Duxford BoB Sat/Sun

[Kevin Farnell]

How'd it go?

We got to within 2miles by 10am, the next mile however took 2hours 30mins so had to give up and turn around

Absolutly shocking traffic. New plan of attack is to attend Sunday waking up early and leaving at 6am to assure enterance!

Lewis, sorry to read of your woes in getting there. If you can make it tomorrow, the show is well worthwhile. The highlight being the 16 Spitfires. I Was stood at the M11 end, just about as far as I could get. The Spits were everywhere and so low overhead. Probably the best display I have ever seen.

Sorry I did not read your post re meeting, prior to going.

No probs, Tony. I posted this quite late last night.

to see 16 Spits going at it all at once, the noise was wonderful

'Noise', Tony? Surely you mean 'Symphony'.

Agreed. As I said above, the 16 Spits were easily the highlight of the show. The Red Arrows having to fly an '8 Ship' formation due to Red 2 going US on route was unusual. Other highlights included a 4 ship Hurricane display, and as Tony says the Belgian F16.

Photos to follow.

Added - the Flightsim show is somewhat if a letdown.

Regards

Kevin

[Paul K]

It really was a great day. I was fortunate in getting there by 9 am, because even then the traffic was starting to build.

Tony, I agree... the Belgian F-16 display was fabulous, and put the Typhoon's routine in the shade somewhat.

Four Hurricanes in formation, then the breathtaking 16 Spitfires in two opposing tail chases of 8 and 6 aircraft respectively, while the remaining 2 performed imperious loops above it all. No part of the sky was devoid of Spitfire, and the sound! Wonderful ! Add to that the BBMF, Sally B, a missing man formation by Hawks from RAF Valley.

The Red Arrows opened the day, and Patrouille de France provided the finale.

The Flight Simulator exhibition was hugely interesting too, and talking to the people on the Aerosoft, Saitek and Just Flight stands, i got the impression that they had found it worthwhile. Hopefully that aspect of the September Duxford airshow will expand. The buggers certainly managed to relieve me of £140 pounds, as below:







Before I left, I noticed Hollywood's preparations for a new Battle of Britain movie

[DaveB]

There's one born every minute

Sadly.. I've been 'born' many times at Duxford too

ATB

DaveB

[tonymadge]

16 Spitfires in formation, it don't get better than that

4 Hurricanes in flight, another treat. Pics crap but they give the feel of the experience..

[Tako_Kichi]

I did a paint similar to that camo one for Piglet's Super Tucano over a year ago. It sure looks good on her.

[Garry Russell]

RAF wasting more money on silly paint schemes

[Paul K]

I did a paint similar to that camo one for Piglet's Super Tucano over a year ago. It sure looks good on her.

No it doesn't.

[tonymadge]

Whilst at Duxford yeaterday I spent a while mooching around the model kits that were on sale at various stalls.
A couple took my eye a 1/24th Spit for £45 with 25% off!! Also a Nova (ex frog) 1/96 Comet 4 in BOAC colours for £15
TSR2 £30 I looked high and low for a VC-10 but no luck as they are going for crazy money on eBay plus if you have a Frog VC-10 with lights £100 plus is the norm!!!

I did see the flightsim show which was sadly tucked away in a dark and dingy corner between a Shackelton and Victor both looking like they needed a lot of new paint. Only a few stalls and not really cheap prices. FSX still looked as fluid as a thick turd rattling around in a china tea cup!

It's a shame that FS seems to lack the ability to promote itself with a good laid out show that caters for everyone and not just the geeks
That should get me flamed, but I guess whilst there were 16 Spits doing their stuff the joysticks were fully manned at the FS show, which is a bit sad. What would have been sadder is that I am wrong and the place was empty hence missing a chance to fill my backpack

[Paul K]

I think the FS show was rather good for everyone. Yes it catered for the geeks ( and some would regard any flight simmer is a geek by definition anyway ), but it gave a lot of other people their first good look at what's available, and what's possible. Not only that, it was great to be able to have hands-on experience of all the cockpit hardware peripherals, such as the latest sticks, yokes, rudder pedals, radio panels and whatnot. Its all very well looking at them on web sites, but you just don't know whether any of them will suit you until you test-drive them, and this show provided that opportunity.

Not perfect of course: Saitek should have had their new non-moving X65-F stick actually linked up to a running sim, rather than it just sitting there doing nothing. A lot of people are unsure about the pressure sensing technology and considering its price, there would have been a chance to try it out before parting with the money.

Not only that, they seem to have only brought two X52 Pros with them ( one of which was nabbed by me ). Only two available to purchase over a two-day show, only one of them left by 9 am on the first day ? The Saitek guy said ' I seem to have underestimated demand'. Yes...quite.

All in all however, it was a 'child in a sweetshop' experience, and I hope it becomes a regular and larger feature of Duxford's airshows. Talking to some of the vendors, such as Just Flight and Aerosoft, the trip had been commercially well worth while.

[tonymadge]

I see your point but if this was placed in a nice light area and not hidden away like some naughty internet hobby, add some good advertising and striking stands, not a few benches like at a carboot sale, Identify areas where newbees can come look play and ask. This would have been very good, as for poor stock well that shows the Saitek guys thoughts on the show, it was a p1ss poor event when you compare it to the Airfix tent where young and old could sit together and build kits, that way getting the kid's and dad's all interested and lifetime future members of kit building.
FS should be open up front and not hide away in the dark corner .. rant over