| During these exceedingly tough time for our Forces, it is essential that we remember those left behind. RAF Families Days are a perfect way for all involved to say thank you, especially to those members of families who are so desperately missing their loved ones.
As far as RAF Odiham in Hampshire is concerned, currently anything up to a quarter of the base personnel and assests are abroad - mainly in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. In that harsh environment, the Chinooks, their crews and groundcrews are put to immense pressure with their invaluable support to the ground forces. Back at Odiham, servicing goes on a pace in the hangars and training flights and exercises take place day and night. So 22nd July it was time for the Families at Odiham to have their annual fun day, when they could all relax, wander around some visitng aircraft and helicopters, view the classic cars and military vehicles and perhaps have a ride on the funfair and have a family flight. All within the bounds of their own secure airfield. Of course no RAF Day would be complete without an air show but this year's organisers must have wondered if the gods were against them with so many cancelleations in the days running up to the event. Modern day RAF representation was, unsurprisingly, thin on the ground considering how stretched the reserves are at the moment. However, there was a Tornado GR.4 and a rather special Tucano on static of which more at the end of this feature. The flying opened in the afternoon with a sedately fly-by from one of the immense C-17 Globemaster IIIs from Brize Norton's 99 Sqn. This was followed by the Red Arrows who just about had enough sky for a full display. This included their new finishing break for landing which comes off the top of a very high loop. Stunning! Following a Role Demo illustration from two Chinooks and a Lynx from the based AAC Squadron, we were treated to the full Chinook solo display. Even to families used to seeing these beasts in the air, the antics of the Wokka still amaze. Going a long way to make up for the lack of RAF jets in the flying display (though the Hawk from Valley did appear towards the end of the afternoon), the Royal Netherlands Air Force put in a startling display in their radically specially painted F-16. Plenty of reheat and noise, very tight turns and good manoeuvres to keep the crowds happy. There were two very different items on the programme which demonstrated total precision. This came from The Blades in their Extra 300s and Team Swift. The Blades are all ex-Red Arrow pilots and this show through in their tight formations and also in that some of the manoeuvres are very reminiscient of their previous employers! Team Swift hold the public mesmerised wherever they appear. They comprise Guy Westgate in the Swift Glider, which he aeros even when still attached to the Piper Pawnee tow plane, adn Pete Wells in the Silence Twister which looks to all like a mini Spitfire in its wing plan. On this occasion Pete was in his new machine which gives him an additional 20hp for the aerobatics and also permits more prolonged inverted flight. Pete does his thing whirling around the sky keeping the crowds entertained whilst Guy is towed to height. On release and with smoke generators working on each wing, Guy undertakes one of the most outstanding aerobatic routines seen anywhere, right dow to low level prior to landing. Oh and no ground crews having to run to fetch the glider. Oh no, Guy taxies straight to their feet! There was one unusual item on the programme that this reviewer had never seen before in a flying display. This was the Fiat G.46-3B former Italian training aircraft based at Wycombe Air Park. In its Italian Air Force colours it gave a nice display after climbing to height - required due to the relatively low power of its engine. Historic jets made up the remainder of the flying programme with Golden Apple's unique F-86A Sabre from Duxford - catch it while you can before it heads off to pastures new in the USA - and a BAC Jet Provost T.3A. However, the undoubted star of this afternoon, not to take anything away from the rest of the participants, was Avro Vulcan B.2 XH558. Following the well published recent problems and talk about sedate displays, this was very different. Very tight and steep turns, lots of action and best of all that wonderful Vulcan howl. Much better and certainly the crowd loved it. That was the flying. I'll let the photos do the talking about what else what there with one exception. During the arrivals in the morning a very unusual sight was seen landing. This was the OV-10 Bronco of Tony de Bruin. Originally seen and restored at Duxford, Tony has no repainted the machine into it's genuine German colours and stunning - though unusual - it looks too. Finally, that Tucano. By all accounts as it arrived it was an ordinary Tucano from RAF Linton. However, it was only when parked up on the apron that the story became clear. During WWII 76 Sqn operated the Handley Page Halifax bomber on missions over Germany and France. On one of those missions, Halifax MP-Q (Queenie) was running low on fuel and dropped into the airfield at Odiham. On 22nd July 2009, 76 Sqn Tucano ZF264 'MP-Q' from RAF Linton-on Ouse, dropped in to RAF Odiham to be greeted by the two remaining crew members from that original flight, pilot Walter MacFarlane and Charlie Gallagher who was the bomb aimer. The photographs here show Walter and Charlie along with their families and Martin Wintermeyer from the current 76 Sqn, together with of course the current holder of the name 'Queenie'. Massive thanks to those who allowed this reviewer to attend and to have such an excellent position to get some unusual angles on the arrivals |