Fantasy Airshow

[CanAm]

Equus said:

So did the Komet... indeed, in the realms of 'realistic' fantasy air shows,, I believe there's one (a replica) still flying as such: LINK

I saw a VERY expensive German WW2 aircraft book on for sale in the Deutsches Museum in Munich. The cover photo was of that Komet replica glider; the giveaway was that it had an undercarriage instead of a skid.

[Riley Blue]

I'd rather like to see:

The Black Arrows.
Beverley, Britannia, Argosy.
Lightning and Phantom.
Mosquito, Beaufighter and Typhoon.
Luftwaffe Starfighter.
ME109 and FW190.
Spruce Goose.
Bristol Brabazon.

[Eric Mc]

CanAm said:

I saw a VERY expensive German WW2 aircraft book on for sale in the Deutsches Museum in Munich. The cover photo was of that Komet replica glider; the giveaway was that it had an undercarriage instead of a skid.

This is the replica which turns up at Continental air shows -



And here's some footage -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNIpJcOZPlA

[CanAm]

Eric Mc said:

This is the replica which turns up at Continental air shows -



And here's some footage -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNIpJcOZPlA

The wheel is nicely hidden in that photo.
Here's another where you can just about see it :-

[anonymous-user]

Dug out the Fairford programmes from 87 and 91....

[xeny]

Simpo Two said:

What about the Bell X series? Though they were air launched.

The X-1 apparently made a single ground take off - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xKRxMyTZko. about 1:30 in.

[Dr Jekyll]

If we're going to have an X1, I vote for a Miles M52.

[Voldemort]

Can we have a massed Antonov fly past? 225 flanked by a couple of 124's.

And I'd like to see the Airlander too.

[irocfan]

can I see a few Stukas doing a dummy dive bombing run?

Me163 scramble

BV141 (actually a whole host of BV planes: BV238, 192...)

FW Triebflügel

Convair Pogo

SNECMA C.450 Coléoptère

and some of the (slightly) mad Horten stuff

(being "slightly" sillier now) V1 & V2 take off....

Edited by irocfan on Sunday 18th April 22:38

[Jake899]

The title was fantasy airshow: and all we've talked about is the flying line up.
My fantasy airshow has ample on base parking with easy access and exit traffic flow.
The crowdline is long and uncluttered by funfairs and tatstands. The sun is behind you at mid day.
All in attendance are considerate, polite and sober. They are attentive and happy to be there and interested in aircraft.
The display line is free and aircraft can fly over the crowd. There is no hard deck, in fact organisers encourage low passes.
There is no speed limits, no built up areas near by so sonic booms are encouraged.
In the country at the time is some kind of large acquisition program for fighters at the time, so each display pilot feels obliged to out do the last.
The taxi way is right in front of the crowd line.
A portion of the show is an air race around pylons with the Gold class warbirds from Reno.
There are no politics at play, so organisers can invite eastern bloc/middle eastern/unfriendly nations to participate.
There are numerous food and drink venues selling at reasonable prices, and lots of military surplus/model stands selling interesting things. If its not aviation related, its not allowed in.
Before and after the flying, all visitors are allowed to wander amongst the aircraft.
There are numerous photography areas offering a wide range of angles.

If the above were possible, id be happy with whatever aircraft showed up.

But if pushed I'd have:


SU57vsF22 mock dogfight

SU35, Typhoon, Rafale, Gripen, F35, F18E trial flight fly-off

SU34, Bear, TU22, SU22 solo displays

The Nasa 747 with Enterprise on its back, flanked with Nasa F5s

B52 with X15 release

Blue Angels

Blue Angels again but flying their old F4s

The black Diamonds Hunter record loop

Miss Demeanor

All of the Saab historic flight

XH558 one last time.

Concorde, Blackbird, White Knight/Spaceshiptwo, Constellation, DC6, Comet4 flypasts

Shar/sea king/Wessex commando assault

The Sydney Camm tribute, displays by Hawker Nimrods, Hurricanes, Sea Furies, Tempests, Typhoons, Sea Hawks, Hunters and Harriers

A pylon race featuring the Reno Gold class, including a rebuilt Precious Metal.

And to finish:

Indian Sea harrier
899nas Sea Harrier FA2
899nas Sea Harrier T.8 with me in the front seat
Dornier Do31
Yak 38
Yak 141
US marines AV8B
Individually then all together in a VTOL display.

That'd do me.

As a bonus finish Id have a Starship reusable rocket the other side of the runway.

Edited by Jake899 on Monday 19th April 09:24

[Eric Mc]

NASA doesn't operate F5s (although it may have operated the odd one in the past). They operate T-38 Talons.

[Scotty2]

If true Fantasy, then I would like a flypast of the Hindenburg and Graf Zeppelin 2.

Or a modern recreation. To see the real scale of these things would be mind blowing. I made the trip in the Zeppelin NT a few years ago and it was amazing.

I can also then say to my wife that it was like a photo finish in a Zeppelin race without getting a slap...

Edited by Scotty2 on Monday 19th April 13:00

[Eric Mc]

Did the Graf Zeppelin 2 ever get to fly?

[Jake899]

Eric Mc said:

NASA doesn't operate F5s (although it may have operated the odd one in the past). They operate T-38 Talons.

Of course, Forgive me.
I really like the F5/tigershark/T38 family. It seems the last era of aircraft that theoretically a well off private individual could own. Certainly a step up from the Iskra/L29/L39 which are pretty wonderful in themselves.
Designed to be cheap and simple to maintain, small, gorgeous and fast as heck.

[Eric Mc]

The USAF really needs a replacement for the T-38s - as does NASA. They are well into their 50s now.

[Scotty2]

Eric Mc said:

Did the Graf Zeppelin 2 ever get to fly?

Yes, but not used much. Distinguishable by the tractor rather than pusher props.

From Wiki:

By the time the Graf Zeppelin II was completed, it was obvious that the ship would never serve its intended purpose as a passenger liner; the lack of a supply of inert helium was one cause. The Reich Air Ministry permitted the Graf Zeppelin to fly "for one year until 1 September 1939 without any transportation of passengers and outside of tropical areas". Dr. Ernst Breuning, who was responsible for radio development for the RLM, negotiated with the Zeppelin company to have the airship used as a laboratory for radio surveillance and measurements. As a result, the passenger accommodations were modified to contain radio and measuring instruments. Part of the cover was to have the airship make public appearances at air shows ("Flying Days") and deliver mail. In addition to Breuning's group of radio engineers (termed "Group R"), there were also a team of physicists from the Drahtlostelegraphische und Luftelektrische Versuchsstation Gräfelfing (DVG) led by Max Dieckmann, whose intention was to study electric discharge and its role in the Hindenburg disaster.




ETA short colour film of it flying:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7svLt40yjoY

Edited by Scotty2 on Monday 19th April 13:00

[Eric Mc]

Thank you very much - never seen that photo or the film before.

Having played the video, I then found a contemporary documentary on the building of the Graf Zeppelin II. Pity it's all in German.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFIPC9fWjh8

[Arnie Cunningham]

Agreed. This has become a really good thread!

[anonymous-user]

Jake899 said:

The title was fantasy airshow: and all we've talked about is the flying line up.
My fantasy airshow has ample on base parking with easy access and exit traffic......

Edited by Jake899 on Monday 19th April 09:24

Here’s my dream, no cameras.

You can use the one on your phone if you have one, but that’s it. The world doesn’t need a million more pictures of the same old aircraft. There are professionals who do a far better job, leave it to them, enjoy the experience.

[Stick Legs]

In addition to everything above the show ends with a Zero Length Launch F-104G followed by a firework display.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCbegiIhLGg