Here’s some of my pictures. I think I’ve captured most of the cockpits but I haven’t managed to identify all of them
Cockpitfest

Tony Andrews

Classic Fighters 93 – more

Enough for now

Tony Andrews

Classic Fighters 92 more

Last few from 92 – amazing how many are no longer with us for one reason or another

Tony Andrews

Here are the Shacks at Ysterplaat (static one), and Swartkop

Tony Andrews

Yep – there is only one. See if we can think how many are preserved:

2 at Paphos
1 at Coventry
1 in the USA (Airworthy still?)
1 at Newark
1 at Long Stratton
Fuselage at Wisbech
1 at Duxford
1 at Manchester
Nose at Newark (?)

Plus 2 or 3 in South Africa

I think thats it?

Bruce

Don’t forget the two Shackletons at Gatwick – see recent thread. Also, I think there are four in South Africa – maybe more? One is at Swartkop, two, including the flier are at Ysterplaat and there’s one in a private collection.

Toyn Andrews

Last year there was a stonking crosswind and the SPAD is one aeroplane you don’t want to play crosswinds with. This year there was a mag problem. We spent much of Wednesday replacing the mag that had been repaired (not and easy job on a SPAD) and it was test run that evening but was still not running properly. The Mag is going to need replacing and they ain’t ten a penny!

Thanks for the info on the SPAD – it must be ultra-frustrating when something like that happens before the big event. Apart from hiccups though, are all the Memorial Flight aircraft that were present airworthy at the moment?

As the show will be in June next year it has the best possible chance of good weather so hopefully it will be even better – perhaps the pretty red aeroplane will be able to come out to play more?!

Tony Andrews

I’ve normally found there are plenty of airshow visitors on the train from Paris who know where they’re going.

As mentioned earlier, the airfield is on top of the hill that you can see clearly on the right of the train as it arrives from Paris.

I think it’s closer to 40 minutes walk than an hour – from memory, you come out of the station, across the car park and turn right along the road. At the first major junction you turn left – there’s a petrol station on the left-hand corner. This road passes a supermarket on the left and crosses a small river. Turn right at the end, then left at the first main junction, with a fire station on the left corner. If I’ve got that right then this is the access road to the airfield which initially goes uphill between two fields which are used as overflow show parking. Just as the road starts to wind a bit and head into a wooded area there will be some ‘layabouts’ siting on some rocks on the right. This is the pedestrian ticket barrier! Once through the rocks it’s an uphill hike through a forest path which leads out behind the hangars and, possibly, a further ticket check in case you sneaked up through the woods.

I would agree that the left end of the crowd line is a good place to be. The right end would be nice to get good views of the aircraft approaching over the edge of the hill and through the woods but the static aircraft are parked this end so you can’t get too close. Further along the runway there are a few VIP stands, plus the food concessions etc so the flightline is either obstructed or crowded. Further to the right it’s much quieter although, for picture-taking, you may miss more dramatic take-off or landing views. I normally go in this direction, near where the woods approach the crowdline.

Also note that it can be very long day – flying normally starts before 10:00 and goes on after 18:00 (with a break for lunch!) and the show does move at a fair pace, particularly in the afternoon.

Hope that helps

Tony Andrews