Beefsteak 305 Posted September 26, 2008 Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 It's bad news re XH558 and Duxford Quote:XH558 Will Miss End of Season Party The Autumn Airshow at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, which this year is taking place on Sunday 5th October, traditionally brings down the curtain on the season. It is always a joyous and celebratory occasion and Vulcan to the Sky had hoped to make it even more special this year by bringing XH558 to the party. Unfortunately this will not now be possible due to technical problems with her No 2 engine. I shall still be going though We will still have the Patrouille de France or whatever they are called and four Spits plus loads of other good stuff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted September 27, 2008 Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 It's bad news re XH558 and DuxfordQuote:XH558 Will Miss End of Season Party The Autumn Airshow at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, which this year is taking place on Sunday 5th October, traditionally brings down the curtain on the season. It is always a joyous and celebratory occasion and Vulcan to the Sky had hoped to make it even more special this year by bringing XH558 to the party. Unfortunately this will not now be possible due to technical problems with her No 2 engine. I shall still be going though We will still have the Patrouille de France or whatever they are called and four Spits plus loads of other good stuff Do you want my honest opinion Beefsteak. Forget it. It's a hell of a way for you to travel, the admission fee is high, the flying programme is short because of the time of year, it also gets bloody cold as well. Theres nothing like crashing in your chair on a warm summers evening and watch everyone battle to get out, but it isn't like that in October. 4 spitfires is nothing compared to what is based there and so many other residents don't seem to be getting an airing, the TFC are being a bit canny about what they are going to fly, if they do. The Patrouilles de France are great and it's a bit of a coup to get them there, I haven't seen them since 1997 at Mildenhall, one of the best airshows I ever attended, but they don't make an airshow on their own. It's always a bit of a lottery to attend this show, it's OK for me, I live down the road, but I'm having doubts about it myself. If you insist on going, let me know, we'll meet up and I'll give you a guided tour, though I always leave my desicions to the last minute. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted September 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 Apprecite that Firbeck matey here's the full list Alpha Jet x 9 Patrouille de France F-16 Belgian Air Force Black Cats Lynx Pair 702 Naval Air Squadron Spitfire Battle of Britain Memorial Flight RAF Tucano 72 ® Squadron RAF Hawk 208 Sqn RAF Swordfish Royal Navy Historic Flight Eurofighter Typhoon 29 Sqn Royal Air Force Coningsby Vulcan Vulcan to the Sky Duxford-based Spitfire IX Old Flying Machine Company Spitfire TIX Air Leasing Hurricane Historic Aircraft Collection P51 Mustang Old Flying Machine Company T28 Radial Revelations T28 Fennec Group Catalina Plane Sailing Rapide Miller & Co Rapide Air Atlantique Hornet Moth Miller & Co Chipmunk x 2 TBC Aircraft Restoration Company Spitfire XIV TBC The Fighter Collection P51 Mustang TBC The Fighter Collection others fighters TBC TFC/ARC Extra 300 M Jefferies Additional static on flightline Hawk 208 Sqn RAF Tucano 72® Squadron RAF B17 B17 Preservation Dakota Dutch Dakota Association ENDS I'm not sure myself whether I'll get (Car problems) if it's fixed I'll let you know later in the week Ta Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted September 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 Final list of participants IWM Duxford AUTUMN AIRSHOW 08 - Sunday 5 October Display Participation at 26 Sept Display Times 1330L – 1630L Participation subject to weather, serviceability and operational commitments. Aircraft not listed in order of appearance. Aircraft/Team Operator Military Alpha Jet x 9 Patrouille de France F-16 Belgian Air Force Black Cats Lynx Pair 702 Naval Air Squadron Spitfire IX Battle of Britain Memorial Flight RAF Tucano 72 ® Squadron RAF Hawk 208 Sqn RAF Eurofighter Typhoon 29 Sqn RAF Duxford-based Spitfire IX Old Flying Machine Company Spitfire TIX Air Leasing Spitfire XVIII Aircraft Restoration Company Hawk 75 The Fighter Collection Hurricane Historic Aircraft Collection Bearcat The Fighter Collection Hellcat The Fighter Collection P51 Mustang Old Flying Machine Company P40 Kittyhawk The Fighter Collection P39 The Fighter Collection T28 Radial Revelations T28 Fennec Group Catalina Plane Sailing Rapide Miller & Co Hornet Moth Miller & Co Chipmunk x 2 Aircraft Restoration Company Staggerwing The Fighter Collection Civilian Extra 300 M Jefferies Rapide Air Atlantique Additional static on flightline Hawk 208 Sqn RAF Tucano 72® Squadron RAF B17 B17 Preservation Dakota Dutch Dakota Association Rans RV4 D Harvey Queen Bee P Finch ENDS Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted September 30, 2008 Report Share Posted September 30, 2008 Well, thats better, TFC have got their list sorted out at last, where's their Gladiator, possibly off to Old Warden instead. No nasty Germans on the flying programme though, sad really, are you aware of the ridiculous story of the Fw190. A company in Germany called Flugwerke have been producing brand new Fw 190's, essentially identical but with a Chinese copy engine and a brand new airframe. Tom Blair an American with Euro interests, recieved his DX example 2 years ago, but the CAA won't approve it to fly, so despite it's stunning appearance and modern technology, it's stuffed, it can taxi about, but that's it. If it had been a recovered, destroyed airframe with the resemblance of it's original engine, that would have been ok in the CAA's books, wierdoes, it doesn't make sense. So for the past two years worth of airshows at DX, this beautiful beast has been sitting forlorn on the sidelines, it will probably be the same on saturday. Eventually, matey will take it back to the States where they will allow it to fly, a sad loss because of our our beurocracy, not surprising though is it, they try and stuff everything and everybody, don't tell me about it, I have my problems with them at the moment, scumbags. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted October 3, 2008 Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 Beefsteak If you are still thinking of coming down to the DX airshow on sunday, I'd forget it. The weather today is absolutely appalling, the practice sessions are booked for tomorrow afternoon, but it isn't supposed to be too good then either and according to our local weather reports, sunday is supposed to be even worse. Strange, I haven't missed an Autumn Airshow since they started, the weather is usually pretty good, I was looking at my vid of last years show and we were stretched out in comfy chairs wearing tee shirts. What a terrible summer for anything, I haven't seen a single airshow, due to bad weather or illness, thats a first, going back 50 years I reckon. If I was the Patrouille De France, I'd stay in Provence and not bother getting frozen to death and soaked. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted October 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 I have SWMBOs permission so I'm going ,(probably) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank 13 Posted October 3, 2008 Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 It was on the early morning news yesterday that 558 will not be appearing due to engine problems. Still a nice place to spend the day though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted October 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 Read my post on 26th September Frank Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted October 3, 2008 Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 Click forward to Sunday...blue = heavy rain! http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/ukweather/east/#no_url Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted October 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 Kill joy I'm still going Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 I have SWMBOs permission so I'm going ,(probably) Honest mate, I saw the delectable Julie on BBC Look East last night and I would forget it, her weather forecasts are usually spot on, I was considering going up to the practice which according to the NOTAMS is cleared for 14:00 this afternoon but they are predicting heavy prolonged rain for the next 36 hours. It's looking very threatening at the moment, and bloody cold. Following your bit of trouble at RIAT, I would suggest a local trip to Cosford or how about the amazing new National War Memorial at Alrewas in Staffordshire. I've been to airshows in some terrible weather, the Last, Last Lightning show at Binbrook was pretty unforgetable, but at least it was warm. Then there was the 40th anniversary of the BoB at Coltishall, it took hours to get in, hours to get out and in between time hardly anything flew because of fog. I went to the DX september airshow two years ago and nothing could fly at all due to low cloud and drizzle. If you were a warbird operator, say Stephen Grey, would you fly the worlds only airworthy Curtiss 75, or last surviving P-40 from Pearl Harbor in dodgey weather conditions, I think not. I would like to go, meet up and give you a guided tour, but I have a bad feeling about the whole thing. Incidentally, what time would you set off for such an epic trip, it's a hell of a way to go, I would suggest you save up your pennies for next years Legends and I'll get you into the TFC enclosure at the front of all the action, thats a promise, as long as I don't break anymore ribs and can't go as what happened this year. It's up to you matey. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted October 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 I'm leaving now ,to stay at my mums ,tonight a couple of scoops in "The Poacher" tonight then onwards and upwards at 7 in the morning Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted October 5, 2008 Report Share Posted October 5, 2008 I hope Beefsteak has lots of woolly jumpers and some good waterproofs. It's atrocious down here, high crosswinds, persistant rain, low cloud, poor visibility. I doubt whether much will be happening today, but we tried to warn him. Lets not also forget the 3 hour trip back home along the A14 and M6, nice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted October 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2008 For a grown man Firbeck you can't half be a cantankerous negative person at times We (Rog and I) had a great day (385 pictures ) . The finale of a Spitfire Mk IX and P51 Mustang in formation doing a 10 minute routine had to be seen to be believed. These followed a Bearcat and Hellcat doing their routines plus a display by a P40 Kittyhawk,pair of T28s, Catalina , Black cats Lynx pair a wonderful display from a Rapide and loads more. We had a full 3 hours flying display , the only disappointment being the Pattrouille France (Cheese eating surrender monkeys) who did two quick passes ,one from the left then they turned round and came back from the right and then boggered off (The cloud was plenty high enough at this point) !clapping! Loads more to come tomorrow , just a bit tired , after that hectic long journey !!! Fnarr Fnarr (Methinks Firbeck doesn't know I was a long distance lorry driver for 20 years so the driving doesn't bother me!!) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mr rob t 11 Posted October 5, 2008 Report Share Posted October 5, 2008 I`m glad you had a good day beefy and didn`t take the defeatist attitude. I`m off there myself next month, my son keeps nagging me into taking him and there is enough to see without the flying displays. !cheers! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted October 6, 2008 Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 Fair enough chaps, but I found out that the Shuttleworth Display at Old Warden, which isn't too many miles away from DX, was cancelled on Sunday due to the weather, which quite frankly was crap here. Call me a cantankerous, defeatist git if you like, but I was only trying to save you the trouble of coming down here for nothing, OK, you saw a bit of flying, but it sounds more like a typical day at DX rather than one of their usual scintillating displays. For example, in July I had a site meeting up that way and parked up in the lane opposite to eat my butties. Apart from the usual Rapide take offs, the Tiger Moth trips, the Harvard trips, I was treated to two scintillating Spitfire aerobatic displays, followed by the arrival of the B-17 Liberty Belle from California, run in and break, amazing but typical, and in lovely weather too, and all in a half hours lunch break. That's what I've got used to. The French are usually pretty daring, don't insult them, if it was too bad for them to perform, then so be it. I once saw the Red Arrows appear there, give one pass and vanish into the murk. I'm probably spoilt, well, having been living just down the road from DX since the museum and their airshow venue was created, I've seen some amazing displays over the years, so you get a bit blase about it. This was the first Autumn airshow since it's creation that I've ever missed. The point is, as you hadn't been there for 18 years, I didn't want you to be dissapointed and suffer another Fairford disaster, as it was, I don't think you saw anything like the best that a DX airshow has to offer, I'll see you at Legends next year, then you're talking about the real business. Lets not fall out about this. Mr Rob T If you are going to DX next month, can I make a suggestion, if anyone is talking to me anymore. Time your trip for Rememberance Sunday, the nearest date to November 11th. It's fantastic. First of all, if you have a big family, entrance is free, but the atmosphere is amazing. To stand in this place and witness the 2 minute silence at 11 o'clock is unbelievable. Last year, the F-15 pilots from the USAF at Lakenheath attended the service when the Anglian Regiment were given their medals for combat in Afghanistan, it had me in tears, perhaps it was just a special day, who knows, but it is certainly a place for consideration and thought for those who have given their lives for freedom, whoever they are. On a typical note, you usually get a Spit flypast, but the crosswinds were too strong last year, I shall be there again this year, I shall have to go through the ritual and walk through that bloody landing craft in the tank hall and think of my dad, bless him, what a place to think of our heroes, I'm so glad it exists and we have the chance to do it, it's living and breathing, it's better than putting flowers on a grave. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted October 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 Fair enough, but, when you are like me, and straining at the leash to get out and play with the planes ,and SWMBO gives you permission , you'd be gone like a flash too, rain or no rain . Just finishing sorting through the pics, then I have to take our Charlotte to ballet, do her homework with her, make their dinner , get them undressed ,washed and off to bed , pick SWMBO up from work, then I might be able to settle back down and finish off on here (You see now why the chance to escape for a day is pretty important and rare to me) Full match report to follow. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,634 Posted October 6, 2008 Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 Ayup all, I must admit I had a great day with Beefsteak, surrounded by all the aircraft you could wish for and a good flying display to boot, no matter what the weather we must support these airshows and help keep these old and new machines displaying for us as a reminder of the sacrifices people made and are still making flying these things for our defense, I for one try not to let poor weather spoil the day and as Beefsteak say's "if you get the chance to see something like that you take it" and thanks to those who flew and still fly these thing we do have that chance. Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted October 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 It looked pretty ominous as I left my mums at 7.00 am to head to Rog's , Cavendish Road was renamed Cavendish river!! It was a bit better over in Lincolnshire, but as we got past Raf Wittering the heavens were doing their worst, as we passed Cambridge we saw the first good sign as a shuttle bus went in the opposite direction heading back for more passengers. It was very dismal , wet and cold , but the old stiff upper lip came into play as we headed into the "American Museum" Me being arty farty with the SR71 Blackbird. The pilot was there too signing copies of his book (He logged over 5000 hours in her !!!) he's behind the hording to the left The " Iraqi Super Gun" For Limey Some good stuff in there, but we were pushed for time , so it was off to the next hanger, The Battle of Britain memorial display . The reason we attend these functions . "The Last of the Few" 'Lest we forget' And what they did !!! We then managed to wangle a late walk on the flight line (It was well gone 12 and it closed at mid day !!) Carolines superb 2 seat Spit Look at the rain !!! More to follow Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted October 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 This "Lynx" took off for a weather check at around 12.30 am. We decided to grab a quick brew and warm up , we then continued to the main hanger that contains a lot of the post war British planes . Something screamed past at this point but we didn't see it (Just a yellow dot disappearing into the gloom ) This sign amused (It was genuine too) Do you think it did much good ?? Mozzie Westland Lysander Lightning Main hall I took loads of pics in here if you see anything you fancy let me know and I'll attempt to post it for you . More Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Well done Beefsteak and Plantfit, I hope you've dried out, typically, it was a lovely day down here yesterday. The sign on the Sea Fury is interesting. The FB11 has been under restoration for a long time now, I'm surprised they are still looking for parts for that. The T20 has just been aquired from the FAA Museum, it's been used as a source of spares for their FB11 and lacks quite a lot including the engine, a Centaurus, which is a rare and complicated beast, which is why the Yanks have replaced most of their Sea Fury engines with Pratt and Whitneys. As well as those two, the TFC has aquired another Sea Fury from the States, which is airworthy but hasn't yet been shipped over. Meanwhile, the Fleet Air Arm has been having terrible trouble with the engine of their FB11, but have aquired another T20 from the States, which believe it or not has been donated, they've been preparing this one at North Weald this year and I believe it is now at Yeovilton. The only other airworthy example in this country is privately owned and seems to flit around between Bournemouth and Coventry, but is rarely seen at displays. Lovely aircraft, but very rarely seen, it would be nice to see 6 of them at Legends 2010. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 The sign on the Sea Fury is interesting. The FB11 has been..... Wonder why, that whenever I see your numerous Masterclass contributions - on a variety of subjects, I get the distinct impression that you can write it quicker than I can shovel it? Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Wonder why, that whenever I see your numerous Masterclass contributions - on a variety of subjects, I get the distinct impression that you can write it quicker than I can shovel it? Cheers Robt P. I don't know how to take that, had I better keep me gob shut in future. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted October 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 On with the Airshow proper , As we were leaving the main hall we were treated to the sound of the Catalina firing up so we wandered over (Still raining ) to the flying area as of she went to give a fantastic display. As he taxied back in to his 'parking space' a Hawk came swooping in from the left to display ,they have already reverted to the 'normal' colour scheme and lost the large roundel off the underside , which was there to celebrate the 90th aniversary of the RAF. It's still raining and miserable The Tuccano was up next , the pilot even gave us a wave !! As the Tuccano displayed ,the exitement started to grow as this little lady was fired up. But it was not to be 'chocks away' today for the Hurricane, even though the pilot was suited and booted. The weather was improving all the time ,as they tried, and failed miserably to fire up the second Chipmunk, but she was having none of it and so it was a solo 'Chippy ' that taxied out to display , ah the memories (I learnt to fly in one of these!!) This was followed by a pair of T 28 Trojans taxiing to the far end of the runway , More Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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