Releasing Those Old TV Air Show Programmes

Off ebay I picked up 2 interesting finds.
One is a VHS video called “Sky spectacular” consisting of 3 films – the first is from Biggin Hill BoB display 1974 – no commentary just music and sound bites (John Blake quips etc) great images of lightning F1, Phantoms, Vulcan, Nimrod, Victor, Poachers, Rothmans (the intended subject matter),and the superb and frighteneing Slivers Belgian AF F104 duo. Second is a film about the Rothmans displaying in Spain (1980 ish with Pitts) and the 3rd is the famous Concorde first flight footage with Mr Baxter on the mike “she flies she flies”…

The other is a profesionally produced cine film of Farnboro’76 that should have sound but when it was transferred onto VHS (at horrendous cost!) it was silent. Not very long but some good images on there.

Off ebay Ive picked up several air show vids – many from the states from the ’80s and it was good to get a copy of the Coventry UK confederate show from ’88.

I’d love to see those old shows 1970s shows available – not just Biggin but many other shows were broadcast. Finningley 77 – the Silver Jubilee Review would be my most requested – BBC covered that quite well including the then defence minister (Mulley??) fast asleep next to the Queen as the RAF’s finest were doing their stuff 😡

There are lots of encouraging responses and useful information on his thread. Thanks for your contributions.

It’s clear from what I read that it was never going to be easy! I think I’ll contact someone from BBC Worldwide (thanks, 903), direct them to this thread, and see if any interest can be generated from the BBC itself to release some material to fit in with the ‘Steam engine video for Dad at Chrstmas/specialist’ end of the market.

The oldest Farnborough shows I have on VHS tape are from 1982 (commentary by Raymond Baxter, interviews with John Blake, Peter Lygo of BAe etc).

However, in 1980, BBC Bristol made a four part documentary series about aviation in the west country, narrated by Robert Powell, called, naturally, “Aviation in the Wset”. In one episode, they featured the ACTUAL recording from TV of Gloster Javelins taking off and the display of Westland and Bristol helicopters. I think they date from 1957 and must surely be the oldest video recordings of a UK airshow. The comentator was Charles Gardener. I taped the programme when it was repeated on mainstream BBC2 in 1981. Surely those programmes must still exist somewhere.

In the same series, they also superimposed over newsreel footage the live BBC radio commentary of the first flight of the Bristol Brabazon, Charles Gardener was the main commentator that day too.

Yes – its BBC Worldwide, you need to contact, but they only licence the use of said films and it comes with lots of T&C’s. Such as not showing the reporters face in any of the footage or name caption. You will still need a company such as DD to produce it. I paid a fortune for my Vulcan footage such as from the Falklands Conflict on BBC News at the time.

DD Home Entertainment have a good relationship with the Beeb, I’ll speak to them and ask the question.

Don’t know who you know at DD, but I know Richard Jones who I got to contact the Rank Organisation to tap the “Look at Life” film series. Also to reissue their Farnborough, Glory, Glory years on DVD, which has just been reissued with lots of extra footage on two DVDs giving complete Farnborough Air show coverage from 1950 to 1988.
The BBC must have stacks of material, but getting them to compile it is probably another matter!

During the 60’s ITV used to do live broadcasts from the various BoB shows that nearly every RAF station used to do in those days, though I never actually saw any because I was always at them myself. From what friends told me, they used to flit in and out of the saturday afternoon sports events, like wrestling and snooker. I was actually seen by one of my brothers mates sticking my tongue out at the camera at Cottesmore as Douglas Bader landed and greeted Johnnie Johnstone.
Whether any of this footage was recorded and saved I don’t know, they had a tendency to re-use video tape and so many historic programmes have been lost forever, like most of the Telegoons, however, things have been found in strange places around the world.
It would be amazing if any of this footage has survived, I don’t know for how long or where airshows were filmed at this time, the Cottesmore example is the only one I can remember being covered by TV crews, before that it was just Pathe News at Farnborough every year.

DD Home Entertainment have a good relationship with the Beeb, I’ll speak to them and ask the question.

Blimey,thats what i call service 😀 2 mins after i posted WOW 😀

DD Home Entertainment have a good relationship with the Beeb, I’ll speak to them and ask the question.

I was wondering if SConnor had any imput about this,he is releasing the older stuff from North Weald if i recall.Maybe he can shed some light and influence something.Heres hoping.

Without meaning to “rub it in” on what your missing, you can at least view a catalogue of what was in the recordings by looking at –

http://open.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/LONE905N

Several years can be seen, including some Farnbrough`s.

Great steer Jamie, just look at some of the characters appearing on the show, including Spencer Flack and Bob Stanford-Tuck.

I do have at least three Farnboroughs on tape (including at least one with good old Raymond Baxter) though they aren’t as early as the ones mentioned above. They’re mainly mid-eighties, although I did manage to catch the 1990 one today whilst sifting through the old VHS stuff. The presenter was Noel Edmonds, so I’ll let you all make you’re own minds up! I’ve a couple of Biggins, again from the same period.

Having just rediscovered the delights of the old tapes, after acquiring a working video, after a number of years without one, I’d forgotten what my late father and myself actually did tape back then. Some pretty obscure documentaries, too.

I wholeheartedly agree, the Beeb should be encouraged to release this lot on DVD. I think there’d be a captive market just from these forums alone! Who do we petition? Is it BBC Enterprises?

Without meaning to “rub it in” on what your missing, you can at least view a catalogue of what was in the recordings by looking at –

http://open.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/LONE905N

Several years can be seen, including some Farnbrough`s.

’77, ’78, ’79, ’80 (etc) ….Come on someone must have it on Betamax !

But what I want is the original source footage, if its in good enough condition…

’77, ’78, ’79, ’80 (etc) ….Come on someone must have it on Betamax !

Aah yes, Sunday afternoon, Farnborough and a bit of Raymond, can’t beat it!

Sounds like a great idea to me, throw some Raymond Baxter commentry in, and it would be perfect!