Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by Airwolfhound »

Mildenhall in the 80s, my parents would take the caravan and Land Rover down the day before and we'd camp there for the whole weekend. Loved every minute of it. Saw an F14 display there, and seeing the three Czech Hinds doing their display was awesome. Many happy memories from the Air Fetes :rock: :cool:
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Seamus
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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by Seamus »

Another vote for RIAT 97. I was looking through the flying programme recently and it was just ridiculous, pure quality throughout. I was 12 at the time so my memories are a little vague, but I can still picture the Czech Flogger tearing across the sky in almost constant burner, and the F-100 arriving with a bang as it lit its afterburner, two of my all time great airshow memories. Halcyon days :cool:
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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by harkins »

Difficult as any Air Tattoo attended between 1990 and 98 could be described as the best air show you were at. However, Boscombe Down 1990 was probably my favourite. Unbelievable collection of aircraft both flying and static, a lot of great squadron anniversary paint jobs, good weather, bus tours round the live side and on the Saturday I had my sandwiches in the A&AEE's BAC 1-11 and a barbecue at the mess in the evening - just regrettable that I didn't even own a camera back then as a teenager (got a very cheap SLR the following year).

Blimey, the 90's were just incredible times for airshows. Even small one day shows like at British Aerospace Woodford would make today's Air Tattoo look average - and I don't even think they ever had a spaceman or a photo taken from very far away.

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PeteFenwick
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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by PeteFenwick »

Great thread. A tough choice but if ok I will vote for 3 (different countries)-
1. 2012-The Russian 100yr Anniversary at Zhukosi. Mixed weather but oh what aircraft-where else could one see flypasts of 3 Tu160 Blackjacks and Tu 95 Bears and 4 Mig31's amongst many other western rarities
2. 2011-North Island San Diego-the 100 yr anniversary of US Navy Aviation. Arrivals from the beach and next day on the base for the 2.5 hour fly by of some great and colourful navy and Marine aircraft (in great weather).
3. RIAT in the 90's but 1997 is just the stand out one.

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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by UKTopgun »

Memories have faded but went to the Air Fete from mid 80s to the last one and nothing has ever come close for me. They were not all classics, esp the later years (dispensing with Hoefling on the mic was misjudged) but they all had an unrivalled atmosphere. The USAFE hosts were always so welcoming, and that calendar for FREE and stickers or zaps 50p, yea 50p folks! Can't buy a chip for that at modern shows. Oh yes, and the Habu. Flying. OMG what fading memories!
I even loved that perennial Mildly favourite the Grasshoppers, 4 Allouettes going round in circles for 10 mins. Happy days. Sadly long gone....

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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by Roughcutter »

RIAT 99 - 50th Anniversary of NATO, all those lovely painted up fighters, and the last showing of the Crusaders :clap:
And of course not forgetting any of those wonderful Cottesmore Families Days (sadly missed).

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Slinger65
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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by Slinger65 »

Several Shuttleworth shows have been excellent - my first show being the Military Pageant in 2014, including the first flight of the Comet in stunning evening light. Plus evening airshows in June 2017 (how hot was it!!) and May 2018 (terrific Lancaster display) will long be remembered.

However, if there were ever an airshow to go back in time to see again, it would have to be IAT at Boscombe Down 1990 for the scale and variety of displays, plus a great backdrop of the airfield, hangars and parked aircraft.

That year also was the worst display I've ever been to - Abingdon Battle of Britain 50th. Nothing wrong with the programme - especially with the massed RAF flypast, but the traffic going north on the A34 was absolutely horrendous and it took over 3 hours to get from within sight of the field to being parked up. We saw the flypast from the A34 needless to say...
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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by Roughcutter »

Slinger65 wrote:Several Shuttleworth shows have been excellent - my first show being the Military Pageant in 2014, including the first flight of the Comet in stunning evening light. Plus evening airshows in June 2017 (how hot was it!!) and May 2018 (terrific Lancaster display) will long be remembered.

However, if there were ever an airshow to go back in time to see again, it would have to be IAT at Boscombe Down 1990 for the scale and variety of displays, plus a great backdrop of the airfield, hangars and parked aircraft.

That year also was the worst display I've ever been to - Abingdon Battle of Britain 50th. Nothing wrong with the programme - especially with the massed RAF flypast, but the traffic going north on the A34 was absolutely horrendous and it took over 3 hours to get from within sight of the field to being parked up. We saw the flypast from the A34 needless to say...


I was also stuck in that same jam myself on the A34 in sight of the airfield itself, what a nightmare scenario, I've never felt so powerless and frustrated. Luckily I did manage to get through the gate just as the flypast started (albeit parked in a layby outside and ran in). I was breathless taking the shots and it tainted the day for us somewhat. :roll:
Last edited by Roughcutter on Wed 27 Mar 2019, 1:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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st24
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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by st24 »

CJS wrote:Plus it was my first RIAT since being taken as a boy, so special for that reason too.

I would imagine being taken as a boy would leave a lasting impression..... :confused:
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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by alisdairanderson »

Slinger65 wrote:Several Shuttleworth shows have been excellent - my first show being the Military Pageant in 2014, including the first flight of the Comet in stunning evening light. Plus evening airshows in June 2017 (how hot was it!!) and May 2018 (terrific Lancaster display) will long be remembered.

However, if there were ever an airshow to go back in time to see again, it would have to be IAT at Boscombe Down 1990 for the scale and variety of displays, plus a great backdrop of the airfield, hangars and parked aircraft.

That year also was the worst display I've ever been to - Abingdon Battle of Britain 50th. Nothing wrong with the programme - especially with the massed RAF flypast, but the traffic going north on the A34 was absolutely horrendous and it took over 3 hours to get from within sight of the field to being parked up. We saw the flypast from the A34 needless to say...



I tend to go to the 'smaller shows', especially Old Warden - some in the early 2000s were particularly memorable, with the Harriers landing on the grass airfield at some of the Military airshows - seems like a distant memory now!

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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by capercaillie »

alisdairanderson wrote:
Slinger65 wrote:Several Shuttleworth shows have been excellent - my first show being the Military Pageant in 2014, including the first flight of the Comet in stunning evening light. Plus evening airshows in June 2017 (how hot was it!!) and May 2018 (terrific Lancaster display) will long be remembered.

However, if there were ever an airshow to go back in time to see again, it would have to be IAT at Boscombe Down 1990 for the scale and variety of displays, plus a great backdrop of the airfield, hangars and parked aircraft.

That year also was the worst display I've ever been to - Abingdon Battle of Britain 50th. Nothing wrong with the programme - especially with the massed RAF flypast, but the traffic going north on the A34 was absolutely horrendous and it took over 3 hours to get from within sight of the field to being parked up. We saw the flypast from the A34 needless to say...



I tend to go to the 'smaller shows', especially Old Warden - some in the early 2000s were particularly memorable, with the Harriers landing on the grass airfield at some of the Military airshows - seems like a distant memory now!

Cheers
Alisdair


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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by davski »

2005 Memorial Airshow at Roudnice Nad Labem, Czech Republic - flew there (and back) in P-51 'Susy' :cool:

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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by AlexC »

Micky S wrote:Mine would have to be RIAT 1997.


That's a difficult question, but restricting it to just IAT/RIAT, I'd agree that 1997 was the best. Like Alisdair above I tend to only go to the smaller events nowadays, but having said that I am going to Oshkosh this year! :yahoo:
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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by Blackbird »

It's a tricky one, but... the IAT show at Boscombe Down in 1992 probably sticks out in my mind as my favourite.

It is closely followed by the "good old days" of the early shows at Greenham Common. As they were pre-internet, they had the added spice of not knowing what you would see until you arrived. It would also be remiss not to mention some of the great shows at Mildy; I'm old enough :oops: to remember the 1976 Bi-centennial show which was a goody (but sadly few photos).

And then of course my first trip to Oshkosh last year :biggrin: - a fantastic experience and can't wait to go again, hopefully before too long.

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Costar1198
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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by Costar1198 »

Would have to say either Eastbourne 2007 (can barely remember it but I do remember the Hong Kong 747 low over the sea, which is why it makes this list), or my first RIAT, 2016, purely because never before have I seen so many jets in one place, and it created a lasting impression.

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G-ASSV
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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by G-ASSV »

For me the stand-out show would be IAT 1995 'The Victory Airshow', that said I do have fond memories of the Great Warbirds Air Displays at West Malling, there's never been anything quite like them since.

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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by AMB »

Some of the IAT shows at Greenham Common took some beating, notably the first one in 1973 - weather perfect and no internet or social media then, so everything was a surprise when you turned up. Same for IAT83 - where everything you had hoped to see turned up!! :cool:
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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by spaceward »

On a home front show I think I echo the thoughts of some when I say Boscombe Down ‘92 was one on my favourites with some superb displays from an amazing variety of specimens, then on the small scale front Badminton Airday was always a cracker. On my doorstep and a very good variety of aircraft.
Overseas show , well the Russian 100th Anniversary was out of this World ,soooooo many different aircraft in sooooo many variations, amazing weather etc etc.
Can’t wait for MAKS this year.

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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by XL189 »

Mildenhall, any year.
Nothing could beat it and nothing has since.

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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by rdchawk »

RNLAF Leeuwarden air show when blue angels attended. Great line up of teams and fast jets and an incredible airfield attack sequence.
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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by Spiny Norman »

Have hummed and hawwed.

Mildenhall 1997 with the B-2 was something a bit special. However I have to plump for Fleet Week the same year, when apart from the Blue Angels displaying around the city and at times at low-level over the bay (creating a Firefox-type bow wave) the sight and sound of live F-18 launches from a very large boat out in the bay was very memorable indeed.

Was staying on the quayside so traffic was not an issue...

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Re: Best Airshow That You Have Attended?

Post by AndyXH558 »

I cant just say one show to be honest. So here goes.

Mildenhall 1987, the year we got the UK Air Defence set piece with Lightnings, Hawks, Tornado f3s , and Phantoms dogfighting. Blackbird, I think that was the year she had the flameout?

Mildenhall 1986, 1989, 1997 the first time i saw a B2 and an F117. 2000, B2, B1 and B52 flying.

RIAT 1997,Russian Su30, 27, Mig 29, Mig 23, Mig 21, Ukranian SU27s, F104, F100, B2 landing, F117. 2 B1s and B52s?. Got the DVD, must have a look at that.

RIAT 2015, just for that Vulcan Take off. bittersweet as she retired soon after. 2007 when they had the role demo of the RAF.

IAT 1985 was my first one an remember the line up of several DC3s and F104s in static, Red Arrows and Concorde in formation. 1987 for that amazing Hercules flypast.

Duxford 2010 Battle of Britain show with 16 Spitfires flying together. a noise and sight I will never forget.

Woodford, 1992. Marred by the terrible accident of Spitfire RM689 that tragically killed David Moore. But it was the first time I had seen an SU27 and F14 flying. I was lucky enough to be at the build up practice days during the week and seeing the Silver lightning flying, along with the arrivals of the rest of the aircraft for the show was great.

Woodford 1993, just for the Beriev A40 albatross (mermaid) on its one and only flying display in the UK (yes she came to ffd but on static) her arrival was how should I say a little interesting, after overflying, Barton, Speke, Ringway and then flying over Woodford at 2000 ft she landed, apparently Anatoly had to be dragged out of a local pub to guide them down.

Poznan 2018, an average airshow but being where we were was spectacular.
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