Anyone going to Wings & Wheels @ Dunsfold 23/4 Aug?
Discussion
We got in @ 12 and only because we found a short queue for a cash entrance. Many would surely have been turned away as there was a huge queue to get to the main ticket office.
So, two hours queue from Guildford. But, the Reds and the two Lancasters in the Memorial flight made it worth every minute and every pound spent.
So, two hours queue from Guildford. But, the Reds and the two Lancasters in the Memorial flight made it worth every minute and every pound spent.
Absolute farce. Zero traffic control, two hours to get in, then shown the queue for tickets, must have been 200 metres long.
Thought stuff that, and spent the afternoon in the pub just outside the gate. That's £50 that Dunsfold have not got for their cause, double if you include the couple we sat with who did the same.
Thought stuff that, and spent the afternoon in the pub just outside the gate. That's £50 that Dunsfold have not got for their cause, double if you include the couple we sat with who did the same.
Different story for me, arrived at 08:40 through the Blue gate, parked in the front row.
Coming from Newbury, was directed off the Hogs back, down through Godalming and then through Dunsfold village.
Getting out was a bit slow, but nothing too bad, enough ropes up to stop mass cutting.
Traffic lights on a couple of junctions helped.
The Lancasters and the Vulcan were great, Chinook was fab.
Coming from Newbury, was directed off the Hogs back, down through Godalming and then through Dunsfold village.
Getting out was a bit slow, but nothing too bad, enough ropes up to stop mass cutting.
Traffic lights on a couple of junctions helped.
The Lancasters and the Vulcan were great, Chinook was fab.
I was there, I live nearby so easy drive round the back roads 20 minute queue to get and the same for tickets. busiest I have ever seen it and fully sold out for the first time ever.
Good show, though I have seen it before. Arrows superb, Lancs majestic and the Provost always makes me want to learn to fly, just looks such a lovely machine.
Canberra and the hunter really went for it. I thought the Vulcan was a bit short this year but still great to see.
However my main gripe was the stalls, food, ice cream, toilets and other stuff all involved big queues... if they are going to pack them in like that, they need more of that basic stuff.
Still good event for what it is.
Good show, though I have seen it before. Arrows superb, Lancs majestic and the Provost always makes me want to learn to fly, just looks such a lovely machine.
Canberra and the hunter really went for it. I thought the Vulcan was a bit short this year but still great to see.
However my main gripe was the stalls, food, ice cream, toilets and other stuff all involved big queues... if they are going to pack them in like that, they need more of that basic stuff.
Still good event for what it is.
Oh dear, sorry to hear some people had a nightmare!
I went yesterday (Saturday) and it's the first time I've ever been to this event. I only went because it was the nearest place to see the two Lancasters. Plus I've also so far not seen the Vulcan either.
First of all, traffic-wise, it might seem that Saturday is the way to go. I left my house on the South Coast at about 8am, and was happily parked at the show by 09:20. Even the last few local roads in were fairly quiet - didn't stop dead once, although it did get a bit slower in the last mile. But I still thought it was an easy, quick access.
Then I left about 16:30, after the Vulcan display - there were only a couple of other bits left, one of them the Apache, which I saw at Fairford anyway. Seems like a lot of other people left when I did - but even so, the traffic out was still flowing - it didn't stop dead once, just went slow and then a bit quicker, then a bit slower etc. Then once I got to Guildford, it was like normal really.
As for the show - well, in my opinion, I haven't been to such a rich, diverse, fun and well-organised event that only cost 20 quid for years! I thought it was absolutely marvellous! Air display was second to none, very well run, no dead time, and really good commentary. Unlike some air shows, was nice to see some of the aircraft taking off / displaying and then landing in front of us.
Lots of interesting cars to look at and see / hear blatting up the runway.
And the WW2 village at one end was brill! Great to be able to walk around, see, touch, and experience all kinds of War Vehicles, with the owners milling around them available to answer many anorak-style questions about them.
Same again for the WW2 camp display folk - all dressed up in period gear, taking the time to set up displays featuring all kinds of period equipment and items. And all so friendly. I was handed a few British and American army-issue rifles (de-activated obviously) with the owners happy for me to handle them, cock the slides, pull the triggers, and generally bugger about with them.
Probably best of all was being handed some genuine, period 1940's newspapers and being allowed to open them up and have a read through them. They're rare, and easy to damage, but I was trusted to just hold them and flick through them, with no neurotic supervision at all.
I was obviously extremely careful, and I will tell you what - it's VERY WEIRD to flick through a period newspaper, in the same way that we still do - but to be reading what was then 'up to date news' about Hitler this, Goering that, and Allied the other...alongside adverts for normal domestic products, with text and photos promoting things in the same way as we see now...but in the midst of war and the uncertainty of seeing the next day for most ordinary people...spine chilling are the words, I think?!
I am grateful to the event staff, aviation staff and exhibitors for working so hard to put on this show. It's a shame some people had a nightmare, but I for one at least thought it was great.
I will now be making an annual pilgrimage to this show! But, always on a Saturday, lol!
I went yesterday (Saturday) and it's the first time I've ever been to this event. I only went because it was the nearest place to see the two Lancasters. Plus I've also so far not seen the Vulcan either.
First of all, traffic-wise, it might seem that Saturday is the way to go. I left my house on the South Coast at about 8am, and was happily parked at the show by 09:20. Even the last few local roads in were fairly quiet - didn't stop dead once, although it did get a bit slower in the last mile. But I still thought it was an easy, quick access.
Then I left about 16:30, after the Vulcan display - there were only a couple of other bits left, one of them the Apache, which I saw at Fairford anyway. Seems like a lot of other people left when I did - but even so, the traffic out was still flowing - it didn't stop dead once, just went slow and then a bit quicker, then a bit slower etc. Then once I got to Guildford, it was like normal really.
As for the show - well, in my opinion, I haven't been to such a rich, diverse, fun and well-organised event that only cost 20 quid for years! I thought it was absolutely marvellous! Air display was second to none, very well run, no dead time, and really good commentary. Unlike some air shows, was nice to see some of the aircraft taking off / displaying and then landing in front of us.
Lots of interesting cars to look at and see / hear blatting up the runway.
And the WW2 village at one end was brill! Great to be able to walk around, see, touch, and experience all kinds of War Vehicles, with the owners milling around them available to answer many anorak-style questions about them.
Same again for the WW2 camp display folk - all dressed up in period gear, taking the time to set up displays featuring all kinds of period equipment and items. And all so friendly. I was handed a few British and American army-issue rifles (de-activated obviously) with the owners happy for me to handle them, cock the slides, pull the triggers, and generally bugger about with them.
Probably best of all was being handed some genuine, period 1940's newspapers and being allowed to open them up and have a read through them. They're rare, and easy to damage, but I was trusted to just hold them and flick through them, with no neurotic supervision at all.
I was obviously extremely careful, and I will tell you what - it's VERY WEIRD to flick through a period newspaper, in the same way that we still do - but to be reading what was then 'up to date news' about Hitler this, Goering that, and Allied the other...alongside adverts for normal domestic products, with text and photos promoting things in the same way as we see now...but in the midst of war and the uncertainty of seeing the next day for most ordinary people...spine chilling are the words, I think?!
I am grateful to the event staff, aviation staff and exhibitors for working so hard to put on this show. It's a shame some people had a nightmare, but I for one at least thought it was great.
I will now be making an annual pilgrimage to this show! But, always on a Saturday, lol!
Rumour has it there were over 28000 people, much more than any previous year, given there are only single carriageway roads and no public transport. I think they handled it as best they could especially as a large percentage had not pre purchased tickets.
Unlike other shows they keep the event going once the flying stops to spread the pain of leaving. If you don't pre buy and get in early, I'm sorry but you should expect delays and queues. Running out of soft drinks was just another example of just how many arrived this year vs previous ones.
Unlike other shows they keep the event going once the flying stops to spread the pain of leaving. If you don't pre buy and get in early, I'm sorry but you should expect delays and queues. Running out of soft drinks was just another example of just how many arrived this year vs previous ones.
We had no problem getting in, but getting out my word. Set off after the Canberra and Hunter display but it was so jammed we still saw the rest of the show from the car park. Four and a half hours between packing up to leave and getting home in Reading. Couldn't care less to be honest, it was thoroughly worth it in my eyes, what a fantastic set of displays!
Great day yesterday. As for traffic, we were in and parked by 10.15 with no problems. Spoke to a few people sitting near us who had friends stuck in Guildford - dubs fold announced they were full and that traffic was currently 9 miles long!
The displays were awesome, the wheels bit seemed a bit unessesary: just the same set of cars going up the motorway. Once in the morning, once in the afternoon.
The lines of people for toilets and food were crazy. Took over 500 photos so gotta spend today deleting most of them.
Got to 6.30 and thought we'd try to leave. 8.15 finally left site. Their traffic controls were awful!
Good day all in all but could be better organised.
The displays were awesome, the wheels bit seemed a bit unessesary: just the same set of cars going up the motorway. Once in the morning, once in the afternoon.
The lines of people for toilets and food were crazy. Took over 500 photos so gotta spend today deleting most of them.
Got to 6.30 and thought we'd try to leave. 8.15 finally left site. Their traffic controls were awful!
Good day all in all but could be better organised.
I didn't think getting in was too bad. Left home at 9 and through the entrance by 11, including buying tickets on the day. Once inside the gates, everything seemed to flow smoothly (must admit the pub outside the gate did look tempting).
However, leaving was another matter altogether. 3 hours 20 minutes from getting back to the car (16:30) to getting to the gate. It did mean we saw the rest of the displays though
and there was plenty of time to take the kids back inside for the loos and to bring food back out to the car. You expect chaos in car parks at events like this though, it's not the worst queue I've sat in leaving an event.
Worth it though, to see the 2 Lancasters together, and the Vulcan.
The WW1 aerial display was also something to behold.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/timw1/sets/721576468...
However, leaving was another matter altogether. 3 hours 20 minutes from getting back to the car (16:30) to getting to the gate. It did mean we saw the rest of the displays though
and there was plenty of time to take the kids back inside for the loos and to bring food back out to the car. You expect chaos in car parks at events like this though, it's not the worst queue I've sat in leaving an event.Worth it though, to see the 2 Lancasters together, and the Vulcan.
The WW1 aerial display was also something to behold.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/timw1/sets/721576468...
What an amazing day... left my house at 5am, was parked in the car park by 8.10 after a short (but moving) queue to get in.
Stayed until about 4.15hen decided to leave as I was meeting a friend in London for dinner and had an inkling that it might be busy getting out.....
Busy doesn't cover it, I got in my car at 4.20, left the airfield property at 6.45, ended up going cross country to get away from the queues on the main roads so eventually got to London at 8.45
However, it was all worth it.
I took over 1,000 photos so if there are any good ones I'll pop them up here once I've had the time to sort them out.
Only saw one other PH sticker, on a yellow 355 in the wheels arena, parked next to a 911
Stayed until about 4.15hen decided to leave as I was meeting a friend in London for dinner and had an inkling that it might be busy getting out.....
Busy doesn't cover it, I got in my car at 4.20, left the airfield property at 6.45, ended up going cross country to get away from the queues on the main roads so eventually got to London at 8.45
However, it was all worth it.
I took over 1,000 photos so if there are any good ones I'll pop them up here once I've had the time to sort them out.
Only saw one other PH sticker, on a yellow 355 in the wheels arena, parked next to a 911
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