unbelievably we are already very close to the end of another GREAT British airshow season….where did it all go????
looking back over the past few months the following stood out as being personal highlights….Abingdon Fayre Air& Country Show,
G-VFWE(also at Abbo,but two weeks later),
Kemble Air Show in June,
Waddington,
Southend,
‘Legends,
RIAT(always will be a favourite of mine despite some of
brick-bats they bet every year),
Redhill,
both visits to Old Warden(but especially the evening
show…what better way tospend a Saturday evening)
Sywell(long may that one continue)
Although I enjoy the bigger events(RIAT,’Legends etc,etc),like many others I am developing a love for the smaller,more intimate events that seem to be the growth area in the airshow scene….I am also a big fan of fly-ins(Popham,Turweston,Old Sarum etc,etc),you just never know what will turn up at these events and you can usually get up close and personal to the aircraft and their crews….
well,that’s my brief overview of 2004,how about you,,,what were your highlights(& maybe low-lights)
many thanks to all the organisers,participants and volunteers for keeping the UK airshow scene alive and well,,,,roll on 2005
By: met24 - 30th September 2004 at 20:37
It’s been a great year for me. I’ve been to more airshows than ever (though I’ll only have managed Legends this year at Duxford, I can’t make the last one next weekend 🙁 ) and I’ve taken more photos at each than I’ve usually managed in an entire year. Some have even been half-decent.
I’ve met loads of people from the form, taken some of them flying and they’re still talking to me. Blimey!
I’m not sure I could pick a highlight, I’ve enjoyed it all. The day of the Little Gransden airshow saw me flying right over the top of Luton Airport (with a clearance, you’ll be pleased to know!!) which was pretty cool … and the Mustangs at Breighton setting off car alarms sticks in my mind too. Okay, I did manage two highlights!
By: Emma - 30th September 2004 at 20:22
Chailey Airshow for me! To see these fields that I drive past most days come alive again with the sounds and sights of aircraft – awesome!
By: Papa Lima - 30th September 2004 at 19:56
1. First ever helicopter ride – over Oshkosh.
2. Flying in formation with a Martin Mars on a firebombing mission.
3. Flying in the CWH Lancaster.
By: Steve T - 30th September 2004 at 19:50
Hi all–
Well, my ’04 UK season wasn’t much, since I haven’t been to the UK since ’89! :rolleyes:
Seriously, it’s been a very decent year airshows-wise. Despite a cool, glum, damp summer here, just about every show I went to boasted weather that was at least OK, and most boasted very fine conditions. Season just closed out a couple weekends back with a fly-in at Guelph, Ontario. Sadly not much remains of the once-vibrant Ontario show circuit (Hamilton gone; Trenton intermittent; Ottawa abruptly cancelled a few weeks before the ’04 event was to have run…) but fortunately south of the border, bless ’em, they’ve got two terrific Warbird gatherings comparatively close by. Willow Run (Michigan) is just spectacular these days (this year, a dozen TBMs in the air together; three P-47s in formation; Jim Read’s breathtaking P-51 aerobatic routine etc) and has become an absolute must. And Geneseo (New York)…we not-wholly-jokingly refer to “Gennie” as The Best Canadian Airshow In The USA. Many of the participating aircraft and pilots, the lead commentator (ex-Spit driver Charley Fox), and a good chunk of each year’s crowd are Canadian. And the airfield is turf. Highlights this year included the superb CHAA Harvard five-plane demo, two Spitfires and a Hurricane. Seeing the Hurricane flying (heck, even taxiing) ranks as my #1 highlight for ’04. I had not seen a Hurri with its prop turning since the same show twelve years ago…one of the final flying appearances, of course, for the late lamented C-GCWH. By the start of the ’93 season she was gone. I’d wondered whether I’d ever see another one fly without returning to the UK. (Thanx Mr Yagen and co!)
S.
By: station357 - 30th September 2004 at 19:43
My highlights:
Chailey airshow (Ray’s show-closing Spitfire display).
First ever visit to Old Warden (Tutor and Edwardian stuff).
Legends (Spitfire tail chase).
Also, joining this forum. Great fun.
Regards,
Paul
By: Corsair166b - 30th September 2004 at 19:06
Not great…went to NO airshows (wish Colorado would get it in gear and get some going in Denver again) 1 fly-in, which was enjoyable, saw the Collings bombers on their stop through, and DID just have an air to air session with a Mustang and two T-6’s this last weekend…but other than that aviation wise it was a bust…
Now on OTHER fronts it was a GREAT summer…
Mark
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September 30, 2004 at 7:02 pm