Waddington Airshow
 

Any Waddington crew in the know as to what time the Thunderbirds display this weekend ?

Planning a nap are we?

Watch the Hunters they are much more entertaining, and don't fly miles away from the airfield before turning

If you want a laugh, read this: http://thunderbirds.airforce.com/ima...portManual.pdf

Wonderful!

Not forgetting of course the:-
It is a wonder that they get any bookings.

I suppose you need all those vehicles to fit the egos in.

I think I'd still rather have them at an airshow than the formation vuvuzelas.

Blades, not Vuvuzelas, Blades. Must remember not to call them vuvuzelas.




Lovin' the workout facility requirements in the pdf. In fact the whole document is comedy gold.

Having watched their 'display' a few times in the USA, I just hope that the Waddington Show organisers have managed to get them a suitable parking spot somewhere distant. Their formation "salute, walk to airplane (sic), salute, climb ladder, strap-in, close canopy, salute, start engines, salute, etc" is a complete waste of time! It's like something out of 'Strictly Come Dancing'. Put them well out of the way down at the Harmston end of the airfield, give 'em a 15 minute slot for their display, and be done with it.

If they do insist on their ground display, at least get something suitable noisy to fly while their doing it. I'd suggest Harriers (gulp!) or some Saab Viggens.

I can remember a visit to the hangar at Nellis AFB in the late 80s when they'd just started on the F-16s. The tour-guide proudly explained that the TB aircraft were fully combat capable, and they they could be fully converted into front-line combat aircraft in "about 3-4 days each". He looked mightily p-ed off when I mentioned the the 'Red Arrows' could be similarly converted in about 2 hours! For the remainder of the tour he refused to speak to me or acknowledge that I was there! Suits me, Sir. Suits me just fine!

Geezers of Nazareth said:

Really? You thought that a 'fully combat capable' Hawk was worth mentioning in comparison to an F16? In what combat role did you envisage the Hawk or did you think that the 2 hours to load a couple of AIM-9s and the gun pod was an achievement in itself?

Help me out here, because at the moment your comment strikes me jingoistic arrogance.

LJ

Okaaaaaay..... Chill out Adour, I thought it was quite funny.

Adour

F3 pilot perchance?

Not F3; Jags and F/A-18.

If you guys thought it was funny, fine; I am just disappointed when I see us grandstanding and assuming that the US care, harmless in itself but the self delusion has other more serious consequences.

LJ

The Blue Angels used to do a similar routine on shutdown. I was watching them at Abbotsford BC when air traffic gave us start clearance for our own display. The crowd seemed to find 4 Olympus rapid starting something of a distraction:E

Good days.

YS

Not often you win twice with the same piece but I think Geezer won at the time he originally said it and now with Adour.:)

I thought it was funny / good banter.

.

Their formation "salute, walk to airplane (sic), salute, climb ladder, strap-in, close canopy, salute, start engines, salute, etc" is a complete waste of time! It's like something out of 'Strictly Come Dancing'. Put them well out of the way down at the Harmston end of the airfield, give 'em a 15 minute slot for their display, and be done with it.

If they do insist on their ground display, at least get something suitable noisy to fly while their doing it.
The Blue Angels used to do a similar routine on shutdown. I was watching them at Abbotsford BC when air traffic gave us start clearance for our own display. The crowd seemed to find 4 Olympus rapid starting something of a distraction

Good days.

YS

Got threaten with doing every parade for the next year, if I didn't stop taking the p*ss out of the Blue Angels in the good old US of A, when doing their see off party piece. They also weren't very impressed when they were upstaged by the Red Arrows, who were praised at the after show party.

Our groundies did a cracking job of emulating the see off, as we taxied out in the magnificent Rod. Landing off the pull up, bunt over and short finals to land was cracking flying, Mr Seymour:D

Brilliant days

SS

Well, having watched the Vulcan practice his display over Scampton yesterday afternoon, they are all on a loser.

Have to sadly agree.
I know the V Company, ac and crew are constrained in terms of flight envelope, but it is a sad reflection of what its capability WAS.
Seriously underwhelmed with the Thunderbirds.
I suspect the disappointment will set in early for RAFW this year...

Waddington Airshow
 

If you want an early morning belly laugh, just type into your favourite search engine "military aircraft marshalling video" - sort of puts the BS into context (I know, they've been around for some time, but it makes I chuckle).

H

You'll need a bucket for the first few minutes of this:



The real BS starts at about 00:59..... :yuk:

I do hope that they won't try the same commentary at Waddo; Brits would pi$$ themselves laughing!

Back to original question anybody with display times available yet ??

Re comments about the "showmanship" I agree to the British it all might seem a little OTT but aren't most things American the same, just take a look at how they have glamourised "scenes of crime" with the crop of CSI TV shows !!

I saw them perform at the Turkish air show last month and they were very well received by the local crowd who were the most enthusiastic air show audience i have ever seen, they clapped and cheered at nearly everything, and after the "Solo Turk" F16 display there was an actual "pitch invasion onto the taxiway !!

Anyway back to my point, this show had most major display teams appearing, they all displayed with powerful music and enthusiastic commentary over the PA system, that is until the Red Arrows did their slot, they had no music and a typical British humour commentary that was completely over the heads of most, to say the display came across as flat was an understatement. On the Sunday I suspect someone from on high had had a word with them and hey presto the Red Arrows display was carried out with music, take off to 633 sqn theme was a classic, other tracks such as "we are the champions" and "Jerusalem" went down really well.

The Thunderbirds really know how to put on a show even if we Brits find it OTT but having seen what happened in Turkey I understand why they do it and hey whats wrong with precision movements on the ground as well as in the air:O:O