Your best warbird seen flying?

[Le TVR]

Eric Mc said:

Still must be the absolute noisiest thing I've ever heard.

Speaking of which, does anyone remember the Belgian display pair of Starfighters?

I have vivid memories of them arriving from behind the crowdline at treetop height with the thrust levers firewalled.

Scared the crap out of me as a young kid!

[SydneyBridge]

Sure when I was a kid, I saw a sr-71 blackbird flying high over cornwall

[Eric Mc]

Le TVR said:

Eric Mc said:

Still must be the absolute noisiest thing I've ever heard.

Speaking of which, does anyone remember the Belgian display pair of Starfighters?

I have vivid memories of them arriving from behind the crowdline at treetop height with the thrust levers firewalled.

Scared the crap out of me as a young kid!

Saw many Starfighters display over many years. NOTHING can touch the Tu22M for noise - not even the B1B (which is pretty noisy).

The only flying object that would be noisier than the Tupolev would be a Saturn V or Space Shuttle at lift off.

[IforB]

My favourite spotting in the wild was many years ago when I was flying freight in the mighty Shorts 3-60. We were cruising along at FL100 when we got a call from ATC that we would see traffic crossing at just above our level. This was a bit unusual as we had TCAS so didn't really need warning, but I looked up and there was a 4 ship formation of F15E's 500ft above us and slowly crossing our path.

It was quite a sight to see them in the air at relatively close range.

[aeropilot]

Le TVR said:

Eric Mc said:

Still must be the absolute noisiest thing I've ever heard.

Speaking of which, does anyone remember the Belgian display pair of Starfighters?

The Slivers.

They were quite mental. The funny thing was the two pilots couldn't have been more different, one was tall and lanky, the other short and stocky.
Their routine certainly wouldn't be allowed today.

[the pips]

I used to live fairly close to Boscombe Down and we'd frequently see a Harrier fly over the estate. He'd do a slow pass and although I couldn't swear to it but I'm sure he was VIFFing before doing a quick wing waggle and shoot off. We later heard that the pilot was renting a house in the estate we lived on and was letting his wife know he'd be home soon! Urban myth? Quite possibly but still a good story

[Trevatanus]

Another I had forgotten.
Later summer afternoon IIRC 2006.
Driving to Farnborough to pick up a security pass as I was working at the Air Show the following.
Top down on the car, heard an almighty racket. Looked up.
An F22 flanked by a pair of F15's en route to do it's display verification for the Air Show.
The other good memory was seeing a Luftwaffe Eurofighter being escorted in Farnborough in 2000 by an F4.
Saw the smoke well before the Aircraft.

[karma mechanic]

Best surprise one was when I was at school. It was a break and we were in the playground, the school building was one side and trees the other. As if from nowhere a Vulcan came over extremely low. There was almost no sound preceding it but of course a huge rush of sound pressing down on us as it passed. The odd thing was what it had underneath - a very large extra engine. I found out later this was an Olympus intended for Concorde, they were testing that in flight.

Best anticipated one was near RAF Henlow. There was an event on, but I'd cycled over there without the money to get in. I stopped on the road next to the field just as a Lightning came along low, it switched to full climb with afterburners just as it passed over me. Now that's a noise...

[aeropilot]

karma mechanic said:

Best surprise one was when I was at school. It was a break and we were in the playground, the school building was one side and trees the other. As if from nowhere a Vulcan came over extremely low. There was almost no sound preceding it but of course a huge rush of sound pressing down on us as it passed. The odd thing was what it had underneath - a very large extra engine. I found out later this was an Olympus intended for Concorde, they were testing that in flight.

Vulcan B.1 XA903

This was the last B.1 Vulcan flying, being kept flying purely as a test bed for the Concorde engine development between 1966 and the end of Concorde engine testing in 1971. The underbelly nacelle for the test engine on XA903 was then modified to take the RB.199 test engines for the then new MRCA project (what became the Tornado) and XA903 continued to fly RB.199 engine testing up until 1979, when she was grounded, making the final of a Vulcan B.1.

The cockpit section still exists as a display piece in a collection.

[Eric Mc]

I remember seeing XA903 parked away under the trees at Farnborough in 1978.

[Matt Harper]

Nine-O-Nine at Sebring International Raceway March 2005 - got to fly in her too. Best $400 for 30mins I ever spent. Just incredible - can't imagine what it must have been like over Nazi occupied Europe back then - but a highly emotional experience for me.

[aeropilot]

Matt Harper said:

Nine-O-Nine at Sebring International Raceway March 2005 - got to fly in her too. Best $400 for 30mins I ever spent. Just incredible - can't imagine what it must have been like over Nazi occupied Europe back then - but a highly emotional experience for me.

I flew in 909 back in 2007 out of NAS Moffat in California, she's a lovely sedate old lady indeed.
Also had a trip in their B-25 as well the same day......that's not so sedate, and a bit of a hot-rod

[Wobbegong]

Toss up between a Hercules flying low over a dam in Wales and seeing the Vulcan enroute to fly over Popham airfield.

With the Herc I was 8 years old and stood on a bridge/ dam and watched it descend and pass straight over me can't remember the location, but I bought an Airfix Herc the next day I think it is the moment that fueled my love for aviation so a very special memory, although nothing special for others and certainly not an out the ordinary event.

The Vulcan was incredible. I had traced the route throughout the day and thought it might pass by the house. It did it was the first time I'd seen it fly and both that and the sound were awe inspiring.

It shortly arrived at Popham where the video below was taken

https://youtu.be/iIuqseu3Z94

https://youtu.be/aiEojUZ7vc0

Edited by Wobbegong on Thursday 27th October 08:30

[the pips]

Wobbegong said:

Toss up between a Hercules flying low over a dam in Wales and seeing the Vulcan enroute to fly over Popham airfield.

With the Herc I was 8 years old and stood on a bridge/ dam and watched it descend and pass straight over me can't remember the location, but I bought an Airfix Herc the next day I think it is the moment that fueled my love for aviation so a very special memory, although nothing special for others and certainly not an out the ordinary event.

The Vulcan was incredible. I had traced the route throughout the day and thought it might pass by the house. It did it was the first time I'd seen it fly and both that and the sound were awe inspiring.

It shortly arrived at Popham where the video below was taken

https://youtu.be/iIuqseu3Z94

https://youtu.be/aiEojUZ7vc0

Edited by Wobbegong on Thursday 27th October 08:30

We parked up in the Little Chef opposite Popham airfield and had a fabulous view of her as she thundered up the A303. Must of frightened the poo out off thedrivers as it passed over them

[tertius]

I grew up in East Anglia, so there are many to think of: I remember seeing the Vulcans flying operationally and the A10s flying low across the countryside, but a particular favourite although it was a planned event was last year at Henley Royal, when a Tornado flew down the course. I particularly love this because after the event the Regatta issued the following:

[Talksteer]

Since I live in Derby we get fly-pasts occasionally, the best was associated with VE-Day over the course of three days the BBMF Spitfire, Hurricane and Dakota did displays centred over the roundabout next to my house.

Best warbird was the Fleet air arm Sea Fury doing aerobatics over the river in Nottingham. I actually prefer the noise to a Merlin.

[jamesbilluk]

Had the Vulcan XH558 fly right over the house once, nice and low, such a sight to see and sounded fantastic

There is a Spitfire visits Shelsley walsh Hill climb which is always a joy to see and hear, many years ago, we had just finished watching the spitfire, I still had my camera with me, and was very surprised to see this making its way over, very high, this was zoomed in, then heavily cropped from the photograph -

[skirk]

I fondly remember a pair of F4's flying out of MPA in the Falklands doing an ADEX against us on HMS York.........they were very very good APD's.....so low....could see them coming for miles though...you didnt need radar....

[Eric Mc]

skirk said:

I fondly remember a pair of F4's flying out of MPA in the Falklands doing an ADEX against us on HMS York.........they were very very good APD's.....so low....could see them coming for miles though...you didnt need radar....

MPA?
ADEX?
APD?

I do know what an F-4 is

I guess MPA means "Mount Pleasant Airfield".

The others - I haven't a clue.

It's bit like a game this.

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

ADEX = Air Defence Excercise.

No idea about APD though.

Edited by Ginetta G15 Girl on Wednesday 9th November 22:35