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Airshows UK 2017 - Who's going?

Brettafett

One Too Many
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1,339
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UK
Hello everyone,

Is anyone attending any of the Airshows in the UK this season?

Personally, I will be at Air Tatoo at Biggin Hill and my favourite, Duxford Flying Legends.
(possibly also one of the later, Autumn shows, but not sure yet).

If anyone is going to any of these, pm me, it would nice to meet a fellow lounger face to face for a friendly ‘hello’.
 

rocketeer

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,605
Location
England
Would be nice to make the autumn show, they usually stick a couple of 50s Jets up. Can't commit though as maybe working. Flying Legends, great show but too crowded, especially if it's warm(Though this maybe advance ticket only?)
 

aswatland

My Mail is Forwarded Here
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3,338
Location
Kent, England
They no longer have the Autumn air show at Duxford. The September one is the last DX airshow of their season. I'm going to this one, Legends and Biggin Hill for their centenary air show.
 

Cooper A-2

Practically Family
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926
Location
France
Going to the coming Duxford show.
Looking forward to meet all V-Hilts "wearers" plus all others of course.
See you there
 

bn1966

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3,087
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UK
Went to last months show at Duxford..lovely hot, sunny weather & the jets were awesome.
Hoping to meet up with Loungers at the ELC Autumn 'POP UP SHOP' in Shoreditch (have booked time off work).
 

rocketeer

Call Me a Cab
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2,605
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England
I didn't realise there was no autumn show. Thanks for that Andrew :)
Got to keep September clear for The Goodwood Revival, it's the best annual event, bar none.
Yes maybe but it is one of the most expensive events as well, probably to keep the day trippers with the kids out. Those day trippers may be enthusiasts but there are plenty of other so called 'Vintage' events for them.

Going to the coming Duxford show.
Looking forward to meet all V-Hilts "wearers" plus all others of course.
See you there
I may be sneaking a look to see if there are any "I'm Spartacus" moments:p Ok, "I'm Hilts"

Went to last months show at Duxford..lovely hot, sunny weather & the jets were awesome.
Hoping to meet up with Loungers at the ELC Autumn 'POP UP SHOP' in Shoreditch (have booked time off work).
Coming from the southbound M11 I saw this advertised as Advanced Tickets only. Was that a particular gate or all over? What jets did they fly please, Sabre, Mig etc?
Autumn pop up! Nice to have another look through their stuff.
 

Stand By

One Too Many
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1,741
Location
Canada
Alas, I won't be going this year. It's a real shame but other plans were made ... But do enjoy it! It's always a grand day out and it'd be a real boon to be able to meet other Floungers in person for once. I'd suggest a secondary rendezvous at the Spitfire Ale lorry that's usually there - instead of a virtual bar, a real one! That'd be so good.
And do enjoy it as, one day, I fear this nonsense (see link below) will one day gain enough traction to curtail the events even more than they have after the Shoreham disaster. The article is from 9 months ago when the Toronto Air Show was just kicking off. I'm very glad I lucked out and scored a VIP ticket for it and it was surprisingly very good for that, but there are no ground/flight enthusiast vendors to be had though; Which is partly what makes RAF Duxford -- and other UK air shows -- so fantastic, but Duxford especially as the ELC QM tent is uniquely there and it's a very special opportunity to see so many jackets together and to see and feel the materials and hides and try them all on!
Here's your article. You may need a drink afterwards. And yes, the journalist is being completely serious:
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/com...-traumatic-for-newcomers-who-escaped-war.html
 
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Brettafett

One Too Many
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1,339
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UK
I will be at Legends Duxford, meeting up with other VLJ members at 11.30 outside the ELC marquee. Also Reenacting RAF at Biggin Hill 19th and 20th August.
OK, cool. Anyone going to Legends, if you want, lets meet as above. Looking forward...
 

bn1966

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UK
I didn't realise there was no autumn show. Thanks for that Andrew :)

Yes maybe but it is one of the most expensive events as well, probably to keep the day trippers with the kids out. Those day trippers may be enthusiasts but there are plenty of other so called 'Vintage' events for them.


I may be sneaking a look to see if there are any "I'm Spartacus" moments:p Ok, "I'm Hilts"


Coming from the southbound M11 I saw this advertised as Advanced Tickets only. Was that a particular gate or all over? What jets did they fly please, Sabre, Mig etc?
Autumn pop up! Nice to have another look through their stuff.

I don't know whether it was a particular gate or all over. Saw a couple of French Air-Force Jets & the graceful Mig :)
 

Justhandguns

Practically Family
Messages
779
Location
London
Will only be at the AirTattoo this year, not sure if I will be going to Duxford this year. Hopefully the weather will be fine.
 

rocketeer

Call Me a Cab
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2,605
Location
England
Yes maybe but it is one of the most expensive events as well, probably to keep the day trippers with the kids out. Those day trippers may be enthusiasts but there are plenty of other so called 'Vintage' events for them.
Goodwood Revival.
Re my earlier post above. Please take that in a sarcastic attitude, I think it should be cheaper to allow everybody to be able to afford these kind of shows. After all, it is the man in the street that usually has more enthusiasm and support for these events rather than those who go just to be seen.
 

bn1966

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UK
Goodwood Revival.
Re my earlier post above. Please take that in a sarcastic attitude, I think it should be cheaper to allow everybody to be able to afford these kind of shows. After all, it is the man in the street that usually has more enthusiasm and support for these events rather than those who go just to be seen.

Planning on putting my pennies into the Goodwood Revival next year rather than Duxford. I Fancy a change :)
 

rocketeer

Call Me a Cab
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2,605
Location
England
Planning on putting my pennies into the Goodwood Revival next year rather than Duxford. I Fancy a change :)
Not been myself but I know those who have. Expensive as I said but there are loads of motoring personalities to cadge an autograph from. Do you go to the Beaulieu Autojumble the week before by any chance? Another place to meet a lot of old motor racing folk and the like. Cant remember the guys name but I met an old driver whom was friends with Mike Hawthorn and also drove in the 1955 Le Mans where he witness the immediate aftermath of the Mercedes crash that year. he just looked like a little old man but we stood chatting for around an hour.
I usually have a stall and if you are interested in an exhibiter wristband give me a shout, I have 3 for sale.
Cheers, J.
 

Stand By

One Too Many
Messages
1,741
Location
Canada
Goodwood Revival.
Re my earlier post above. Please take that in a sarcastic attitude, I think it should be cheaper to allow everybody to be able to afford these kind of shows. After all, it is the man in the street that usually has more enthusiasm and support for these events rather than those who go just to be seen.

Supporting these events (whichever one chooses) is so important - and I never realized how much time and money and effort (much volunteered) goes into organizing the air show at RAF Duxford until I was kindly given a copy of a DVD of the Gathering of Wings, namely the largest display of P-51 Mustangs assembled there - and I put it on just expecting to see the planes, but was surprised and amazed by the time, organization and logistics that went into making it happen. The costs of the insurance were considerable then - goodness knows what they'll be after the Shoreham crash. So the costs at the gate make more sense to me having watched it and I think it's still good value for money. It's a superb DVD.
And I notice that RAF Waddington, formerly the largest air show in the UK, won't be held this year and not again for the foreseeable future. A big loss.
Sure, it may sting to go, especially with the costs of driving there (if I'm around, I go from either Sheffield or Northampton - a good drive either way) plus eating out en route and there, but there's so much to see; the Land Warfare Museum and the 8th AF Museum and the exhibits and the ground vendors (great finds to be had with models and stuff) then there's the flying display and the ELC tent! I'm sorry not to be able to go this year.
 
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rocketeer

Call Me a Cab
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2,605
Location
England
As an ordinary family man(is/was, they are all grown up now) I think Duxford is reasonably priced, or was, I have not been for years. On ordinary non event Sundays, our newspapers would give promotional vouchers for free entry and they would put up a couple of aircraft, usually something everyone was familiar with, Spitfire, B17 and another they needed to test. A bit of a mini airshow. No stalls but a great day out.
I remember when they debuted the ME 109. Not sure where it had taken off from but the first we saw of it was from behind the crowds, a low pass and I think everyone clapped, then performed a great show with a few acrobatics.
I don't think that over the crowd low pass would be allowed these days, and a few months later also at Duxford, the aircraft was performing a standard pass but as she flew over the M11 carriageway, lost power and crashed in a field.
I do believe the Messerschmidt was rebuilt but personally new saw it fly again.
Yes lots of effort put in, mostly by volunteers. Though I hope they have improved the food, over priced burgers wagons and awful food in the canteen was one area improvements needed to be made. And now they charge an extra £5 for parking where that used to be included in the price :( But at least under 16s can now go free where as it was up to 5 when I last went. Hmmmm thinks......Thats where the parking fee comes in I suppose.
 

Justhandguns

Practically Family
Messages
779
Location
London
I drove past the Tank Museum on the way to the coast, which so happened to be hosting the Tankfest for the weekend. Anyone been to their show days? They also have the Tiger day as well!? Would like to visit there next year for a change. As for land show, I've been to the War and Peace show (now is called W&P revival of some sort?), I remember someone wearing a B3 on a 20deg day! Crazy! Told me that it is an ELC...... And I spotted a few A-2 wearers as well that year.
 

Stand By

One Too Many
Messages
1,741
Location
Canada
I drove past the Tank Museum on the way to the coast, which so happened to be hosting the Tankfest for the weekend. Anyone been to their show days? They also have the Tiger day as well!? Would like to visit there next year for a change. As for land show, I've been to the War and Peace show (now is called W&P revival of some sort?), I remember someone wearing a B3 on a 20deg day! Crazy! Told me that it is an ELC...... And I spotted a few A-2 wearers as well that year.

A good jacket would be a good idea for the Land Warfare Museum - I was in there one September for the Duxford air show and, crikey, it was distinctly cool in there! A B-3 over a t-shirt would've been fine. Must've been all the cast metal drawing whatever warmth there was ... It was early morning and I just couldn't get warm, clutching my expensive tea to warm my hands!
Then it warmed up later - and then the thunderstorms rolled by which stopped the show for about 2 hours, and the wind and rain was really something! By that time I was in the ELC tent and was stranded there whilst the rain lashed down! Just one other person in there along with Gary - for a full hour until the rain suddenly stopped and the sun came out! Terrible! ;-)
 

rocketeer

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,605
Location
England
As for land show, I've been to the War and Peace show (now is called W&P revival of some sort?), I remember someone wearing a B3 on a 20deg day! Crazy! Told me that it is an ELC...... And I spotted a few A-2 wearers as well that year.
Went loads of times in the past. It is called War and Peace Revival due to a few years back the show moved from it's long time home of Beltring Hop Farm to Folkestone (racecourseI think). I don't think it was that successful in that location and returned this year to the Hop Farm.
Yes you get all sorts here for your entertainment. I don't usually see much of the show as looking around the stalls I find so many old mates to chat too. I don't spend a lot either.
Masses of old stuff to look at from rotten old B3s to mint WWII Irvins, most at extortionate prices, especially the rotting American sheepskins, though I am sure someone will chip in saying it's all fairly priced.
A lot of posers strutting about in full kit(some are mates of mine haha) and a few wearing the old original A2s with combat trousers(me) and other non conforming bits of kit for the traditionalists to show their expertise to.
Here's me at Belting War & Peace around 15 years ago with Bruce Cromptons Hetzer and collection.
DSCF0069.jpg
 
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