English Airshows
 

Looking at going to the UK in July wondering if anyone has been to the Farnborough Airshow or the Royal International Air Tattoo and has thoughts on either. Will probably only have time to do one of them and was wondering which would be better.

Cheers
OCTA.

I've been to both and it really depends on where your tastes lie. Farnborough is good in its own right but in my opinion is more important for the tradefare and commercial sales that go on at the airshow. RIAT is just a massive, purely military airshow - you wont see ANY civvy stuff there. I am in the Air Force so am a bit biased but I would say go to RIAT... it is a great show with the best military hardware in the world and if I recall correctly, is the biggest airshow in Europe.

I remember standing in a queue with my dad for 3 hours at Farnborough, nearly thirty years ago as a young kid, just to get a 5 minute look at the flight deck of a British Airways Concorde. At that time, it was the best 5 minutes of my life. I won't go into any detail regarding the next best 5 minutes of my life (actually I'd have been lucky if it was even 5 minutes!), but apparently I got better at it with age and experience.:E

Flying Legends
 

OCTA,

RIAT Fairford is on the weekend of 12-13 July as is Flying Legends at Duxford near Cambridge which I've been to in the past and is great to see Spitfires, Hurricanes & Mustangs etc. etc. flying. You could do Fairford one day and Duxford the next! What a great weekend!

Check out www.militaryairshows.co.uk for further info

Good luck! :ok:

Be sure to order some good weather
Cars,cars, cars people everywhere and sh%te weather.

Get the 1956 show out on DVD.:hmm:

Sh!t ...you're old! And I thought my grey hairs were merely natural highlights!:}

Tinpis,
You not only have to order good weather for the UK you need to pray and pray and pray! That may still result in the so-called four seasons in one day effect at the airshow but at least that adds to the atmosphere! (pardon the pun)

'56 was a great show, think I still have it around somewhere on Beta or Grundig Video 2000 (cripes I'm showing my age! :eek: )

sigh....... :hmm:

I live about 1 km from Farnborough airport...
IMHO Farnborough is a better option if you are an aviation buff, as it tends to include both civvy and military stuff....there is a massive covered area with all manner of aviation related products/companies, and its easy to get to from Clapham junction on the train if you are travelling down from London.

Dont forget - Shuttleworth & Hendon
 

1. Old Warden & The Shuttleworth Collection.
If your lucky and get to Old Warden on a good weather day with light winds - it is a day out to remember.
Check the website(its north of London and the M25 by about an hour) and the atmosphere is out of the 30s. Take folding chairs and a picnic and have a ball sitting just behind the fence in the slipstream of a Spitfire or Hurricane as the crank up. My favorite was seeing the pre-WW1 stuff doing their hops and an amazing WW1 monoplane the Bristol M1 perform.
2. Hendon Museum is a great half day out as well, and its free.
Farnborough Station is not far from the airfield - I would guess 2 km, but the rail fares are pretty rude to and from London. Some pretty neat history in and around Farnborough. I was walking along the canal next door to the airfield a few years back and picked up an old German small arms casing.
Good luck with the weather.
RO

Jesus Tin...you couldn't find a better example of what killed off the British aircraft industry if you'd tried.

Row after row of ugly, overcomplicated ****e hawkes.

Yeah. I mean, not a single lawnmower manufacturer to be seen ;)

changes in Farnborough on Way to field
 

hi

Getting off the train at Farnborough if you remember 2 years ago things have
changed a lot . The STATION is the same but walking up theA325 Things are much Different . On the Right the glass concept 2000 building has gone to make way for Blocks of Flats and Houses. The majority of the town centre empty for years has been Demolished and loads more will be soon. Where you walk under the A325 to the council offices that to will Soon be a building Site for a new cinema . Just past the offices going up towards the Old RAE entrance you will see a new Housing Estate going in more And more flats . BARONS the Car people on the opposite side should by then have crossed over into new showrooms .
All the road and pavements been up for months at least the Swan Pub is still there under new Management Walk past FAST Museum you will come to a new hotel being Built 5 STAR then you get to where the Bridge and gates into the field are or might be we cannot tell as all this Area is a massive construction site new roads and more FLATS HOUSES FLATS and more Further along as far as the Roundabout . MR PLOD and co are often there handing the local Spotters there mandatory piece of paper why there being stopped all in all Farnborough is a big building Site all round the airfield .

Tony

a local Spotter fed up with it all

Thanks for the info guys. Is it realistic to be able to Duxford one day and Fairford the next if I don't have transport and have to train it or bus it everywhere? How long would it take to get to and from each of them.

Sounds like I'm in for a good show anyway I go.

OCTA

Heehee... Chuck you would have thought that operating all that kit from Boeing ,Douglas,Lockheed,Curtis, and North American during the war they might have got a few ideas.
But they needed work for all the village blacksmiths ..... :rolleyes:

See you there!
 

OCTA,
Are you staying in London? If so should be ok for public transport (unless there's a strike :rolleyes:). Last July non stop train from Kings Cross to Cambridge was less than an hour and cost about 17 quid return. Return shuttle bus from station to Duxford is free. For RIAT Fairford you catch the train from Paddington to Swindon and there is a shuttle bus from there to the show but there is a charge. As I mentioned in previous message check out the militaryairshows website and then each individual show has a visitor info link which also provides links to train travel info etc.

You have me salivating at the thought of Goodwood Park on Friday the 11th, Duxford 12th, RIAT 13th, Farnborough 14th-20th and the Old Warden evening display on Saturday the 19th. What a great week!! Will have to apply for a leave pass from the War Office.....aka the Mrs. ;)

getting to Farnborough
 

ok

1 Rule Number 1 from a local NEVER BRING A CAR Please .

2 staying local BOOK NOW Or you may not get anywhere


Train Waterloo 50mins or less to FARNBOROUGH MAIN . Bus outside station
or walk 25mins . TAXI VERY EXPENSIVE
Flying Rail-air coach Heathrow to Woking train Farnborough MAIN

Your aircraft . BLACKBUSHE , FAIROAKS do book early

ALL Food drink i would suggest bring own or buy in Town or make sure
you have a big wallet.

Thirsty suggest a drink Swan pub A325 Do look around plenty of
pictures past Show . For news of what's on see my group website
or the official one

TONY
Farnborough