RIAT 2015

[Albion143]

Well that was the best week ever in a long time at Fairford, highlights for me were Ramex Delta (just WOW) and Patrouille De France (quality display with some different shapes). Lowlights have got to be that TTTE thing, when my mum who has never been to a big airshow says wha my was the point in them you realise how much of a waste of time it was (how it won an award I never know) and also the BoB fly past. If your going to do something like that let the Duxford boys organise it as BBMF really don't know how to fly warbirds!

[Pen Pusher]

BBMF really don't know how to fly warbirds!

BBMF don't fly war birds.

Brian

[Ray Purchase]

BBMF really don't know how to fly warbirds!

BBMF don't fly war birds.

Brian

So what's the definition of a 'war bird'? I'd assumed it was a type of aeroplane that had flown in the war?

[LN Strike Eagle]

So what's the definition of a 'war bird'? I'd assumed it was a type of aeroplane that had flown in the war?

On the subject of warbirds, Wikipedia lists the following definition:

A warbird is any vintage military aircraft now operated by civilian organizations and individuals or, in some instances, by historic arms of military forces, such as the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the RAAF Museum Historic Flight and the South African Air Force Museum Historic Flight.

Not sure if 'war bird' has a different meaning though...

[Brevet Cable]

Despite Wiki's definition , isn't it the old argument that a 'warbird' is one that's ex-military & now operated by civilians ?

[Pen Pusher]

The definition of a war bird is basically any ex-military aircraft that is now flown with a civil registration.

BBMF aircraft are not ex-military as they stayed on the RAF inventory but just to confuse matters I think some of them did fly with civil registrations after the war but are now back in their military markings.

Brian

[LN Strike Eagle]

Despite Wiki's definition , isn't it the old argument that a 'warbird' is one that's ex-military & now operated by civilians ?

Might be argued by some, but what difference does it make, really?

P7350 is a Battle of Britain veteran, but doesn't count as a "warbird" because it's still operated on the military register...? Nonsense. When it's sent to fight ISIS, I might listen...

[Brevet Cable]

Maybe you should address your question to 'Pen Pusher' , given that he confirmed and elaborated upon my post.
As for P7350....along with AB910 , it was 'sold out of service' after WW2 ( but unlike AB910 it was apparently never on the civilian register )

[LN Strike Eagle]

Maybe you should address your question to 'Pen Pusher' , given that he confirmed and elaborated upon my post.

You raised the point first and referenced the Wiki definition I posted, so I replied to your message. If it were a message direct to you, I'd have sent a PM.

As for P7350....along with AB910 , it was 'sold out of service' after WW2 ( but unlike AB910 it was apparently never on the civilian register )

And your point is...?

They're warbirds (one word). End of.

[Maisie]

Loved this scheme.

Untitled by Radleigh Bushell, on Flickr

[pbeardmore]

also, I think the break will bring renewed love for the Lancaster next year

[Arthur Tee]

also, I think the break will bring renewed love for the Lancaster next year

..and also possibly - its' younger brother - the Shackleton!

Arthur

[G-CVIX]

Honestly, i hugely appreciate the heritage of the Lancaster, I just can't get into watching it display.

I actually think they should display it less, and make more special when it does.

[LN Strike Eagle]

Honestly, i hugely appreciate the heritage of the Lancaster, I just can't get into watching it display.

I actually think they should display it less, and make more special when it does.

As with the rest of the BBMF fleet, it's seldom flown very well from the inside of a venue (Blenheim display is a master class that BBMF should try to emulate), but it's also very rare that you actually get to see the thing up close at any shows. I get the argument that they're a commemorative item and they try to get to as many flypasts as possible, but perhaps every now and again they should focus on bringing the aircraft to the public in such a fashion that they can get a meaningful experience from it, rather than just a fleeting appearance before they're off to the next. As someone said during the Lanc tour last summer, they spread themselves too thin.

They don't land the Lancaster at Duxford any longer, and with the loss of Kemble and Biggin Hill as major airshow venues, when do you ever see it on the ground at an airshow besides RIAT/Waddington too? Even Farnborough last year had a single Lancaster flypast across the entire seven day span. As with many other aircraft, the take-off of the Lancaster is something to behold, and something all too rarely seen outside of Lincolnshire.

Another example - last week they had six of the fighters at North Weald for a corporate event for a sponsor, that was kept under wraps. When was the last time you saw six BBMF fighters parked on the ground at a public air display that wasn't RIAT (were they even accessible from the crowdline, or parked north side as usual?)? Even at Headcorn, which had four of them on the ground, they weren't parked in a position that made them very accessible to the crowds and they were already tucked away inside the hangar before the flying display had ended. Why is it so difficult to see these machines up close? When they're displayed as poorly as they are, it's the fleeting appearances on the ground at an airshow that really get me interested in them. A take-off and a landing are worth a hundred underside passes...

[pbeardmore]

also, I think the break will bring renewed love for the Lancaster next year

..and also possibly - its' younger brother - the Shackleton!

Arthur

for 2016? a long shot but it would be good

[Brevet Cable]

Extract from today's VTST newsletter article about the Saturday display ( interview with Kev Rumens ) :

'The take off was a display take off, I wasn’t permitted to turn below 50ft, so I hung on until 100ft before pulling a hard right
(snip)
I always aim to use 135 degrees of bank in the wing over. It is a little harder to judge after a zoom climb, because of the nose of the aircraft. It’s a lot higher and therefore the horizon is harder to see. On Saturday, I aimed for 135 degrees as normal but in reality I think I ended up around 150 degrees’.

Forgot to say.....
The newsletter also included a link to a video of the full Saturday display : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elyWH5NKoZE

[tankbuster]

Too early for a 2015 thread? Well no not really.


Andy

Very tardy in starting the 2016 tread

[Flare Path]

-

[DanH]

Does anyone have a final count of how many aircraft actually attended in the end?

[T6NL]

I'm sorry , had to post this.

I just watched some small clip I took of my daughter near to where the Extreme Zone thing was. And all I heard in the background over the mic was......

"Now that's what air time looks like............. IN YOUR FACE VULCAN"



Cringe!!!!

[Brevet Cable]

Now I know there are some on here who go to airshows merely to collect the aircraft serial numbers.
The weirdest thing I saw this year , though ??.......someone going around photographing the data-plates on the aircraft tow-bars !!
Didn't see him take photos of any of the aircraft or even the actual tow-bars , just the data-plates.
Anyone beat that ??

[MarkL]

Now I know there are some on here who go to airshows merely to collect the aircraft serial numbers.
The weirdest thing I saw this year , though ??.......someone going around photographing the data-plates on the aircraft tow-bars !!
Didn't see him take photos of any of the aircraft or even the actual tow-bars , just the data-plates.
Anyone beat that ??

Well, there was this Welsh guy walking the crowd lines checking for 10m tent and gazebo infringements, then hanging around until the end of the show and nicking all the fold up chairs and other bits and bobs.....

[Brevet Cable]

Not guilty......the bin-men got to all the chairs & stuff first , because they had a vehicle.

[ukaskew]

Did the Ospreys leave on Monday? Two of them buzzing about on a path directly over my house (near Trowbridge, Wiltshire) tonight, same path that the B2s take on their visits to Fairford. Not seen them here before.

[aviodromefriend]

Seems the U-2s were delayed a few days to take in the show.