First aviation day of 2009

[Beefsteak 305]

He wasn't there , believe it or not he's in Nott'm as his daughter is getting married !!

[firbeck 859]

I just thought you may be interested to know that the Typhoon display aircraft from Coningsby started it's practice for the season last Monday, it's booked in every weekday for half an hour at 8:00 to 8:30 in the morning and 13:00 to 13:30 at lunchtime, continuing through to May.

They haven't released the display details yet but it's due to appear at the Duxford Spring airshow on 17th May.

The BBMF's first display is on 19th April at Pollington, but there are no times for their practice sessions, assuming they need any.

I also note that there are a lot of bookings for low flying areas by the Coningsby aircraft on the 8th April, so it looks like a busy day.

I can't find out much about Waddo, most of their site information appears to be 2 years out of date!!

[Beefsteak 305]

The Tyffie is only practicing at 5000 ft at the moment as it a new display pilot this year, as the weeks pass he will come down a bit , so when we get there it should be show level (There or there abouts.) It didn't go up Monday as the 'Reds' were coming (But apparently it went out last Friday , and rehearsed a good 5 miles off, I got that from some one who was there)

I also saw the Lanc / Spit /Hurricane out side (Still in bits , well covers off at least) it looked as if they were getting some air !!

Incedently the reason for those odd times to practice is so as not to disturb the local schools. !!! Although if you were to see the locals they look disturbed enough as it is (Three eyes and eat mice as Rog would say!!!)

[denshaw 2,872]

Possibly. Depending on date.

Put my name down on yer list Beefy.

[plantfit 7,597]

The display Typhoon was up yesterday at lunchtime for about half an hour ripping the sky apart with some very fast and low passes and breathtaking climbs, certainly rattled my office windows, awsome

Rog

[Beefsteak 305]

WOOHOO

OK Den, I'll PM you

[firbeck 859]

I'm quite impressed with Typhoons, but give me a Lightning any day, no frills, just aim and go for it. I bet they didn't have to work out a display routine, entrance over the back of the crowd as fast and noisy as possible, attempt a few turns in public view, fast passes in reheat and a vertical climb to 30,000 feet that can just about be equalled today by an F-15, those were the days, you have to go to South Africa to see it now.

[Beefsteak 305]

Saw that South African lucky ba5t4rd on a telly programme called "Big Boys Toys" last year.

I too think there is a certain Je ne se pas about the Typhoon. There's a distinct lack of menace , that is found in a Lightning , the 'modern day' Tornado, and even the F-22 Raptor shows more Ummph

Incidently , it was quoted on that 'big boys ' show , that the Lightning still holds some records for speed climbing (Not sure which ones though)

Sheer beauty (Coningsby gate guard)

[plantfit 7,597]

The display Typhoon has been practicing for the last few weeks but not over Coningsby, it's been up to Binbrook

Rog

[firbeck 859]

The display Typhoon has been practicing for the last few weeks but not over Coningsby, it's been up to Binbrook

Rog

Binbrook!!

Have you seen the state of that place, it's very sad, there are a couple of Lightnings still lurking, one in bits, I just like to think of it when I went to the 'Last, Last Lightning Show' in 1987, a memorable day, despite the weather, I wish I could show you my slides from that day.

[Beefsteak 305]

Don't know how flush you are Firbeck, but I found this to help put your slides on here

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_9232.htm

[firbeck 859]

Most impressive piece of kit Beefsteak, unfortunately I ain't that flush, unless something happens between now and thursday, actually I think my brother has one that he rarely uses, perhaps a bit of friendly persuasion might be in order.

Talking of Lightnings and Binbrook, I found this in the shed if it's of any interest to anyone.

One of the worst airshows for bad weather that I ever went to, was anyone else there.

[plantfit 7,597]

Yes I was there, very wet day, could hardly see the what was flying in because of the heavy drizzle, I remember the F5 dressed up in aggressor squadron markings but apart from the weather thats all that comes to mind, we left early, obviously, and the weather started to clear as we got closer to Nottingham so we stopped at Tollerton (Nottingham airport) and sat and watched all the light aircraft flying about in clear blue skies so we did get to see something flying at least

Rog

[firbeck 859]

Oh no, didn't you see any flying then, don't tell me that you missed that amazing streamed take off by 11 Lightnings, the nine ship flyby and the Mach .97 pass by the singleton in a cloud of condensation or the Shackleton that lost his way taxiing in and ended up in the middle of the crowd, rule number one, never leave an airshow early, something always happens.

Apart from the F-5 Aggressor from Alconbury, can you remember the F-100 Super Sabre from Flight Refuelling Inc that was parked in the display line.

The Aggressors from Alconbury were an odd bunch, apparently the pilots even wore Russian flying gear, lived in crew rooms decorated with pictures of Lenin and spoke Russian in the air at all times.

Apart from the example at Binbrook, I only ever saw one flying once and that was at low level down a valley in Wales. Believe it or not, 20 years after the squadron disbanded, they still have an example on the gate at Alconbury, I'll attempt to take a picture of it on my way up to the Aviation Day, if I don't turn up, you'll know I'm in the guardhouse.

Alconbury Aggressors:-

[plantfit 7,597]

Yep, missed the lot, I wasn't driving otherwise I'd have stayed till the end, the guy's I went with were not interested enough to hang around, In my bag was the usual wet weather gear just in case, spare socks and a couple of plastic bags, one went wearing a suit, the other tee shirt and jeans, as we walked down the peri track towards the flightline a group of RAF regiment were walking in the opposite direction, ie towards us, one guy who was with us and "knows it all" said "I'm not moving over for no rock ape" with that he was picked up by both arms and escorted behind the nearest marquee surrounded by DPM suits, he emerged a couple of minutes later looking a bit bedraggled, brightened my day up I can tell you, never did like the arrogant little tw@t

Rog

[Beefsteak 305]

There were some nasty boys in the 'Rock Apes'!!!!

[firbeck 859]

I wasn't sure where to publish this, but I'm sure the Flyboys will look on here.

I had an interview in Chelmsford at lunchtime, I won't go into all that, except to say it was for a post at the JobCentre, well, if you can't beat them, join them, and be the enemy within.

Anyway, typical Government, despite having a large half empty car park at their site, I wasn't allowed through the barriers to park in order to have their interview, what a bunch of t@ssers, I complained about that straight away.

The nearest car park was down the road and guess what was just over the fence:-

I was vaguely aware of this Meteor at their local ATC Headquarters, but I didn't know it was still there, interesting find just outside the city centre, lucky I had my camera with me for once.

Quite an old T7 this one, built in 1951 and sitting here since 1966, I think it unlikely that it was flown in!!!

It looks very sad, you'd have thought that the ATC would appreciate what they were lucky enough to have got on their premises and keep the poor thing in a better condition.

There's a big outdoor model railway centre at the back of it as well, a right keen types corner.

[Beefsteak 305]

It's the officers that should take the blame for allowing things to deteriorate. We had a link trainer down Trent lane 138 sqdn in working order when I first joined. This was allowed to gradually go to rack and ruin, when all it needed was a couple of bob spending on it , (One of the officers was a proper ex RAF officer and a fully qualified sparky (Radios too) and he kept it going, but he retired and that was when the rot set in.

Change the subject completely, I have just downloaded (Or so I thought) a bit of video of 'The Reds' that I shot last Monday, I viewed it and it was the big 9 ship split that they do about 10 mins in , caught to perfection (Even though I do say so myself) any way I blanked the camcorder memory and went to play it again on the comp to find that this divvot had forgot to save it to my storage space (Tw@t) So I am feeling a little foolish to say the least.

Roll on 14th June, when I am off to Cosford, and I shall have the chance to catch them again, not the same as having a private show though !!!

Oh and roll on April 8th too (15 days and counting)

[Beefsteak 305]

Incidentally , 'The Reds' are on The Paul O'Grady show at 5.00pm channel 4 today.

[firbeck 859]

I know what you mean with regard to the ATC.

I was a leader at Finchingfield Scouts for many years, our aims were to bring the movement into the realities of the late 20th, early 21st centuries, and it worked for us and the kids. Unfortunately our masters, the Braintree Baden-Powell traditionalists didn't agree with our views, so we carried on at our peril.

On one of our unconventional trips to the Peak District, I took them on a tour of Peak District WW2 crash sites, the expedition being led by my 'expert in the field' brother.

We ended up with large bits of aircraft, particularly from the B-29 on Shelf Stones, these were all arranged dutifully in our WW2 Scout hut in a particularly informative and poignant display, you have to admit, it was so good for the kids to be so invoved in all this history rather than sitting around camp fires looking bored and being lectured to about helping old ladies across the road.

But what has happened since, the people that replaced us have gone back to the old ways of 'life begins with knots', and they wonder why kids don't want to join up, the display has vanished and it's all back to 'Dib Dib'. I tried to live with the new Scout leader but it was impossible, he stuck to the Scouting code and that was that. He's since packed it all in because he found the new kids to be a pain and just wanted to play football, what a surprise.

Beefsteak, you seem to have a worrying fixation on the Reds, just one comment, they are the best, the Frecci Tricillori are good, but lack the finesse, its hard to say exactly what that is, but I've seen most of 'em, including the US teams, compete against each other, and the Reds are a differenet class.

[Beefsteak 305]

Just love them , always have back to the gnats and beyond.

I love the tricky frecolori though , they always seem to do things with a bit more daring. I am lucky to be going to at least 2 days of RIAT and we've got them both on both of these days so it will be good to compare. Not seen the eye ties since Waddo in 95 so it will be nice to be reunited with them as it were.

[Stan 386]

"Roll on 14th June, when I am off to Cosford, and I shall have the chance to catch them again, not the same as having a private show though !!!"

Just be careful when you get to Cosford,Beefy that the little green men don`t carry you off!

[Stan 386]

At least 3 reported UFO sightings,Beefy at Cosford,the latest was in the Telegraph February2009. At around 11.30pm on the evening of December 10, 1963, a dome-shaped UFO touched down on the Royal Air Force base facility at Cosford, near Wolverhampton, bathed the surrounding area in a beam of green light, and was seen at close quarters by at least two RAF apprentices. At least, that has been the accepted story for the last three decades.

Also 30 and 31 March 1993.

Feb/March must be alien Holiday season.

[firbeck 859]

Beefsteak

In view of your love of the Reds, quite understandable too, I had a sniff around to find what I considered some of my favourite moments featuring the team.

Big time was the Hucknall Airshow in 1972, but I have no momentoes of that event, my camera went bust and I don't have a programme, I just have the memories.

Next was the Reds 25th Anniversary in 1989 at Scampton, I have the prog and special ticket, which of course I can't find at the moment, and I have a truncated video that I took, as well as some slides, I'll see what I can find before our meet up, in the mean time look at this site:-

http://www.airscene.org.uk/oldstuff/arrows25/scampton25.htm

My next deal was RIAT 93, heres the programme:-

I missed the Su 27's, they had crashed the day before, nearly wiping out all those display teams aircraft. Look at the static line up, a real Soviet Bear, best a/c on the day, the Hungarian Mig21 fighter tactic demonstration team, they were very scary, high speed low level dogfights, by their own non existant safety standards, yeah, right, followed by the Oz F-111, demonstrating the art of fuel dumping and burning at low level, high speed, and to the music of Rolf Harris, unforgettable.

Next one, Mildenhall 1997, aniniversary of the founding of the USAAF, possibly one of the best as we had to suffer the complexities of a USAF Thunderbirds display complete with cheerleaders that had the crowd faling about laughing, to the chagrin of the hosts, British humour, what is that?

Sorry, I only have it on unplayable video.

I recall a story from your namesake, Beefy Botham. In his heyday, Botham decided he fancied a flight with the Red Arrows, it was of course accepted, presumably our RAF types wanted to take him down a peg or two, well he probably deserved it at the time.

So, off he went on a training flight with the team, and promptly felt as sick as a dog, but didn't want to complain in flight. Going through the whole routine, they landed and he staggered out the cockpit, triumphant that he hadn't thrown up. Guess what, his G suit hadn't been connected up, they couldn't believe he had survived the experience under the circumstances, he must have had more than his normal share of Shredded Wheat that day.

[Fynger 841]

OOOO a Tattoo......( hee hee )