Your best warbird seen flying?
Discussion
Best non-air show is a tough one - far too many to single out just one.
There was the sunny day in West London in May 1969 and playing with the lad next door when one of the 2 x Harriers involved in the Daily Mail Transatlantic air-race came screaming in a tight bank, very low over our house, which was on high ground about 2 miles to the south-east of RAF Northolt. Will never forget that, younger lad from next door ran screaming into his house for his Mum.....
Same year, summer holiday at a caravan site near Swanage, and every day we had Vulcans howling very low overhead on their climb out from the Studland Bay bombing ranges. The contents of the caravan used to rattle like crazy.....bloody marvellous it was.
Mind you, a year later, and there was the 16-ship Lightning formation from Wattisham that flew low over our house for the Trooping the Colour flypast - will never forget that sight and sound...
One summer Saturday, mid-90’s, parked car outside house, and as got out heard the unmistakable sound of Merlins, head spinning in all directions expecting to see BBMF beating up nearby RAF Northolt, which back then wasn’t an unusual occurrence, but no, it was BAe’s Mossie doing several beat-ups of Northolt, obviously en-route to/from an air show……fabulous sight, and only time I ever saw the Mossie over this area of London, and only a year or so before it’s loss.
Not a warbird, but in 2003 I was lucky enough to be working on Terminal 5 design in an office right next to the northern runway and got to witness close up all the final commercial flight landings of Concorde, and all the final take-offs as they went out to their final destinations.
Of course, I suppose I must make mention of actually flying in a ‘warbird’ as I reckon that just about qualifies under best non-air show warbird flying
Have had a flight in a B-25J Mitchell and a B-17G Flying Fortress.
There was the sunny day in West London in May 1969 and playing with the lad next door when one of the 2 x Harriers involved in the Daily Mail Transatlantic air-race came screaming in a tight bank, very low over our house, which was on high ground about 2 miles to the south-east of RAF Northolt. Will never forget that, younger lad from next door ran screaming into his house for his Mum.....
Same year, summer holiday at a caravan site near Swanage, and every day we had Vulcans howling very low overhead on their climb out from the Studland Bay bombing ranges. The contents of the caravan used to rattle like crazy.....bloody marvellous it was.
Mind you, a year later, and there was the 16-ship Lightning formation from Wattisham that flew low over our house for the Trooping the Colour flypast - will never forget that sight and sound...
One summer Saturday, mid-90’s, parked car outside house, and as got out heard the unmistakable sound of Merlins, head spinning in all directions expecting to see BBMF beating up nearby RAF Northolt, which back then wasn’t an unusual occurrence, but no, it was BAe’s Mossie doing several beat-ups of Northolt, obviously en-route to/from an air show……fabulous sight, and only time I ever saw the Mossie over this area of London, and only a year or so before it’s loss.
Not a warbird, but in 2003 I was lucky enough to be working on Terminal 5 design in an office right next to the northern runway and got to witness close up all the final commercial flight landings of Concorde, and all the final take-offs as they went out to their final destinations.
Of course, I suppose I must make mention of actually flying in a ‘warbird’ as I reckon that just about qualifies under best non-air show warbird flying
Have had a flight in a B-25J Mitchell and a B-17G Flying Fortress.
Recently? Well, fairly, anyway...
Rafale Ms from the Charles de Gaulle exercising over Castlemartin tank firing range. Wondered what the blazes was going on, but met a couple of the army boys out cycling a couple of days later and asked what had been going on. Joint all arms training exercise with the French was the answer. I was down at the Stackpole estate on a NT working holiday.
A few years previously we'd been camping at Mrs Price's camp site at Llanmadoc on the Gower, and been treated to a pair of F-15s making runs into the firing range at Pembrey from various heights and angles. Much of their returning to formation was done either over our heads or directly in front of us.
Further back? Little pin-pricks in the dusk sky at the head of smoky trails across the sky. It was 1991, and they were B-52s at high level, off to drop tonnes of ordnance on the poor sods in the Iraqi front line units to 'soften them up' for us to go in on the ground.
Further back still? I grew up not too far from that Pembrey firing range. My love of aeroplanes was kick-started when we used to see the grey/green Buccaneers flying down the valleys, actually looking down on them as we picnicked and flew kites on the hills. Also seen (often) were the camouflaged Hawks with the belly cannon pack presumably doing gunnery training. Likely that they were 1TWU Hawks from RAF Brawdy. Best spots from growing up there were the A-10 Thunderbolts 'farting' as they fired at targets within the Pembrey firing range.
Living near Farnborough airport now, we get the odd interesting passer-by during air show season. Spitfires, a Hurricane once, lately a Dakota and a Beech 18, and YAKs occasionally. One spotted on the ground at Blackbushe, and I think a couple operate (or used to) out of Popham. Also there are all sorts of oddities at White Waltham, mostly biplanes, and we occasionally see some of them overhead.
This one probably doesn't count because we were expecting it, but we were camping last year near the Chalke Valley History Festival. Chilling out outside our tent in the next valley over one morning and we were treated to the Corsair (FAA markings) from Duxford giving us a private display. The focus of it's display was the festival site, but near enough all of it's turns onto the display line from our end were made over the field right in front of us. We saw more of the aeroplane during that display than those who were on the festival site, I'm sure.
Rafale Ms from the Charles de Gaulle exercising over Castlemartin tank firing range. Wondered what the blazes was going on, but met a couple of the army boys out cycling a couple of days later and asked what had been going on. Joint all arms training exercise with the French was the answer. I was down at the Stackpole estate on a NT working holiday.
A few years previously we'd been camping at Mrs Price's camp site at Llanmadoc on the Gower, and been treated to a pair of F-15s making runs into the firing range at Pembrey from various heights and angles. Much of their returning to formation was done either over our heads or directly in front of us.
Further back? Little pin-pricks in the dusk sky at the head of smoky trails across the sky. It was 1991, and they were B-52s at high level, off to drop tonnes of ordnance on the poor sods in the Iraqi front line units to 'soften them up' for us to go in on the ground.
Further back still? I grew up not too far from that Pembrey firing range. My love of aeroplanes was kick-started when we used to see the grey/green Buccaneers flying down the valleys, actually looking down on them as we picnicked and flew kites on the hills. Also seen (often) were the camouflaged Hawks with the belly cannon pack presumably doing gunnery training. Likely that they were 1TWU Hawks from RAF Brawdy. Best spots from growing up there were the A-10 Thunderbolts 'farting' as they fired at targets within the Pembrey firing range.
Living near Farnborough airport now, we get the odd interesting passer-by during air show season. Spitfires, a Hurricane once, lately a Dakota and a Beech 18, and YAKs occasionally. One spotted on the ground at Blackbushe, and I think a couple operate (or used to) out of Popham. Also there are all sorts of oddities at White Waltham, mostly biplanes, and we occasionally see some of them overhead.
This one probably doesn't count because we were expecting it, but we were camping last year near the Chalke Valley History Festival. Chilling out outside our tent in the next valley over one morning and we were treated to the Corsair (FAA markings) from Duxford giving us a private display. The focus of it's display was the festival site, but near enough all of it's turns onto the display line from our end were made over the field right in front of us. We saw more of the aeroplane during that display than those who were on the festival site, I'm sure.
Oh it was wild and it was unexpected. 
We expected the first fly through - low, fast and loud.
We did not expect the second fly through - even lower, fast and loud
We certainly didn't expect the third fly through...with one of the F4s in full burner, in wing rock, yugging like mad, and staggering over the top of College Hall.
It was pretty awesome - hats everywhere!
We expected the first fly through - low, fast and loud.
We did not expect the second fly through - even lower, fast and loud
We certainly didn't expect the third fly through...with one of the F4s in full burner, in wing rock, yugging like mad, and staggering over the top of College Hall.
It was pretty awesome - hats everywhere!
Edited by Ginetta G15 Girl on Tuesday 18th October 16:27
Seek, and ye shall find!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3yV7pL1p24
...is this the video of the event being discussed? Certainly a number of hats going AWOL at 1'50".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3yV7pL1p24
...is this the video of the event being discussed? Certainly a number of hats going AWOL at 1'50".
Edited by yellowjack on Tuesday 18th October 16:35
That's the one.
It's not the best angle sadly - the lead jet really did yug to pull over the top of College Hall.
When I did the Flying Authoriser's course that incident was used as an example of how not to do it.
The pilot got taken off F4s and sent to the JP Sqn at Finningley. The Nav (who was the incumbent Wg Cdr Ops for Leuchars and, IIRC who was the Authoriser) got a fairly stiff talking to.
It's not the best angle sadly - the lead jet really did yug to pull over the top of College Hall.
When I did the Flying Authoriser's course that incident was used as an example of how not to do it.
The pilot got taken off F4s and sent to the JP Sqn at Finningley. The Nav (who was the incumbent Wg Cdr Ops for Leuchars and, IIRC who was the Authoriser) got a fairly stiff talking to.
Edited by Ginetta G15 Girl on Tuesday 18th October 17:14
Sometime in 1966 or 67 a very early Harrier paid a visit to the headquarters of BAOR, Rheindhalen. Several hundred officers, other ranks and their families from several countries assembled on the lawn outside 'The Big House' to await its arrival. A gradually increasing roar was heard and then it was hovering overhead, blowing away anything that wasn't securely fastened to the ground: hats, caps, chairs, tables and tents; all were caught by the jet blast and sent flying into the air as people ran away in panic - pity I didn't have a camera.
Gently pottering along Coniston Water in a day boat with our pet beagle sat at the back hoping to get to dry ground soon, he didn't like water a lot our Jack
Then the boat wibbled and the noise happened
Two Buccaneers passed up lake a few yards away (one of them) at wake making height then climbing up to clear the hills at Lake Head
not so much a noise, more of a step change in existence for a few seconds as my senses took it in enough even to get a picture on a film camera, must look that one up some day
Then years later bimbling down to Devon in our Saab 9000 when we heard a loud whirbling noise build up
One of GG15G's buddies flying low along the M5 passed almost exactly overhead and headed down between the hills towards the sea
I know they shouldn't have been flying along the road 'acos of clearance for flying traffic t'other way but I suppose the closeness of the hills down that part of the 5 made it expedient
Or it was GG giving us the finger (
anyway, very low and very good to see
I enjoyed it immensely
Then the boat wibbled and the noise happened
Two Buccaneers passed up lake a few yards away (one of them) at wake making height then climbing up to clear the hills at Lake Head
not so much a noise, more of a step change in existence for a few seconds as my senses took it in enough even to get a picture on a film camera, must look that one up some day
Then years later bimbling down to Devon in our Saab 9000 when we heard a loud whirbling noise build up
One of GG15G's buddies flying low along the M5 passed almost exactly overhead and headed down between the hills towards the sea
I know they shouldn't have been flying along the road 'acos of clearance for flying traffic t'other way but I suppose the closeness of the hills down that part of the 5 made it expedient
Or it was GG giving us the finger
(anyway, very low and very good to see
I enjoyed it immensely
On top of Helvellyn in the Lake District 2 or 3 years ago in the snow one winter. A couple of Hercules appeared in the distance from the north east and passed slowly, dead level with me flying up the valley, heading in the direction of Barrow. The pilots and walkers were waving at one another.
Ginetta G15 Girl said:
the lead jet really did yug to pull over the top of College Hall.
When I did the Flying Authoriser's course that incident was used as an example of how not to do it.
The pilot got taken off F4s and sent to the JP Sqn at Finningley. The Nav (who was the incumbent Wg Cdr Ops for Leuchars and, IIRC who was the Authoriser) got a fairly stiff talking to.
Rumours of 3rd pass at 70 ft on full burner IIRC?When I did the Flying Authoriser's course that incident was used as an example of how not to do it.
The pilot got taken off F4s and sent to the JP Sqn at Finningley. The Nav (who was the incumbent Wg Cdr Ops for Leuchars and, IIRC who was the Authoriser) got a fairly stiff talking to.
Le TVR said:
Ginetta G15 Girl said:
the lead jet really did yug to pull over the top of College Hall.
When I did the Flying Authoriser's course that incident was used as an example of how not to do it.
The pilot got taken off F4s and sent to the JP Sqn at Finningley. The Nav (who was the incumbent Wg Cdr Ops for Leuchars and, IIRC who was the Authoriser) got a fairly stiff talking to.
Rumours of 3rd pass at 70 ft on full burner IIRC?When I did the Flying Authoriser's course that incident was used as an example of how not to do it.
The pilot got taken off F4s and sent to the JP Sqn at Finningley. The Nav (who was the incumbent Wg Cdr Ops for Leuchars and, IIRC who was the Authoriser) got a fairly stiff talking to.
One I'd forgotten about - driving up the M6 in the Carlisle area, glanced in the mirror to see a Hercules turning onto the line of the motorway from the west, flying super low (well, super low for me, probably not for them). It followed the motorway for maybe half a mile to a mile, slowly overtaking us, then banked & climbed to the east.
Dr Jekyll said:
Driving through Cambridgeshire in the late 80s I think, and seeing a formation of 5 B17s pass quite low overhead.
1989 filming of The Memphis Belle.http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/v...
Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff