Old Sarum 2015 airshow participants

Wish I’d had more time for the museum! It’s my kind of place; very hands-on and great to see aircraft being worked-on rather than this going on behind ‘closed doors’ and an apparently pristine aircraft appearing on display (behind barriers).

Spent most of my time looking at the Sea Harrier. What a mess for such a historic aircraft to be in…..then I realised, from a photograph, what the restoration team had been dealing with as a starting point! Well done guys!

The Jaguar too was very interesting. I could have spent an hour looking at the wing ‘displayed’ standing upright like that; why aren’t a few jets presented in museums like that? I like to see the way they’re built.

Free entry on the airshow day(s) was a brilliant initiative; I probably wouldn’t have paid to enter after 17:00 on the day but if I’m ever in the area and have enough time I’ll be back for a proper look (and a few second-hand books)!

Drove right past the Museum of Army Flying at Middle Wallop on the way out too; pinged that into the sat-nav for future reference as well.

I think that there will be lessons for the Organisers to learn as there are with all events, especially new ones. I take my hat off to them for organising it. We had a great number into the museum (which did not organise the show). I am pleased you enjoyed the museum which is a charity and very worthy of supporting. As usual, the hands on nature was commended by many I greeted today.

Last nights Hangar dance was brilliant too and great value…..I certainly hope that will be repeated as it was great value and fun to boot!

I had the privilage seeing the best Hurricane display I have ever seen by Clive Denney in the BH Hurricane…..Many thanx sir! Spitfire, Stang and the B17 were great. In fact, the varied eclectic mix was very good. Our own forum Melvin H and his Aussie sidekick kept people amused too! The B17 circled Quidhampton on saturday prior to its run in

I wouldn’t have gone if it hadn’t been for the chance to see the Vulcan display; my choice and, of course, no blame can be attributed to the organisers for the Vulcan no-show.

Parking was good (depending when you showed-up); I got there (late) at about 11:00 and the parking was perfectly acceptable by the standards of any airshow I’ve attended (and a lot better than some). Getting out at the end of the show was excellent; plenty of marshals (very rare to see this at the end of some shows) and plenty of exits it seemed!

I queued for food too…..two minutes at Waitrose at the Fleet services! I didn’t know there were going to be problems at Old Sarum but I’ve never been before and my experience with all event catering has taught me to bring what I want to eat or be forced to buy what is provided. No contest!

I won’t be going back but only because the Vulcan won’t be returning and I live an hour from Duxford and half-an-hour from Shuttleworth (but two-and-a-half hours from Old Sarum); if I were local this would be a good little event and the organisers should be congratulated.

I’m just about refraining from saying ‘Did I miss Duxford…for this’
the parking was shambolic, even for a first show, me Dad stood in a que for food for 2 hours (not the organisers fault though I know)
and of course the Vulcan display never materialised (the thing my Dad and I had both mainly gone to see) I know that wasn’t the organisers fault either but still, it was just plain (no joke intended) annoying.
There were redeeming features such as the Spitfire display, the pyrotechnics accompanied Great War display (see another thread of mine about Duxford and Pyrotechnics), and it had a neat selection of participants when all said and done.
The Boscombe down collection was smashing, I only wish I had had more time to look about it (living in Herts its a fair journey home so we had to leave earlyish)
That said, we’re debating whether attending it again if it is on next year (minus the Vulcan crowd who the majority of the shows audience and left by the end).
I have only attended Duxford shows in the past so this was new, and in many respects didn’t bode well for breaking our Duxford loyalty xD

For me the Mustang display was fantastic.
Whoever the pilot was, thank you very much Sir. It made my day.

The PA needs to extend all the way down the crowd line: the talented Mr Hiscock was on the microphone, but I could only hear him when I ventured along to check out the queues for the food & drink!

No, no, no! The fact there was no PA for the first three hundred metres of the crowd-line was a good thing!

It gave the spectator the choice to have the PA or not and probably about 60% of the crowd-line, and about 90% of the crowd, were covered by the PA.

One of the caterers didn’t show apparently!

Well it was a shaky start – including a ‘doors open’ showing 8.00 on the ticket but actually occurring at 9.30, and a flying display which didn’t really get underway til 1.30…

However there was much to like about this display – OK the Vulcan/B-17 formation never materialised, but that’s no-one’s fault. The displays were imaginative and mixed in theme, and with a few tweaks I can see this show being a very pleasant day out on the calendar each year. I suspect it will be a lot quieter in future years, judging by the ‘post-Vulcan cancellation’ size of the crowd. But that’s a positive in my book.

The museum was also a big hit for me: mandatory to be open for future shows I hope! There were lots of interesting things to look at, big and small, and very approachable, friendly and helpful staff.

So to the ‘tweaks’:

1. PLEASE publicise a bit more on the website! I knew beforehand roughly what to expect, but there was no indication of when anything would start! Folks we spoke to had come from Cornwall and arrived for 8am, expecting to get in and have a much-needed coffee: they then faced an hour-and-a-half wait to get in, though no-one really seemed to know when the gates would in fact open!

2. Catering! More needed. I can’t vouch for the quality because I looked at the queues and gave up.

3. The PA needs to extend all the way down the crowd line: the talented Mr Hiscock was on the microphone, but I could only hear him when I ventured along to check out the queues for the food & drink! Still, I guess it meant that you could be informed while you were waiting.

But overall a lot to be proud of I think: I shall return!

I’m sure it won’t be as bad as you guys are thinking. The flying is supposedly going to start around 11:30 based on the website you buy tickets from. Gates open at 8. The Hurricane, Swordfish, and Vulcan are the main reasons I’m going. Hope to see all three!

I would’ve gone to Duxford later in the month if A, tickets had been available, and B, The Vulcan had been at Dux too.
I’m mainly going for the Vulcan tbh…the ‘Battle of Britain’ aspect…which to me is important considering the anniversary, is pretty poor; ok it has a Mk1 hurri, but just that and a D-Day marked spitfire ix…not quite 20 spits or whatever’s at Dux

Really no idea. The whole thing is not very well done though at least I do have tickets, which is more than some, by all accounts. I think the Vulcan/B-17 will be the main (only) draw for most. I’m aiming to turn up about 9 and twiddle my thumbs for maybe 8 hours….

How long is it supposed to be, with only 14 participants listed thus far (and likely no more at this late stage)?

All I can find is the Vulcan supposedly on at about 5pm! Strangely silent on the website, which doesn’t bode well.

I had the same question. Nobody has mentioned much about it although I’m planning on attending. Any thoughts?

Anyone know more on this show? Timings, display start etc? The website is pretty thin on detail!

Sally B & XH558 are supposed to fly together?

Thinking that the proposed Vulcan/B.17 formation shall be well worth seeing

I’m debating what to do, two airshows with excellent reasons to go to either

Can’t add to the participants, but there’s a nice little museum at OS also: well worth a look.