I heard and then saw a thing of beauty this evening...

[10B]

Broads this afternoon.

[Rincewind]

We lived not far from Finningley some years ago and were often treated to a display of airborne beauty particularly during the airshows there. My most treasured memory, after the Avro Vulcan of course, is the sight of a Lancaster bomber with a Spitfire off one wing and a Hurricane off the other. Merlin engines all singing their hearts out...such an evocative and fabulous noise. What a marvellous privilege with which to be gifted. The hairs at the back of my neck were well and truly up and tears were welling up in my eyes.

[unclemike]

dont forget the gate guard at waddington is famous, XM607 the vulcan used in the black buck raid on the falklands

 

http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/oldstuff/2007/431blackbuck/blackbuck.htm

[Rincewind]

Crikey yes...I'd forgotten about that one...many thanks for the reminder.

[grendel]

we used to go to Manston airport to watch planes (sadly the airport is now closed despite efforts to keep it open) over the years I have had Lightning's taxi across the road in front of me, we have seen Concorde land (it had the longest runway in the UK) watched the battle of Britain flight take off and land.

There was one spot just outside the perimeter wire, probably a taxi way from the wartime, as the taxiway joined the runway just opposite, if you walked up to the fence on a display day, the red arrows would come up the taxiway 30 feet inside the fence, and turn onto the runway right in front of you (the noise even when taxi'ing is quite loud when the exhaust is only 30 feet from you) then they would line up on the runway in formation and the takeoff run would start just in front of you, (maybe 10o yards away on the runway). after the display they would strafe the runway at about 4m off the deck (with wheels up) then come round and land, touching down just past where we would watch from.

the only other place I have been as close was at Bournmouth airport, where the garden of the air museum sits about the same distance from the grass runway they use.

One time we were watching  at Manston one lone red arrow came back to the airport trailing grey smoke, despite being obviously in difficulties, he still did a pass and wing waggle for the watchers before swinging round and landing. the plane was still there a week later as they had to ship a new engine in to allow it to fly again.

Grendel

[jillR]

a few few years back bilgefairy and I were invited to dance in the comer carnival, bex as a 9' high  aquarium

 

and me as nepune ...... as you do.

 

we weren't needed till tea time for the off so we decided we would take a few things ( wheel barrow and shovel etc)

 

and build a sand castle.

 

we were really lucky with the tides and timed it so the tide would fill our moat  and take the castle just as it was

 

time to leave to get togged up for the parade.

 

what we dident expect was the red arrows turning up just as I took my camera out.

 

these are scans as it was about 16 years ago and pre digital for me.

[Maxwellian]

We used to watch the planes at Manston. I used to love watching the lightnings taking off. They would get airborne and go almost straight up. The noise was great.

[grendel]

we also saw the red arrows last  year at the battle of Britain memorial they made the final pass right over the memorial

[JennyMorgan]

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/historic_vulcan_aircraft_returns_to_skies_over_norfolk_raf_marham_airbase_1_3784407#cxrecs_s

[Timbo]

Living close to Scampton we get to see the Red Arrows practising through the summer on most days. The other week they scared me a little as I came back from Lincoln down Tillbridge Lane. On one pass they were a lot lower than they normally are with the two outer planes rolling outwards and one of them pulling out of formation as the trajectory seemed somewhat erratic. They were soon back with another pass as we went further down the road, this time it was perfect. Must have been a new manouver they were practising.

 

The other year my other half was watching the Red Arrows practise as we went towards Lincoln. At the top of Tillbridge lane on the hill is a 'viewpoint' so you can pull over and get a good look at the Arrows. Well that's what it's supposed to be for. I told my other half it was a bad idea but she insisted I pull over. We left rapidly when I explained why the other two cars in the car park had steamed up windows and why a bloke with a camera was not interested in the planes at all. 

[grendel]

heres the view we got at Bournmouth Airport.

Grendel

[BroadScot]

Oh I do miss landing at that airport Grendel, so do many RNLI crews who used it to go to Poole for training etc. Flew from Prestwick with yer upmarket Tryinair. 55 mins on a guid day.

 

A very turbulant landing strip I may add lol

 

Iain

[grendel]

I have to say I am still hunting for my pics of the arrows from Manston, unfortunately I cant remember the year so only 111,000 photos to look through (2000+ folders).sigh

Grendel

[Timbo]

Just to report large delta winged aircraft flying over Gainsborough Lincolnshire around 4pm this afternoon, seemed to be heading along the flight path usually taken by aircraft heading for the army base at Kirton Lindsey. Looked and sounded like a Vulcan but unfortunately had no camera to photograph it.

[dnks34]

I remember doing a Job at Kirton Lindsey about 10 years back, more recentley Ive not noticed the massive coms tower they had there which could be seen from the A15, has the place shut down now or was the tower just taken down?

[Siddy]

http://www.vulcantothesky.org

 

This is it's last year of flying so catch it where you can, Nearest up north is Teesside and I'm on call so need to sort that out. Normally see it at Southport from acoss the bay.

 

They don't give out it's takeoff detail from the base to stop the area been blocked. Think Griff may get views it's down his area.

[Essexgirl]

According to the Twitter feed she has been up and about today. As it's her last season flying you are very lucky.  https://twitter.com/xh558 

[Baitrunner]

Last time we saw her was at the Lowestoft air show - magic.

First time for me was Southend air show. We are in our boat about 1/4 mile off the beach and for H&S reasons they did their thing over the sea and not the beach.

As she went into a vertical climb above us I wasn't sure if the boat would melt before my head did.

Bloody marvellous though. The kids peed themselves and cried!!!

A legend of British engineering.

Bring back the harrier and concord.

Ps is it Duxford air show this weekend?

[BroadScot]

I miss Concord doing her pilot training at Prestwick Airport. Noisy as it was, it was still so graceful to see in the sky. The Harrier was always a great piece of entertainment at any Air Show.

 

 

Iain

[Baitrunner]

When we lived in Croydon, highlight of the week (of living in Croydon to be honest) was seeing concord go over on a sunday afternoon!

Also did some work for BA many years ago and my contacts office window looked into the hanger where they serviced concord. God I was jealous and always looked forward to meeting the guy in his office.

[BroadScot]

Hi Mark,

 

I had the pleasure of meeting one of the chief engineers for Concord, his brother happened to be our golf club captain at the time and we played a few rounds with the whole crew, pilots and all. The cockpit was so small, no wonder it was so fast to get them over the pond PDQ!

 

Iain.

[DaylightGate]

Hi Mark

 

Duxford Airshow on Saturday and Sunday. VE days celebrations. Should be a good show, shame that I can't go.

[Baitrunner]

Hopefully might see a few planes on the way over.

[Jonathan]

Those of you who are on the broads in the week leading up to June 13th might see a few aircraft flying about.  On the 13th the Queen's birthday flypast will form up over the North Sea near Southwold and then fly down to London for 12:00, so leaving about 11:30.

 

They are likely to be "practicing" for this on the previous Wednesday of Thursday which will be the  10th or 11th