Lanc, BBMF Dakota and a six ship of jets (may have been part of the REDs) spotted to the west of Wolverhampton yesterday afternoon. Lanc heading East, Dak East then West, Jest six ship north west.

Wasnt there a display in central Wales yesterday at one of the schools ?

Janie,

If you do decide to pay Wton a visit (and it is a fairly friendly place) make sure your in before 1600 if you want something to eat as the cafe has a habit of shutting around that time. Landing fees are £15 and unfortunately you dont get anything back even if you uplift fuel (shame as helo’s get a free landing fee).

I’ve also been know to lurk around the place with a camera, so you might even find yourself snapped on your way in or out. Caught Mr James with his Yak 11 on a recent visit…

and have been known to catch the odd Chipmunk as well…

For anybody that has ever visited an airshow at Cosford before, there has always been limited access, not just onto the airfield but the approach roads to the gates as well. All the roads into the base had been made one way in (no dropping off point) so how the organisers could possibly speed traffic flow up I cant imagine.

I think Cosford simply had greater numbers than ever fueled by a combination of missing a year in 2003, good weather, and joe public wanting to take a look at what the armed forces had been using in conflicts and hot spots around the world. Pre event press was also probably more effective than any previous year and there seemed more of it (I live in the West Mids area). Pre event tickets sales were also 30% up with tickets selling last October !!

I was sat on the crowd line towards the entrance gates and people were still trying to get in after 2.30 although the airfield was now physically full. And guess what, after nearly 7 hours of cars streaming constantly onto the airfield everybody wanted to leave as soon as the display finished and couldnt understand why they couldnt.

This was an event that attracted a big crowd, no different to a grand prix etc etc, I think the organisers did the best they could.

Box Brownie,

Lovely pic of G-AIDL.

I took a pleasure flight in her at a Cosford Airshow some years ago and what a great flight it was, taking us up to and over the famous ‘Ironbridge’ at Ironbridge amazingly enough.

I also talked one of my friends into taking his first ever flight that day, and although I pointed at the DC3 when I said Rapide (he knew nothing about aircraft) he thought it was one of the best experiences ever just like young Haydn, although my friend was about 25 years older than Haydn

I,m 50-50 about it still I have not been for a few years so proberly will be their.

I should be there. Generally I head towards the railway end of the airfield (towards the left as you look out at the runway). Whilst the VIP’s and possibly the focal point for some of the displays is at the other end of the runway the crowd line at the railway end tends to be 1 person deep rather than 10 deep. OK so some of the flying tends to be to the right of you but its less crowded, good for shots of the visiting display aircraft doing ‘rollers’ and for capturing the stuff that does operate out of Cosford. I think it tends to be quiet as its the opposite end of the airfield to the museum and static display.

Worth checking out if you are going to go anyway.

The Warbirds show of 1983 was the last full airshow to be held at Halfpenny Green / Wolverhampton.
At that time I didnt quite seem to capture the imagination of the general public and I belive it was a bit of a financial disaster for the promoter. Im sure if it had been held in todays climate where there seems more enthusiasm for historic types it would have been a completely different story.

Some of the participants included – Fairchild Argus III, Nord 1002, Westland Lysander III, DH Chipmunk, SE5A Replica, Avro Anson, Percival Provost T1, Fokker S11-1, Pilatus P2, FW190 Replica, P-51D, Spitfire XIV (G-FIRE), Vampire T11, DC3, Tiger Moths and B17 Sally B. It was on return from this show that the Lysander force landed in a field by Shipton on Stour and flipped on to its back. (Cant be sure as I cant locate the pics, but I think the incredible display by the Fiesler Storch was at the 1981 display. This show had less of a theme and included light civil, current military, aerobatic and historic types as well as the revolutionary (at the time) NDN Firecracker)

Hope this is of interest.

From 1983 there was no real show or display until 1990 or 91 (Im not sure) when there was a ‘Spitfire Sunday’ with 5 Spitfires appearing at a Sunday Market for a charity event.