Breitling Fighters non-tour?

It’s not too late you know. If you go to the Wanaka show at easter you will see the final ever display of the team.

Shame you never saw their full routine, when you consider the different performances of the machines they flew, it was a real eye opener to what can be achieved with a bunch of good pilots.

My big knock against american warbird shows is that, from my experience, most of the planes fly by one at a time, there is no unusual grouping of mixed types unless it’s the finale and the ‘missing man’ formation, where we get one pass (and one of the planes ups and heads west)…maybe I’m attending the wrong shows, but I don’t think so. I reckon the big knock against mixing all the planes is that there are different performance factors on each type, one cruises faster than the other, one isn’t as maneuverable as the other…it could get complicated as far as trying to get them all together in one big formatin (or even a four ship)….now, I’m not saying it DOES’NT happen over here, but not for an extended stretch of time like happens with the Breitling routine. The last warbird display team using fighters I recall stateside was the 4 Horsemen, 4 pilots back east flying Mustangs at airshows doing aerobatics and passes, and again these were 4 planes of the same type, not a mixed bag. I never got to see them, either.
The closest we have come here in recent years to a big mixed formation ala the Duxford Balbo is the grand finale at Chino last spring when they did almost the same thing….
As for your assertion that americans are interested in American aircraft, such is not the case in my opinion, which is why myself and a friend have made the semi-annual trek to Britain to see some planes that are ‘different’, and a whole bevy of my airshow pals, mostly photographers, have also made an annual or semi-annual pilgrimage to DX or Wanaka or wherever the planes are different and the sights are unusual…granted, we’re not the average, layman airshow observers, so I can’t answer that question for you, but I think Americans like variety and things unusual, yes. I know I do.

Mark

It seems to me it would have been a very profitable venture for Breitling, it would have been well supported, cheaper to operate the planes in the US, and folks would have come from far and near to see the show…it would’ve been a great success!

Do you really think so? The four aircraft you mention – with the possible exception of the Spitfire – are not exactly uncommon in the US, so what could they offer which is not already around on the US airshow circuit? I really like their tight formation display, but with the plethora of warbirds there surely there are comparable acts in the US?

Your query also arouses some curiosity on my part. From having visited Oshkosh and reading American books and magazines it seems to me that the interests of an average US airshow visitor and aviation enthusiast are focused more on indigenous aircraft than are those of the European “colleague”. What is your opinion on this – am I totally wrong? Which historic aircraft of European make do you think would with certainty be an absolute success on the US airshow circuit?