Your best warbird seen flying?
Discussion
Airshow entries welcome but hoping for spots 'in the wild' as it were. And 'in the wild' to mean when you were not expecting them, not sat on a hill in the mach loop 
Mine would be a couple of years ago when I was driving down the A1 (sunshine and roof down) to Brands Hatch and had the pleasure of the Vulcan going overhead at a couple of hundred feet and climbing gently whilst I was whooping away in the car.
I was also once in a small town in Bulgaria (Yambol, if you're interested) and a jet scared the s
t out me. The noise grew over only a few seconds and I thought there was a good chance it was the end of the world (or at least the end of mine) before two jets went over at what I guess was just below mach speed. The noise was BRUTAL. When I had un-flinched, realised what had happened, and was just about to celebrate still being alive I noticed that nobody else had so much as batted an eyelid.
Mine would be a couple of years ago when I was driving down the A1 (sunshine and roof down) to Brands Hatch and had the pleasure of the Vulcan going overhead at a couple of hundred feet and climbing gently whilst I was whooping away in the car.
I was also once in a small town in Bulgaria (Yambol, if you're interested) and a jet scared the s
t out me. The noise grew over only a few seconds and I thought there was a good chance it was the end of the world (or at least the end of mine) before two jets went over at what I guess was just below mach speed. The noise was BRUTAL. When I had un-flinched, realised what had happened, and was just about to celebrate still being alive I noticed that nobody else had so much as batted an eyelid. A few spring to mind: stuck on the M25 traffic jam, early 90s. Heard a terrefic roar. Looked out towards Berkshire way to see Concorde take off. We happened to be directly behind it. A spot-on view on full afterburners.
Travelling back down the M11 and spotting a Hunter ready to take-off at North Weald. It overtook us, then banked in front of us and away.
Finally, on a a train from Portsmouth to Chichester. Two Tornados GR1 in formation flying past.
Travelling back down the M11 and spotting a Hunter ready to take-off at North Weald. It overtook us, then banked in front of us and away.
Finally, on a a train from Portsmouth to Chichester. Two Tornados GR1 in formation flying past.
A B2 flying remarkably low over us in Afghanistan to deliver support in the way of 500lb JDAMs
Awesome machine. Probably totally unnecessary for the task of dropping munitions onto bad men in sandals.
Always happy to see A10s in the air too, when things were getting loud.
The Pavehawk HH-60s flying PEDRO Para Jumpers were great to see, giving air support and would land anywhere to pick up casualties.
Awesome machine. Probably totally unnecessary for the task of dropping munitions onto bad men in sandals.
Always happy to see A10s in the air too, when things were getting loud.
The Pavehawk HH-60s flying PEDRO Para Jumpers were great to see, giving air support and would land anywhere to pick up casualties.
Being driven along a straight stretch of road in typical flat Texas countryside and two B-52Ds come streaking across the fields at about 500 feet in echelon formation - each streaming 16 trails of dense black smoke.
(and if you think the current B-52Hs are smokey, you should see the trails left by the pure turbojet versions like the D).
Also, filling up a water container at a campsite near Goring on Sea when a Tornado comes belting over the downs at low level, heading out over the Channel.
(and if you think the current B-52Hs are smokey, you should see the trails left by the pure turbojet versions like the D).
Also, filling up a water container at a campsite near Goring on Sea when a Tornado comes belting over the downs at low level, heading out over the Channel.
2 fairly dull ones for me.
One was at the Focus Owner's Club national day in Northamptonshire, heard a noise above, looked up & the Vulcan was transiting above us, think it had been at the Leuchars airshow the day before. First time I'd seen one in flight & totally unexpected.
The other was actually at Leuchars (well the train station) - had been doing stuff for work in St. Andrews and was heading home, probably about 10pm at night, just standing waiting for the train when 2 Tornados took off in formation. 4 massive flame trails heading up into the sky from the afterburners plus all that wonderful noise.
One was at the Focus Owner's Club national day in Northamptonshire, heard a noise above, looked up & the Vulcan was transiting above us, think it had been at the Leuchars airshow the day before. First time I'd seen one in flight & totally unexpected.
The other was actually at Leuchars (well the train station) - had been doing stuff for work in St. Andrews and was heading home, probably about 10pm at night, just standing waiting for the train when 2 Tornados took off in formation. 4 massive flame trails heading up into the sky from the afterburners plus all that wonderful noise.
I was at my parents house when the BBMF Lancaster flew around in a circle a couple of times at low altitude for a celebration at the golf club. Their garden was inside the circle so we had a great view.
http://www.leightonbuzzardonline.co.uk/news/leight...
http://www.leightonbuzzardonline.co.uk/news/leight...
I was in the Farnborough Gliding Club in the early 90's (before it became a commercial airport) and we'd have control of the airfield most of the weekend, with the tower taking it back if they had a movement.
There'd been an airshow somewhere and I got a call from something asking what we had in the air, and as we had gliders up he said he'd divert round us. A few minutes later we saw a Nimrod cruise past. Then I got another call at the time had nothing in the air so he decided to come straight over the airfield. We saw an approaching cloud of smoke with a spotlight at it's center, then started to hear the roar of something quite powerful, and a Vulcan came over pretty low (3000' ceiling over Farnborough at the time and he was a lot lower than that). Turned out it was on it's way back from its last airshow before retirement, and was only scheduled do one more flight to it's final resting place. If they hadn't restored 558 we'd have been among the last people to see one fly, and as it was I'd never seen one flying before and I loved it.
Best for airshows had to be the Canadian Lancaster visit the other year, we went to Wings and Wheels specifically to see them both flying and it was a fantastic sight and sound. My grandfather was a tail gunner in Lancasters so they're always a bit special to me.
There'd been an airshow somewhere and I got a call from something asking what we had in the air, and as we had gliders up he said he'd divert round us. A few minutes later we saw a Nimrod cruise past. Then I got another call at the time had nothing in the air so he decided to come straight over the airfield. We saw an approaching cloud of smoke with a spotlight at it's center, then started to hear the roar of something quite powerful, and a Vulcan came over pretty low (3000' ceiling over Farnborough at the time and he was a lot lower than that). Turned out it was on it's way back from its last airshow before retirement, and was only scheduled do one more flight to it's final resting place. If they hadn't restored 558 we'd have been among the last people to see one fly, and as it was I'd never seen one flying before and I loved it.
Best for airshows had to be the Canadian Lancaster visit the other year, we went to Wings and Wheels specifically to see them both flying and it was a fantastic sight and sound. My grandfather was a tail gunner in Lancasters so they're always a bit special to me.
Early 80s and my family had just moved to the Midlands. My mum used to drive us down the old A41 towards Banbury and then to Oxford where her sisters lived. On one trip a pair of A10s came over the car at really low level, following the road. Fantastic for a 13 year old boy!
More recently an A400M which flew over us at very low level while I was taking the kids to school. It was a surprise as we get very few military aircraft over us due to the proximity of Birmingham Airport.
More recently an A400M which flew over us at very low level while I was taking the kids to school. It was a surprise as we get very few military aircraft over us due to the proximity of Birmingham Airport.
My only recollection of anything that wasn't expected was on the M6 not far from Tebay. I'd been to Middlesbrough to install something, on my way back, minding my own business driving south when one (or maybe two, it was years ago) jets appeared to fly up from the valley to my left and off somewhere. Was exciting to see, more so because it was a surprise.
A couple of summers ago, after chasing the Canadian Lancaster half way around the country, I was enjoying a day off in the garden when it flew right over the house
I didn't know at the time but a couple of minutes later, they had the engine problem which grounded them at Durham Tees Valley for nearly a week.
I didn't know at the time but a couple of minutes later, they had the engine problem which grounded them at Durham Tees Valley for nearly a week.
A few surprise sightings;
At school in Brentwood when I saw Sally-B at a distance at what appeared to be near treetop height
Driving up the M1 in the late 80s and had 2 A-10s overfly at powerline height (at the time i swore they were beneath the wires, but time and sense now refutes that)
Flyby at Wethersfield airshow of a Blackbird, then an F-15 taking off at full throttle, then headed straight up on full afterburn
At school in Brentwood when I saw Sally-B at a distance at what appeared to be near treetop height
Driving up the M1 in the late 80s and had 2 A-10s overfly at powerline height (at the time i swore they were beneath the wires, but time and sense now refutes that)
Flyby at Wethersfield airshow of a Blackbird, then an F-15 taking off at full throttle, then headed straight up on full afterburn
Not a warbird, but will never forget two B-2s flying pretty low directly over my house in Hilperton (Wiltshire) last June. As a bonus they came back over in the evening.
We're not short of heavy stuff here (living next to Keevil, often have C-17s circling overhead for hours on a clear evening), but even my wife jumped straight up to see what it was when the B-2s came over.
We're not short of heavy stuff here (living next to Keevil, often have C-17s circling overhead for hours on a clear evening), but even my wife jumped straight up to see what it was when the B-2s came over.
Which reminds me;
Returning to Manston one winter afternoon in mid 80s in a B200 King Air ATC Advised "you are number 2 behind the PBY" Pilot gave me a did I hear that? look as I had the other pair of headphones on and I nodded.
"alpha tango repeat traffic?"
"PBY err Catalina"
Followed it in and parked up beside it.
ISTR that it was a delivery flight as someone in the UK had bought it.
Returning to Manston one winter afternoon in mid 80s in a B200 King Air ATC Advised "you are number 2 behind the PBY" Pilot gave me a did I hear that? look as I had the other pair of headphones on and I nodded.
"alpha tango repeat traffic?"
"PBY err Catalina"
Followed it in and parked up beside it.
ISTR that it was a delivery flight as someone in the UK had bought it.
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