Not so much favourite, as things that stick in my mind.
First time I saw a Lightning, Biggin Hill – ’66 ish and vertical from the end of the runway. Same show, a Red Arrows Gnat at what appeared to be a lower altitude than me walking across the back field. I hit the deck. Same show again, standing far too close to a Vulcan parked near the fence when it started up. LOUD.
Hatfield, early eighties. Nimrod MR3 did a display. I hadn’t seen or read about the hemp finish and thought it was in primer. After the show finished, two Lightnings left, at speed, after passes so low I’m not sure they could have got the undercart down.
Finningley, 1990 ish, cloud base measured in inches rather than feet, the Blue Angels did a display that looked like they were bolted together. No exciting maneouvres, just precision formation holding.
Finningley again, first time the Russians displayed. Commentator said “they’ll be here soon, they’re being escorted from Leuchars by a Hawk”. Strange sort of escorting, one miniscule Hawk pursued by five (?) hulking great fighters. One landed and taxied by the flightline after the display and had a grin a mile wide at the reception he got from the crowd.
Finningley again, a surprise towards the end of the show when RR299 turned up, unannounced. She’d ground-looped (I think) earlier in the year and had been expected to be U/S for the rest of the season.
The only time I ever consciously “saw” a Victor at a show or event. Elvington, I think it was the roll-out of Tony Agar’s Mossie on the fiftieth anniversary of the NFII’s first flight. A Victor was said to be doing a flyby, operations permitting. As a groundhog, I’m hopeless at estimating altitudes, no idea at all, but I wouldn’t have been surprised to see vapour trails.
Not aviation, but airshow. Our first Finningley show. Didn’t know it was all day so arrived, after queuing, mid-afternoon. Within half an hour the heavens opened, in a big way, and flying was immediately cancelled. Spent an entertaining few hours watching them push coaches out of the mud.
Bruntingthorpe, wondering whether to go to see XH558 taxying, or if it would be too sad. As soon as I heard the “groan” from the intakes, I knew I’d made the right decision to go.
Legends last year. Sitting in the Flypast enclosure, surrounded by the growl of the Griffon Spitfires as the sound bounced back off the AAF museum behind me.
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