RAFA Shoreham Air Show 2008

PLEASED TO SUPPORT

30th August 2008

The 19th RAFA Shoreham Air Show was blessed with wonderful sunny weather, a real rarity during the summer of 2008! The following is a report written by some friends who were visiting the show for the first time:

Maybe I’m just lucky. Maybe the “gods” smile down on me. Who knows? Suffice to say that I’ve only managed to attend two air shows this year, Goodwood and Shoreham, and both times, I’ve gone on the sunniest day.

And what a day to be at the oldest licensed airfield in the UK, set in beautiful Sussex countryside just outside the seaside town, with the stunning and well-known façade of Lancing College as a backdrop. This, the 19th Shoreham Air Show raising much needed funds for RAFA (totalling over £1.25m to date) can surely be counted as one of the best ever. So this visit was an opportunity not to be missed, and, despite a later than planned start, we still made it in plenty of time for the first display.

Below are my thoughts and impressions of the day. I hope those who couldn’t make it, get a feel of the flavour of the event from this and other sites and photos.

From feathered wings with thousands of years of natural ability to the newest and highest-tech man-made equivalent of today’s Eurofighter Typhoon, there was something for all lovers of everything airborne.

Christian Moullec with his geese and cranes were a spectacular start to the day. Man and nature working as one. I think the birds got the bigger round of applause.

I never tire of seeing, hearing and “feeling” a Spitfire passing by, but Carolyn Grace’s elegant and majestic flying surpassed anything I’ve ever witnessed, sending shivers down my spine. Not content with this, we were also treated to further magnificent displays of various models of Spitfires, Hurricanes and the truly majestic Lancaster from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Having five - yes FIVE - Spitfires flying formation overhead gave us an inkling as to what civilian England saw and heard in the skies during WWII. It brought a lump to my throat, and, I’m not ashamed to admit it, moistness to my eyes. Made one proud to be English.

The mock airfield attack was very well received by the crowd, laughing at the antics of the Dad’s Army brigade. Nice to see that our boys saw off Tommy………… although I did notice a Spitfire and ME flying off together later, all buddies again.

Now, I’m not a fan of helicopters, but I have to admit that I was impressed with the displays here. Are Chinook’s really supposed to be able to do that?!?!? We were very fortunate to have a Chinook, and also the Hercules, on display, as our forces abroad need all the air support they can get, so our immense thanks go to the RAF for giving up their time to entertain us. Though the blustery conditions made for an ‘interesting’ landing when the Hercules first arrived!

I’m still reeling from the B25 Mitchell flight. Are those Dutchmen mad? Has anyone told them that the B25 is a bomber not a fighter? Following their display, and prior to that of the Hangar 11 P40 Kittyhawk and P51D Mustang ‘Jumpin Jacques’, the three ‘American’ visitors linked up for a formation flypast.

A first for this show was having five wing-walking Guinot girls in the air at once. It was a brilliant display, with very close passes and very low to the ground. The excitable commentator got louder and shriller as the display progressed, which was a bit hard on the ears when standing close to one of the PA speakers!

I love the display teams and thoroughly enjoyed the Yakovlevs, being a fan of their engine sound. However, I have to say that one of the highlights of my day was The Blades. If awards were to be given at air shows, Kat should win “best commentator” for her vital role in this fast moving, fun packed display. With her excellent instructions, not one wing turn, stall or pass was missed by this fascinated spectator. These tiny Extra 300s hold a much closer formation than the larger Hawks, and the speed, agility and “closeness” of the passes was breath-taking. Amazingly the new, blue colourscheme (thanks to their sponsorship from Barclays Commercial) was easy to see against the cloudless sky, looking better than the old orange livery.

And who can’t be moved by the sound and sheer brute force of the jets? Fast, low passes with rapid, almost vertical manoeuvres, from the Typhoon, shook the ground, air and body.

So, from the loudest to the quietest with Guy Westgate in his Swift Glider, performing the same loops, passes and “stalls” as his engine’d counterparts. This was the third time I’d seen Guy, but this was the first time for me that the weather was at its optimum to witness the full display.

Our day was brought to a close with John Romain giving a poignant display in the gorgeous Spitfire IX owned by Tom Blair. This was in tribute to Brian Brown. While John was flying the wonderful routine, a memorial was unveiled to Brian in front of Shoreham’s wonderful art-deco Terminal Building.

We lingered on afterwards to miss all the show traffic and were rewarded with watching some of the participants practicing their art against the backdrop of a beautiful sunset, before heading home, tired but happy.

Jan & Jeff Coombes

There are not that many images in this report from the second day of the show as the weather really closed in with rain in the morning. Although it did dry up enough for the display to start, the airfield attack had to be cut short due to worsening visibility such that by the time that Team Swift took off, Guy Westgate reported that the cloudbase as a maximum of 550ft! Most aircraft were marooned at Shoreham for a further night, though the Brabant Mitchell and the falcon's Hercules both managed to get out, with some interesting effects.

The 20th Anniversary RAFA Shoreham Air Show will take place on 22nd & 23rd August 2009. It promises to be rather special. Updates will be posted on this site as they happen.

Airfield Attack	Airfield Attack	Airfield Attack - Bf108	Airfield Attack - Bf108
Airfield Attack - Bf109	Airfield Attack - Bf109	Airfield Attack - Bf109	Airfield Attack - Bf109
Airfield Attack - Bf109 & Spitfire	Airfield Attack - Bf109 & Spitfire	Airfield Attack - Dad's Army	Airfield Attack - Dad's Army
Airfield Attack - Dad's Army - Cpl Jones on his bike	Airfield Attack - Dad's Army - Go get 'em	Airfield Attack - Dad's Army - One of the Few	Airfield Attack - Dad's Army - Pte Pike reloads
Airfield Attack - Dad's Army - Pte Pike takes a pop at the enemy	Airfield Attack - Dad's Army - Pte Walker	Airfield Attack - Dad's Army - Pte Walker	Airfield Attack - Dad's Army - Shooing off the Hun
Airfield Attack - Spitfire Formation	Airfield Attack - Spitfire Formation	Airfield Attack - Spitfire Formation	Airfield Attack - Spitfire Mk.IX
Airfield Attack - Spitfire Mk.IX	Airfield Attack - Spitfire Mk.VIII	Airfield Attack - Spitfire Mk.VIII	Airfield Attack - Spitfire Mk.VIII on a murky Sunday
Airfield Attack - Spitfire Mk.XVI	Airfield Attack - Spitfire Scramble	Airfield Attack - Spitfire Scramble	Airfield Attack - Spitfire Tr.9
Airfield Attack - Spitfire Vb	Blades Aerobatic Team, Extra 300	Blades Aerobatic Team, Extra 300	Blades Aerobatic Team, Extra 300
Blades Aerobatic Team, Extra 300	Blades Aerobatic Team, Extra 300	Blades Aerobatic Team, Extra 300	Blades Aerobatic Team, Extra 300
Blades Aerobatic Team, Extra 300	Blades Aerobatic Team, Extra 300	Blades Aerobatic Team, Extra 300	Blades Aerobatic Team, Extra 300
Blades Aerobatic Team, Extra 300	Boss Bear & Friend	Christian	Christian Moullec - Microlight and cranes
Christian Moullec - Microlight and cranes	Christian Moullec - Microlight and cranes	Consolidated Catalina, Plane Sailing	Consolidated Catalina, Plane Sailing
Consolidated Catalina, Plane Sailing	Consolidated Catalina, Plane Sailing	De Havilland Vampire T.11, Mark Hooton	De Havilland Vampire T.11, Mark Hooton
De Havilland Vampire T.11, Mark Hooton	De Havilland Vampire T.11, Mark Hooton	De Havilland Vampire T.11, Mark Hooton	De Havilland Vampire T.11, Mark Hooton