Your best warbird seen flying?
Discussion
As been members of sherburn aero club I've seen a p51 mustang
And a guy called tony "Taff" smith once turned up in his spitfire then he turned up in a l39 albatross which ended up in James Bond tomorrow never dies!
Also driving on the a64 I saw something out the corner of my eye look over to the left to see the Vulcan at around 100ft accelerating straight across the roofs and then going very high it was in the weeks before she was permanently grounded and she was flying over elvington!
I also see lots of euro fighters on the North Yorkshire moors and see the red arrows training when I go to Lincoln on a weekly basis
And a guy called tony "Taff" smith once turned up in his spitfire then he turned up in a l39 albatross which ended up in James Bond tomorrow never dies!
Also driving on the a64 I saw something out the corner of my eye look over to the left to see the Vulcan at around 100ft accelerating straight across the roofs and then going very high it was in the weeks before she was permanently grounded and she was flying over elvington!
I also see lots of euro fighters on the North Yorkshire moors and see the red arrows training when I go to Lincoln on a weekly basis
I do remember a curious incident at an airshow in the late eighties. A pair of Starfighters were displaying and as always were louder even than Phantoms, but then as they flew from well in front of the crowd roughly towards it, aiming to pass slightly to one side, the sound briefly faded for half a second or so, not to silence but to a very low level. I wondered if I was still listening to the sound from when they were further away but the change seemed to abrupt for that so I decided both pilots closed throttles drastically and near enough simultaneously for some reason. The other thought that did occur to me was interference, the two noise sources close together cancelling each other out. Suffice to say sound from very noisy fast things can behave oddly.
As a boy I lived in Chapel St Leonards, between Donna Nook and Wainfleet ranges and not far from many still active WW2 airfields, Manby, Strubby, Binbrook, etc.
RAF and USAF aircraft were such a common sight that they were looked on as a bit of a nuisance, flying over Chapel Point and then screaming out to sea at full throttle, waking babies, making windows rattle and dogs bark, often followed by sonic booms.
I clearly recall Vulcans, Phantoms, even Buccaneers and Starfighters at little more than rooftop height, sometimes clearly seeing the crew through the canopy, Lightnings and Vulcans are most memorable as they were spectacularly loud.
Seeing a pair of Lightnings pass overhead so low the markings could be read then watching as they howled almost vertically out to sea on afterburners was something I shall not forget.
Of course I realise now how fortunate I was to witness these never to be repeated events, I still live in the area and am lucky to see BBMF and current aircraft fly over, I still rush outside whenever I hear a Merlin approaching.
ETA - Best Warbird? Spitfire, without hesitation.
RAF and USAF aircraft were such a common sight that they were looked on as a bit of a nuisance, flying over Chapel Point and then screaming out to sea at full throttle, waking babies, making windows rattle and dogs bark, often followed by sonic booms.
I clearly recall Vulcans, Phantoms, even Buccaneers and Starfighters at little more than rooftop height, sometimes clearly seeing the crew through the canopy, Lightnings and Vulcans are most memorable as they were spectacularly loud.
Seeing a pair of Lightnings pass overhead so low the markings could be read then watching as they howled almost vertically out to sea on afterburners was something I shall not forget.
Of course I realise now how fortunate I was to witness these never to be repeated events, I still live in the area and am lucky to see BBMF and current aircraft fly over, I still rush outside whenever I hear a Merlin approaching.
ETA - Best Warbird? Spitfire, without hesitation.
Edited by kev b on Thursday 8th December 20:03
kev b said:
As a boy I lived in Chapel St Leonards, between Donna Nook and Wainfleet ranges and not far from many still active WW2 airfields, Manby, Strubby, Binbrook, etc.
My dad was with the MPBW at Strubby in the mid '50s and we lived nearby in a cottage at Woodthorpe. There was never any flying on Sundays so we went mushrooming on the airfield, him on his bicycle and me pedaling furiously on my little red tricycle trying to keep up...Small world, my neighbour was a bomb aimer on Lancasters, flew fifty ops from Strubby, he opened up about it in his last few years, sobering stories, the huts he lived in are still there I think, next to the kart track.
A relative was a bit of a letter writer, always blagging his way into places that were normally out of bounds.
One day when I was eight or nine he wangled a visit behind the scenes at RAF Manby, we had the full squadron leader personal guided tour, hangars, mess, museum, sitting in the cockpits of Provost, Dominy, Vampire etc.
I was mad keen on becoming a fighter ace at the time so you can imagine what an experience it was, even when the chance of a flight was not possible that day.
A relative was a bit of a letter writer, always blagging his way into places that were normally out of bounds.
One day when I was eight or nine he wangled a visit behind the scenes at RAF Manby, we had the full squadron leader personal guided tour, hangars, mess, museum, sitting in the cockpits of Provost, Dominy, Vampire etc.
I was mad keen on becoming a fighter ace at the time so you can imagine what an experience it was, even when the chance of a flight was not possible that day.
Dr Jekyll said:
I do remember a curious incident at an airshow in the late eighties. A pair of Starfighters were displaying and as always were louder even than Phantoms, but then as they flew from well in front of the crowd roughly towards it, aiming to pass slightly to one side, the sound briefly faded for half a second or so, not to silence but to a very low level. I wondered if I was still listening to the sound from when they were further away but the change seemed to abrupt for that so I decided both pilots closed throttles drastically and near enough simultaneously for some reason. The other thought that did occur to me was interference, the two noise sources close together cancelling each other out. Suffice to say sound from very noisy fast things can behave oddly.
Starfighters did/do make some odd sounds, that struck me even as a kid.Best warbird seen of all time was Harrier GR1s in Belize. They were kept in inflatable hangars and as a ten year old they were beyond fantastic. Saw them close up in said hangars, sat in cockpit, saw them flying around the place, and once, sadly, a broken one in the back of a truck having crashed following a pelican strike. I was amazed at the amount of wiring coming out of the Harrier's guts.
The sudden appearance of a Lightning, taking off from Filton, when I was commuting by train from Cardiff to Bristol in 1982.
Not in the air, but the Princess flying boat (OK, not "war") on a slip at Cowes(?) when I was on holiday with my parents, and the Sunderland at Pembroke Dock during another family holiday.
Not in the air, but the Princess flying boat (OK, not "war") on a slip at Cowes(?) when I was on holiday with my parents, and the Sunderland at Pembroke Dock during another family holiday.
Edited by gareth_r on Sunday 18th December 20:25
As a kid living in the Wye Valley, we always had a selection of A10's, Hercules and Tornados doing fly pasta, often below our house.
We had Vulcan doing a fantastic display in front of our house as well about 3 years ago.
In South Africa on holiday I flew in an ex SA Airforce Harvard from Stellenbosch. That was incredible - cockpit open flying over the top of Table Mountain.
Finally, and the best memory, I won a day with the Vulcan restoration team at Southend Airport, and sat in the right hand seat for a full power run on the engines. Pushing the throttles "through the gate", the noise, the smell and the infectious enthusiasm of the whole team who worked on her. An amazing day.
I love aircraft, and have a large selection of I/c remote control planes which I built and flew when I was younger. Pitts Special, CAP 232, Giant Zlin, and my favourite...a lovely Sopwith Pup, to mention just a few.
We had Vulcan doing a fantastic display in front of our house as well about 3 years ago.
In South Africa on holiday I flew in an ex SA Airforce Harvard from Stellenbosch. That was incredible - cockpit open flying over the top of Table Mountain.
Finally, and the best memory, I won a day with the Vulcan restoration team at Southend Airport, and sat in the right hand seat for a full power run on the engines. Pushing the throttles "through the gate", the noise, the smell and the infectious enthusiasm of the whole team who worked on her. An amazing day.
I love aircraft, and have a large selection of I/c remote control planes which I built and flew when I was younger. Pitts Special, CAP 232, Giant Zlin, and my favourite...a lovely Sopwith Pup, to mention just a few.
kev b said:
Small world, my neighbour was a bomb aimer on Lancasters, flew fifty ops from Strubby, he opened up about it in his last few years, sobering stories, the huts he lived in are still there I think, next to the kart track.
Still there! The aquarium and gliding club are making good use of the airfield, and there's a lovely memorial next to the huts as well.Living around there I'm very lucky to get regular "displays" from the BBMF and Typhoons, the clipped-wing Spitfire did a few circuits over our house in the summer, much lower than I'd been expecting, presumably while waiting for clearance back into Coningsby. Fabulous stuff.
Edited by Krikkit on Tuesday 20th December 15:59
Krikkit said:
Still there! The aquarium and gliding club are making good use of the airfield, and there's a lovely memorial next to the huts as well.
Living around there I'm very lucky to get regular "displays" from the BBMF and Typhoons, the clipped-wing Spitfire did a few circuits over our house in the summer, much lower than I'd been expecting, presumably while waiting for clearance back into Coningsby. Fabulous stuff.
Totally O/TLiving around there I'm very lucky to get regular "displays" from the BBMF and Typhoons, the clipped-wing Spitfire did a few circuits over our house in the summer, much lower than I'd been expecting, presumably while waiting for clearance back into Coningsby. Fabulous stuff.
Edited by Krikkit on Tuesday 20th December 15:59
Can I pm you for some advice?
It's a close one for me, but it's either:
When the two Lancs flew directly over my parents house on their way to Southend Airport for a stopover. It's incredibly rare to see one flying, never mind both together particularly as their national tour was very short. I consider myself extremely lucky to have seen this.
Vulcan XH558 buzzing Vulcan XL426 (again at Southen Airport) on her farewell tour before being grounded. I didn't get a great view as I under-estimated how busy it would be - the roads leading to the airport were bumper to bumper! Again, I consider myself very fortunate to have seen it. A great shame she was grounded and a greater shame that of XH558, XL426 and XM655 none will take to the air again.
When the two Lancs flew directly over my parents house on their way to Southend Airport for a stopover. It's incredibly rare to see one flying, never mind both together particularly as their national tour was very short. I consider myself extremely lucky to have seen this.
Vulcan XH558 buzzing Vulcan XL426 (again at Southen Airport) on her farewell tour before being grounded. I didn't get a great view as I under-estimated how busy it would be - the roads leading to the airport were bumper to bumper! Again, I consider myself very fortunate to have seen it. A great shame she was grounded and a greater shame that of XH558, XL426 and XM655 none will take to the air again.
Going back a bit. But I remember seeing the BofB flight Lancaster together with a Hurricane and Spitfire flying low overhead when I just happened to be admiring NX611 at the main gate at Scampton. Never thought I'd ever see two Lancaster simultaneously again, much less that NX611 might fly again.
While technically the not a war bird, the Chinook that just flew over my building sounded (and looked) immense! Felt like a subwoofer on speed. Whole place vibrated to the tune of the blades spinning. Felt in my chest for a second too! God only knows what one of them on a battlefield must feel like..
Wonder what it was doing so low round here? (anfield area of L/pool)
Wonder what it was doing so low round here? (anfield area of L/pool)
Talking of Chinook's I heard the rotors of a helicopter above my parents house a few years back, look out the window and see a trio of Chinook's passing overhead, one having a Land Rover swinging from below it. Rather surreal to watch the Land Rover gently swinging in the breeze but also quite cool.
I regularly cycle past RAF Odiham and occasionally get to see some underslung load training. Land Rovers, field guns, GS trailers, and even 20 foot ISO containers have been seen sedately floating through the air beneath a Wokka Wokka just over the fence inside the airfield. I've even been known to alter my route onto a small lane peppered with potholes and gravel to get a better look. Best one was three of the beasts flying circuits and dropping one load/retrieving another on repeat.
Plus they often fly low over my house at night, on their way to and from base. I swear they're just lazy navigators, following the M3 home...
Plus they often fly low over my house at night, on their way to and from base. I swear they're just lazy navigators, following the M3 home...
I've seen a few when I'm not expecting too!
1. Had just arrived at a relatives house in Brighton and was buzzed by the TFC Mustang, Bearcat, Hellcat & Corsair- inbound to Shoreham for the show!
2. Was overflown at low altitude by the Mid Air Squadron Canberra and a pair of Hunters on route to Goodwood, something that will stay with me for a while that's for sure!
3. Had the Vulcan fly relatively low over the house on her way to Yeovilton, stunning sight!
1. Had just arrived at a relatives house in Brighton and was buzzed by the TFC Mustang, Bearcat, Hellcat & Corsair- inbound to Shoreham for the show!
2. Was overflown at low altitude by the Mid Air Squadron Canberra and a pair of Hunters on route to Goodwood, something that will stay with me for a while that's for sure!
3. Had the Vulcan fly relatively low over the house on her way to Yeovilton, stunning sight!
Was at a birthday party for my nephew at a park near Peterborough a couple of years ago. Out of the clear blue sky came an almighty roar. 2, yes 2! Lancaster's in formation, and at low level (1000-1500ft)!!! Couldn't get to my camera quickly enough, but the spectacle is etched in my brain, I will never forget it.
Crossing Death Valley, 2014: Only car for miles around. Crested a hill just as a Hornet was flying up said hill in opposite direction at zero feet IFR'ing. Flashed my lights like mad in excited kid mode to then see the pilot jink and put the aircraft on its side and wave at us as he came abeam. Oh yes, you could feel the noise........
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