THURROCK AIRSHOW MID 90'S

You’re right, Septic, the place was appalingly signposted. The first year we didn’t really know where we were going, couldn’t find an airfield on the roadmap, so had to call at Tourist Info in the motorway services at Thurrock and ask there! For us the fact that it was never crowded was part of the enjoyment factor, but of course it didn’t help permanency of the event!

Ewan, well spotted! I’ve just replaced my vinyl copy with the CD remaster and thought “Aha, there’s a quote I could use”. I recommend the R30 DVD if you’ve not seen it, too.

I wish I had made the effort to make it to one of those shows. I heard nothing but good things abouth them. I suppose I got loosely involved by pushing Eddie Coventry’s Spifire out of the hangar at Earls Colne so he could fly down to Orsett to display…
I flew out of Orsett once when I was 11 years old as a birthday treat for my best mate at the time, because his stepdad was Terry Holding, who owns the farm and airstrip. Great day!
Wasn’t Mr Holding the guy who volunteered to go looking for Mark Thatcher when he got lost in the desert some years ago! And as an aside, does he still own the farm at Orsett…just curious.

I remember going to one of the Orsett shows with great fondness, lovelly weather, and a great location and an excellent mix of aircraft.

I also remember getting within a few miles of the place without seeing any sign posts and no traffic jams, I honestly thought I’d got the wrong day! I can’t remember if the show clashed in the airshow calendar but the crowd was very poor, maybe they just didn’t advertise it locally.

Great shame though, a much missed location. 🙁

Septic.

I am sure there was two maybe 3 Orsett days, on one of the days I was picked on by Norman Lees and he told me I had one hour to go sort out a convoy of Military Vehicles which would be straffed by the 109, I went over to the Military vehicle boys to ask if they would participate and it was jumped at, I wanted a Willys to lead the convoy and was pointed to a 385th BG marked Willys which turned out to be owned by and old friend who I had not seen for around 20 years so it does stick in my memory.

The problem with the Orsett days were the public did not attend it very well so as you all know without the public attendance it becomes a very expensive hobby even if you are the lead singer of Pink Floyd.

Orsett lead itself to this type of airday the view from the public side was great as the field rises so its like its own auditorium..

It was a well run show I was lucky enough to be both sides of the fence. The last Airday myself and Gary Numan attended as public and sat on the grass and watched the show I think it was hard for Gary not to want to jump in and do a display, Eddie Coventry’s display in his Spit seems to stick in my mind.

its certainly a lovely setting for an airshow, and the pub next door is certainly nice as well!! its a damn shame that it only happened for two years. i’m sure that cost, as well as the disbanding of intrepid aviation did contribute to it.

hopefully the owner of the farm will read this and…….

wishful thinking again!!!

i don’t know if anyone has noticed but on one of the hangars it reads ‘THURROCK’ from the air. i know if i was flying in and i saw that, it would be full throttle and 180 degree turn and out of there!!! and i admit it, i live there!! luckily the chavs have yet to figure out how to hot wire a plane yet!!

anyway, getting back to the point, its a shame that orsett never really became a permanent fixture in the airshow calender, but thanks for the input chaps.

I think the Turb team were also there in 1996. Great show, got a warning from the then CAA display inspector for low flying! 😮

Great quote from Red Barchetta, Growler

Delightful Orsett

I seem to remember that the Orsett display only ever happened twice. It was a delightful event, a lovely setting and some fantastic flying. Almost a “garden party” atmosphere. I seem to remember it was run by Dave Gilmour’s Intrepid Aviation, and consequently featured his aircraft, including the Mustang (Flown by the late Norman Lees) and the Beech Staggerwing.

Others that I can remember include PL985, then newly restored in PR blue and flown by John Romain, Black 6 raising the hairs on the back of the neck (as ever), the ARCO Lysander and various OFMC/Fighter Collection heavy metal. I worked in Farnham at the time with a girl whose husband flew from Odiham, and he flew his Chinook in as part of the static. As usual my photos are on the other side of the planet……..

My main memory of Orsett is the weather, particularly the second year when it was just perfect. The view from the QE2 bridge on the way home was spectacular.

As an aside, in a recent article on Gilmour in Guitar and Bass Magazine it appears that the reason he stopped flying was because his then new wife was a little nervous about him doing so! Behind every good man…….