Birmingham Airshow 1973

Photos older than five years old (preferably much older)
Leebee0
Posts: 206
Joined: Mon 10 Oct 2011, 3:12 pm

Re: Birmingham Airshow 1973

Post by Leebee0 »

mehere wrote:I recently came across this old(ish) topic .

Like others here, I too recall being totally amazed [even in those days] at how they managed to stage this Show in the built-up suburbs of Birmingham - a wonderful experience, :smile: indeed.

In that Summer of 1973, I was home in Kings Heath, on vacation from University. We did not actually visit the Airshow on the Common, but I can clearly recall the DEAFENING noise of things like the Harrier, the Vulcan and the Arrows Display, passing at mothers washing line height [so it seemed] across our back garden.

Somewhere I have a Super 8 cine film of the Arrows, said back garden and , indeed, the washing line...


Wow would love to see some actual footage of this event that would be great if you could find it :smile:

Cheers

Lee.

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st24
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Location: Sexville

Re: Birmingham Airshow 1973

Post by st24 »

Funny thing is, even though it was a huge event for Brum I don't recall much local TV coverage....
You caaan't trust the system... Maaan!

IATthenRIAT
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Re: Birmingham Airshow 1973

Post by IATthenRIAT »

st24 wrote:Funny thing is, even though it was a huge event for Brum I don't recall much local TV coverage....



Sutch a shame we cant dig up more pictorial memories, it was my first airshow and kick started my love of planes.

Leebee0
Posts: 206
Joined: Mon 10 Oct 2011, 3:12 pm

Re: Birmingham Airshow 1973

Post by Leebee0 »

IATthenRIAT wrote:
st24 wrote:Funny thing is, even though it was a huge event for Brum I don't recall much local TV coverage....



Sutch a shame we cant dig up more pictorial memories, it was my first airshow and kick started my love of planes.



My Father and I went along to the Birmingham archives to see if we could find anything else on the show that took place at Billesley Common in August 1973. After digging around for awhile through the archives we eventually found there was some material on this event.They had some copies of the Sunday mercury which had done a full report on the show after It had closed on the August bank holiday. There was a lovely four page pull-out and a great shot of the red arrows on the front page but other than the photos that I have already posted on here and a few of the paper clippings shown also in my post the Sunday Mercury seem to be the only other coverage of this event that exists. The photos contained within this post where taken by my late father and he was living at my moms parents house which was just on the back of Billesley common. It’s interesting in recent times I’ve seen my fathers pictures on other forums and quoted as copyright of the Birmingham mail But I can assure you those pictures belong to my family and were taken by my father it would appear that If it was not for him having his camera with him and taking these few priceless pictures this event may have vanished into history without anyone believing is ever took place.
Last edited by Leebee0 on Fri 27 Sep 2019, 8:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

AirportsEd
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Joined: Sat 02 Nov 2019, 11:33 am

Re: Birmingham Airshow 1973

Post by AirportsEd »

Not sure how I missed this thread!
This was the first airshow that I ever attended.
I remember the BBMF Lancaster flying overhead (my first sight of an airborne Lanc) as we were queuing to sit in the plastic Jaguar cockpit, complete with its moving map display.
Pity the photos are no longer available; it was a great day out and I'll never forget it.

FlankerPhoto
Posts: 599
Joined: Tue 25 Jun 2019, 3:43 pm

Re: Birmingham Airshow 1973

Post by FlankerPhoto »

Imagine the photos will be available once Photobucket have sorted themselves out, when that'll be, I don't know. :up:

King Cobra
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Joined: Wed 17 Nov 2010, 1:20 pm

Re: Birmingham Airshow 1973

Post by King Cobra »

The authorities today would all have heart failure at the thought of such an event. Thanks to everyone for sharing their memories of the event.