There I was sitting in the shade of an umbrella sweating my cods off thinking its to damn hot to take pictures when over my head at 1000ft approx pas nine Tornado's in perfect diamond formation with a loan Canberra tagged on as a tail, Damn, Blast Buggeration................................... On way back from queen's party I assume:-((
This formation passed over my place at Lincoln and seemed to be heading for Scampton. At this time there were several formations of Tornadoes plus one of the AWACS, and the Canberra was escorted by two Hawks from the Red Arrows, which of course are based at Scampton. I believe more aircraft were involved as I heard at least four formations go over before I decided to look out.
Indeed it was - my camera stayed in my bag, and Geoff and I left at 2pm to seek some shade and cold liquids at home.
I wonder if that might have been for the benefit of Clophill Fete (which IIRC is about now each year)? Interesting to see the Canberra[1] too - obviously Wyton hasn't retired its PR9s (?) yet. They must be about the oldest[2] aircraft flying with the RAF by now, I'd think.
ObSE: I did like the sound of the big Fairbanks Morse Z with the long unsilenced exhaust. The Wolseley a few spaces along from your Lister seemed to be making some rather odd metallic noises...
[1]there are a few privately-preserved Canberras about, but IIRC the MoD aren't all that keen on mixed military/civil-registered formations.
[2]apart from the BBMF.
I thought the BBMF was RAF. The Red Arrows have performed a flypast with Concorde in the past as well. Presumably they regard Concorde pilots to be professionals. Also, as Concorde was leading the formation and could not actually see the Red Arrows, the pilot only had to maintain an agreed course and speed while the Red Arrows did the difficult bit. Sigh, Concorde, RIP.
It is indeed. I was thinking of a time, many years ago, when I watched what may, thinking about it, have been an impromptu joint military/civil-registered flypast at an air show - I was later given to understand that there were Questions Asked in various High Places about it. Rules may well have changed since then.
I'd imagine that quite a few of the skills needed to fly a Concorde would be similar to those needed for military fast-jet flying, and thus the respective pilots would be more comfortable flying in formation with each other.
Pretty much the only way to do it, I'd think. I imagine that formation was specially authorised and practised, too.
A tragedy, indeed. Let's hope the Vulcan project will overcome all the hurdles and that that aircraft will fly again; at least we'll see (and hear) Olympus engines in the air again, even if not on Concorde.
True; I'd guess that the Spit and Hurricane pilots, whether from a military or civil background, would have been ones with many hours on type, and plenty of formation experience.
Only one slight problem Andrew, Wyton has not had aircraft for many a year, all Canberra's left live a Marham in Norfolk, unless they have been moved again, and are to be decommissioned by the end of the year.
At the time you wondered by I had other visitors, I half expected you to come back. The Wolesley just up from me didn't run at all today. I think I am going to have to remove a flywheel from my L and clear the oilways in one of the mains as it appears to have started coming out of the crank.
Thanks for the update. I haven't been keeping up to date with RAF station closures and moving-around of aircraft - it's around a dozen years since my interest moved more in the direction of stationary engines, old vehicles and hot fog machines (both road and rail). I'm sad, but not surprised, that the RAF will be retiring the Canberras. I hope some of them at least go into private ownership and keep flying.
TBH, after a few circuits of the field, I was very close to suffering heat exhaustion, and my brother Geoff wasn't feeling too good either, so we reluctantly decided to go home.
I'm not surprised; by the sound of it, I thought it was about to come to a sudden and noisy stop any minute.
Eek. I trust the bearing(s) will not have suffered. I like big Listers, and it's a pleasure to see and hear them running.
I've been told by those that know its not un-common for them to leak oil there so just another job to go on the list. Today was much cooler and I went around with the camera so will put some pictures up tomorrow hopefully.
Actually most Spit pilots have very few hours on type, they are mostly filthy rich old blokes who spend nearly a million to buy their dream toy. On top of that there are very, very few twin seat Spits in the world on which to do conversion training, the maintenance and especially insurance costs are staggering, and compared to the sort of planes they are used to the Spit is a difficult and dangerous to fly.
The result has been a disproportionate number of accidents, many of them fatal stalls on landing, and a lot being sold on once they have had a play with their toy and realised it has a good chance of either bankrupting or killing them!. Oh and millionaires with RAF backgrounds are rare!, so few have formation experience until they try and do an airshow, hence the very wobbly formations we so often see that don't even attempt a formation turn, they just form up in line with the display and break at the end.
One of the few truly experienced Spit pilots is the legendary Caroline Grace, but even she was almost grounded this season because of the thousands of pounds an hour the insurance companies wanted to charge her, she's only in the air now because the HSBC has agreed to sponsor her for the insurance.
Very true; but I was thinking that those who took part in the Concorde formation would've been more experienced.
Indeed; the Master, or (later) Harvard were used as the best available stepping-stones before the T. VIII was built, IIRC. I think the only one in the UK now is ML407 (Carolyn Grace's a/c.).
Especially after certain recent very-OTT EU[1] aircraft insurance directives.
They're certainly not for the average Spam-Can Driver, that's for sure.
I can think of two UK Spit fatals (EE606 and RM689). Some crash stats are at
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Like hens' teeth, methinks; a number of them get asked to fly other folks' civil-owned warbirds though.
...but at least (to be legal) would have passed their CAA Display Authorisation on type.
I doubt they get much chance to practise, so I'd guess they keep it as simple and safe as they can.
I remember reading in FlyPast not that long ago that the B-17 'Sally B' was in danger of being grounded for the same kind of reason.
Sorry for continuing the OT stuff; I'll shut up now.
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