Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

Dunsfold Wings & Wheels 2009

Sun Aug 30 2009

Sunday 30 August 2009: 2009 saw the fifth year that Dunsfold organised its now well regarded Wings & Wheels show. Somewhat surprisingly perhaps, this event is the only show with flying content that takes place in Surrey, a county with a rich aviation heritage. Brooklands is only a very short distance away, Hawker had their factory not far up the road, the Vickers test airfield at Wisley was only a short hop away and of course Croydon was the cradle of civil aviation in the Golden Years of the 20th Century. Dunsfold itself was built during WWII and saw everything from Spitfires to Mitchells operating from its runways. At the end of the war, almost 50,000 allied prisoners of war were returned home from captivity using the airfield as the first point of contact back on British soil after years in captivity. Following the end of hostilities and closure as a service airfield, Dunsfold continued in use, firstly by Skyways and latterly as a test airfield and manufacturing base by Hawker and its subsequent identities as the British Aircraft Corporation and British Aerospace. Many of Hawker_s most famous postwar aircraft made their flights from here and the Harrier test program and assembly line was on site. The final use made of that line was for the world-beating Hawk which is still hugely successful around the world _ of course most recognised in the scarlet colours of the RAF_s Red Arrows. After closure of the British Aerospace factory, the airfield has become a base for many small businesses, many aviation related. It has also become widely known due to its use by the BBC_s Top Gear programme, with parts of the runways and taxiways being laid out as a test track. The format of the Wings & Wheels show is somewhat different to most air shows in that the entertainment is split into parts with high speed historic and modern cars and motorcycles taking to the runway and an ever increasing number of military vehicles having their own parade (see separate report and photos elsewhere on this website for details of the Military Vehicles). The Wheels aspect of the action saw two sections of demonstrations with each populated by machines large and small. The Brooklands Museum and Mercedes-Benz World both had major contributions, whilst many other vehicles were driven by their private entrants. There were massed arrays of Aston Martins, ably backed up by Bentley, Porsche, Ferrari, Jaguar, Lotus and many others. On two wheels the entire history of motorcycling seemed to be there from a 1920_s BAT Martinsyde right through to the Superbikes of today. Perhaps unlike the ground based items, the air show part of the event relies very much upon the weather and for the second year running, the morning fly-in was badly affected by the overhanging grey clag meant that there were few takers for the available slots _ however it was better than 2008 when a lone Tiger Moth made it in! Already on static were an RAF Dominie T.1 and the Merlin HC.3 from RAF Benson. The latter were raising funds for Help For Heroes with Michelle Goodman GC signing copies of the H4H cookbook. It is always good to see these guys, especially during these very tough times for the Joint Helicopter Command and the work up prior to the Merlins deploying to Afghanistan. With no Chinook being available, _The Tigers_ Parachute Display Team opened the flying programme jumping from a Britten-Norman Islander. Representing the Hawker factory in Richmond was Peter Teichman in his unique Hurricane IIb _Hurribomber_ making its debut at Dunsfold. Harking back even further was the Great War Display Team with their aerial ballet illustrating what it was like over the trenches of The Great War. Representing the squadrons of B-25 Mitchells which called the airfield home during WWII, the Royal Netherlands Historic Flight brought over their example for its now traditional and very sprightly display. Next up was the RAF displaying part of the route that pilots take through the Tutor T.1, Hawk T.1 and Eurofighter Typhoon. Following the second batch of motoring demonstrations, The Blades did everything possible to entertain the crowds with their masterful display of aerobatic and close formation flying. However, close formation doesn_t come any closer than that shown by Paul Bonhomme and Steve Jones, The Red Bull Matadors, with their Sukhoi SU26s. This pair is a definite _must see_ and the routine by these two is true class. Unfortunately, the low cloud put the show beyond limits for the Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight _ as well as the Hunter that was due from Kemble. It also nearly put paid to the appearance by Vulcan B.2 XH558 which had missed the 2008 show due to technical problems. These days as a civilian operated aircraft, the Vulcan is not flown by radar and is therefore limited to VFR (Visual Flight Rules). With the clag being as low as it was, it was touch and go (not literally!) as to whether it would arrive. Indeed it was only when Air Traffic at Farnborough gave the necessary clearance, that the big delta did arrive with a curving pass before going into its sequence of flybys culminating in the now traditional power climb out. From the loud and noisy to the quiet and graceful with the Swift Aerobatic Display. This team has become a crowd pleaser wherever it goes (these days not only in the UK with the guys having made appearances in the Middle East at Al Ain, plus Scandinavia and Belgium in 2009). With Pete Wells giving his display in the Silence Twister, the stage would normally be left then to Guy Westgate in the Swift glider. However, on this occasion, things did not go according to plan as during the rolls _on tow_ at the beginning of the routine the rope broke! Obviously, having not done their _climb to height_, Guy had no alternative but to abort and land _ after one of his swooping turns onto finals. Making their first visit to a Dunsfold show were the famous pair of Spitfire Mk.IX and P-51 Mustang from the Old Flying Machine Company flown by Alister Kay and Brian Smith. What a debut! Superb was the only word that can be used to describe this outstanding contribution to the show. The penultimate item on the programme was one that is always loved by all who see them. This was the pair of Boeing Stearmans of Team Guinot. With Danielle Hughes and Stella Gilding on the top wings, a grey afternoon was considerably lightened and the delighted screams could be heard from the children (of all ages) in the crowd! Finally, having arrived with all 11 scarlet Hawks in formation earlier in the afternoon, The Red Arrows closed the show in their inimitable style. With the height limits imposed due to the proximity of Gatwick and also of course the weather, only the flat show could be flown, but don_t let that detract. As usual their flying was of the highest order. True British Ambassadors. So ended another successful Wings & Wheels. In 2010, the organisers have decided to go for a two day show over the August Bank Holiday weekend. This may have the effect of spreading out the crowd a bit, which on a single day can be a bit cramped. One thing it is hoped that it does improve is exit from the site. Having greatly improved entry this year with no queues at all, unfortunately the opposite happened at the end of the day with virtually no movement at all in the almost two hours following the end of the flying. What actually caused this isn_t known, but unlike with some shows, no one left early due to the Vulcan and Red Arrows being so close to the end of the day. Some were left complaining about lack of information, though there was nothing that could be done about this as the PA system had been dismantled 30 minutes after the flying finished! The show itself was excellent as usual with a nice mix of items in the air and on the track. There was also plenty to keep all members of the family well entertained. Many thanks to Nancy Edwards and her team.

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

Dunsfold Wings & Wheels 2009: The Military Vehicles

Sun Aug 30 2009

Sunday 30 August 2009: One of the major components of the Dunsfold Wings & Wheels event has always been the gathering of military vehicles. It appeared that in 2009, despite a clash with the big Military Vehicle Trust event at Kemble, the gathering was bigger than ever with some 58 vehicles on show ranging from a good few Jeeps (Willys, Ford and Hotchkiss), through the American Dodge, Chevrolet & REOs to some classic British examples of Humber and Bedford. Armoured vehicles weren_t forgotten either with three Ferrets of various marks and a Daimler Armoured car on show. Prior to the afternoon_s flying display, each owner had the opportunity to take part in the parade in front of the crowd line, some of the owners being accompanied by some of the veterans who had attended the show.

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

GOODWOOD REVIVAL 2009: SETTING THE SCENE

Fri Sep 18 2009

Friday 18 September 2009: The eleventh running of the Goodwood Revival took place in autumn sunshine and pulled in a massive crowd of 134,000+ spectators to the wonderful setting next to the South Downs. The Revival has become one of the premier events in the world and although there are many other classic motor race meetings, nowhere does it quite like Goodwood. The whole site is period dressed so that it looks and feels like the _Magical Step Back In Time_ that the organisers delight in using. Old sheds are given special frontages so that they look like art deco car showrooms _ one featuring two genuine Ford GT40s and another representing Mike Hailwood_s original Tourist Trophy garage in Farnham. The side of an aircraft hangar looks like the entrance to Earl_s Court and inside is a representation of a motor show as they used to be. NAAFI wagons serve out cups of tea and period vehicles transport people and goods around the area. The paddocks are full with hundreds of vehicles of every description and from manufacturers well known (Aston Martin, Ferrari, Maserati and so on) to those small racing car makers who perhaps only every made a couple of cars such as Stranguellini. Within the bounds of the circuit, there are no vehicles newer than 1966. Even the race transporters are the originals from the fifties and sixties (the modern ones are hidden away behind screens!). An event of this nature is nothing without the people taking part, whether they be racers, mechanics, staff, paying spectators and even journalists and TV crews. The vast majority of people attending take the trouble to dress the part in one way or another and those that don_t, do stand out. Racing in the 50s and 60s was not the place for shorts and baseball caps! For men increasingly, a military uniform is becoming very popular, but tweed jackets and day suits are still popular. For the ladies, flowing skirts, often with layers of petticoats, or the famous twin-set and pearls. However, 2009 was the 50th birthday of the Mini (the car that is!). So the organisers hit on the idea of making this Revival a 60_s based event, so the mini-skirt was very much in evidence! Outside the circuit, Spivs and Tarts could be found rubbing shoulders with Mods and Rockers who naturally were watched closely by the Boys In Blue. Shifty men with suitcases full of loot chatted up the girls from Glam Cabs and in Carnaby Street, hippies lounged on VW Campers, miniskirted dancers gyrated against a backdrop of a London bus and Union Flag bedecked Minis. On the Richmond Lawn a new event, Vintage At Goodwood, provided entertainment including Katy Carr a London based singer whose new album is based around people and events of WWII and whose grandfather was a Polish Spitfire Pilot in the RAF. She was delighted to be able to be photographed with the Spitfire Mk.Vb which bears the signatures of other Polish pilots, thanks to the generosity of Janice and Guy Black of the Historic Aircraft Collection and pilot Charlie Brown. With Haurel and Lardy as ever drawing their own crowds and the Road Menders getting up to their usual tricks, perhaps the most unusal sight had to be the performance artists known simply as _The Girls_. Once the candy striped tent had been removed from its place on the lawn, we were greeted with the sight of a blonde wearing nothing but cake, icing and strawberries! It just shows that even after attending so many Goodwood Revival Meetings over the years, there is always something new_and different to see! Thanks as ever must go to Janet, Louise and all the team at Goodwood for all the help and hospitality and for yet again staging an event that truly is _One Of A Kind._

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

GOODWOOD REVIVAL 2009: IN THE AIR

Fri Sep 18 2009

Friday 18 September 2009: As with so much about the Revival Meeting, only superlatives can be said about the flying displays which happen at various times each day, usually between the various races and parades that happen on the track. Due to the fact that, being a motor race meeting and with crowds lining the outside of the track, this creates a very different situation for the pilots when compared to a _normal_ air show. Flying is only allowed to take place when there is no racing and if there are delays due to incidents on track then unfortunately the flying can suffer somewhat. This in fact happened on the Sunday afternoon this year when firstly the 80th Birthday Tribute to Stirling Moss overran its time and then various cars decided to take to the boondocks in the following race leading to the traditional warbird mass take off and airfield beat up being scrubbed. However, this must not detract from what is always a feast for any aviation nut. Meanwhile, at the Goodwood Flying Club, the outside area had been provided with some classic vehicles including Bugatti and Bentley, along with re-enactors to give a flavour of what RAF Westhamphnett was like back in the dark days of WWII. Of course, all the staff had joined in the fun and were dressed in a variety of uniforms from the period whilst the ladies were in their floral finery. 2009 was indeed Merlin heaven with a total of 11 examples of Roll-Royce_s famous engine in the air. Spitfires were HAC_s Mk.Vb with Charlie Brown in the cockpit and OFMC_s Mk.IX flown by Lee Proudfoot. Mustangs were P-51D _Ferocious Frankie_ and TFC_s TF-51 flown by Alister Kay and Paul Bonhomme and representing the _other side_ was John Romain in the Hispano Buchon, a Spanish built Messerschmitt Bf109. The BBMF are always at their stunning best in the Goodwood setting and on Friday and Saturday brought along Lancaster PA474, Hurricane IIc LF363 flown by _Parky_ Parkinson and Soitfire Mk.IX MK356 flown by The Boss Sqn Ldr Al Pinner. An oft heard comment about the BBMF is the lack of topside passes but this is certainly not the case here with formation passes aplenty by all three and a tailchase routine by the fighters. Across the weekend there were various permutations of the Warbirds with at various times a brace of Spitfires, a pair of Mustangs and a wonderful tight four ship formation comprising all four. The Buchon was put through an excellent flowing display by John Romain on all three days. Following the disappointment of last year, Avro Vulcan XH558 finally made it to Goodwood and certainly made its presence felt. On Sunday in particular, this Cold War bomber thrilled the crowd with a series of low curving passes finishing off with a mighty and steep climbout, with plenty of opportunities to hear the infamous Vulcan howl. Sunset is always a bit special with the South Downs as a backdrop and in that glorious light, the Brooklands Vimy replica took to the air each day giving its final public displays in the capable hands of John Dodd and Clive Edwards. Mainly keeping within the tight confines of the airfield itself, the Vimy belied its somewhat aged design with some very tight turns in the still air. On hand to witnesss Sunday_s display was Peter McMillan the original founder of the project that led to the construction of the replica and it_s worldwide flights. FREDDIE MARCH SPIRIT OF AVIATION The Spirit of Aviation Concours event at the Revival was started in 2007 to bring together a collection of priceless examples of some of the best and in some cases unusual aircraft from the classic biplane days up to 1966. Fredie March, the grandfather of the current Earl of March, was no mean aviator and also designed his own aircraft in the 1920s and it is as a tribute to him that the Spirit of Aviation now takes place at the Revival each year. The full entry list is given below and as can be seen, includes one or two very rare machines as well as some from manufacturers that are still with us today. Worthy of special mention were Brooklands Museum who had brought along their Bleriot XI replica which was very appropriate in the year when the centenary of Bleriot_s Channel Crossing was celebrated, Nigel Pickard_s gorgeous Spartan Executive which is the second of these beautiful aircraft that he has brought over from America to his base at Sywell and the trio of Aeroncas of which the tiny C3 was in the original colours of the London Air Park Flying Club at Hanwell. By far the largest aircraft, by total wing area at least was the now world famous Vickers Vimy replica which graced the far end of the enclosure. The Vimy was making its final public display appearances each day, before retirement to the Brooklands Museum. It drew enthusiastic crowds all weekend to hear from the Museum staff about its exploits on its flights across the Atlantic, to Australia and to South Africa and a final flight recreation this year when it flew back to Ireland to the place where Alcock & Brown had originally landed. The judges of the concours this year were Sir Terence Conran, Chris Barrie who can currently be seen on TV presenting his Magnificent Machines series, Top Gear_s James May, newly crowned Red Bull Air Race World Champion Paul Bonhomme and Apollo astronaut and the 2nd man to walk on the Moon, Buss Aldrin. Buzz was flown in to the circuit aboard the Bell Iroquois (Huey) helicopter, though that wasn;t sufficient to get it into the top three in the judging! Sharing the runners-up places were Andrew Wood_s Cessna 195B and the previously mentioned Spartan Executive. Judged the overall winner was the much travelled Dornier built Bucker Jungmeister belonging to Mark Rijkse. ENTRIES: Aeronca C3 G-ADYS Aeronca 11A Chief G-BPRX Aeronca K Scout G-ONKA Alouette AH.2 XR379 AAC Historic Flight BA Swallow II G-AFGE Bell UH-1H Iroquois G-UHIH Bleriot XI G-LOTI Brooklands Musuem Bolkow Bo107 D-EFOE Bucker Jungmeister G-BVGP Cessna 195 N3064B De Havilland Hornet Moth G-ADKC De Havilland Tiger Moth G-AFGZ Douglas C-47 N147DC Fokker S11 Harvard KF729 Hutter H17 Glider NA Navion N8968H Nanchang CJ6A G-BVVG Nord 1002 Pinguin (Bf108) G-ETME Pilatus B4 Glider Piper L-4 Grasshopper N46779 Spartan Executive NC17615 Vickers Vimy N71MY Brooklands Westland Scout AH.1 XT626 AAC Historic Flight

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

GOODWOOD REVIVAL 2009: ON TRACK

Fri Sep 18 2009

Friday 18 September 2009: Fourteen races spread across two days, some 350 cars and 30 classic motorcycles, 80 vehicle for 80 years as a tribute to Stirling Moss, 50 Minis for the 50th birthday and 15 ERAs celebrating 75 years of the famous racers. These are merely the bare figures of what happens on the track during the Goodwood Revival meeting. On four wheels and with one exception, the races feature cars of the period 1948 to 1966, the years when the Goodwood circuit lived and breathed some of the classic races of that era. The exception is the Brooklands Trophy which features cars of the pre-war period and celebrates the races on _The Track_ as Brooklands came to be known and the period when Freddie March himself raced. Single seaters, open sports cars, saloons and thundering TT cars, they are all here. No high pitched wailing or muted exhausts. This is pure unadulterated adrenalin and an assault on the eardrums of the best possible type. Further, these are not demonstrations but full bloodied races where the competition is fierce but always sportsmanlike. Just as it was in those bygone days. Where else other than Goodwood can you see former Grand Prix drivers (Stefan Johansson for one) mix it with rally drivers such as Rauno Aaltonen, sports car legend Derek Bell and touring car stars (Andy Rouse) in a field of original Mini Mk.1s? The RAC Tourist Trophy Celebration is widely regarded as the centrepiece of the action and comprises a field of mouth watering machinery such as AC Cobras, Ferrari GTOs, Aston Martins and Jaguar E-types. This hard fought one-hour contest has drawn star names through the years, some returning time and again to compete. Former Pink Floyd drummer and avid car enthusiast Nick Mason has taken part in every Revival Meeting since the start and finally this year managed to win in his Aston Martin, though this was not an easy win by any means as he was chased all the way by Patrick Blakeney-Edwards in his Frazer-Nash. This was a dice to the finish despite the latter having to make two pit stops to top up with water. Opposite lock and tyre smoke, that is what period racing is all about. ERA versus Alfa Romeo, Maserati versus Lotus, Aston Martin versus Farrari, BRM versus Brabham and McLaren and Lola versus Ford GT40. The makes themselves just pour history at you and a sunny September weekend at Goodwood it the best place to witness it. Although there was only ever one motorcycle race during the years that the circuit was originally open for racing, it was decided right from the start of the Revival 12 years ago that there should be a place for these machines. A stauch supporter right from the start was British bike hero Barry Sheene. So much to that following his death, it was decided to rename the morotcycle races after him. Now the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy caters for different categories in alternate years. 2009 was the turn of machines of the type that raced between 1962 and 1966. There are two races, each of 25 minutes duration with a compulsory rider change and the overall result is decided on an aggregate of the results. Racers old and new were there including Jamie Whitham, Mick Grant, Steve Parrish, Troy Corser, Phil Read, Jeremy McWilliams, James Haydon and Leon Haslam. Yes, the current stars of MotoGP, WSB and BSB like a bit of Castrol R as much as the _oldies_! Thanks as ever must go to Janet, Louise and all the team at Goodwood for all the help and hospitality and for yet again staging an event that truly is _One Of A Kind._

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

Duxford Autumn Air Show 2009

Sun Oct 11 2009

Sunday 11 October 2009: REPORT by Jeremy Welsman PHOTOGRAPHY by Simon Fenwick The Autumn Air Show at Duxford is the final full air show of the season each year and in 2009 I had the opportunity to attend for the first time. In fact this was the first Duxford air show that I had seen and it certainly won_t be my last. Many thanks to the media team at the IWM for allowing me to use the enclosure near the Land Warfare Hall, in the company of Simon Fenwick so that I could have a close up view of this excellent show. Due to distance, the next show that I will be attending at Duxford will be Flying Legends 2010 when I will once again be reporting for this website. As with all shows at Duxford, the morning is given over to the Flightline Walk when the public is allowed to get as close as is safe to the aircraft that are participating in the afternoon_s flying and it was a delight to have such a varied array of aircraft on view. The Autumn show usually has an eclectic mix of displays and 2009 was no different in this respect. The flying opened with the world_s only airworthy F-86A Sabre flown by Mark Linney who gave a scintillating demonstration of this aircraft_s 50_s heritage whilst trailing the telltale black smoke trail common to the type. Mark was followed by something totally different in the shape of the MT03 Autogyro flown by John Elliot who showed off its manoeuvrability, though due to its diminutive size it was slightly lost in the sky to those at the country end of the display line. This could not be said of multiple aerobatic champion Mark Jefferies, who_s antics in the Extra 330SC had to be seen to be believed. From a crowd gasping takeoff, though heart stopping aerobatic routines to his smoke trailing, sideslipping landing, an amazing sight. Next up was the _boss_ of the Fighter Collection, Stephen Grey in _Miss Velma_, the Collection_s TF-51 Mustang, who flew one of his renowned fast and looping displays. It is to be hoped that the problems encountered by TFC during 2009 can be resolved so that the entire collection can be seen back in the air next year. Duxford loves giving the public some special formations and at this show we had a pair of Chipmunks in their red/white training colours flown by _Rats_ Ratcliffe and John Dodd with a classic demonstration of close formation flying. Then, rumbling through were Martin Willing and Dave Southwood in a pair of NA T-28 Fennecs. There followed two aircraft that couldn_t be more different from each other, namely Kennet Aviation_s Westland Wasp and the Belgian Air Component_s F-16 Fighting Falcon. The former used the whole crowd line so that this small _bug_ wasn_t missed by anyone. The latter, in the hands of _Mitch_ Beulen, lit up the grey skies with the afterburner in a dramatic show. Showing off the traditional RAF _Transport_ colours of white and grey was Andrew Dixon from Bournemouth with _Percy_ the Pembroke, making a return to it_s former home having previously been based at Duxford. A real special event at this show was a tribute to the Air Transport Auxiliary and in particular the female fliers of the ATA. On hand to witness this tribute were Freya Sharland and Molly Rose who were ATA First Officers and delivered many aircraft from factories to units throughout WW2. The special part of the display commenced with Mark Miller in his Dragon Rapide together with Air Atlantique_s Avro Anson, both of which types were used virtually as taxis by the ATA to ferry the pilots around the country. The highlight however was Carolyn Grace in her Spitfire T.IX and Anna Walker in HAC_s Hurricane Mk.XII who flew some formation passes and a tailchase in honour of the ATA pilots. This was the first time on over 60 years that there had been two female pilots flying two _warbirds_ together and the applause from the crowd was truly deserved. Somewhat surprisingly making their debut at Duxford were the now famous Blades team of former Red Arrows pilots in their Extra 300LPs. With some special formations of their own, including their unique _crazy flying_, as well as some signature Red Arrows routines, this team has won a deserved reputation for excellence. With the sun finally breaking through the grey cloud, the Plane Sailing Catalina took to the air and the huge wing of this historic aircraft was lit to perfection as it turned in the sky. This was followed by another unique set piece comprising Golden Apple_s Boeing Stearman flown by Mike Dentith, Duxford_s Director of Flying, Jeanne Frazer_s L-4 Grasshopper and Pete Kynsey in his tiny Cosmic Wind. The latter aircraft is surprisingly fast, due to being very over powered for its size, but Pete flew it as if he was in one of TFC_s Mustangs with a stunning display of aerobatics. Aerobatics was the theme of the next item of Bob Grimstead in his Fournier RF-4. Belying the fact that this is by no means a new aircraft, this was a very graceful routine, made all the more visible by the use of smoke and apparently he is planning a duo show to music in time for the 2010 season. Back to the special pairings and also a couple of final shows, next up there was Matt Barker giving his final display in the patriotically liveried Hawk T.1 from RAF Valley and Al Pinner having his final flight as OC of the Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight, flying the newly restored Spitfire IIa in it_s first public outing. This aircraft is now in the markings of the aircraft flown by Geoffrey Wellum, Battle Of Britain pilot and author of what is regarded as one of the best first hand accounts _First Light_. The markings are even correct down to the yellow diamond gas detector patch on the port wing (though as is traditional with the BBMF, the genuine aircraft serial is still carried, P7350). Al and Matt formed up into a _chase me_ sequence for a couple of passes so that we were presented with the unusual sight of Spitfire and Hawk together in the sky. They finished their pairs routine with a memorable head on break in front of the crowd before going into their individual displays. With both making their final appearances it seemed as though they were each having a great deal of fun and making the most of their opportunity, with Matt in particular giving what many thought was the best Hawk display seen in a very long time. This left two items on the display list and both were very special, if for different reasons, with the low autumn sun now giving the best light of the day. First were the Duxford resident OFMC pair of Spitfire Mk.IX and P-51D Mustang _Ferocious Frankie_. Throughout the years these two aircraft have thrilled crowds wherever they have flown and on this afternoon in the hands of Brian Smith and Alister Kay, they were at their fantastic best. This was close formation flying from the very top drawer and one wonders how they could ever better the show that they gave on this particular afternoon. Finally, and to close Duxford_s year was _Sally B_ the Boeing Flying Fortress. Who wonderful it is that she is now back in the air after all the problems that have been suffered over the past two years. The whole team that operates this iconic aircraft, that is flown in tribute to all the USAAF bomber crews that were based in and around East Anglia, have literally been through hell and back with engines failing, insurance problems and everything else that has been thrown at them. That they and their thousands of supporters have come through, with no official monetary backing whatsoever, it is a testimony to their determination to keep _Sally B_ in the air where she belongs. 2010 will be a very special year for them with is being _her_ 65th birthday, her 35th display season and the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Supporter_s Club. Her final pass, which brought the show to a close, is not only in tribute to those airmen who didn_t make it back, but also to all those who support her today. Once again, many thanks to Esther and Gabriella for the opportunity to be able to see this show and provide this report on a fantastic day out. I look forward to being back for Flying Legends next year. NOTE FROM SIMON FENWICK: I would like to thank Jeremy for taking the time to write this report. I would also like to thank Esther and Gabriella and all the media team and escorts for their help and hospitality throughout the year. I think that 2010 should turn out to be a very special one for events at Duxford with it being the 70th Anniversary of The Battle Of Britain. With the May Show as the introduction to the year, through Flying Legends which always thrills the senses and springs some surprises, right through to October and the Autumn Show, there should be something for everyone. However, what may become the signature show next year could well be the Battle Of Britain Show in September. Could we see the biggest gathering of Spitfires, Hurricanes and maybe their opponents ever held on these shores since those dark days of 1940? Here_s hoping!

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

Duxford Air Show 2009

Sat Sep 5 2009

Saturday 5 September 2009: The Duxford Air Show each September usually has some special items to delight the crowd. This year, with the World Aerobatic Championships having been held only weeks before at Silverstone, there were a couple of displays recreating times past in Aero Racing and Aerobatics. The show provided a very rare opportunity to see Roger Mills_ Miles Hawk Speed VI and the diminutive ex-Alec Henshaw Percival Mew Gull in the air together giving a flaovour of the original King_s Cup Air Races of the 1930s. Aerobatics was celebrated by taking the form of a semi-serious competition between Mark Jefferies in a Yak 18, Pete Kynsey in a Bucker Jungmann, Carl Schofield in a Zlin 526 and John Harper in a Pitts Special. With commentary and judging from Pete Jarvis, two sections were flown by each pilot _ set and freestyle _ before the four got together for a formation run and break. Representing formation aerobatics on the Sunday, and becoming almost regulars at Duxford these days, were the Aerostars in their Yak 52s. The show over the two days had a very varied crowd with the airfield packed to the gunnels on Saturday. This can be attributed to the fact that the Red Arrows and Typhoon were only appearing on that day. Sunday_s crowd was much smaller with plenty of room to breathe, though possibly the traders would have liked there to have been more people present. Each day the show was opened with a couple of passes by a Boeing KC-135 from the 351st AR Sqn at nearby Mildenhall, with boom flying. There was also a new, to this reviewer at least, military item from 18 sqn, Belgian Air Force with their Agusta A109. In spite of this helicopter_s small size, it gave a very spritely showing. The RAF, always good supporters of shows at Duxford, supplied the BBMF with Lancaster, Hurricane IIc and Spitfire PR.XIX. As previously mentioned, the Typhoon displayed on Saturday and Scott Loughran put on one of his best performances of the year. Matt Barker was present on both days with the specially painted Hawk T.1A from 208 sqn at RAF Valley. Making their only appearance at Duxford in 2009, the Red Arrows closed the show on Saturday. There was due to be a special Hawker section to the show. However with the loss of both the Sea Hawk and Sea Fury due to technical issues, it was left to Jonathan _Flapjack_ Whalley to delight the crowd with his impeccable flair in his Hunter _Miss Demeanour_. On Sunday though, and making only its third full display appearance was Demon Display_s gorgeous Hawker Demon in the hands of Stu Goldspink. It is so pleasing to see that there are more and more inter-war aircraft appearing on the scene and with more to come from the likes of the Historic Aircraft Collection. The Demon carried out a couple of formation flypasts in company with HAC_s Hurricane XII before breaking off into its own display. One team which really has come of age in 2009 is the Gnat Display Team from nearby North Weald. Flying their two Gnat T.1s in wonderful sunlight on Sunday, their show really does hark back to the old days of the Red Arrows. American interests are never forgotten at Duxford shows of course and at this event participation was from the mighty Douglas Skyraider from Kennet Aviation, Anna Walker flying ARCO_s Harvard _Taz_, TFC_s Mustang _Miss Velma_ flown on Saturday by Pete Kynsey and on Sunday by Stephen Grey and _Sally B_ now delighting the crowds again by being back where she belongs, in the air paying tribute to the American airmen who lost their lives whilst serving in this country. The final US item was Mark Linney in Golden Apple_s F-86A Sabre, the only one of its type flying in the world. 2009 has seen the Sabre appearing at many more shows than in the past few years and at this show on the Sunday a special formation was flown with Jonathan Whalley in the Hunter before a very special run in towards the crowd and an opposition break. Real class! No air show at Duxford would be complete without a bit of a tailchase and this duly happened before the Red Arrows on Saturday and closed Sunday_s show. With Dave Harvey in HAC_s Hurricane giving chase to the Bf109 (Hispano Buchon) flown by Brian Smith and with four Spitfires (Vb from HAC with Charlie Brown piloting, two TR.9s _ Carolyn Grace and _Rats_ Ratcliffe_ _ and Mk.XVI flown by Cliff Spink) circling, the air was filled with the sound of Merlins _ plus a Griffon in the Mk.XVI! So the Duxford Air Show came to an end for another year. 2010 promises to be rather special with the commemoration of 70 years of The Battle Of Britain. Could we see a return to the huge formation of Spitfires and Hurricanes from a few years ago? Well we can dream and hope!

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

RAFA Shoreham Air Show 2009 - 4: Aerobatics

Sat Aug 22 2009

Saturday 22 August 2009: One of the delights of the RAFA Shoreham Air Show, is the excellent mix of participants in the flying display. In 2009, alongside the Warbirds and military jets of all eras, the world of aerobatics was very well represented. Supporters of the show ever since their formation, The Blades in their Extra 300s provide an outstanding display of formation flying. All the pilots are former members of the Red Arrows and are the world's only aerobatic airline! Also flying an Extra 300 and giving a breathtaking solo routine was locally based Justyn Gorman. A team which has become renowned among air show audiences it Team Swift. The team comprises Pete Wells in his Silence Twister, Guy Westgate in the S1Swift glider and Paul Moslin in the Piper Pawnee glider tug. All three are now fully integrated in the display routine. With the show commencing straight from the formation take off with Pete spiralling around the Pawnee and glider, while Duy rolls on the tow, there is always something happening in front of the crowd. Whilst the glider is towed to height, Pete performs a graceful aerobatic routine in the Twister which has been likened to a mini Spitfire. Once released, Guy throws the Swift around in heartstopping loops, rolls and spins before landing and taxying to the feet of the commentator. With the shorter series of Red Bull Air Races this year, Paul Bonhomme and Steve Jones have had more time to bring The Matadors back onto the show circuit in their Sukhoi SU-26s. This is close formation flying at its perfect best. In amongst the civilian flyers was the RAF Tutor being flown this year by Flt Lt Bill Ramsey. Closing the show on Sunday in lovely late afternoon sunlight were the Yakovlevs who are based at Compton Abbas in Dorset and fly Yak 50s an a Yak 52. A special mention must go to Team Guinot. Vic Norman and his team from Rendcomb have not missed a Shoreham show since its inception and always put on a special show for the family crowd. With the Stearmans snarling around the sky in a four-ship routine on the Sunday (two-ship on Saturday), the air was filled with these lovely biplanes, plenty of smoke and of course the lovely wingwalking girls - Danielle Hughes, Sarah Tanner, Stella Guilding and Kirsty Joly. It is said that you can always tell when they have enjoyed a performance by the flies in the teeth!!

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

RAFA Shoreham Air Show 2009 - 3: Jets & Modern

Sat Aug 22 2009

Saturday 22 August 2009: Part of the appeal of the Shoreham show is the mix of aircraft to be seen over the 6 hour flying display. Among the Post WWII aircraft to be seen were small jets, fast jets, aerobatic jets and in one case a very large jet! Starting the show each day and making a very welcome return to the display circuit was Tom Maloney with his BAC Strikemaster. This particularly graceful routine was very favourably compared to that performed by some of our Spitfire pilots. Worthy praise indeed to the owner of the Transair Pilot's Shop which has its headquarters at Shoreham. Keeping with the 'older' jets theme, North Weald proves to be a nice home for these aircraft as we were also treated to the Gnat Display Team and the Vampire Display Team. The Gnats have really polished their display this year and give a very good, tight show with the little 'pocket rocket'. Matt Hampton meanwhile used the silver colours of the Vampire T.11 to great effect against that rich blue sky. The RAF of course have always been massive supporters of the show and this was proved mightily in 2009 when Shoreham became one of the very few shows to have a Harrier on site. This came about through an immense amount of hard work from Bob Franklin, one of the show's team of official photographers. Tim Simmons brought the GR.9 in on Friday afternoon, parked it in front of the terminal building, spent hours chatting to the public and receiving rounds of applause for simply being there and then flew it back to base on the Monday. No groundcrew, he looked after the whole thing himself, even down to having to top up with hydraulic fluid when he arrived! Also from the RAF there was the Tutor, Hawk and King Air. However, the star attraction had to be the incredible display from Scott Loughran in the Typhoon which pulled huge amounts of moisture out of the air in his display on Saturday. For such a potent machine, the diisplay routine is kept very tight and really shows off the awsome agility and power of this latest weapon in the RAF's armoury. There was one other planned participation from the RAF on the Sunday, which actually turned into two! Part of the programme saw a drop by the RAF Falcons Parachute Team. With no Hercules being available, a Chinook from RAF Odiham often takes its place. Rapid discussions took place which saw the Chinook climb to amiazing heights - having lived near to Odiham for many years I have never seen one that high before! - the Falcons then jumped into the blue trailing their trademark smoke. As they formed up on the ground to take the salute, the Chinook did the usual flypast and went into the Chinook display! A real and welcome surprise for many attending as this giant never ceases to amaze! Unfortunately due to restrictions on air space, the Red Arrows are not able to undertake a complete display at Shoreham. However, when they can they give us a 'fly-through' and this year they curved in from the east with patriotic red, white and blue smoke trailing. Of course, all three of our services were represented, both on the gorund and in the air. This year the Army provided the Red Devils Parachute Team on Saturday, proudly displaying the Parachute Regiment flag. The Royal Navy Black Cats with their Lynx helicopters have been seen severalo times at Shoreham, but this year they outdid themselves with their routine. I too have seen them many times but their display on Saturday was simply stunning. Huge cheers went up at the end of an inch perfect show. One final item in this report goes to the biggest item on the bill. Avro Vulcan XH558 was due to appear in 2008 but various problems stopped that happening. This year however, it did happen in the biggest and noisiest way possible! Carbon footrpint...pah! With smoke trailing from the four huge Rolls-Royce Olympus turbojets, the big 'tin triangle' held the crowd spellbound and cameras clicked like crazy to get the image of this Cold War icon over Lancing College Chapel.

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

RAFA Shoreham Air Show 2009 - 2: World War I & II

Sat Aug 22 2009

Saturday 22 August 2009: With 3rd September 2009 being the 70th anniversary of the start of WWII, this year had a special significance in the minds of many who were there or who's families were affected by what became six years of conflict. Always a very large part of any Shoreham show, the aircraft from the era have a very special place for many and to see some of those iconic machines in the crystal blue skies was a sight that will live on and perpetuate the memory of those who gave their lives. However, we must never forget those who fell in WWI, especially in the year when we lost Bill Stone, Henry Allingham and Harry Patch, the last living links with all three services. This year, after a several year gap, the Great War Display Team returned to Shoreham with their aerial ballet depicting just a little of what it must have been like for those intrepid flyers of the 'stick and string' biplanes. They brought along replicas of Junkers, the dreaded Fokker Triplane, three SE5s and Sopwith Triplane. Moving on to WWII, the skies reverberated to the sound of Merlins throughout the day with both RAF and USAAF well represented. Even the trainers weren't forgotten with a display from the Real Flying Company in the Harvard. The Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight were there of course with the Lancaster and Hurricane IIc (they were due to bring a Spitfire as well but unfortunately it suffered problems at Bournemouth). Peter Teichman flew in his newly restored Hurricane IIb 'Hurribomber', while his P40 Kittyhawk (still in the temproary colours it wore for filming the story of the Tuskagee Airmen) was flown by Stu Goldspink. Rob Davies in his P-51 Mustang 'Big Beautiful Doll' and Maurice Hammond in 'Marinell' gave a pairs routine displaying the characteristic whistle of the Mustang having first become the 'Little Friends' of 'Sally B', the B-17 Flying Fortress making a welcome return following nearly two years of engine problems. For some years now, the centrepice of any Shoreham Air Show has been the Scramble set piece. This year it featured Messerschmitts Bf108 and Bf109, two Hurricanes (Mk.I from Peter Vacher and Mk.XII from the Historic Aircraft Collection) and four Spitfires. With more pyrotechnics than ever and with Dad's Army protecting the airfield on the ground, this was certainly the best yet. Closing the show on Saturday, John Romain went up in Spitfire Ltd's Mk.IX for a beautiful solo routine in the late afternoon sunshine, joined for a few passes by 'Rats' in the Spitfire TR.9.

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

RAFA Shoreham Air Show 2009 - 1: On The Ground

Sat Aug 22 2009

Saturday 22 August 2009: Back in 1989, a small fete was organised by the Shoreham-on-Sea branch of the Royal Air Forces Association in a small corner of the Shoreham airport.. The two men behind that event, Don Bean and Peter Egar asked the BBMF if they could provide a flypast on the day and that was duly arranged. Little could those two men have realised what they were starting. 20 years later they are still at the head of what has become one of the premier air shows in the country, famed for its friendly family atmosphere and delightful setting. Over those years, _1.5 million has been raised for RAFA and the event continues to grow in stature as each year passes. Visitors return year after year, pilots and operators love it such that the BBMF haven't missed a year and Vic Norman's Aerosuperbatics organisation of wingwalkers (currently in their final year of sponsorship from Guinot Cosmetics) have been on hand from day one. Even the Civil Aviation Authority believe that the show is right up there among the very top shows for the way in which it is organised and run. In this the first of four reports, we see the happenings on the ground. The fabulous lineup of static aircraft on the grass and in front of the art deco terminal building, the re-enactors who give such atmosphere to the proceedings and of course the crowds of people, this year estimated to be in excess of 25,000, who came to witness some incredible flying and soak up the wall to wall Sussex sunshine. No event of this type can exist without a huge army of helpers who together with the organising committee, provide us with an event to savour. The dates for the 2010 show have already been announced. So make a date in your diary for 21st/22nd August when the show will be celebrating 70 Years Of The Battle Of Britain and 100 Years Of Shoreham Airport.

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

RAF Odiham Families Day, 2009

Wed Jul 22 2009

Wednesday 22 July 2009: 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

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

Flying Legends 2009

Sat Jul 11 2009

Saturday 11 July 2009: FLYING LEGENDS, Duxford, 11th & 12th July 2009 In the lead up to this year_s Flying Legends held at Duxford in Cambridgeshire, there were some worries that due to _paperwork_ problems at The Fighter Collection which had grounded their whole fleet, the show would be a shadow of it_s former self. However, we needn_t have worried. The show was a true classic and an outstanding event from beginning to end. The highlights were many with much pre-publicity given to the only European performance by The Horsemen comprising Jim Beasley, Dan Friedkin and Ed Shipley flying the world_s only close formation aerobatic routine in P-51 Mustangs. There was one big surprise though which wasn_t even mentioned in the programme. We are now used to seeing the Flugwerk FW190, owned by Spitfire Ltd and maintained by the Aircraft Restoration Company, on the Flightline at Duxford. However, this has not yet been seen in the air in public and there are some doubts that it ever will. Therefore, when it was announced only days beforehand that Christophe Jacquard_s example was to attend, excitement grew and it most certainly didn_t disappoint. The British weather was its usual fickle self with gusty winds all weekend, which meant that some of the lighter and more precious (not to say that all these wonderful aircraft aren_t in themselves precious) machines cancelled. These included the Shuttleworth Trust_s Hind and Bristol Fighter, HAC_s Nimrod II which was stuck at Yeovilton and on Sunday Mikael Carlson_s Thulin A (Bleriot XI), though he did fly his usual amazing routine on the Saturday. Thankfully rain held off, though it tried to put everyone off by giving everything a good soaking overnight before each day and leaving a legacy of low morning clag. For anyone who has never been to Flying Legends, the first hour or so is a total assault on the senses and it is difficult to know where to look next, let alone point a camera. There is something happening constantly and from every direction, seemingly at once! The show started with the now traditional Spitfire tailchase, comprising Mk.IXs from OFMC and Spitfire Ltd (Lee Proudfoot and Cliff Spink), Mk.Vb from HAC (Charlie Brown), Christophe Jacquard_s Mk.XIX (now reconfigured with a single prop rather than the previous contra-rotating version and painted in SEAC markings and looking all the better for it), Alan Walker in the T.IX, _Rats_ in the MkXVIe and Rod Dean flying the Mk.XVIII which was formerly based at Duxford and making a return visit from its new home in Sweden. Whilst the Spits were doing their chase, which was back to its absolute best, Brian Smith gave one of the best displays yet seen from the Hispano Buchon (Spanish Bf109) and Marc Mathis buzzed the airfield, fast and low in the FW190. Though sounding different to the whistle of the original, the thumping radial of the new version of the _Butcher Bird_ certainly made its impression felt and the crowd loved it. Then came The Horsemen with their immaculate close flying with Jim Beasley flying lead in _Ferocious Frankie_, Dan Friedkin on the right wing in _Miss Velma_ and Ed Shipley on the left wing in Rob Davies_ gorgeous _Big Beautiful Doll_. This was formation flying of the highest quality and it was good that on Friday and Sunday at least there was some sunshine to show it off to its absolute best. The Horsemen, originally named after a song by rock band Metallica, have become renowned throughout the USA for their precision and it was a real treat to have them at Duxford. From the whistling of the Mustangs to a much more meaty sound altogether as three B-25 Mitchells took to the air accompanied by their escort of Christian Amara_s P-40N Warhawk _Little Jeanne_ in the hands of George Perez. The Mitchells comprised the much loved _Grumpy_ (in the capable hands of John Romain), formerly owned by The Fighter Collection and now by Vulcan Warbirds in the US and making one of its last appearances on this side of the Atlantic, _Sarinah_ (with Peter Kuypers in the left seat) which until early this year was operated by the Dukes Of Brabant but is now under the safe wing of the Royal Netherlands Air Force Historic Flight and _Russell_s Raiders_ which is now part of SDPA and based at La Fert_-Alais. Beginning with a close formation pass with the P-40N tucked in the box, the B-25s provided a good display of how nimble these large aircraft in fact are, while _Little Jeanne_ provided low cover. The next section began with an invasion of Russians with, first off, Christian Vogelgsang in his pale blue Yak 3UA and Paul Boschung in his Yak 9UM providing the speed while Pete Kynsey went through an aerobatic routine in a similar aircraft belonging to The Air Fighter Academy. They were followed by the always excellent Aerostars. However, there was one difference to this team on the first day of the show when the _solo_ was not a Yak 52 but an imposter in the form of a Sukhoi! With 2009 being the Centenary of Naval Aviation, this just had to be celebrated at Legends. First we had the unusual formation of two Skyraiders with Kennet Aviation_s Seafire Mk.XVII which showed just how small the Seafire was when side by side with the immense (for a single engine aircraft) Skyraider. With John Beattie in Kennet Aviation_s example and Christophe Bailly flying the one from the Salis Collection, the Skyraiders chased each other along the crowdline whilst Dave Mackay in the Seafire aero_d above. The second part of the naval celebration comprised what was known in advance to be one of the highlights. The appearance of two examples of Hawker_s mighty naval fighter in the air together had not been seen in this country for many years so to see Frederic Akary_s former Iraqi Fury (which has been re-engined with a Pratt & Whitney R3350 and four-bladed prop) and a Royal Navy Sea Fury T.20 was a sight to behold. Which T.20 was this? It was in fact the return of the former RNHF WG655 from the US and flown by Steve Hinton. To see this aircraft back in UK skies after so many years was a delight (it would appear again later on each day as well_). Up next were the Americans. It had been thought that 2008 would be the last time that we would see _Pink Lady_ the B-17 Flying Fortress from France, but she was back again gracing the skies over Duxford. (Unfortunately, our own _Sally B_ was yet again grounded with engine problems but as these words are written, it should not be long before she is back in the air where she belongs _ very trying times for Elly Sallingboe and all the team who devote everything to the flying tribute to American airmen based in Britain during WWII). _Pink Lady_ was followed by the Mustang tailchase with _Ferocious Frankie_ from OFMC (Alister Key), _Miss Velma_ from TFC, Christian Amara_s _Nooky Booky IV_, Rob Davies in _Big Beautiful Doll_ and Bertil Gerdhert in Biltema_s Cavalier F-51D. They were followed by the well known antics of the two Piper Cubs, one of which is owned by Duxford_s Director of Flying, Jeanne Frazer, with their incredible tight turns. The Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight have always been good supporters of events at Duxford and at Legends it was no different with Hurricane IIc PZ865 and Spitfire PR.XIX PM631 on Saturday and Avro Lancaster PA474 on Sunday. As mentioned above, Mikael Carlson took his Thulin A (Bleriot XI) into the air on the Saturday afternoon but unfortunately the wind was just too strong on the Sunday even for this intrepid flyer. Lufthansa Traditionsflug returned once again with the Junkers Ju52 and Messerschmitt Bf108, with the _Tante Ju_ really catching the sunlight on her silver wings in a very graceful display. Carrying on the Luftwaffe theme, Anna Walker giving another of her incredible aerobatic displays in her B_cker Jungmann. This made for some interesting photographs on the Sunday as she pulled up into a loop with the Ju52 in the same shot. It had been a very long time since this reviewer had seen a formation of three Hurricanes, but this did happen on Saturday with Peter Vacher_s Mk.I leading the way with Trevor Roche in the Shuttleworth Sea Hurricane and Dave Harvey in the HAC Mk.XII. Following a couple of formation passes, there followed that real rarity, a Hurricane tailchase. Unfortunately, those visiting on Sunday only missed out on the three-ship formation as the Mk.XII suffered technical problems whilst warming up. Jumping back a few decades, Legends next celebrated the WWI aces with a _dogfight_ between a Nieuport 17/23 and three Fokker Dr.1 triplanes from the Great War Team. In spite of the three to one ratio, the Nieuport came off best! The final formation display featured two very different types of transport aircraft. These were the immaculate C-53D (Dakota) from Foundation Dakota Norway flying with Edwin Boschoff in the Beech Staggerwing, the _Learjet_ of the thirties. The main flying display was rounded with a spirited routine by the Morane-Saulnier MS.406 from the Association Morane Charlie-Fox in Switzerland, with some fast passes combined with aerobatic loops and rolls. Flying Legends has always had a traditional finale to the event in the form of the _Balbo_, named after Italian Count Italo Balbo who flew a massed formation of military aircraft across the Atlantic in 1933as a show of Italian air power. This year we were treated to a mass take off of Spitfires, Mustangs, Skyraiders, Yaks and Mitchells along with the FW190, Bf109, Seafire, and P40 totalling 21 aircraft who all left to take a wide circuit to form up into the formation. To fill the gap we had _The Joker_. This is The Fighter Collection_s supremo, Stephen Grey without whom Flying Legends would never have happened all those years ago. Over the years, Stephen has flown various aircraft in this slot varying from Spitfire Mks V, IX and XIV, the Curtiss Hawk 75 and most recently by the imposing Grumman Bearcat which he describes as almost the ideal aircraft for the role due to its sound, size and speed. This year of course, the Bearcat was unavailable so Stephen stepped into Sea Fury T.20 WG655, which was perfect against the blue sky that appeared above the airfield at this time. Then The Balbo came rumbling through and what a mixture of sounds it was with Allisons, Merlins, Griffons and the rumbling rasps of the radials. The three B-25s peeled off after the first pass leaving the stage to the single seaters for one final big formation prior to the run and breaks for landing. So ended Flying Legends 2009. A truly outstanding show made all the more varied due to the fact that so many of the participants were visitors from elsewhere. Yes, it was unusual not to see The Fighter Collection_s machines, but the aircraft that were there were truly in the spirit of the title _Flying Legends_. A massive debt of thanks is due to Stephen Grey, Jane Larcombe and all the guys at TFC for pulling it all together, but a special word must be given to all the pilots, without whose dedication to their craft of flying these wonderful machines no airshow, let alone Flying Legends, would happen. Thank you to you all.

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

Tankfest 2009

Sat Jun 27 2009

Saturday 27 June 2009: With my interest in military vehicles only really being kindled at the beginning of this year, 2009 saw my first ever visit to Tankfest which is held at The Tank Museum, Bovington in Dorset. What an excellent event this was! Glorious hot sunny weather with crystal blue skies brought out a huge crowd on the Saturday to watch displays by many of the museum_s working exhibits along with a few visitors brought in especially. The only drawback with the new public viewing area, which slopes down from the stunning new building, is that for much of the day you are looking straight into the sun which makes for difficult photography but which certainly didn_t seem to deter people from this sun trap. All my viewing was from the wall of the new _tank trap_ which for the occasion had been draped in camouflage to tone down the massive nature of the concrete walls. The only exception was the battle re-enactment which brought the day to a close. This was viewed from among the crowd lining the fence on the other side of the arena which gave the benefit of catching some different angles. One very nice thing about the event was the trouble that had been gone into by those taking part in the Living History Displays, with their set pieces and uniforms. This extended to a German trench on the top of the bank overlooking the field. The action displays were arranged in rough themes and the photographs in this gallery are set in the same order as follows: 1: Current British Army _ including Challenger 2; Warrior; Trojan and CVRT 2: Historic Armour Display _ including A7V Replica; Rolls-Royce Armoured Car; Sherman; Comet; Matilda and T-34/85 3: German Armour _ including Stug III; Tiger 1; Panzer III; Leopard; Kettenkrad and Jagdpanzer Kanone 4: Post War _ including Centurion, Chieftain; Challenger 1; M60; M103 and PZ61 5: WWII Mock Battle LH: Living History Displays & Vehicles Static: A few of the vehicles on show but not in the Living History Displays One word about the cost of entry to this event. _15 on the gate is pretty good value for an all day affair these days, but The Tank Museum give outstanding value for money when one considers that by signing a Gift Aid Form, one then is able to return to visit the museum for an entire year free of charge! This was fortunate for me as the day was so full that I was only able to make a fleeting visit inside to see the new _Tank Story Hall_. A return visit is definitely on the cards in the very near future!

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

Kemble Air Show 2009

Sat Jun 20 2009

Saturday 20 June 2009: For the first time the Kemble Air Day became the Kemble Air Show with it being extended over the Saturday and Sunday rather than the one day of the past. What effect did this have? Well certainly it was much easier to move around on Saturday and entry and exit was totally hassle free. Sunday however was totally different, due possibly to _The Vulcan Effect_, with the big _tin triangle_ appearing on that day only. At 0815, when I arrived, getting was very easy. But by 1000, queues were stretching so far _ talk was of as far as Cirencester in one direction and halfway to the M4 in the other _ that the organisers had to open more gates to deal with the influx. On with the show. Kemble can always be guaranteed to provide an excellent mix of displays but with the emphasis firmly on classic jets. Highlights? Well there were many. The first participation at the show by the USAF with several passes each day from one of Mildenhall_s KC135R tankers. The now traditional _special formations_ with Delta Jets black Hunter formatting with the Rolls-Royce owned PR.XIX Spitfire on both days and a separate flypast on the Sunday featuring the Hunter with the Meteor NF.11. The RAF as usual gave big support to the show with a VC10, Hercules C130J, A109 and Hawk on the ground and in the air with Typhoon (which treated the crowd to several departures and landings for displays at other venues, as well as the full display from Scott Loughran), Hawk in its stunning colour scheme and the Red Arrows on the Saturday, returning after missing last year whilst on their North American tour. A last minute addition was the display from the Beech King Air from RAF Cranwell which made an interesting comparison with Andrew Dixon_s Percival Pembroke. The Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight brought along a three-ship on Saturday with the Dakota, Spitfire Vb AB910 and Hurricane LF363. In addition to the Hunter and Meteor already mentioned, the classic jets included a pair of Venoms from the Air Atlantique Classic Flight and a pair of Jet Provosts (T4 and T5A) and Golden Apple_s rare F86A Sabre which is possibly in its last year of operation in the UK. On Sunday, the Avro Vulcan XH558 drew its usual avid attention from the massive crowd with what appears to be a more purposeful display in this its second year of operation. However, for many the undoubted star was the glorious De Havilland Sea Vixen. Flown by Matt Whitfield, CO of the naval Flying Standards Flight at Yeovilton, this display provides plenty of noise and nice tight turns to give the spectators a real feel for this wonderful aircraft. A lunchtime unannounced highlight which caught many on the hop was a taxi run by one of the three Canberra PR.9s currently located at Kemble. This was XH134 still carrying the special tail markings it wore when with 39Sqn. Apart from the RAF, other _service_ participation in the flying display included the Army Air Corps _Blue Eagles_ with Lynx and the menacing Apache, and in this the 100th Year Of Naval Aviation, the _Black Cats_ with their almost balletic show. They arrived in a flag waving formation with that bug like predecessor of the Lynx, the Westland Wasp HAS.1 flown by Don Beattie and this made for an interesting photograph as they overflew the Sea Vixen which was taxying in with wing folding. Away from the military or ex-military aircraft, civilian participation came from the locally based Ultimate High with a formation of two Bulldogs and two Extra 300s and an array of microlights which are also based at Kemble. Team Guinot were very busy with their pair of Stearmans as they were also displaying at Margate. The display at Kemble was handled by wingwalkers Danielle Hughes, from Malmesbury and _new girl_ Stella Guilding. After their show, Danielle jumped out to be replaced by Sarah _Sahara_ Tanner before flying off to Margate. Pilots for the weekend were chief pilot Martyn Carrington and Dave Barrell. It seems that no self respecting air show these days is complete without the amazing Team Swift with Guy Westgate flying a stunning routine in his glider _ including rolling whilst still attached to the Piper Pawnee. Now a full part of the team is Pete Wells with his lovely little Silence Twister. Often with glider routines there is always that long gap between take off and the actual release, but not with this display with Pete showing of the _mini Spitfire_ to great effect in an excellent aerobatic display with this aircraft that is powered by only an 80hp engine. The Swift Team have become outright stars at many air shows and always receive rapturous applause from the public. So that was yet another hugely successful Kemble Air Show for another year. It was a shame about the weather which had been forecast to be good the whole weekend but ended up cloudy and windy, but this didn_t spoil the show, other than limiting many displays to _rolling_ rather than full. A delightful ending to the show came on the Sunday afternoon when at the Fly2Help stand, Jason Phelan handed over a cheque for a phenomenal _6904.18 which he raised over a weekend in April. He was piloted in a total of 15 aerobatic aircraft at Kemble, Compton Abbas, Goodwood, Shoreham, Headcorn, Halton and Sywell doing a full aerobatic routine in each. Jason is a non-pilot and this was the first time that he had done _aeros_. Now matter how hard the pilots from Ultimate High, Team Guinot, The Yakovlevs, Goodwood Aero Club, The Real Flying Company and The Blades tried, at no stage was a _bag_ even touched let alone used! The smiles on Jason;s face at each venue showed the thrill of it all. This amazing sum will go a long way to assisting Fly2Help in its aims of providing a _life boost_ to those who need it. For full details of the charity and Jason_s challenge, please click on the banner on this and every page of this website. Many congratulations to Ronan Harvey and Glen Moreman and their army of helpers and volunteers. It has already been announced that the 2010 show will again be over two days on 19th/20th June. See you there!

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

RAF ODIHAM: A Town Says Thank You

Sat Jun 13 2009

Saturday 13 June 2009: On Saturday 13th June 2009, the town of Odiham in Hampshire turned out to line the streets to say thank you to the officers and men of the RAF base which has been a large part of the town since before WWII. Currently the home of the RAF's fleet of Chinook helicopters, the High Street was lined with thousands of well wishers as, led by the band of the Royal Signals from nearby Sandhurst, the men and women representing the base paraded to rousing cheers and waving flags. They were accompanied by cadets of the local Air Training Corps and were overflown by one of the mighty Chinooks in close formation with a Lynx of 657 Sqn Army Air Corps which is also based at the airfield. Following the parade a ceremony was held in The Bury where speeches were given by the Chairman of the Parish Council and James Arbuthnot the local MP who is also Chairman of the Commons Defence Selct Committee and who campaigned so strongly and successfully to keep the base open. This decision was roundly welcomed by all in the town who value community spirit shown by the RAF towards them. Presentations were made by the town to the Executive Officers of the base who were coming to the end of their tours at Odiham. There to thank the town was Grp Capt Turner, OC RAF Odiham. Right on time to bring the event to a close, the helicopters carried out a final flypast at low level over the heads of those gathered in this historic square.

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

Best Of British Air Show, Duxford

Sun May 17 2009

Sunday 17 May 2009: The Spring Airshow each May usually herald the start of the show season proper and as with most, if not all, shows held at the former Battle Of Britain airfield is given a theme. This year it was the Best of British and it was hoped to have a broad cross section of some of the real gems of British Aviation in the flying display. It was a shame that no one told the British weather which did its best to tear the plans to shreds with torrential rain during the morning, which left the Flightline decidedly empty of both aircraft and public alike. The flying display was equally affected, but this tim by a very strong, cold and gusty wind blowing straight across Duxford_s runways. However, despite its best efforts, Display Director Jeanne Fraser did an admirable job in filling the flying programme with some definite highlights to start off the season. Unfortunately missing from the programme was the Anson from BAE Systems, three Rapides (one of which was the gorgeous example from the Isle of Wight in the King_s Flight colours which was missing as the wind was too strong to get it out of its hangar), Leopard Moth, Hornet Moth, Mew Gull, Miles Hawk Speed Six, Dennis Kenyon_s stunning Enstrom helicopter display, a proposed Avro Duo of Triplane & Tutor, BBMF, De Havilland Tiger 9, Hellcat & Sabre. With that many missing from the show, one could be led to think _What was left!_ Well, actually quite a lot! The display began with two flypasts from that most gracious of British jet airliners, the Vickers VC-10 from 101 Sqn RAF Brize Norton. Following the second pass which was in the form of a _missed approach_, throttles were pushed fully forward for an impressive and smoky climb out. A Cracking way to start the show. Next up were three Duxford residents, two of which were making welcome returns to the show scene. First off was the Catalina from Plane Sailing giving her first display of the year. Following on were John Romain and Lee Proudfoot. However, they were not this time flying Spitfires, but _Grumpy_ the wonderful and hugely missed former TFC B-25 Mitchell. It was a fantastic sight to see such a stirring display by this wonderful aircraft, though for how long we will continue to delight in it remains to be seen as John & Lee will soon be piloting her over _The Pond_ to her new owners in the USA. What can one say about _Sally B_, Britain_s only airworthy B-17 Flying Fortress. After missing the whole of 2008 due to severe engine problems, there cannot have been anyone in the crowd who didn_t have a lump in their throat to see her back where she belongs, in the air paying tribute to all the USAAF crews who flew from this part of England. Also representing Duxford residents were Stephen Grey in TFC's Corsair and the often seen Auster Autocrat and Piper Cub pair demonstrating their incredible tight turns which was amazing considering the weather. Despite the loss of Dennis Kenyon, there were two helicopters in the show, one being the Chinook from RAF Odiham, which never ceases to amaze and this year I believe the sequence is better than ever. The other helicopter was Kennet Aviation_s Westland Wasp flown in an excellent display by Tim Manna. Illustrating two differing views on aviation in the 30s, BAE Systems owned Blackburn B2 and De Havilland DH.60 Moth _ the first in the famous line of De Havilland Moths. With the Moth giving some gentle flybys, the B2 performed graceful loops above with the metal fuselage shining against the deep grey of the sky. Another British company featured was Folland with the pair of Gnats of the Gnat Display Team. One of these was in its former Red Arrows colours whilst the other was G-RORI in 4FTS scheme. A nice tight routine with some manoeuvres haring back to the early Reds displays from the little _jet rollerskate_! Considering the strength of the crosswind, it was staggering to see the Swift Display Team put on such an outstanding display with Guy Westgate in his amazing glider and Pete Wells in the lovely little Silence Twister with its Spitfire looks. As ever, Paul Moslin in the RAFGSA_s Piper Pawnee performed towing duties _ well really he is part of the display itself these days as his Pawnee is the only example able to make smoke and there was a nice tight pass with Pete Wells as Guy came in to land and covered the pilot_s tent in orange smoke! They were followed by Charlie Brown and Howard Cook showing off their prowess for close formation flying in a pair of Chipmunks _ certainly not easy in these small aircraft given the conditions. These days it is very rare to see a flying display by Britten Norman Islanders, even more so a pair of them, especially flown by father and son! We ended up with two due to the previously mentioned problem with the Isle of Wight weather which kept the Rapide in the hangar. This was a shame as it would have made an unusual sight to see two aircraft from different eras, built for the same purpose flying together and in the same colour scheme _ the Islander _Zulu Alpha_ is in the same colours as the Rapide. From the sedate to the exceedingly fast and the RAF_s newest aircraft, the Eurofighter Typhoon in the hands of Scott Loughran from 29(R) Sqn. Unfortunately limited to a flat display due to the low cloudbase, Scott nevertheless displayed the full power of this incredible machine. Incredible is nowhere near a strong enough adjective to what the crowd witnessed next with Mark Jeffries giving his first public display in the new Extra 330SC. Mark is a multi aerobatic champion and he put on a stunning routine in this smaller, lighter and more powerful version of the Extra 300. These days it is not often that a jet airliner lands and takes off from Duxford_s short tarmac runway. However, Titan Airways had no trouble at all with their BAE146QC (for Quick Conversion _ from passenger to freight) lifting off after a surprisingly short run. Proving itself to be a very quiet, but nimble aircraft the 146 looked very smart in it_s unique colour scheme against increasingly black clouds. Really showing the flag this year is the RAF Hawk Display, flown by Flt Lt Matt Baker from RAF Valley. With the new colours of the Union Flag slashing through the training _high visibility_ black, the display this year is better than ever and for a worthy cause. The _Red_ of the large roundel on the underside this year has become the _heart_ of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund who are celebrating 90 years of service to ex-RAF personnel. Originally planned to be a formation of three Spitfires and a Hurricane, Carolyn Grace and HAC decided that the wind was beyond their limits. However, Lee Proudfoot and Cliff Spink took up OFMC_s MH434 and Spitfire Ltd_s PL344 respectfully for a graceful _Merlin Pair_ formation display. Which brought us to the finale. Reading in the advance publicity of a formation of two Sukhoi SU26s and a P-51 Mustang set the juices flowing. Who could this be? Well it was _Red Bull Racers_! With Nigel Lamb flying _Ferocious Frankie_ and Steve Jones in the Sukhoi. Originally Paul Bonhomme would have made up the formation, however he injured his back in the Red Bull Air Race the previous weekend in San Diego. Following a single, very tight formation pass, Steve gave a short but masterful aerobatic display, but with the rain starting to fall heavily, Nigel decided that discretion was the better part of valour and brought _Frankie_ straight in to land rather than risk OFMC_s wonderful machine. So ended Duxford_s first show of 2009. Considering the conditions, it was an excellent start to the year and congratulations must go to all the pilots and operators, once again to Jeanne Fraser and everyone who made the show happen.

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

Overlord 2009

Mon May 25 2009

Monday 25 May 2009: The Overlord military vehicle gathering took place over the weekend of 22nd-25th May at the Horndean Showground near Portsmouth. Organised by the Solent Overlord Executive, this year's event drew a massive number of vehicles of all types and ages for the commemoration of the 65th Anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy. Unfortunately, I was only able to attend on the final day and quite a large proportion of the vehicles had already left to catch ferries to France for the speciaql events to be held there, however even so there was much of interest for the good sized crowd that turned up. As well as being able to wander at will amongst the parked vehicles, there was an arena where parades of vehicles were held (Post War before lunch and WW2 following the break), as well as music from the Training Ship Alacrity Band and the Bark Rite Dog Display Team. There was also a WW2 battle re-enactment with plenty of pyrotechnics, smoke and mortars and the 40mm Bofors Gun was also in action. This was very well staged and delighted young and old watching from behind the barriers. Thisa was the first military vehicle gathering of this nature that I have attended and I will definitely make a date in the diary to return again. It was a very friendly event and my special thanks go to the gentleman giving the commentary on the WW2 Parade for allowing me to photograph the vehicle from close quarters inside the arena. You will note that I have not given detailed vehicle captions to the photographs. This is simply due to a lack of knowledge on my part! If anyone veiwing the photographs can provide vehicle details (make/model etc) then I will update this review as they come in. Solent Overlord Executive (SOE) are a group of military vehicle enthusiasts with just over 100 members in the Portsmouth/Southampton area. Not all are owners, you just need a general interest in 'things military'! The club meets on the 4th Thursday of the month at Waltham Chase Village Hall and there are often guest pseakers. As well as organing the Overlord Show (which is usually on the late-May Bank Holiday weekend to make it as near to the D-Day Anniversary as possible), members also support other events during the summer season. Membership of the club is _10 per year. Please click on the banner below to access their website and gain more information.

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

Goodwood Revival 2008 - Spirit Of Aviation

Fri Sep 19 2008

Friday 19 September 2008: This was the second year of the Freddie March Spirit Of Aviation. A unique Concours D'Elegance for rare and original pre-1966 aircraft, aircraft range from the tiny Cosmic Wind to the massive Douglas DC-6B which on the Thursday prior to the event became the largest aircraft ever to land on Goodwood's grass runway. Named after the grandfather of the present Earl Of March, the eventual winner of the coveted First Prize was the stunning Spitfire Mk.I AR213 from Sheringham Aviation (the world's oldest airworthy example of the type), though surely it must have been a close thing with so many gorgeous machines on show. These ranged from the mirror finish of the Spartan Executive which many photographers used as a backdrop to fashion photographs during the three days. As if that wasn't stylish enough there was the true 'art deco' look of the Super Aero, the shape of which just encouraged unusual angles for cameras to be pointed at. De Havilland was well represented with Moth Major as well as Tiger, Fox & Leopard Moths and Dragon Rapide , the latter in authentic colours of The Guards. Meanwhile out on the airfield, pleasure flights could be had in a further Rapide and Air Atlantic came to collect the DC-6 crew in yet another. This was a first public showing for the new RAF Transport Command colour scheme on this example. Other entries included the sleek Staggerwing from Popham, Wings Venture's genuine D-Day veteran C-47, a very colourful Fiat G.46 and nicely two helicopters and gliders among others. The unashamed highlight for me though was the DC-6, now wearing British Eagle colours. I was treated to a lengthy tour of the aircraft and a seat in the co-pilot's position. It was from that exact seat that when I was a child, and this aircraft was operating from Blackbushe, I had the opportunity to 'push the buttons' to get the prop working on one of the engines while it was under maintenance at the old hangars on the south side of the A30. Memories truly rekindled!

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

Goodwood Revival 2008 - Flying Displays

Fri Sep 19 2008

Friday 19 September 2008: Ever since the start of the Goodwood Revival Meetings, of which this was the 10th Anniversary Celebration, stunning flying by warbird operators has always been a major part. Back at that first event in 1998, Ray Hanna in OFMC's Mk.IX Spitfire MH434 stunned everyone at the Press Launch by flying down the pit straight, below the tops of the grandstands. Today the same Spitfire, still owned by the Old Flying Machine Company and flown by Lee Proudfoot, remains one of the stars of the outstanding displays along with the same company's P-51 Mustang 'Ferocious Frankie' in the capable hands of Alister Key. We were treated to single aircraft, pairs, threesomes and a commemorative 'box four' during the three days of the Meeting, all against a totally clear 'gin blue' sky - a real rarity for 2008! Stephen Grey's Fighter Collection brought along their Curtiss 75 Hawk and Pearl Harbour veteran P-40 Tomahawk along with the mighty Chance Vought (or to be more correct in this instance, Goodyear) Corsair. Each gave stunning solo routines taking full advantage of the curving display line. Co-ordinating the flying was John Romain who was flying Spitfire Ltd's Mk.IX Spitfire PL344 in a paired routine with Phil O'Dell in the Rolls-Royce Owned PR.XIX, showing off the ultimate Merlin-engined Spitfire alongside the massively powerful growling Griffon of the PR-blue example. OFMC, in addition to flying solo routines, twice flew their special paired display. This is constantly being tailored to improve the show for those watching from the ground and always starts and ends with their trademark low and fast curving topside passes. Also putting in an appearance was the Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight with Spitfire Vb AB910, Hurricane IIc PZ865 and Lancaster PA474. Perhaps 'appearance' is the wrong word for their flying. For this reviewer who has seen the Flight on many occasions, never have they provided such a stunning display. The still conditions helped, as did the glorious sunshine. However, it was the nature of the venue that created the circumstances that mean a completely different display is flown than at virtually any other venue where they fly. As the racing circuit utilises the old perimeter track of the airfield, this means that there are public grandstands on several sides. Therefore the flying display line takes a curving route down the runway lines and it is this that creates the feeling from the ground of being right 'in the action'. So, the 10th Anniversary Revival Flying drew to a close with all the warbirds taking off into the sunset - literally!

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

Goodwood Revival 2008 - Track & Paddock

Fri Sep 19 2008

Friday 19 September 2008: Something very special happened at the Goodwood Revival 2008. It stayed dry! Now that is not something that happened at many events in 08. However, it wasn't just that it stayed dry but the light was some of the best that this photographer has ever encountered. The sun certainly shone on this ultra special event. The gallery featured here does not include every race or parade that happened on track. Unfortunately, that is an impossibility as I also have to cover all the avaition aspects of the weekend. However, it des highlight many of the priceless cars (and some of the motorcycles) that graced this picturesque corner of Sussex. To give the reader an idea as to how special these vehicles are, it was reckoned that the value of the grid for the RAC TT Celebration event (which included Ferrari GTOs, AC Cobras, Chevrolet Corvette Stingrays among others) was a staggering _85,000,000! Yes, for one race that isn't modern F1! Then add in the other 12 races, three parades and the countless hundreds of other vehicles parked around the circuit and car parks and you get some idea of the magnitude of what has been created. This year two special anniversaries were celebrated with this being the 60th Anniversary of the year that racing first began on the former RAF Westhamphnett airfield and it was also the 10th Anniversary of the first Revival Meeting. Both events were commemorated in the Goodwood Legends parade, after which the vehicles were parked on the grid and Spitfire MH434 (which has flown at every Revival Meeting, firstly by the inimitable Ray Hanna and now by Lee Proudfoot) was taxied along the main straight. There followed a short service led by Canon Lionel Bloom where the circuit was blessed and commemorative medals were presented to each of the Legends who were present. For the second time in the event's history, the Freddie March Memorial Trophy finished of the proceedings on Saturday by racing literally into the sunset evoking memories of the original 9-Hour Races which became so famous at Goodwood. Golden sunset, golden memories. Yet another Revival Meeting of which Lord March and his amazing team can justifiably be proud.

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events

Goodwood Revival 2008 - The Atmosphere

Fri Sep 19 2008

Friday 19 September 2008: This year I have split my reports on the incredible Goodwood Revival Meeting so that each aspect of the weekend has its own separate section. This gallery gives a flavour of the atmosphere which gives this unique event such a special and magical feel. There quite simply is no other event like it!

Published in Aviation, Military Vehicle & Motorsport Events