Waddington Airshow review

I agree with my fellow countryman, atc pal! You really are spoilt in GB as far as airshows are concerned, quit moaning!

I feel sorry for you guys. Have to endure airshows! 😉

The one – and only – military show here in Denmark was cancelled on economy grounds. (50 years of Skrydstrup Airstation – looking forward to 100 now!)

Damien B – You’ve got the magic touch. Tried for 30 years. On a good day I get one or two pictures like yours out of 200.

best regards atc pal

In these days of financial cutbacks and hightened security, we should be glad of any military organised airshow. I think we’re very lucky to get Waddo at all. Yes, it did seem a bit light this year, but all the display teams were already booked into the big show in Austria, and many front line aircraft have more important things to do these days. Be grateful for what we did get.
I was quite pleased with the amount of historic aircraft in the static display. It contrasts nicely with the ‘heavy metal’ that you expect at an RAF show. As far as I know, the only RAF type not present was a Merlin. This is as it should be at Englands only RAF Airshow this year (Leuchars is in Scotland, you know).:rolleyes:

As for funfairs, craft fairs, and shopping malls, I would have thought that this makes a day full of ‘boring’ aeroplanes a lot more bareable for any family members who come along because they have nothing better to do. They will also be more likely to come again next year, and that has to be a good thing.

Willow

P.S. The ‘high-alfa’ pass by the F18 was one of the best ever! I cannot believe that a big fighter like that can fly that slowly!!

DamienB,
Why be so defensive of the show ? are you organising it ?
I did finish by saying that it was generally a good event and long may it continue.
I merely compared this with last years and quite frankly they didn’t. The fact that I didn’t do the static is neither here nor there, there have been many shows that I have missed the static park as I have been on my own and not wanted to lose a spot on the crowd line. If I’m closer to home , RIAT lets say, then I will wait and do the static after the display because the home trip is fairly short.
Which leads me onto why we left early that day,the journey for me to Waddington is about 2-21/2 hours and I also had to pick up / drop of my mate in the Cotswolds en-route which adds an extra 1/2 hour to the journey, therefore 3 hours required. My wife and I had a diner appointment at 8.00pm that night, therefore I left Waddington at 4.30 so I only missed a couple of items not half the show. I would rather miss the first post restoration flight of XH558 than face my wife throwing her toys out.
Before you say ‘why didn’t you go Sunday’ , I have a young family and a life outside of aircraft, whats more I was due to fly to Germany on Sunday afternoon anyway

We didn’t go this year basically because there wasn’t anything we wanted to see but it is only the second one we’ve missed. When was the first one, ’94?
When we were wondering whether to go we realised we didn’t watch much of last year’s display. There were probably five or six we picked out that we wanted to see and the rest we weren’t bothered.

I really don’t understand why people leave airshows early. At Waddo they are often starting to move by 2:30 or so. What’s the point in going? Any show of that size is obviously going to be a long day, not just a couple of hours.
We take tea making equipment, sarnies and books or mags and wait until we get chucked out. By then all the traffic’s gone and we’re home in under an hour. Some people appear to queue for that long just to get out.

I agree that the Reds should finish the show, not for the plebs but because they should be the finale. Having said that, you can’t blame them for being p*ssed off if everybody clears off while they’re displaying.
Haven’t forgiven the powers-that-be yet for ending the last ever Finningley show with Patrouille de France. That really should have been the Reds.

The Reds specifically asked for a mid-afternoon slot as they’ve become rather p*ssed off with everyone leaving when they’re the last act.

Ummm,
Sounds as if i ruffled a few feathers.
However I’ll stand by what i said, although it does sound as if Sundays show was better.I maintain that the show was nowhere near as good as 2002.
I did not do the static park, my mate did and came back saying that there was not too much of interest and it was too cramped, so I stayed put on the crowd line.
I don’t agree with the comments about the ‘notches’, I think that they are a great idea.Providing that you are early enought the keen photographers (those that have yet to be allocated a green waistcoat and allowed to masquerade as press that is) can get into one of these. This then avoids fighting with the tented city brigade who each apparently need 12feet of fence line just so they can abandon it to go to the fairground for half of the display and come back to sleep for the other half.
Obviously some things performed on Sunday and not Saturday, for instance VC10 and Tristar( not that I’m worried about either as I see them every 10 mins, in fact there is a VC10 overhead as I type this), these are rarely seen taking part in displays and it would have been better to bulk out Saturday as well. You don’t mind this if you know in advance as you can plan which day to go.
Unfortunately I missed the most intersting aircraft on Saturday (F4) because we had to leave before the end. Which brings my next point, why not close with the Reds ? surely this is the way to keep all of the non-enthusiast there, after all thats what many families go for, and it lets us escape early and beat the traffic.
Having said that ,well done RAF for keeping the show going, long may it survive.
Anyhow I’m sure that we will all enjoy Legends, I might wear a big name tag so as you can all come beat me up for being negative.
Phil

Originally posted by Manonthefence
There are 2 things one needs to take a great photo 1. Ability 2 the eye for it.

Now any fool can, with practise get and aircraft in mid frame and in focus (Lord knows if I can do it anyone can), but it is a special talent that has the eye for a good photo.

Take the Lanc, a simple enough photo but taken in the context of the City of Lincoln and you have something a bit special.

Great stuff Mr B. Game on for the next week at Legends and RIAT.

Well said , I bought some recommended Canon kit just for East Fortune this Saturday but my results so far have been abominable , I could live to be 200 yr old and still never get a photo anywhere near the standard of Damien’s stuff.
Can you still buy Polaroid Instant Cameras:confused:

I enjoyed the show…. but I don’t think it was as good as last year. There weren’t as many international performers in the flying display I thought. But what the hell… I had a good day out… so I’m happy!

There are 2 things one needs to take a great photo 1. Ability 2 the eye for it.

Now any fool can, with practise get and aircraft in mid frame and in focus (Lord knows if I can do it anyone can), but it is a special talent that has the eye for a good photo.

Take the Lanc, a simple enough photo but taken in the context of the City of Lincoln and you have something a bit special.

Great stuff Mr B. Game on for the next week at Legends and RIAT.

It was my first waddington show and I thought it was good even though I got to see most of the show from between Nos.2 & 3 Hangers. I did enjoy watching the Hunter display from the commentary position on both days. The Spanish F-18 display was great, believe it or not, thats the first time I’ve seen one display.
Denny’s display was good and I enjoyed the Jordanians. The Reds started to bore me after the first hour.

All in all, a good weekend.
Neal:cool:

Originally posted by Hatton
The place was crowded.

Shows it’s popular then! 😀

Damien.

On the Sunday I saw a Tristar with two VC10’s pass over the Midlands in close formation and not too high either. Did you manage to get any photos of them?

Regards,

kev35

Yes well said Hatton half the place seemed to be taken over by FairGround rides

One more thing

How many Jp or strikmasters were their not moaning nice to see them all 🙂

I must say i’d agree with Philo.

The place was crowded. The flying display was lacklustre in parts. All of the displays on offer were flown beautifully, The F18 inparticular was fantastic. However, it’s not really an International Airshow celebrating 100 years of flight when the organisers have to rely on RAF types to provide pretty much the main bulk of the display. Tucano etc yawn.

I said this in another thread but why bring a spitfire and blenhiem to the show and leave them in the static. Same goes for 39sq Canberra and the Vc10. All the aircraft i wanted to see in the air were in the static. At least i saw them arrive Friday.

I must say though. Waddington does rival Alton Towers for great fairground attractions. 🙂

best regards steve

Well I thaught it was one of their better efforts 🙂

Static Display first class plenty to see

Flying also very good that F4 near the end was cool.

One thing is the Vulcan on static display (xm607) could do with a repaint

Would be nice if their were more display teams (Spanish are very nice to watch) but all in all a very good day out

No Euofighter jokes this year:D 😀

Sorry for the late delay, but I’ve been to the fatherland for a week and am still catching up.
Waddington 2003 was a very poor shadow of 2002.
I went, with friends, in 2002 and thought it was excellent, good access,good parking, a full and varied display and all for £9 in advance. Based on that we decided to repeat the experience and although £11 in advance is still very good by todays standard the show itself was poor.
One of the other great features last year was the ‘notched’ crowd line allowing better photo access, this year someone got it seriously wrong- they faced the wrong way!.
Given that this was advertised as an international show in the centenary year of flight I thought that it was lacklustre.
Where were the international atractions ? where were half of the RAF’s aircraft ? only one major display team (at least 4 last year).
I will probably give next years a miss.

Hi

My thoughts on Waddo ’03

Parking/Price/Access – great, puts Fairford to shame.

Great selection of aircraft in the static park – with something of interest from all the ages, shame that they spoilt it slightly but putting the fences too close.

Flying display was varied and interesting – switching from Denny Donson throwing his Extra around to the mad Spaniard in the EF-18. Shame I chose the wrong day (Saturday) for the weather!!!

Chris