Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Discuss airshows and other aviation events at the Imperial War Museum
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LN Strike Eagle
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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by LN Strike Eagle »

Is the Gnat display a solo or a pair?
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Abbo46
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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by Abbo46 »

Was a pair yesterday.

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st24
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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by st24 »

cg_341 wrote:The 17kt crosswind at Brize probably has something to do with it.

Yes, the 3 Buchons appeared to be struggling with it..... :whistle: :snack:
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vulcanshammer
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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by vulcanshammer »

st24 wrote:
vulcanshammer wrote:
Thoughtful_Flyer wrote:
vulcanshammer wrote:What's the wind like?


12 knotts, gusting to 20 in Cambridge at the moment.


Not too bad then but still a concern for the older contingent. (Aircraft not spectators).

They flew 16 Tiger Moths on 100 formation. Aeroplanes and pilots are made of stronger stuff than many think...
Even though I've seen the Shuttleworth stuff countless times their absence is quite a hole in the programme. Voyager was expected to cancel, let's face it..


Oh I have no doubt at all that all the men and their machines are capable of it. That wasn't what I was getting at. It wasn't the lack of buses at Trumpington Park & Ride that curtailed their weekend. Glad the Moths got up. Really enjoyed seeing those yesterday. Voyager... well yes that is not a surprise.
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sideeffectwhu
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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by sideeffectwhu »

cg_341 wrote:The 17kt crosswind at Brize probably has something to do with it.


Thanks I had no idea

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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by st24 »

cg_341 wrote:The 17kt crosswind at Brize probably has something to do with it.

And yet the Atlas can manage it.. A completely unmarked one at that not even Sqn marking..
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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by Abbo46 »

Anybody able to confirm which Spits were involved in the finale today?

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st24
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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by st24 »

Abbo46 wrote:Anybody able to confirm which Spits were involved in the finale today?

Yes, but not right now. "only" 13 today plus IWMs in the joker slot.
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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by rockfordstone »

just got back from both days.

the weather was a "Kris Kris Tofferson!" that didn't really know what it was doing, but a hell of a lot of credit needs to go to the pilots, crew and organisers who managed to get so many birds in the air over the course of the 2 days. really well done.

ive seen a lot of complaints about traffic and parking. i got more or less straight in and straight out on both days, and as for overcrowding? it didn't feel over crowded unless everyone was huddling under the same marquee to keep dry.

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WG655
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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by WG655 »

Abbo46 wrote:Anybody able to confirm which Spits were involved in the finale today?


5 aircraft didn't make it up today - AR501 (back at Shuttleworth), EE602 (taxied out but returned) and the Comanche trio of 'P7308', X4650 and JG891.

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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by Abbo46 »

Fantastic, cheers. :clap:

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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by Albion143 »

Was it me or did the second yak get rather close to the ground on one of its passes today? Made me hold my breath for a second!!!

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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by DirtyFokker »

As I drove to Duxford today, I was greeted with heavy rain on the M25 ... I could barely see the lane markings. I was pretty downcast at this stage. Thankfully, the weather gradually improves after midday .... and kept getting better! I actually felt the heat of the Sun .... :shock:

Great show!

Tom105
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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by Tom105 »

What looked like a right off turned out a very good afternoon. Yes the wind caused a few problems but all safe. 617 tribute was very good better than that I felt and nice to see the tonka for the last time. Spits were good but not a good as the past. Shane the new hurricane went tech and red 11 both of which would have like to seen. But well done to own Duxford lots of nice displays.
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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by MiG_Eater »

Albion143 wrote:Was it me or did the second yak get rather close to the ground on one of its passes today? Made me hold my breath for a second!!!


Yep. He seemed to lose a bit of height in a turn, but I think it probably looked worse than it was due to our perspective in the crowd.

Incidentally... what a great airshow. Credit to Duxford for the incredible flying line-up...

Highlights for me; 617 Formation, Spitfire Finale, Gnats, MiG-15, Eastern Front Set-piece, Vampires... I could go on!

The only criticism I have of the show was the stupid placement of the fairground (yet again!) spoiling the view for anyone who is parked nearby and wants to watch near their car...

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Gonzo230
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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by Gonzo230 »

A great show as always at Duxford.

Ruined partly by some inconsiderate nincompoops who insisted on standing right at the front of the Gold enclosure, ruining the view for the rest of us sat down, and when asked to sit down or move to the rear by the event marshals some of them stood their ground and were incredibly rude.

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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by UKTopgun »

Great show given the rain Sat. Main observation: One of the biggest gatherings of Spits in the modern era and you don't tail chase them? Missed opportunity in my mind.

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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by LN Strike Eagle »

Abbo46 wrote:Was a pair yesterday.

Thanks. Spent the sunny afternoon watching them at North Weald. :up:
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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by eddywinch82 »

Yes it was an excellent Airshow again today. Despite the cancellations, due to the crosswind and unservicibility. And the Shuttleworth Aircraft, weathered in at Old Warden. I also noticed the Yak 3 "incident", but it probably as said, looked worse than it really was.

The 617 Squadron Flypast was memorable. And the F35 Lightning in the hover and climb out, was so loud ! Awesome stuff ! Gutted I won't see an RAF Tornado GR4 fly again (( The BBMF were exemplary as always. And it was great to see the Mig 15, fly in formation with the two Mustangs, and the subsequent dogfight.

The Blenheim and 2 Hurricane formation passes, were beautiful to watch aswell. Yes I was surprised, they didn't tailchase the Spitfires. I am not sure why that was the case ? But the different Formation passes, were still fantastic to witness both days. Even with the reduced number of Spitfires flying today.

The DH Devon and Percival Pembroke duo display was nice too. The Red Arrows were superb, I loved the 100 written in the sky. A fitting tribute, to the RAF in its centenary year. I am really looking forwards, to next years Airshows at Duxford. Especially the big Dakota gathering, for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. ))

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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by Pen Pusher »

UKTopgun wrote:One of the biggest gatherings of Spits in the modern era and you don't tail chase them?


You get to see a Spitfire tail chase at virtually every Duxford show. When was the last time you saw a Buchon/Yak tail chase with wizz, bangs?. Good on the organizers for thinking out of the box.

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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by Paul_Reflex »

I went on Sunday and had a great time. Highlights were the Yak/Buchon display, Mig-15 & Mustangs and the JP & Vampires. Obviously the 617 sqn 'Gibson' formation was great to see again - bye bye Tornado :sad:

I spent a lot of the morning in Airspace and every time I went through the conservation hangar there were lots of young people engaging with the gathered military industrial complex which was great to see, especially Martin Baker who were shooting little parachutes out of a model F-35 with compressed air. We should be grateful to these firms and our armed forces for their much needed promotion of STEM. :up:

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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by AARDVARK »

When I awoke from my stay nearby Sun morning and pulled the curtains back I must admit my motivation level to get going was pretty low,but this was my partners Nephew’s special treat and he had been looking forward to it and I knew that at the very least we could stay relatively dry most of the day visiting all the hangers.
As it turned out the skies broke around 1pm and the weather continued to improve throughout the day resulting in some brilliant late afternoon sun and blue sky shots.
Highlights for me were the Gibson Formation,Korean War Formation and the sight and sound of 14 Spitfires all in the air at once(how many was it Saturday)and my young Nephew getting to meet the Red Arrows and have his flightsuit signed by them all,(even the traffic wasn’t that bad).

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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by AARDVARK »

Paul_Reflex wrote:I went on Sunday and had a great time. Highlights were the Yak/Buchon display, Mig-15 & Mustangs and the JP & Vampires. Obviously the 617 sqn 'Gibson' formation was great to see again - bye bye Tornado :sad:

I spent a lot of the morning in Airspace and every time I went through the conservation hangar there were lots of young people engaging with the gathered military industrial complex which was great to see, especially Martin Baker who were shooting little parachutes out of a model F-35 with compressed air. We should be grateful to these firms and our armed forces for their much needed promotion of STEM. :up:


:up: :up:

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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by UKTopgun »

Pen Pusher wrote:
UKTopgun wrote:One of the biggest gatherings of Spits in the modern era and you don't tail chase them?


You get to see a Spitfire tail chase at virtually every Duxford show. When was the last time you saw a Buchon/Yak tail chase with wizz, bangs?. Good on the organizers for thinking out of the box.

Brian


Perhaps the clue was the title of the show?
I liked seeing the Buchons too but that many Spits in tailchase would have been so immersive.

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Re: Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018

Post by MiG_Eater »

I wouldn't have minded seeing the Spitfire tailchase, but since we had the (in my opinion far more interesting!) tailchases from the Buchons and Yaks as well as the MiG and Mustangs; another tailchase could have seemed a bit redundant.

A few years ago they had close to 20 Spitfires tailchasing at a September show and, while it was good - it wasn't anywhere near as impressive as this year's Saturday vics flypast.

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