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  • lindoug

Skyblazers in the UK

Please does anyone have any records relating to the displays given by the Skyblazers USAFE demonstration team in the United Kingdom between 1949 and 1962.
Any information would be helpful

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By: Atcham Tower - 13th March 2016 at 17:25

I saw the question mark and wondered if it referred to the year, rather than the day! As you say, it made sense to do the northern shows together.

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By: Sabrejet - 13th March 2016 at 17:21

Sabrejet, I got the Speke display date from my log and have just checked with a friend who was also there. He confirms that it was a Whit Monday which fell on the 21st that year. Don’t wish to nitpick but am just trying to keep the record straight!

Not nitpicking at all: hence my question mark. Make sense to do those ‘northern’ shows together too.

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By: Atcham Tower - 13th March 2016 at 17:12

Sabrejet, I got the Speke display date from my log and have just checked with a friend who was also there. He confirms that it was a Whit Monday which fell on the 21st that year. Don’t wish to nitpick but am just trying to keep the record straight!

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By: Sabrejet - 13th March 2016 at 10:58

Sabrejet, I’ve sent you a private message.

Duly returned.

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By: lindoug - 13th March 2016 at 10:25

Sabrejet, I’ve sent you a private message.

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By: Sabrejet - 13th March 2016 at 07:05

For 1956:

21 May 1956 – Rolls Royce Hucknall 29th May? see below.

29 May 1956? – Speke Airport, Liverpool: 100,000 spectators

29 May 1956 – Hucknall, Royal Air Force Association “Annual Air Display”

21 July 1956 – Coventry – Horizontal show, 600 ft. ceiling, overcast. Team just did a flyby in diamond formation

15 Sept. 1956 – RAF Biggin Hill – Horizontal show, 1,200 ft. ceiling, broken overcast

15 Sept. 1956 – RAF West Malling – Horizontal show, 4,000 ft. ceiling, broken overcast

I’m sure I also recall an F-86 display at Plymouth?

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By: Sabrejet - 13th March 2016 at 06:54

Doug,

I can’t quickly find what I’m looking for, but you’d get a chunk of the 48th FBW story by contacting the History Officer at Lakenheath: years ago I went up and consulted the back issues of the Wing magazine (Jet48) which they hold. A very useful archive.

I’ll still keep looking in the meantime because I do have copies of some of those too.

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By: Sabrejet - 12th March 2016 at 23:08

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By: Sabrejet - 12th March 2016 at 22:05

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By: Keefy041 - 12th March 2016 at 18:58

Ooh F-84’s yes please , that’s a plane I’d love to see in the air

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By: lindoug - 12th March 2016 at 18:31

Thank you very much everyone.

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By: Black Knight - 12th March 2016 at 17:50

Always thought the F-86’s were the best looking display team colours.

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By: Steve Bond - 12th March 2016 at 16:01

I can add:
Wymeswold 30 May 55, Biggin Hill and West Malling 15 Sep 56, Biggin Hill and Tangmere 14 Sep 57, (Wethersfield full date 15 Jun 57), Alconbury 17 May 58, Biggin Hill and Horsham St.Faith 20 Sep 58, Sculthorpe 17 May 58, Alconbury and Bentwaters 16 May 59, Biggin Hill and Wattisham 19 Sep 59, Biggin Hill 17 Sep 60, Filton 9 Jul 60, Lakenheath and Wethersfield 28 May 60, Biggin Hill and Coltishall 16 Sep 61, Mildenhall, Sculthorpe and Wethersfield 17 Jun 61. They may also have appeared at Brize Norton 21 May 1955 but I am not positive about that one.

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By: Atcham Tower - 12th March 2016 at 15:38

Speke Airport, Liverpool, air display 21 May 1956, operating from nearby Burtonwood. First formation team I ever saw – I was impressed beyond belief!

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By: lindoug - 12th March 2016 at 15:21

Thanks, I know about the crash at Manston. F-84E 21st May, 1952.
I now have West Raynham, June 1950, F-80B and again in June, 1951, F-84E
I recall, as a mere lad going to see them at an air show near my home at Orford in Suffolk; so it must have been Bentwaters or Woodbridge.
It’s possible we did go further afield. This would have been mid to late 1950s.

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By: Sabrejet - 12th March 2016 at 13:14

Should have Doug – will look. You know of course about O’Brien’s crash at Manston?

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By: Goldilocks - 12th March 2016 at 12:56

Wethersfield 1957 – introducing F-100 to UK residents – brilliant display with sonic booms low along the runway.

Goldilocks

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