Wrexham Mackem wrote:Legends is a great occasion, I thoroughly enjoy it.
Nevertheless I have harboured the same niggling frustrations with it year after year in terms of participants; there is so much on the doorstep that could enhance it no end, such as the Hardwick and Hangar 11 collections, but for whatever reason don't appear. The three P-51's in the aforementioned collections are arguably three of the best warbirds we have in this country, but you aren't going to see them at Legends. A shame.
I'm not going to be there this year because I'll be at RIAT. I would have been there otherwise, and hopefully it'll still be there next year so I can return.
Despite the niggles - and display lines was always one and its now out of bounds of niggling about - its a world class airshow and we're lucky to have it. Some of the stuff they do pull year after year is remarkable.
I have heard there are particular reasons why Hardwick Warbirds and Hangar 11 don't attend, maybe someone else can shed some light on it?
Wrexham Mackem wrote:Nevertheless I have harboured the same niggling frustrations with it year after year in terms of participants; there is so much on the doorstep that could enhance it no end, such as the Hardwick and Hangar 11 collections, but for whatever reason don't appear. The three P-51's in the aforementioned collections are arguably three of the best warbirds we have in this country, but you aren't going to see them at Legends. A shame.
It is somewhat unfair to aim frustrations at Legends when you're just assuming they never book them? It could just as easily be the operators choosing not to attend.
I've posed this question before and I think the response was that these operators prefer to display their aircraft solo, which Legends very rarely does, so they have elected to stay away. Whatever the reason, it is such a shame that such a prestigious event which attracts the international warbird community can't come up with a solution to display such thrilling participants as those found at Hardwick and Hangar 11.
8674planes wrote:There's a lot of "politics" in the UK Warbird scene. I'll leave it at that...
Peter Teichman's own view of Legends .... " I respect the guys at Duxford but we have not always seen eye to eye, so I do my thing and they doubtless do theirs. If they ask me and pay proper dosh , I would consider going".
It can be their "toy box to play with" as much as they want it to be. But if they want it to be a commercial success, then isn't it the consumer that should be steering direction?
Not saying that the current consumerbase wants something different, just pointing out the realities of trying to sell a product!
I doubt Flying Legends would be well into it's third decade and regarded as one of the best warbird events in the world without being a commercial success...
How many airlines have been bankrupted by not following their customers? How many shops have closed down because they have failed to see what else is happening elsewhere in the market?
Of course, none of this matters as it seems Legends, and indeed anything relating to Duxford, can do no wrong in the eyes of a number here.
Why does it need jets the? In my opinion you would be taking away what is so special about Legends by having jets. As a special item like this Heritage Flight i don't have a problem but for me having jets in the main display they are just not whats needed.
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I find it very curious that every year we have the debate/argument over jets at Flying Legends, I have always thought what makes this show special is the fact it is a piston only display, with the rare exception of a USAF jet display and heritage flypast. I am really happy to see the F-22 there and think it's a great coup for Flying legends if it happens, also on a selfish level it means I will see an F-22 for the first time( then do see it again a day later at RIAT god willing). But why would it make sense to add classic and possibly other jets to the show? It isn't broken, do we need fix it?
I don't think anyone can denyFlying legends airshow is a very successful airshow that attracts people from all over the world to attend I have yet to see it without a big crowd, it probably attracts more enthusiasts than many shows do, as it is really aimed at the enthusiast more than the general public. We cannot ignore the fact that it is a unique show in the UK because its a only piston aircraft show and we should be proud of it, and I wouldn't change it, just enjoy it and hope it can get through this tough season.
Never really understood why Jets would make a great addition to Flying Legends. As has been said, there are shows that mix piston engined warbirds and classic jet aircraft, why would an airshow give over its USP?
If it's not for you, it's not for you. I think I've been to every Flying Legends there has been, because it's piston engined aircraft that I love, I've never once thought attendance has been declining. (And always at least one aircraft I've never seen before) There's clearly a market for it.
If I remember rightly, the F-15 heritage fly past were arranged last time to coinside with the P-38 Glacier Girl, which in the end didn't make it. It happened before the main show and the aircraft taking part in the heritage flight all still displayed later on. I guess the F-22 was an opportunity too good to miss out on but I imagine it will happen in exactly the same way, almost as an extra before the show rather than a feature of the airshow.
There's only one vintage jet that would "fit" - the Me-262 - and frankly its display routine is beyond dull. Belly pass, belly pass, straight line, belly pass, belly pass, land. And it's small so at jet display distances it'll be a dot in the frame unless you're toting 600mm or above. The Meteor F.8 display is much better but it's really not the right era I would have thought.
DamienB wrote:There's only one vintage jet that would "fit" - the Me-262 - and frankly its display routine is beyond dull. Belly pass, belly pass, straight line, belly pass, belly pass, land. And it's small so at jet display distances it'll be a dot in the frame unless you're toting 600mm or above. The Meteor F.8 display is much better but it's really not the right era I would have thought. .
Dull or not it's still an Me262 in the air... !! And which F.8 display is that?
And which F.8 display is that? 
