Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

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UK Airshow Review
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Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by UK Airshow Review »

Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014 - Now into it's sixth year, our team rate ten moments that shaped the 2014 UK airshow season.

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Do you agree with our choices? Have your say in this thread, and let us know what your airshow highlights from the summer of 2014 were.

UKTopgun
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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by UKTopgun »

In my view 1 and 2 are wrong way around...

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by stuart n »

UKTopgun wrote:In my view 1 and 2 are wrong way around...


Agreed. I was at Old Warden and saw the Comet fly and impressive as it was the type has been seen at shows in this country before. The 2 Lancasters together are a sight we may never see again in this country and the fact almost every show they appeared at sold points makes them the number 1 moment for me.

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by iGol66 »

Sure, the 2 Lanc event had a lot of criticism from enthusiasts who were expecting more, but it was an amazing event and tribue to the crews of WWII and should've been number 1, there is no doubt about that in my mind.

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by Brevet Cable »

Given the absence of 'Tooms , it's got to be the SLUF for me.
( Note : One 'F' in SLUF , two 'F's in BUFF )
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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by boff180 »

Brevet Cable wrote:Given the absence of 'Tooms , it's got to be the SLUF for me.
( Note : One 'F' in SLUF , two 'F's in BUFF )


Both are commonly used, one F if you want to swear, FF if you don't. :grin:

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by Red Dragon »

boff180 wrote:
Brevet Cable wrote:Given the absence of 'Tooms , it's got to be the SLUF for me.
( Note : One 'F' in SLUF , two 'F's in BUFF )


Both are commonly used, one F if you want to swear, FF if you don't. :grin:


I once read that it was 1 F when "clean" and 2 FF's when bombed up :grin: :lol:

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by tankbuster81 »

For me it was the 2 Lancs at Dunsfold,and the Apache again at Dunsfold.
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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by stuart n »

iGol66 wrote:Sure, the 2 Lanc event had a lot of criticism from enthusiasts who were expecting more, but it was an amazing event and tribue to the crews of WWII and should've been number 1, there is no doubt about that in my mind.


The logistics of getting Vera over from Canada, safely back again and support a UK tour were huge. They pulled it off, overcoming some major challenges along the way.
Meanwhile "the worlds most advanced combat aircraft", which was a mere 7.5 years old at the time, was unable to cross the Atlantic once, let alone twice.

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by Adie1980 »

I think there was room in this list for the Spanish Harrier display at Farnborough and Sea Vixen/Hunter/Canberra formation flight at Bournemouth!

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by Flare Path »

The Italian invasion of RAF Fairford was an event we won't forget for a long time. Here at UKAR we very much look forward to the 2015 season and hope for yet another appearance from the RSV in the UK, they certainly are a must see participant one wonders what they could produce if displaying the M-346 or C-130J?


:confused:

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by boff180 »

The 346 is a decent display aircraft, the display at Farnborough was great... especially compared to its underpowered smaller brother (which has been chosen for the Frecce replacement :sad: )

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by MRTT »

Adie1980 wrote:I think there was room in this list for the Spanish Harrier display at Farnborough and Sea Vixen/Hunter/Canberra formation flight at Bournemouth!


Also agree, both of these were high points of the 2014 season.
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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by Big_Gareth »

I feel privileged to have seen all 10 of these this year. Personally I agree that 1 and 2 should be switched around and I'm pleased that the Spanish Harrier got mentioned above.

I'm surprised that the Canberra's first appearance at Abingdon has not been brought up yet though. :worship: :worship:

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by Gareth Horne »

Great review of what turned out to be a very nice airshow season

The first public display of the Comet at Old Warden was a really special occasion, made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as it took off, ever so slightly downwind.. Was lucky enough to see it again at the October show, this time with a couple of Mew Gulls, unbelievable if you're interested in British racing aeroplanes from the 1930s. Any other year I'd agree..

But this time.. 2 Lancs over Derwent Dam, 3 Lancs at East Kirkby, 2 Lancs+Vulcan at Waddington.. that's got to be number 1 for me.

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by Flare Path »

boff180 wrote:The 346 is a decent display aircraft, the display at Farnborough was great... especially compared to its underpowered smaller brother (which has been chosen for the Frecce replacement :sad: )


Did the Reparto Sperimentale Volo display the 346 at Farnborough? Not sure they did? And the display was OK, but not an aircraft to be that excited about, in my opinion - don't think it would be any different in their respective air force.

I'll give it a chance. The C130J would be far more appealing. :heyhey:

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by boff180 »

I'm not certain who the display pilot at FIA was, the example in static was an RSV bird. It was of note the RIAT typhoon was missing it's usual smokewinders and looking at photos from 2013 they looked an awful lot like the ones the 346 was carrying at FIA.

The Lanc was certainly the event of the summer however this is a top 10 of airshow moments. The 3 sisters and Derwent flypasts weren't airshows. There is no doubt it drew sell out crowds (so does 558 if you believe them) but in reality the actual airshow displays for the most part were lacking and that's why it missed out on the top slot.

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by 106500 »

boff180 wrote:I'm not certain who the display pilot at FIA was, the example in static was an RSV bird. It was of note the RIAT typhoon was missing it's usual smokewinders and looking at photos from 2013 they looked an awful lot like the ones the 346 was carrying at FIA.

The Lanc was certainly the event of the summer however this is a top 10 of airshow moments. The 3 sisters and Derwent flypasts weren't airshows. There is no doubt it drew sell out crowds (so does 558 if you believe them) but in reality the actual airshow displays for the most part were lacking and that's why it missed out on the top slot.

Andy


For me there was nothing lacking regarding the Lanc displays I saw at Dawlish and Southport.

Given the usual negativity on this forum from some parties regarding 558, I wonder what it'll need to do to make the 2015 list assuming this is its last year - a barrel roll perhaps?!

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by boff180 »

It all depends tbh this year what RIAT and Legends pull out the bag, there is a reduction in major UK shows in 2015 so the opportunity is there for 558 to do something memorable.

Andy

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by CJS »

Another top report thanks UKAR. Having only been to one show in 2014 I can't comment on most of it but I do certainly agree with 2&3 in the order they're in.

The 727 stole the show (display wise) at Duxford, even for those stood near me who perhaps didn't realise really what they were seeing.

But the sight of the 2 Lancasters did take my (and those same people's) breath away, almost literally.

Honourable mention too for the Reds in their 50th season? An as usual tightly flown, flawless display, with at least one new move thrown in for good measure. They were certainly the ones who got the loudest cheers - more so even than the Lancasters where I was standing anyway.

Thanks again for the report chaps :-)
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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by Pablo »

It's a decent, reasonably well-balanced list and definitely makes for an interesting read. The order's maybe not what I'd have chosen but most of the items listed certainly deserve a place in there. I've got to query why it's necessary to take a swipe at the Lancasters in the Comet section but then, considering who appears to have written it, maybe it's not so surprising...

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by DanO1978 »

I do worry that UKAR have lost sight of what constitutes an airshow "moment".

Certainly the Comet was precisely that, a perfect combination of machine, conditions and occasion. I would argue that just adding the Lancaster tour per se is incorrect. If it was a "moment", the poignant appearance after the memorial service at Little Gransden would have been on the list.

Static Harriers at Cosford but no mention of the scintillating Canberra display at Abingdon?

For 2015, I hope UKAR go back to singling out "moments" rather than listing "participants of the year"...

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by Tommy »

Regarding the Lancs; you make a valid point, Dan, but it wasn't just Little Gransden where the Lancs stood out, displaying at Dawlish in splendid weather would have got many people's vote, likewise their display (argued by many as one of their best) at Shuttleworth.

It felt, in this instance, correct to write about the tour as a whole rather than single out one part of it.

As for the Canberra at Abbo; we were debating that one for quite some time, the decision not to include it was not made lightly.

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by itfcscott »

DanO1978 wrote:I do worry that UKAR have lost sight of what constitutes an airshow "moment".

Certainly the Comet was precisely that, a perfect combination of machine, conditions and occasion. I would argue that just adding the Lancaster tour per se is incorrect. If it was a "moment", the poignant appearance after the memorial service at Little Gransden would have been on the list.

For 2015, I hope UKAR go back to singling out "moments" rather than listing "participants of the year"...


Don't see it as 'incorrect' at all. The top moments feature did mainly consist of the one off airshow moments that you say. However, in the case of the Lancaster tour there were many great moments for different people caused as a result of that tour. You mention the service at Little Grandsen, for me the standout moment of the tour was watching the pair from Beachy Head on the first day of the tour, can't think of anything else that I have enjoyed as much (in airshow terms). Seeing them from the pier at Clacton was another great 'momemt' for me, being much closer the sound of the two Lancasters truly added an extra dimension. The other occasions when I saw them (from the main crowd line) always left me feeling disappointed in the appearance, due to the routine, or perhaps I was spoilt by seeing them the way I had first and nothing could live up to that. It is due to that great range of personal experiences and 'moments' created and the great effort put in to make it happen by the CWHM and BBMF that it was, as Tom said, correct to make the piece about the whole tour and not just restrain ourselves to the 'moments' as you suggest.

By not bring so narrow minded and strict in our approach, the inclusion of the Lancaster tour as a whole as a moment has worked far greater, in my opinion.

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Re: Top 10 UK 'Airshow Moments' of 2014

Post by boff180 »

Abingdon's Canberra display was superb, however the general view was it performed a lack lustre display for the rest of the season. As the act will be around for a few years there is plenty of time for it to really become a stand out moment one year, unlike the Lancaster tour which was a complete one off.

As for the Italians, we've seen the C-27 twice before, the Eurofighter once and the Tonka once.... the AMX.... that it almost the rarest flying act in Europe, when a foreign air arm sends more flying fast jets to a British military airshow than the RAF... it's something that has to be acknowledged.

Personally, I tried to argue that the appearance of the Scorpion and the achievement it represented was more a moment that the Fitter display sans flares.... obviously I lost :grin:

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