Shuttleworth Flying Proms 2024

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ted633
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Joined: Sun 14 Jun 2015, 3:01 am

Shuttleworth Flying Proms 2024

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An event that isn't on many peoples radar in the airshow scene, but one I try to attend with the other half as she thoroughly enjoys the musical aspect of it.
Weather forecast looked good in the buildup (Clear skies), however this soon changed to overcast & breezy, so not exactly ideal for an evening air display.

Here is a photo record of the event, not the best of images due to the conditions but the best I could manage.

First up, the Lunak glider in fairly blustery conditions flying to Salva Me by Libera

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The Lancaster gave a very close display cumulating in a very tight topside. All while the Dambusters March (obviously) was playing

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Flying to 'Where Eagles Dare', the Gladiator

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High energy display by the Spitfire up next, to 'Spitfire Prelude & Fugue'. Highly aerobatic sequence mainly aligned with the cross runway (behind the grandstand, so made sense), so not many photo opportunities

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In darkening skies, the Lysander to 'In the Hall of the Mountain King' & the James Bond theme

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Desoutter, Elf & Moth to the Blue Danube

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Graceful display by the Comet to the E.T Theme

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At this point, shutter speeds were well down whilst the ISO was through the roof, so put the camera down for the last couple of displays:

Magister & DH.51 to Monte Carlo or Bust (Tiger Moth went tech)
Hawk Speed Six to Those Magnificent Men (far too windy for the Edwardians)

During the interval, a pair of Grob 109s put on a pyrotechnic display, causing a small fire on the grass at one point!

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Rest of the evening was a traditional proms evening with a substantial fireworks finale

Wasn't the most enjoyable Proms evening I've been to (not to say I didn't enjoy it). Doubt the weather helped as it was fairly chilly.
However, couple of disappointments that were within Shuttleworth's control

First, the musical set after the flying display was absolutely identical to last year. Would be nice to have a few different pieces being played. The music during the display was also broadly similar, but different enough.

Secondly, and more irritatingly, the 'final' flying line-up was released the day before on social media showing the Sea Hurricane as displaying. The photo below shows that was never going to happen. I don't mind if things have to withdraw for technical reasons, but why keep it on the flying list even though it was never going to happen?

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