Woodford: RAFA airshows of the 90's

[Wrexham Mackem]

Hi folks

After my recent IAT threads, and Mildenhall compilation, I have decided to share some shots from a show many of you will be less familiar with. But Woodford was an absolute gem for rare collector's item appearances, and a gem of a venue too.

I moved away from my native North East to join British Aerospace at Chester (now Broughton) in 1989. Woodford became my 'local' June show, and my attendance here started where it left of from the Church Fenton show I left behind nearer home.

Woodford had a striking landscape. As you rounded the factory on entry and the airfield opened out in front of you, it had a backdrop. An amphitheatre. And of course, the place was always the spiritual home of the Vulcan. And rain, I'm sorry to say.

Anyway, 1990, and Vulcan, and of course, rain
Wood 90 002 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 90 003 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 90 004 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 90 025 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 90 005 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 90 010 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

I think that Apache in their various forms were more-or-less ever present at Woodford. They developed into the Breitling Jet Team in due course, but the PC-7 displays were excellent. And one or two elements of the display are still in the Jet Team display routine now.
Wood 90 008b by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 90 006 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 90 008 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 90 011 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 90 017 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 90 023 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

the home team were always represented
Wood 90 012 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 90 013 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 90 020 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 90 022 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 90 001 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

what a black beauty
Woodford 90 026 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr


1991 The Gulf war pink year for many shows. So starting in the static
Wood 91 002 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 003 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 004 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

with a captured Scud missile standing up in the background
Wood 91 005 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 024 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

onto the flying, and Martini are now Ecco
Wood 91 001 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 008 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 006 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 010 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 016 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

more local product, although Queen's Flight were fitted out at (bias alert!) Chester
Wood 91 017 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 021 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 018 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 019 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 020 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 023 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

the first Cat with its lovely camo and proper blisters
Wood 91 022 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Another Avro product, making its last appearance so I'll share a handful of shots of the occasion. Most of which I took while hopping at the same time, as a daft wifey next to me managed to dead-leg me while folding her chair. tch!
Wood 91 014 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 011 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 013 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 015 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 91 012 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr


1992. This should have been the best Woodford of all. For once, the met was perfect. Organiser Alastair Robertson always seemed to be able to pull in rare stuff, and we had the BAe natural metal Lightning, the US Navy, and a debut for the Russian Test Pilots Su-27 duo, with Boscombe Down the week before having had a solo only. Sadly, there was a fatal crash of Rolls-Royce's Spitfire which rather spoilt the show.
Wood 92 000 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 92 001 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 92 002 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 92 003 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 92 004 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 92 009 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 92 012 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

a little.. ahem.. dodgy
Wood 92 010 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 92 005 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 92 007 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

dreadful scan but nice moment
Wood 92 006b by Nigel Watson, on Flickr


1993. The Test Pilots returned, and of all things, Robertson had managed to pull a flying appearance by the Beriev Mermaid. Unfortunately the weather defaulted to normal!
wood 93 001 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 93 002 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 93 003 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 93 005 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 93 004 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 93 021 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 93 017 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 93 015 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 93 016 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 93 009 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 93 010 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 93 011 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

and the Patrouille Suisse closing the show
wood 93 022 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr


1994. More rareties, more darkness
wood 94 001 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 94 002 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 94 004 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

two Sukhois twice
wood 94 005 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 94 017 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Wood 94 018 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 94 016 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 94 014 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 94 012 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 94 011 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 94 009 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

privately owned and great to see. All I remember though, is that it didn't do much. No doubt wx affected.
wood 94 008 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Not that sharp, but in the spirit of the day
wood 94 010 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr


I missed 95 and 96, so here's a token gesture from 97. Basically a washout. but at least the B-1B made it through the murk
wood 97 001 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 97 002 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 97 003 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

wood 97 004 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr


98 missed, I think I was sunning myself on holiday, where it didn't rain. So here's 1999 to finish. Notable for pulling both the Patrouille de France and Il Frecce Tricolori to the show.
Woodford 99 027 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Woodford 99 028 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Woodford 99 012 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Woodford 99 016 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Woodford 99 014 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Woodford 99 026 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Woodford 99 022 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

and finally, a French tailpiece from the static park.
Woodford 99 004 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

Looking back, it was nearly always wet, but still great. I very much miss Woodford, not only the show but the factory too. My work took me there from time to time, to the office next door to the airshow office. If I could turn the clock back I would enter the door that was plastered in team and squadron zaps to thank the team, and tell them how much I appreciated their work.

Hope they took you back folks,
cheers,
Nige.

I almost forgot, completing the nostalgia, a handful of programmes and a couple of flying programmes. I loved the way you got a little slogan beside every act on a Woodford programme!
6J0A2600 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

6J0A2602 by Nigel Watson, on Flickr

[CJS]

Wowzers, these are super to see! Thanks for sharing

[andrewn]

Really nice selection, in particular the one of the USN Hornet on a sharp bank post take off

I was there most of them as well, either on show day - or arrivals (when the weather was frequently better for some reason!)

[Sundowner]

Great selection from a great venue.

[mr_craig]

Just wanted to say how much I am enjoying these threads at the moment. I started going to shows in the early to mid nineties. Looking back at these threads has made me realise how much I have actually seen, but but was too young appreciate at the time. So thank you for posting these and other photos.

[MC hammer]

So many options for those in the airshow office back then, all a bit flat these days.

Great to see these, thanks for making the time to post.

[steved]

Really great to see these. I never went to a Woodford show, looks like I missed out big time. Love the Schlepp and the Broussard/Cri-Cri combination.


Also, is that a Scud missile behind the "Pink" Tornado ?, what happened to it ?

[Avionics6]

Some great memories stirred by looking at these. From my attendance from 1990 to the end, I seems to recall the Friday afternoon practice and arrivals were always worth staying on after work for... some great afternoons had there. And, you even got me in the background of one of your shots from 1990 too (sorry).
Thanks for sharing these.
Jonathan

[DerekF]

Nice to see these. I have to say though, I don't remember that Draken at all. I remember a couple of Austrian ones in the late 1990s but not a civilian registered Danish one.

[vtwo]

[quote="andrewn"USN Hornet on a sharp bank post take off[/quote]

Seem to remember that bank was a little too sharp and required a very hasty correction. The wing tip was very close to the runway

[ericbee123]

I remember one year that an F-15 was displaying and the American commentating on it saying "As you can see lightning is now hitting the ground on the other side of the airfield so we will now land and stop the display early !"

I also have a shot of the Shackleton flying over the taxing Lancaster at that show.

[rob68]

Wasn't it always sunny after the flying finished IIRC?

[AndyXH558]

Cant see them. youve used up your data apparently but i can remember virtually every one from 1977 onwards. so many great memories. a tragic one too.

[Wrexham Mackem]

Cant see them. youve used up your data apparently but i can remember virtually every one from 1977 onwards. so many great memories. a tragic one too.

Yeah apparently Photobucket has a finite limit on an account now and the only way to unlock it is to pay a significant three figure sum. So, I've set myself up on Flickr, which was long overdue. Give me a few days I'll reupload and link a few of the oldies sets, this one first. I know you're a local and you'd appreciate them Andy.

[Wrexham Mackem]

OK, fixed.

[Pat Murphy]

Amazes me the number of shows we both went to Nige, worked in the same factory and yet didn't meet until that event at Goodwood
I was there for most, if not all, of those shows, except for '92 I was still recovering from Boscombe Down!! Got burnt to a crisp that weekend and the beer it did flow at a little pub in Newton Tony...sorry distracted again

The weather was a nearly constant theme...usually bad!! The year the Draken flew was another typical wet Woodford and I spent most of the day at a certain Cider makers van, with a few mates from Anglesey....not many shots taken that day

Cracking stuff and great to see all that stuff that's long gone. Incidentally, are they slides or prints and what do you use to scan them on?
I keep meaning to get around to some of my old stuff...nowhere near as good as these, but a few rough gems in amongst them.

Pat

[Wrexham Mackem]

Funny isn't it Pat. You didn't even see me chasing your camper van down the road waving a frying pan in the air

Woodford was full of character as a show venue but that weather.. it seemed to be relentless. Those Alastair Robertson glory years of the 90's produced something unique every year. I regret missing the three I did, but life gets in the way sometimes.

Most of these are Kodachrome slides, apart from the 99 set which are scanned negs. I scanned them at least ten years ago on a flat bed scanner, so these scans are not doing the originals justice at all, neither is the post processing. I think I knew the just the very basics in Elements 2 when these were done. I must, must, invest in a film scanner one day and start on my back catalogue.

Glad you enjoyed them folks.

[Pat Murphy]

Funny isn't it Pat. You didn't even see me chasing your camper van down the road waving a frying pan in the air .

Aaaahhh My mum's famous frying pan lost at Abingdon Still gets a mention even now!

Might catch you at RIAT P&V East. I'll be there, we'll miss each other yet again and catch up 20 years later I'll pm you my mobile if you fancy a chat over a coffee on Wednesday or Thursday.

Pat

[Droptank]

Great stuff Nigel (and comments from Pat) on Woodford Air Shows.

Woodford was the starting point for my interest in aviation really, when I went to the show in 1966 with my school friend Stephen Hyde who's father worked at AVRO as it was in those days.

My abiding memories were of a Red Arrows Gnat arriving across the airfield and flying over the old fire station at what seemed a very low height at the time
(I was an excitable 11 year old so it might not have been THAT low) and the Rolls Royce Spitfire that was painted in a medium blue colour with a civilian registration and "Rolls Royce" emblazoned along the cowlings- yep, it all started there!

Incredible as it may seem, as my interest blossomed, I ended up working with Alastair on the programme and wrote it, used lots of my shots and had it printed and distributed, starting with the "Red Arrows" cover through to the last show in 2000.

Another poignant coincidence that took place in 1992 is that I was talking to Dave Moore directly before his fateful accident in the very same Spitfire I saw in 1966, where he explained he was flying to display at Honington directly following his display at Woodford, which, with full tanks and on a hot day, I feel may have contributed to the crash.

Anyway, as mentioned, Woodford was certainly a hidden gem of an airshow, particularly with Alastair at the helm, as he had a real passion for aviation and a great respect from the pilots and air arms alike, which helped him attract some unique items not seen elsewhere- the main problem Alastair had was where to fit it all in on static!

I could go on forever with anecdotes about things that happened during the organisation and staging of the show but there were a number of notable firsts including the UK show debuts of the Su 27B, Beriev Mermaid, MATS Connie and of course the Gulf War Tornadoes, Jaguar and Puma resplendent in their "desert pink" camouflage.

Naturally, I have many, many images from the years I was involved and your shots have inspired me to spend some time soon scanning them for posting in addition to the great shots you have featured.

I am still very much in touch with Alastair-he's a great friend- and although he now works and resides overseas (mainly to get away from the Manchester rain)
he will be coming to RIAT this year.

It's a real shame that Woodford no longer exists as an airfield with its unbelievable history and contribution to the defence of the UK with production of the Avro
Tutor, Anson, Avro Manchester, Lancaster and Lincoln, Shackletons of two varieties, Vulcan, Hawker Siddeley Nimrod and of course the Avro 748/Andover which was a great little aeroplane- vastly under-rated.

I hope this adds to the thread and will do my utmost to select some shots to help bring "Wonderful Woodford" to life in conjunction with your previous posts.

Thanks for the memories, they were great days.

Droptank.

[Wrexham Mackem]

Droptank you have just made my day. A post like that is all any of us can hope for in delving into the old photographs and sharing them after all these years.

Its good to hear Alastair is in good form. I was about to suggest persuading him to have another go but I think in the current climate for airshow organisers I wouldn't want to wish that challenge upon anyone!

Many of us would love to see your photos. Please do get them posted, I'll look forward to it immensely.

Nige

[Droptank]

OK, leave it with me, just need to get my scanner set up once I get back from RIAT.

I have literally hundreds to look at but will post a good selection to whet your appetite.

Cheers

Droptank.

PS It would be great to catch up at RIAT if you're going, drop me a PM.

[Pat Murphy]

Droptank you have just made my day. A post like that is all any of us can hope for in delving into the old photographs and sharing them after all these years.

Its good to hear Alastair is in good form. I was about to suggest persuading him to have another go but I think in the current climate for airshow organisers I wouldn't want to wish that challenge upon anyone!

Many of us would love to see your photos. Please do get them posted, I'll look forward to it immensely.

Nige

I would like to associate myself with the above comments

[Droptank]

Cheers Pat, I will be at RIAT arrivals Western end on the Wednesday and sent Nige my contact details so hope we can all catch up there.

I now face the daunting challenge of deciding which images to scan and post first!!

Hopefully see you for a brew in the Cotswolds

Regards.

Droptank.

[qwerty]

I have mixed reactions to the Woodford stories, yes they were often wet and as you say very varied but as a young spotter I was driven mad by the need to sell programmes as an air cadet coached in with many others from all over Lancashire, we used to leave Poulton early. All I wanted to do was tour the static and then watch the show !