Duxford September Show 2015

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JJC
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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by JJC »

Cracking day all round! I attended Saturday and could not fault the display, enjoyed everything - but the Spitfires were the icing and the cherry on the cake to a fantastic show, an amazing tribute, and a fitting finale to the season (for myself).

My only complaint was the horrible noise created by the MG stand. I was positioned on the crowdline, infront of the airliners and every 5 minutes this drowned out the commentary and even the sounds of the aircraft on occasion, with horrible repetitive music and shouting.
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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by TKK 140 »

jl151080 wrote:
austinpj wrote:

On a serious note, I understand IWM staff and helpers put in a lot of time and effort for these events. But is there not a lost opportunity to keep the site open for a few extra hours? Firstly, this allows people to take in the trade stands (thus increasing sales), and also (more importantly) allow people to take in some of the hangers that they may not have been able to visit. And on top of this, it helps stagger departure somewhat. I would rather have 40 more minutes on site browsing (especially when the weather played ball), than spend the same amount of time very slowly exiting the car park; and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I am going to suggest this to the IWM for future events.

For us, we had nearly a two hour drive home, so early escape was a bonus really. Next time, we'll probably do Saturday and stay later, and not have the worry of work the next day.



I think they should move the start of the display forward to 1, 12 or maybe even 11. Then, there would be more time after the display to allow for staggered exits. I have an almost 3 hour drive home, so it would certainly be beneficial for me too! As it is, displays finish at around 530 and the announcement the museum has closed often comes while traffic is still in a stationary queue. There's no point in heading back to the car when you can't go anywhere.

As for the show, a simply awesome weekend. The mass Spitfire formation and tail chase was one of the greatest airshow moments I've ever seen. Worth every penny.



I have always questioned the start time, as the volunteers start really early it would be good for them. Also the light gets worse towards the end of the day, the May show was very murky towards the end.
However many do not arrive till late morning and I expect the stall holders need their trade to pay for the pitch, which I guess is quite steep. Well at £4.50 for a bacon roll IT must be :snack:

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LN Strike Eagle
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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by LN Strike Eagle »

TKK 140 wrote:Also the light gets worse towards the end of the day, the May show was very murky towards the end.

It doesn't. Assuming there is any, the light gets better at Duxford the later the show goes - if it started earlier, it'd be even more heavily backlit.
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JJC
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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by JJC »

TKK 140 wrote:
jl151080 wrote:
austinpj wrote:

On a serious note, I understand IWM staff and helpers put in a lot of time and effort for these events. But is there not a lost opportunity to keep the site open for a few extra hours? Firstly, this allows people to take in the trade stands (thus increasing sales), and also (more importantly) allow people to take in some of the hangers that they may not have been able to visit. And on top of this, it helps stagger departure somewhat. I would rather have 40 more minutes on site browsing (especially when the weather played ball), than spend the same amount of time very slowly exiting the car park; and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I am going to suggest this to the IWM for future events.

For us, we had nearly a two hour drive home, so early escape was a bonus really. Next time, we'll probably do Saturday and stay later, and not have the worry of work the next day.



I think they should move the start of the display forward to 1, 12 or maybe even 11. Then, there would be more time after the display to allow for staggered exits. I have an almost 3 hour drive home, so it would certainly be beneficial for me too! As it is, displays finish at around 530 and the announcement the museum has closed often comes while traffic is still in a stationary queue. There's no point in heading back to the car when you can't go anywhere.

As for the show, a simply awesome weekend. The mass Spitfire formation and tail chase was one of the greatest airshow moments I've ever seen. Worth every penny.



I have always questioned the start time, as the volunteers start really early it would be good for them. Also the light gets worse towards the end of the day, the May show was very murky towards the end.
However many do not arrive till late morning and I expect the stall holders need their trade to pay for the pitch, which I guess is quite steep. Well at £4.50 for a bacon roll IT must be :snack:


Eh? :confused:
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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by itfcscott »

Personally I love the start time at Duxford, always plenty going on there with Classic Wings and the Flightline Walk in the morning and as Dan says, the light improves as the day goes on, in fact for the last hour or so it is my favourite airshow venue to photograph at. DirtyFokker mentioned bothRIAT and Dunsfold, to me Dunsfold have it spot on with the fact that if it is a long flying display that starts in the morning it needs a break in the action. RIAT weekend days were far too long to keep my interest really, much prefer the shorter afternoon displays at places like Duxford.

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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by TKK 140 »

LN Strike Eagle wrote:
TKK 140 wrote:Also the light gets worse towards the end of the day, the May show was very murky towards the end.

It doesn't. Assuming there is any, the light gets better at Duxford the later the show goes - if it started earlier, it'd be even more heavily backlit.


It does and it did. Of course it depends on the time of year, where you stand and the overhead conditions on the day, it got quite murky later for the fly by tail chase which flew in solely from the west fly. So Sun behind them. All the tripod and 500mm + plus boys not even bothering to move their set up pointing south east towards Duxford School ish.

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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by TKK 140 »

JJC wrote:
TKK 140 wrote:
jl151080 wrote:
austinpj wrote:

On a serious note, I understand IWM staff and helpers put in a lot of time and effort for these events. But is there not a lost opportunity to keep the site open for a few extra hours? Firstly, this allows people to take in the trade stands (thus increasing sales), and also (more importantly) allow people to take in some of the hangers that they may not have been able to visit. And on top of this, it helps stagger departure somewhat. I would rather have 40 more minutes on site browsing (especially when the weather played ball), than spend the same amount of time very slowly exiting the car park; and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I am going to suggest this to the IWM for future events.

For us, we had nearly a two hour drive home, so early escape was a bonus really. Next time, we'll probably do Saturday and stay later, and not have the worry of work the next day.



I think they should move the start of the display forward to 1, 12 or maybe even 11. Then, there would be more time after the display to allow for staggered exits. I have an almost 3 hour drive home, so it would certainly be beneficial for me too! As it is, displays finish at around 530 and the announcement the museum has closed often comes while traffic is still in a stationary queue. There's no point in heading back to the car when you can't go anywhere.

As for the show, a simply awesome weekend. The mass Spitfire formation and tail chase was one of the greatest airshow moments I've ever seen. Worth every penny.



I have always questioned the start time, as the volunteers start really early it would be good for them. Also the light (tends) to gets worse towards the end of the day[/b], the May show was very murky towards the end.
However many do not arrive till late morning and I expect the stall holders need their trade to pay for the pitch, which I guess is quite steep. Well at £4.50 for a bacon roll IT must be :snack:


Eh? :confused:
Image


Not all the time, and not ground shots towards the east obviously!

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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by LN Strike Eagle »

TKK 140 wrote:
LN Strike Eagle wrote:
TKK 140 wrote:Also the light gets worse towards the end of the day, the May show was very murky towards the end.

It doesn't. Assuming there is any, the light gets better at Duxford the later the show goes - if it started earlier, it'd be even more heavily backlit.


It does and it did. Of course it depends on the time of year, where you stand and the overhead conditions on the day, it got quite murky later for the fly by tail chase which flew in solely from the west fly. So Sun behind them. All the tripod and 500mm + plus boys not even bothering to move their set up pointing south east towards Duxford School ish.

Not talking about the May show specifically, but the light (again, assuming there is any) categorically gets better the longer the day goes at Duxford, and that applies for any of their airshows as they're all held at a time of year when the daylight is long enough for that to be true. Even in the days of the old October show, when the sun shone, it was at it's best as the show was ending and even better after the show had finished.

By 6-7pm, the sun will be over your right shoulder from the crowdline, which is by far and away the best light of the day at Duxford. The further east you position yourself will be a factor, but at no other point in the day (barring sunrise at the height of summer) will the sunlight be shining from the northern side of the runway/display line.

Try it yourself... http://suncalc.net/#/52.0903,0.1308,15/2015.09.21/19:18
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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by TKK 140 »

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately the perfect scenario evaded me as the show finished at 17:30, however earlier in the week the light at Goodwood at 14:00 was perfect, absolutely perfect. I much prefer the hard bright light. You would not have thought that the light would be so good from the weather forecast the evening before.

Old Warden has been perfect too.

The one thing that can't be in a photographers bag is the weather or the sun, unfortunately.

It's all relative of course and my personnel preference and experience at the western end of Duxford which is good for take offs and fly by's from left to right, but not ideal for right to left as they are back lit as you say. because of the M11 restriction the tail chase was one directional as others have observed elsewhere.

As with Cricket matches the light does come and go and to suggest that the light is perfect all the time is just not my experience.

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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by andygolfer »

planenuttoo wrote:Woke up this morning and the first thing to enter my bonce was "how good was that?" how much is the value of those aircraft and thanks to the pilots for sharing their expertise.


I’ll second, third or fourth that (whet ever number we are up to by now!), 2 days on and I’m still thinking how good it was.
I’ve looked at some of my pics and videos of the mass flypast and tail-chases and can’t believe how good it all was. I chose to do mainly videos so I had a memory of the sound as well as the sight of all those spitfires and took a few stills inbetween but for much of the time I just watched, and as was mentioned in other posts the applause as they taxied in was magnificent and fully deserved, certainly in the FoD enclosure where I was.

The BBMF / Reds flypast was another fantastic sight and that Chinook display was something else. I remarked to my brother that helicopter displays are usually like drum solos at a rock concert – an opportunity to nip off for a drink and a pee but this one was truly unforgettable. And as for the rest – all excellent, the Blenheim always impresses me, how wonderful to see that back in the skies and briefly looking at my photos I can’t see any acts that disappointed me.

I attended the Biggin Hill BoB 75 event and felt at the time it was poor and after Sunday I’m even more convinced that I was right despite some praise here and elsewhere for it, the show on Sunday completely knocked the spots off the Biggin event, a stream take off which was visible (not starting half way down the runway and going away from the crowd) and with groups of up to 3 at a time, a mass flypast and the tailchase and spitfires all over the sky and a flightline walk of adequate time without the press corps wandering amongst the aircraft as well as blocking the paying public’s view, a totally far better organised event - well done Duxford. I can’t believe that somebody posted that most of the show was rubbish, particularly as they were freeloading, less than half the price of the Biggin event and a full 3 hour display as part of a complete day out I don’t know what they were looking for, I’d happily pay for this again any time.

Just 2 small moans from me though which spoilt the authentic look of some of my photos, one inside on the flightline walk – what a shame that some of the re-enactors posing around the aircraft decided to film one another on their 1940’s vintage smartphones! And all those in the naughty fields, if you must freeload please wear camouflage so that you don’t stick out like a mass of sore thumbs in the background of the paying public’s take off photos, there surely weren’t freeloaders watching in bright shirts in 1940? From the south you get an airshow backdrop so you probably don’t appreciate how a natural background finishes off a photo. I notices a few freeloaders right on the airfield edge were moved away by the security vehicle at times during the show – how close do you have to get with a massive lens that cost probably 100 times the price of a show ticket?

So well done Duxford on producing a magnificent event, thank you and roll on 2016
andygolfer

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The Dudster
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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by The Dudster »

while i enjoyed the show immensely on Sunday i cant help compare it to 2010 which my personal feelings was better.

considering the foreign pilots involved 75 years ago there was no French connection as in 2010 (French national display team)
no Belgium connection as in 2010 (F16)
and only a token fly past on Saturday by the Americans

Please don't get me wrong hats of to the organisers for putting on an exceptional show just think there was more to be had that's all

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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by Lightningkid70 »

It might have been mentioned around here already but can any one remind me what The Duke of Kent had been visiting for as G-XXEB of The Royal Squadron landed in front of me. It looked like he walked up to the ARC hangar with some dignitaries.

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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by JBartlett »

austinpj wrote:Another great Duxford Airshow!

Bit disappointed the BoB pair didn't turn up on the Sunday. :-)


Sorry what's the BoB pair?

Pen Pusher wrote:Down the M11 end each one was being applauded as they came in to land. Something I don't remember hearing before.

Brian



Yeah everyone near the Land Warfare exhibition entrance was doing that on Saturday as well and when Brian Smith did a victory roll in MH434.

Now for next year can we have the Sea Vixen
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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by LN Strike Eagle »

Speaking of MH434, it looked incredibly slow at the top of the first loop on Sunday - it was almost like the set-up for a stall turn.
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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by aaron0288 »

LN Strike Eagle wrote:Speaking of MH434, it looked incredibly slow at the top of the first loop on Sunday - it was almost like the set-up for a stall turn.


So it wasn't just me! My heart was in my mouth during that but as no one else had mentioned it, I thought maybe I was seeing things. To me it looked like he only just managed to get it over the top...

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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by LN Strike Eagle »

aaron0288 wrote:
LN Strike Eagle wrote:Speaking of MH434, it looked incredibly slow at the top of the first loop on Sunday - it was almost like the set-up for a stall turn.


So it wasn't just me! My heart was in my mouth during that but as no one else had mentioned it, I thought maybe I was seeing things. To me it looked like he only just managed to get it over the top...

That's very much how it looked to me too.

This is why I'm not a fan of aeros in warbirds - it's just a needless risk IMO. Who ever comes home from Old Warden ruing the fact they didn't loop the Sea Hurricane? Besides which, at that height, what's it good for? It's so high and distant that you can barely identify which airframe it is, and it's certainly no use for photographs...
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rob68
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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by rob68 »

TBH thought the meteor display at Cosby was better with the imposed rules, Ie no aeros. Most togs put the camera down anyway

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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by aaron0288 »

Agreed. I much prefer fast, low passes and the odd roll to high altitude loops. Is it Duxfords resident hurricane that just does end to end loops for its display? Saying that, even jets bore me doing loops.

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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by TKK 140 »

The Dudster wrote:while i enjoyed the show immensely on Sunday i cant help compare it to 2010 which my personal feelings was better.

considering the foreign pilots involved 75 years ago there was no French connection as in 2010 (French national display team)
no Belgium connection as in 2010 (F16)
and only a token fly past on Saturday by the Americans

Please don't get me wrong hats of to the organisers for putting on an exceptional show just think there was more to be had that's all



Unfortunately with cut backs on conventional forces and the use of drones, and with Mildenhall, closing I guess it is getting harder for the organisers.

Wonder when (or if) we will start to see unmanned - drone fly by's?

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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by womble67 »

andygolfer wrote:I notices a few freeloaders right on the airfield edge were moved away by the security vehicle at times during the show – how close do you have to get with a massive lens that cost probably 100 times the price of a show ticket?


a lot of people were stood along the motorway bank because they had got out of their cars and went up to watch during the time police were dealing with the accidents

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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by austinp »

JBartlett wrote:
austinpj wrote:Another great Duxford Airshow!

Bit disappointed the BoB pair didn't turn up on the Sunday. :-)


Sorry what's the BoB pair?


Sorry, Battle of Britain Synchro Pair - aka BBMF Spitfire and Typhoon.

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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by JBartlett »

austinp wrote:
JBartlett wrote:
austinpj wrote:Another great Duxford Airshow!

Bit disappointed the BoB pair didn't turn up on the Sunday. :-)


Sorry what's the BoB pair?


Sorry, Battle of Britain Synchro Pair - aka BBMF Spitfire and Typhoon.



Oh right I get you now and I think it was only down for Saturday not sure why it was just one day,

And I like seeing Warbirds doing loops etc. as long they get good height on the loop at end of the day airshows are not really about those that want to get that picture especially those that freeload but they still moan you get them on the railways in Steam or diesel galas though the latter most diesel enthusiast just bellow and shout.
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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by Unknown74 »

Hi guys I'm wondering where it would be possible to find a run down/ list of the Serial Numbers and Registrations of all the Aircraft that participated in and were present at Duxford on Saturday for the Battle of Britain Airshow?

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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by aaron0288 »

It is funny how some of you just can't get over the whole freeloading thing. It happens at pretty much every other airshow. Some aren't just there for photos, some are there for the experience. It was a sell out both days, so Duxford aren't losing any money and the school make good money out of it.

All these ifs and buts can be said for most things that have risk involved. For all I know you could drive like a knob every day, putting a huge number of people at risk. People who go to the fields/mound are just as entitled to have an opinion on the show as you are.

And yes, I go to the field every show and visit the museum about 3 times a year.

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Re: Duxford September Show 2015

Post by planenuttoo »

I generally try to do inside one day and outside the other, but not necessarily in the rear field.

Duxford is, I think, limited to 22,000 visitors, so if Fairford can get over a hundred thousand, those who would be interested are not all able to have access to Duxford.

Bournemouth puts on a fantastic four day event, the Air Festival, for the majority of the 1.2 million visitors, they don't pay a penny.

A lot of families couldn't afford it, and some people don't have the time to be at a show all day. There are always scores of people on the A505 the other side of the airfield but they are not often referred to, and some of them cannot, or will not walk far from their cars.

Enjoy the hobby, enjoy the banter.

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