Finningley – 1980 Open Day

Spent a happy hour or so watching passengers pushing their coaches out of the mud.

That was me… 🙁

A few photos from the Queen’s Review of the R.A.F in 1977 at Finningley

I remember that day, I was there as a very young LAC photographer. I still have some of the images I took somewhere at home. I will have to try and dig them up.

Great set on pictures cestrian 🙂

OMG 😮

Finningley Battle of Britain at home day, 20 September 1980 – The show was also to feature a White Horse Whiskey aerobatic competition and the Queens Cup Air race. The race was flown the next day, won by a Cessna 180, second was Den Penrose’s Arrow Active!!

full list from my records;

ANDOVER CC2 XS791 RAF 32SQN
ANDOVER E3 XS610 RAF 115SQN
ARGOSY C1 XN819 RAF Fire dump
BUCCANEER S2B XV868 RAF 12SQN
BULLDOG T1 XX543/F RAF Yorks UAS
CANBERRA PR7 WJ817 RAF 13SQN
CANBERRA PR9 XH165 RAF 39SQN
CANBERRA TT18 WJ639/39 RAF 7SQN
CHIPMUNK T10 WG407/81 RAF 9AEF
DEVON C2 VP981 RAF BBMF
DEVON C2/2 WB530 RAF 207SQN
DEVON C2/2 WB533 RAF 207SQN
DEVON C2/2 WB534 RAF 207SQN
DOMINIE T1 XS726/T RAF 6FTS
DOMINIE T1 XS728/E RAF 6FTS
DOMINIE T1 XS737/K RAF 6FTS
DOMINIE T1 XS739/F RAF 6FTS
GAZELLE HT3 XX396/N RAF 2FTS
GAZELLE HT3 XZ940/O RAF 2FTS
HAWK T1 XX174 RAF 4FTS
HAWK T1 XX239 RAF 4FTS
HAWK T1 XX294 RAF 4FTS
HAWK T1A X9 RAF RED ARROWS team
HERCULES C1 XV190 RAF LTW
HERCULES C1 XV203 RAF LTW
HUNTER FGA9 XE597/F RAF 2TWU
HURRICANE IIC LF363/GN-F RAF BBMF
JAGUAR GR1 XX824/BH RAF 14SQN
JAGUAR GR1 XZ397 RAF 226OCU
JAGUAR T2 XX834/U RAF 226OCU
JET PROVOST T5B XW293/Z RAF 6FTS
JET PROVOST T5B XW287/P RAF 6FTS
JET PROVOST T5B XW291/N RAF 6FTS
JET PROVOST T5B XW296/Q RAF 6FTS
JET PROVOST T5B XW298/O RAF 6FTS
JETSTREAM T1 XX482/J RAF 6FTS
JETSTREAM T1 XX491/K RAF 6FTS
JETSTREAM T1 XX493/L RAF 6FTS
JETSTREAM T1 XX499/G RAF 6FTS
LANCASTER B1 PA474/AJ-G RAF BBMF
LIGHTNING F3 XP702/N RAF 11SQN
LIGHTNING F3 XR751/A RAF LTF
METEOR T7 WF791 RAF VINTAGE PAIR
NIMROD MR1 XV248 RAF KMW
PHANTOM FGR2 XV426/Q RAF 228OCU
PHANTOM FGR2 XV406/A RAF 23SQN
SEA KING HAR3 XZ586 RAF 202SQN
SEA KING HAR3 XZ589 RAF 202SQN
SEA KING HAR3 XZ596 RAF 202SQN
SEA KING HAR3 XZ597 RAF 202SQN
SHACKLETON AEW2 WL741 RAF 8SQN
SPITFIRE IIA P7350/QV-B RAF BBMF
SPITFIRE PRXIX PS853 RAF BBMF
SYCAMORE HR14 XJ380 RAF 22SQN Preserved
VAMPIRE T11 XH304 RAF VINTAGE PAIR
VICTOR K2 XH671 RAF 55SQN
VULCAN B2 XM652 RAF 44SQN
VULCAN B2 XL389 RAF 9SQN
WESSEX HC2 XS675 RAF 22SQN
WESSEX HC2 XV720 RAF 22SQN
WESSEX HC2 XS677/BY RAF 240 OCU
WHIRLWIND HAR 10 XP344 RAF 202SQN
WHIRLWIND HAR 10 XP347 RAF 202SQN
WHIRLWIND HAR 10 XP352 RAF 202SQN
WHIRLWIND HAR10 XD186 RAF 202SQN
SEA FURY T20 WG655 RN FAAHF
SEA HARRIER FRS1 XZ456/103 RN 899SQN
SEA HAWK FGA6 WV908/A-188 RN FAAHF
WASP HAS1 XS817 RN 829SQN
BASSETT CC1 XS765 MOD A&AEE (Queens Flt scheme)
CANBERRA B6(MOD.) XH568 MOD RSRE Bedford
VISCOUNT XT661 MOD RSRE Bedford
CF104G 104842 CAF 421SQN
MIRAGE F1C 228/30-MU French AF EC2/30
A-10A WR/77-0263 USAF 81TFW
A-10A WR/77-0269 USAF 81TFW
C-5A 69-0015 USAF 436MAW
F-111F LN/70-2412 USAF 48TFW
F-15A BT/75-0051 USAF 36TFW
F-15A BT/75-0068 USAF 36TFW
F-5E 74-01544 USAF 527TFTAS
KC-135R 63-8028 USAF 30ARW
OV-10A 67-14641 USAF 601TCW
AA-5A CHEETAH G-BFIL/106 Private
AA-5A CHEETAH G-BFTE/256 Private
ARROW ACTIVE II G-ABVE/48 Private
BEAGLE B121 PUP 100 G-AZDA/139 Private
BEECHCRAFT SIERRA B24R G-BBVJ Private AA
BELL 206A JET RANGER G-ICRU Private
BELL 206L LONG RANGER G-WARM Private
BELL 206L LONG RANGER II G-LONG Private
BELLANCA 17-30A SUPER VI G-VIKE/147 Private
BLACKBURN B2 G-AEBJ Private BAE
BN2 ISLANDER JY-DCA Private ROYAL JORDANIAN FALCONS
CAP20LS-200 F-GAVB Private
CESSNA 180 G-ASIT/64 Private
CESSNA 210M OO-CNJ Private
CESSNA 310Q G-BAVE/9 Private
CESSNA 337D G-AWVS/41 Private
CESSNA 402B G-BCBI Private
CESSNA F172N G-MICK Private
CESSNA F177RG G-AZTW/131 Private
CESSNA F177RG G-BAGN/78 Private
CESSNA T210L G-BEYV/2 Private
CHEROKEE ARROW 200D G-AZSF/80 Private
CRANFIELD A1 G-BCIT Private
DEVON C2/2 WB533/G-DEVN Private
DRAGON RAPIDE NF875/CH-603 Private
FG1D CORSAIR NZ5628 Private
FUJI FA200-160 G-BDFS/21 Private
DH87 HORNET MOTH G-ADNE/54 Private
J/1N ALPHA G-AJEH/93 Private
JETSTREAM 200 G-BCWW Private
JODEL D150 MASCARET G-AVEF/32 Private
MAULE M5-235C G-MAUL/27 Private
MBB BO209 MONSUN 160FV G-AYPE/98 Private
NORD 1002D G-ATBG Private
PITTS S2A SPECIAL G-BADW Private ROTHMANS AEROBATIC TEAM.
PITTS S2A SPECIAL G-BADX Private ROTHMANS AEROBATIC TEAM.
PITTS S2A SPECIAL G-BDKS Private ROTHMANS AEROBATIC TEAM.
PITTS S2A SPECIAL G-BGSE Private ROTHMANS AEROBATIC TEAM.
PITTS S2A SPECIAL G-SOLO Private ROTHMANS solo
PITTS S2A SPECIAL JY-RJG Private ROYAL JORDANIAN FALCONS team
PITTS S2A SPECIAL JY-RJH Private ROYAL JORDANIAN FALCONS team
PITTS S2A SPECIAL JY-RJJ Private ROYAL JORDANIAN FALCONS team
PROVOST T1 XF877/G-AWVF Private
ROBIN R1180TD AIGLON G-CRAN/106 Private
ROBIN R2112 ALPHA G-RAFC/137 Private
SEMILNOLE 180 G-BGTF/73 Private
SENECA 200T G-BDRI/34 Private
SIAI-MARCHETTI SF260 G-BDEN/69 Private
SPITFIRE FXIV RM689/G-ALGT Private RR
STEPHENS AKRO G-RIDE Private
TORNADO F2 ZA254 Private BAE
TWIN COMMANCHE 160 G-ASRO/47 Private
TWIN COMMANCHE 160B G-AVHZ/7 Private
VARSITY T1 WJ945/21/G-BEDV Private
WALLIS WA116 G-ARZB Private
ZLIN Z526 AKROBAT G-AWJX Private

with one aircraft from every RAF squadron on show.

Apart from a certain very secret Nimrod equipped “reconnaissance” squadron and the TWUs shadow units – 63, 79 & 234!

Great day – easily one of my more notable aviation memories. Anyone remember that great idiot of a defence secretary (was it Mulley or something??) falling asleep next to the Queen during the fabulous flying display?? BBC TV had it well televised – is it possible that the BBC (and other networks) still have this and other air show programmes in their records?? I recall every Farnborough receiving large amounts of TV coverage – be great to see them again!!

I was also at Finningley in 1977, in my No.1 best RAF uniform the day before, when the Queen was there. It was a gorgeous weekend with one aircraft from every RAF squadron on show.

I was there that day, every aircraft looked like it had just come off the production line.still got the souvenir book.
Phil.

I was also at Finningley in 1977, in my No.1 best RAF uniform the day before, when the Queen was there. It was a gorgeous weekend with one aircraft from every RAF squadron on show.

I wan’t to cry!

I’m in ’70’s heaven – Lightnings, Phantoms, Victors, Canberras, Vulcans, Jaguars (yes Jaguars – probly from Lossie – ), Harriers & Buccs – ah such memories, such memories.

Only problem was the terrible pay – so much so that some airman’s wives were forced to picket camp gates 🙁

XL 361 in better days

Outstanding cestrain. Fantastic set of pix recording a fantastic day.

Fabulous! And my memory is correct, the sun did always shine at air displays in the 50s, 60s and 70s!

A few more photos of the static park
1 Lightning F.6 XS901 of 5 Sqdn
2 Hunter T.7 XL591 of 4 FTS
3 Argosy E.1 XR140 0f 115 Sqdn
4 Canberra T.17 WF890 of 360 Sqdn
5 Pembroke C.1 WV701 60 Sqdn
6 Phantom FGR.2 XV406 of 111 Sqdn
7 Victor K.2 XL191 of 55 Sqdn

A few photos from the Queen’s Review of the R.A.F in 1977 at Finningley
Fist is a selection of Vulcans
1 XM605 of 101Sqdn
2 and 3 XH534 of 27 Sqdn
4 XL361 of 617 Sqdn making a fine grandstand
5 XM646 of 9 Sqdn
6 Flypast of the Strike Formation
7 Flypast of the Air Defence Formation

Finningley flashback

This thread prompted me to go to the archives and dig out my oldest Finningley slides taken in 1968 and & 69. Seems the weather there wasn’t much better in those days. Here are four types that had just been delivered to the Finningley Museum collection:

These were taken on 14 September 1968-

Spitfire 16e TE184 – now airworthy

Hastings C.1A, TG605, of 24 Squadron Transport Command

Fairey FD.2, WG777, now at Cosford

and Short SB-5, WG768, at Finningley 17 Sept.1969, also at Cosford now

But mine always worked! :diablo: And I had a proper keyboard, not a mouse mat with embossed characters. :dev2: :rolleyes:

I heard someone saying the other day that when you throw away one of those greetings cards with the recordable message you are binning more computing power than was available in the world in 1957.

:lol

I did it in 1K in BASIC with a Sinclair ZX81.

But mine always worked! :diablo: And I had a proper keyboard, not a mouse mat with embossed characters. :dev2: :rolleyes:

I think you’re right dhfan. The Open Days that were held at many RAF stations in the 60s and 70s were a joy to attend, as were the Families Day shows – these were restricted to station personel though. Such displays had some of the best and thrilling mil flying I’ve ever watched. The main Airshows that I recall attending were at Finningly (late 70s early 80s), Leeming, Scampton, Waddington, Wyton (only one held there not counting the Canberra’s 40th). Others that were well considered were St Mawgan, Brawdy, Kinloss, Chivenor, Manby and Topcliff (many, many years ago when they had Neptunes and Marathons there). There will be memories in the group for many other RAF stations over the years I guess, pity it doesn’t seem to happen these days :mad:. Seems to be some aversion to showing the flag in these PC days. And as for having pride in the nation’s Air Force, well . . .

Regarding the current Waddo show. It’s the best in the country for my money (as well as Glen’s Kemble 😎 ). Retains some of the feeling of the RAF shows of years gone by and, IMHO, is orders of magnitude better to be at than RIAT.

Not the Open Days, but I still miss the Finningley airshows. It’s probably the lack of interesting RAF aircraft but Waddo’s not the same.
I didn’t go until I moved up here in the late 80s. Not realising it ws an all day display we didn’t arrive until early afternoon. Half an hour later, monsoon. Within minutes they announced that flying was cancelled for the rest of the day. Spent a happy hour or so watching passengers pushing their coaches out of the mud.
Never missed one after that. The Blue Angels 0 feet display was amazing. As Skybolt said, the visibility that day was awful with the cloudbase virtually on the deck. Aircraft just briefly appeared through the gloom and disappeared again.

I think one of my fondest memories is of RR299. It was the year it had groundlooped (?) and was supposed to be out of commission for the rest of the season. Late in the afternoon a Mossie suddenly appeared overhead. Made my day.