:mad: wx, was really looking forward too it too :{

Morning all.

Just a couple from me - fantastic day at Waddo yesterday. Dream come true with 558 going up. Finally!

On the stand...

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...8/P6010166.jpg


Being pulled forward for start-up...
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...8/P6010178.jpg


Moment of truth...
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...8/P6010181.jpg

And the crowd went wild.

Overhead...
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...8/P6010195.jpg


Finally for now, the Woodford twins...
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...8/P6010200.jpg


Cheers, Nac

OK, whilst I'm in a posting mood, here's a bit more.

One of the more interesting displays earlier on was the 'Coningsby's old and new' formation, i.e. the BBMF PR XIX and a Eurofighter Typhoon. The performance disparity was clear for all to see - the PR was gunning it's nuts off, and the 'Phoon was reared up like a startled horse. Afterwards, the PR's Griffon was popping and crackling like crazy when it came in on it's downwind leg. Poor thing!

Here's the AOA comparison...
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...8/P6010172.jpg

The French Mirage display later on (just before 558) was also excellent. The driver really went for it. Best bit was the 500+kt r to l run followed by the 30kt run l to r, with the thing stood right up on it's tail. Mental.

I spoke to some of the Buff crew for quite a while and they said they only had a 5% chance of displaying. The main reason was not the weather - it was weight! Where they were stood (right behind 558) the tarmac was not able to support their fuelled-up weight, so it was stood there almost dry - hence why the outriggers were 5ft clear of the floor. They would have had to taxi over to the other side of the airfield to fuel up, and the scheduling didn't look like being able to accommodate that. Great shame.

Many thanks to Lizabeth Grupe (the Buff's co-pilot on this occasion, but a Buff QFI by day) and the time she and her crew gave to a great many members of the public.

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...8/P6010167.jpg

We got here late and were a bit dissapointed. Arrived at 1pm to good weather and in the next 90 minutes saw a Merlin, a Typhoon depart and then the Spitfire Typhoon combo. With the now blue sky and huge gaps between displays, our kids were bored stiff.

Vulcan Lancaster combinationation was very good and the Vulcan the star of this show. The Spitfire Typhoon display i undertood why it was put together, but the noise of the Typhoon obviously dwarfed the Griffon! Had the Spitfire started and then been joined by the Typhoon which displayed as the Spitfire landed i think the whole thing would have been a better spectacle and listening experience. You would never put a grand piano with a rock guitar if you know what i mean.

ps not enough bogs, and £16 for 3 hotdogs.

Up where she belongs
 

Heartiest congrats to all those who've put in so much work to get 558 on the display circuit.
I don't mind admitting that I get emotional every time I watch a video of her. What an incredible achievement and I'm glad I have contributed my pennies to this endeavour, a labour of love if ever I saw one.
Thanks to those who have posted photos for us to share the spectacle.:ok:

We departed at 9.00 am and arrived at 1pm! This with 3 boys all under 5:}

Organisation
 

I spent several years on the organising committee of the Finningley Show and the 3 biggest problems, which arose year on year, were access / egress, toilet facilities and the display programme.

The display co-ord had to work on the basis of "promises" or " we'll have a look at that" and very few, particularly the new overseas visitors, would commit until the last minute. The returners would often be the first to put their names down as they had enjoyed it so much in the past.

The access, and egress problems were compounded by the weather: regardless of whether it rained and the airfield became a bog leaving vehicles and people stranded, or the sun blazed down and huge numbers turned up at the last minute blocking roads for miles around, the traffic people really struggled.

The toilet facilities are incredibly expensive to hire and install: at FY around 20% of the entire budget went on the toilet facilities. The balance between spending not enough and having inadequate numbers and spending too much and having an over abundance is tricky, as there is no real way to forecast the attendance other than working on the previous year figures.

Bearing in mind that the main attraction, 558, only got clearance the day before, the visitor numbers probably rocketed in the 12hours before the start and changes at that point are impossible.

£16 for 3 hotdogs? Even more expensive than Ryanair!

Excellent to see 558 back in the display. Last flew that airframe on 16 March 1982!

Nothing too special but I guess more the merrier. Last one is the Patrulla Aguila / Spanish Air Force.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u...1/PICT0048.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u...1/PICT0049.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u...1/PICT0036.jpg

Liking the shots.....:ok:
I have to say on waddington airshow this year....People will probably disagree with me, but I thought it was a shambles except from the Vulcan display, Typhoon and spitfire and the Falcons....

The commentry wasn't very good at all... Delays between aircraft displays....Over priced food and drink e.g. Bottle of coke for £2.50....:mad:.

Also Have to give it to the reds for putting on a O.K show...weather was S**t...They seemed to pull the crowds for a short while.

Does anyone know where the 1st Typhoon departed too..?

It just dissappered ?

Well thats my say from it....I won't be going there next year...It will be R.I.AT all the way :ok:

The first Typhoon was headed for Silverstone, to return and display at Waddington. But technical issues delayed it to the end, and I believe it didn't display at Silverstone at all.

Ok thanks sl4yer

I think it was BEagle who said, on the 558 thread: "In future there will be 2 kinds of air show, those with the Vulcan displaying and those with no punters" (or words to that effect). Right on BEagle, if Waddington is anything to go by.

558 I love yer :ok:

Pip Pip ON

I would suggest that those chimping about food prices are displaying a degree of naivety. Pack a picnic in a rucksack, eat what you want, avoid the queues, avoid the inevitably inflated prices of food vendors at such public events.

This public information bulletin was provided by,
MM:ok:

NDW i have to agree with you re prices and delays in Programme. Is it me or at the "Big" shows is there more breaks in the Programme? My first airshows were the Ulster air show at Newtown ards where there was usually a fairly continuous programme. Waddington seams to have long breaks and went to Farnborough a bout 5 years ago and it was the same picture.
IMHO Waddington were relying on the Vulcan to pull the crowds and the RAF Role demmo to keep them entertained to be honest the role demo was a complete waste of time not only due to the non existant commentry but it just doesn't work in explaining what the airforce does.
For a Major RAF based show covering Northern England and Midlands I would have hoped the RAF could have supplied more and persuaded other allies to send aircraft thanks to the Spannish, Germans, Dutch ,Chilieans,Italians and Americans for providing Static aircraft and the Chileans, Spanish and French for contributing to the air display.
This is the RAF's 90th Birthday Year so a show like this should have had alot more to see or is the RAF putting all the eggs in the RIAT basket which is fine if you are willing to travel to the other end of the country the People of the North of England and the Midlands pay the same taxes as those in the south so why shouldn't they expect the Airforce they pay for to put on a good show somewhere they can get to. Yes budgets are tight (not only for the forces) and there is overstretch. But a big well run event like waddington can and does help keep the airforce in the public eye, helps recruit and makes people ask elective representitives why proper resources aren't being allocated.

I did indeed!

Although I don't think I said 'punters'?

BTW, I had to fly (as pax) elsewhere today - did '558 perform again? Wx was dog$hit at Birrmigoom airport when I left, hope it was better at Waddo.

Assorted comments from general member of the unwashed:-

1. Queue to get in - 1 1/2 hours for last two miles not good. Finally got there at 11 (planned 10 - 10.15, hopeful 9.30).
2. Queue to get out. Getting out of airfield was, actually, ok, within expected limits (except memo to assh*le three cars in front - you don't have to let EVERY car into the queue) but (and nothing to do with organisers) idiot cop on point duty a couple of miles South, 5 demerit points (I think his dad was in the queue up the side road).
3. What on earth was that stuff served as coffee in the Hangar Cafe. Looked (and tasted) like watered milk. Hot chocolate was as bad apparently.
4. Couldn't the met office have moved the clouds away earlier.
5. Displays generally good, but see below.
6. Saw Arrows 'flat' display for first time and I think I preferred it to main display (banking turn with 'low' aircraft not far off deck and 'top' must have been going 'where has everyone else gone' as he went through cloud was impressive.
7. Typhoon/Spitfire display was brilliant (query: surely Spitfire pilot must have had turbulence problems when he went through wash from Typhoon?)
8. Shame about B52, was looking forward to that.
9. Had lump in throat when Vulcan/Lancaster went past, could barely talk (unusual for me). (Also comment from MadsLad 'it was louder than that when we saw it at RIAT', answer being 'yes, but no burners this time').
10. Role display was good. To be fair the Navy display at Yeovilton is more impressive but, as t'Lad said, 'they have lots of helicopters hovering round, the aircraft have to go away and then come back, so there are bigger gaps'. (And did the bloke off the Chinook, last back on, really hurt his leg? If yes hope you get well soon).
11. In queue on way out, from MadsLad, nodding towards a gang of ATC Cadets being harried by a sergeant 'looks just like herding cats'

Finally from MadsMum, who isn't that interested in aviation, 'it was a brilliant day out'. (And those of you from Yorkshire will know exactly what that means). And from me thank you to all who organised and flew for the event.

Comment from one of the rich people.

Getting there, getting in, getting parked and getting out - Red Route sticker = no problem - the Flt Sgts were still calling me Sir even after they'd seen the FLY NAVY sticker in the back window...

Getting round - no problem - limo service available to Alpha Dispersal with pick-up if you were too idle to walk back - not me, BTW!

Eating - no problem - food provided: bacon sandwiches (note plural) and coffee on tap. Excellent buffet lunch with more food than you could even think of eating. Tea at 1630 with cream and jam scones, profiteroles, drinks. If you wanted beer you had to pay.

Seeing the displays - no problem - we were right at the front; how many car alarms did the Mirage set off when he made that low pass at 500+ kts?

Yes, there were gaps in the show and yes the weather was pretty horrid early on but I remember being sent home early from the Sunday show last year and anything was better than that. OK, I remember the RAF At Homes (usually Middleton St George when it was a Vampire OCU and later a Lightning OCU) where it was wall-to-wall aircraft jostling for position to display but there are two wars on at the moment.

All in all it was a brilliant day which cost my mate and I £90 each and it was worth every penny just to see 558. Next year? Certainly! And before you all jump on me - when we had 3 kids at home we couldn't afford to pay that sort of rate for our entertainment. Just wait until you're old like me and one or two others on here and then you'll be able to! :ok:

Have to agree with the comments about the French Mirage. Although unable to go to Waddo this weekend I drove past at about 5pm on Friday when the Miarge ws going through its routine - impressive particularly the fast run followed by the return high alpha pass

Tickhill to Waddington without pushing the speed limits (honest):

55 minutes from home to parking (at Barn Farm). Short queue on entry -less than 5 minutes.

50 minutes from car park back to home.

Got there for the Spanish display, deliberately late (had other duties to attend to first), which meant I was in the Barn Farm overflow carpark, but walked straight onto a bus which set off within a couple of minutes. Caught the same bus back to the Farm.

In previous years I have left early and got in around 9:00-9:15 with no more than 10 minutes queuing. Getting out has been another matter entirely - the earlier you arrive the longer you queue to get out!

Finningley - I live only 6 miles from the base and still regret miscalculating the traffic the last time the Ligntnings appeared there. I missed them, stuck in traffic only a couple of miles from home having set out over an hour before the show was due to start. I don't know how I got that one so wrong - for some reason my local knowledge worked against me that year. Still plan to go to SA one day to make up for it.

Got soaked in the morning but dried out later. Star was of course XH558. Magnificent achievement by all concerned. Must admit I was originally one of the many doubters but now . . . well, it all came together yesterday for thousands of people.

The pic I wanted was 558 and 602 together. Knew it had to taxy past its old stablemate so . . .

http://www.canberra.plus.com/pics/Vulcans.jpg
Surprisingly many around me at the time hadn't actually thought of that!

It will become obligatory in years to come to have taken and show your photo of the two Avros in flight yesterday. This is one of mine. I say one of because age is giving me more camera shake these day so I was pleased to get something that didn't look like an out of focus butterfly following a wasp.
http://www.canberra.plus.com/pics/avro2.jpg

As for the cost of food! Well, all I can say is do what we did, take your own.

I suppose the biggest niggle yesterday was the commentator. Displayed a total, and embarassing, lack of knowledge and sounded like an over-excited space cadet at a village fete. For an International Air Show the RAF could (and should) do better.

:ok:

BBC report on the show and 558

BBC NEWS | England | Lincolnshire | Thousands watch Vulcan's display

The last two paragraphs...


There were 134 Vulcans built and the plane also saw action during the Falklands conflict. It was later used as an air-to-air refuelling aircraft.

Was it indeed?

Yes - with a single Mk17 HDU in an 'MFI wardrobe' under the tailcone.

And a very nice stable platform to refuel from it was too!

See The Royal Air Force - History Section

I put what explanation I could find in the 558 folder

How did the display compare with the old RAF display of the 80S? I've memories of the Vulcan being pretty much the best display jet around.

I guess they will be much more gentle with it these days

Very much so. Sedate compared to the way it used to be displayed, but for very good reason I suppose. Also much quieter than I remember it - I suspect that lower engine power is used now with the aircraft being much lighter than it was in 1993, and engine parts being in short supply.

I remember being sat in the traffic jam for the same show, and seeing the Lightning disappear vertically into the clouds! That was the last time I saw one flying I think. That was a very grey day too!

Thank BEagle, I either never knew that or had completely forgotten. More likely the former.

passpartout: Though the punters (and me and you) would love it, I doubt if we'll ever again see the old party trick of take off and pull straight up into the wide blue yonder which used even to make our glorious allies go very quiet. Memories! :ok:

But just seeing 558 yesterday rolling down the runway and taking off at her old home was enough for me. :{

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1215380730

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...g?t=1215380771

iansmith: These were taken at Funningley in 1984. Any good?