What Would Improve Legends

The one thing that would improve Flying Legends in my opinion, and please don’t laugh, would be to turn the volume of the music down which is played on the PA system for certain displays (or just turn it off completely). I know it is supposed to be stirring music, but frankly I want to hear the beautiful roar of Merlins as the BBMF does it’s stuff rather than ‘Land of Hope and Glory’. Just an observation from the Legends I have been to (2000/2001/2002). Other than that, Legends is an amazing airshow. I have to say that I am glad I missed the last one though (and if I had still been in the UK last summer I would almost certainly have been there).

Ewan

Thanks for that, I fully realise the reason for miving the datum, I dont like it and I want it moved back. (I know it aint going to happen).

has anyone been to a Duxford display since it was moved, and been at the Eastern (M11 end) if so could they let us know if the aircraft still come round the Superhanger and what their opinion is of how it has changed. Might change my mind.

Bring a friend. The larger the gate, the larger the revenue which would hopefully mean more aircraft.

e-mail the museum to persuade them to let their aircraft see the light of day at Legends. They have been out before it can happen again with your help.

Politics and money rules!

You can make a difference!

Actually, i’ll tell you what I want to see. Something glaringly and obviously missing. Something that REALLY ****ES ME OFF BY ITS ABSENCE. I don’t know the reason behind it, and I don’t understand the logic of it. But:

I WANT TO SEE CAROLYN GRACE FLYING HER SPITFIRE THERE.

I would love to see a Mosquito being chased by spitfires again and out pacing them like at Legends 96 also a daimler benz powered 109 in a dogfight sequence

I’ve gone on the friday for the past 6 years and i’ve always found the flying better than on the airshow days.

Superb show with a unique atmosphere, but we are here to add suggestions-

Has been said before – a photographers day on the Friday would be great.

Also how about the museum dragging some bits’n pieces out of the museum and having them parked sympathetically for photographers rather than in the general static.

Change the name!! OK Spits, Mustangs, B17 etc true legends but Beech 18, La9, Yak 3, Hawker Nimrod – great ‘planes but legends??
It really is a 1918-1945 show isnt it? If we mean legends then we need Fokker DR1, Camel, Fokker EIII, F86, F4, lightning, Vulcan, Harrier – even if not flying then static.

Ray Hanna in Mr Grey’s Spit XIV !

The only flares I snapped that weekend you were wearing mate!

Actually, I didn’t see much of the flying on the Saturday at all. I was too busy enjoying myself with the 609 crowd. I saw a bit on the Sunday, but was more content being with Kev, Moggy and Ashley here and there. I was still reeling from the events of Friday and Saturday, and couldn’t really appreciate the flying due to my mind drifting. My fault, I hasten to add, not Mr Greys!

Snapper, thought you might have a picture of the aforesaid flare??

“(bit of pyros would be good tho’ eh!)”

Yes. All you need is a flare landing on the grass…………

Speaking personally, just make sure it happens each year without nit picking by those who don’t take the financial risk!

I am banned at home from saying “I remember when”, BUT if you remember airshows from a decade or more ago you can only be grateful for what Legends offers.

As has already been said Mr Grey and his team appreciate what WE want and strive to achieve that within the paremeters of safety and economic feasability. For that we should back what is achieved and I am sure is actually appreciated by all on this forum.

(bit of pyros would be good tho’ eh!)

Polikarpovs 🙂 – surprised nobody mentioned them earlier. Only seen them in the hanger (really punchy and cute looking at the same time) but even to jo public, they would offer something that looks and sounds very different from the “average warbird”, even my wife could see the difference between a Polikarpov and a Mustang. This is where something like the Apache falls down, it is unique in the eyes of the warbird fan, but for jo p, it’s just another Spitfire.

But could a warbird be further away from Dx than NZ?

We have to recognise that Legends is attended by 80%+ by the general public. What does the public want? I guess an exciting flying display and a good day out?
Personally I have no idea of what the public wants. I am a spotter, pure and simple. Legends is a great show but for me 90%+ of the attending warbirds are the same each year. What I would like to see is
More european warbirds(Red bull team, SAAB B17, Swiss Ju52’s etc). Plus some sort of static in the area between the ‘flying’ hangar and the superhangar. A few of the museums acessable aircraft draged out and a some of the visiting aircarft from the far side. In the past years these have included the German (D-FUKK!!!) ex SAAF Harvards, Swiss Pc2 and PC3’s. To my mind these are more interesting than the warbirds!
For the imported warbirds howe about the Polikarpovs(?) from New Zealand, apperancies must be pretty limited over there?

I’ll be there both days again this year. That speaks volumes. Cracking and unmissable. Plenty of time to look at book stalls in the morning, then put your feet up and enjoy.

But, anything can be improved, and though it is minor to ‘whinge’ I would make the following little points.

1. Space out the aircraft a bit on the flightline walk, and perhaps angle them slightly / park them closer. Also, increase the length of the flightline so that we can actualy see all of the aircraft parked there.

2. Have a ‘slow’ part of the flying, with the ‘unsungs’ – the Austers, Harvards (not slow, but you know what I mean), Tiger Moths, Storch, you know, the ones that aren’t so glamourous but were still vital, and are still available and interesting.

3. A 2 minute silence either before or after for the real ‘Flying Legends’.

4. Most important of all. Hand over the catering to those folks from Mildenhall…………….!

in two words, better food. Always thinking with my stomach.

If the flying content could be improved, it would be. What more does Mr Grey have to do to convince you that he will always do his best to produce a good show. If there are aircraft that don’t appear, there will always be a reason. Don’t you think he and his team start planning the event with a long wish list? If cetain aircraft cannot take part (for whatever reason), I am sure that he is just as dissapointed as the rest of us.

On the positive side, small tweeks to the way the aircraft are displayed (pyros for example) would impress jo public. Also possibilities with more imaginative use of audio. And what about live web video for those poor souls who can’t make it? (I stayed up late to watch the live feed from Wannaka show 2 years ago)
Or a photographers/enthusiasts day on the Friday? just small ideas…….(and I didn’t even mention the j word)

DazdaMan.

Maybe not calling admission paying members of the public ‘general monkeys’ would be a good start? Without their money I think Legends would turn out to be a very short show. I’m not complaining about the length of the show. The pace is fast, yes, but the point I was trying to make was that I was overwhelmed by the whole show. I could have watched another three hours without any complaint. I can’t complain about my Legends experience, none of it. Except maybe the part where my wheelchair reached an incredible speed due to Snapper’s more than enthusiastic er… driving.

Regards,

kev35

Everybody seems keen on warbirds from europe visiting legends.

The problem here is getting pilots skilled enough to take part.

Seem to remember a visiting pilot from europe getting his DA pulled very quickly during one show.He wont be back in a hurry and nor will the aircraft he was flying.

Safety is the keyword here.

I think the length of the show is just perfect. Too many shows lack pace and are punctuated with large gaps in the sky, leading ultimately, to boredom. The same cannot be said of Legends, a superbly paced and executed show.
Also, bear in mind that many in the audience are not enthusiasts, so three hours of non-stop action is just about right.
If Legends were any other airshow, you would probably see exactly the same show, padded out to five hours.

1) Lancaster
2) A longer flying display
3) Aviation related stalls Not those b*****y brick a brack ones!
I can even put up with the new display axis.
Steve
🙂