Airshow Memories

Davidth88

Guys
To save the Flightfest thread a little , thought a thread where we can share some memories may be in order.

Being a ' spotter in the UK in the late 70s/and 80's , my memories are from places like Greenham Common/Mildenhall/Upper Heyford


The RCAF F104's in the display team , having the ' accidental ' sonic boom on one occasion.
The Lightning , going down the flightline at about 100ft then standing on it's tail and going up to 35k ....... just wow

Your chest cavity shaking as the fast jets screamed about.

Before the horrible events in Germany ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramstein_air_show_disaster ) the Red Arrows and other teams appearing from behind the crowd line

Although I am not into choppers , Middle Wallop , having about 80 choppers taking off and basically hiding , you could hear them but not see them , next thing they all appear at once.

Mad stuff .

BeardySi

Highly jealous!

For me, the F14's over Galway Bay when the USS JFK was in town...

Going for a ride in the DC-3 at Baldonnel...

Seeing the Vulcan and B52 together at RIAT in 2009

and (not from an airshow but...) seeing the Spitfire T9 in Irish colours and zoom past my front window unexpectedly for the VE Day celebrations in Chatham dockyard!

Davidth88

Treadhead wrote: »

and (not from an airshow but...) seeing the Spitfire T9 in Irish colours and zoom past my front window unexpectedly for the VE Day celebrations in Chatham dockyard!

I grew up about 2 miles from RAF Northolt. Each year around 15th Sept ( Battle of Britain day ) the BBMF Spitfires used to visit prior to the flightpast.

They used to do a few circuits.

The sound of the engines would bring my Mum to tears , she lived through the Blitz .

Wonderful sounds.

MuffinsDa

Mine is from early 90s (1992 I think), in a country in the middle east, when I was a young college student, woken up from my morning slumber at around 10am by thundering sound of a Hercules flying right over my house. Went up to the rooftop to see an endless number of F14s, F4s, F5s and Mig-29s passing by right over my house at low altitude, as well as 707 tankers, 747 VIP transports and few more Herculi(or Herculeses?!) and various other aircraft .

Turns out it was part of the "armed forces day" parade.

Now who can guess where it was?

Davidth88

MuffinsDa wrote: »

Mine is from early 90s (1992 I think), in a country in the middle east, when I was a young college student, woken up from my morning slumber at around 10am by thundering sound of a Hercules flying right over my house. Went up to the rooftop to see an endless number of F14s, F4s, F5s and Mig-29s passing by right over my house at low altitude, as well as 707 tankers, 747 VIP transports and few more Herculi(or Herculeses?!) and various other aircraft .

Turns out it was part of the "armed forces day" parade.

Now who can guess where it was?

With f14 in peaceful mode.... iran maybe ? Saying that the c130 confuses me ... kuwait after liberation after all the usn were still flying tomcats . Then the migs confuses me !!!!

durandal01

MuffinsDa wrote: »

Mine is from early 90s (1992 I think), in a country in the middle east, when I was a young college student, woken up from my morning slumber at around 10am by thundering sound of a Hercules flying right over my house. Went up to the rooftop to see an endless number of F14s, F4s, F5s and Mig-29s passing by right over my house at low altitude, as well as 707 tankers, 747 VIP transports and few more Herculi(or Herculeses?!) and various other aircraft .

Turns out it was part of the "armed forces day" parade.

Now who can guess where it was?

Tehran and I claim my €5.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_of_the_Iranian_Air_Force
Last time I was there all I saw was a pair of Mig-29s going into Mehrabad and a lone Il-76 at Isfahan. I also saw an F-5 pilot (judging from his grow bag patches) using an ATM in Isfahan.

MuffinsDa

Yep you got it David and durandal!

Davidth88

I am surprised , I didn't know the F14's were still flying in 92 in Iran. I thought the lack of parts and 20 years of the US not trading with Iran would have grounded them

Were the F5's the Iran homegrown ones , or were these not around yet ( not reverting to google yet :-) )

MuffinsDa

Davidth88 wrote: »

I am surprised , I didn't know the F14's were still flying in 92 in Iran. I thought the lack of parts and 20 years of the US not trading with Iran would have grounded them

Were the F5's the Iran homegrown ones , or were these not around yet ( not reverting to google yet :-) )

F-14s are still flying there, there's a good few of them in good working order and AFAIK they even have AIM-54s still working on them.
Here's one from April 2012: http://theaviationist.com/2013/09/04/iranian-f-14-tomcat-camo/#.Ujq1csbIXQA

F5s were the originals. I think they were mostly used as trainers. AFAIK they were pretty crap looking compared to F-14s and F4s.

Stovepipe

the sound from the crowd in Baldonnel when the Red Arrows appeared from behind.......the German Alpha Jet throwing shapes........the G222 doing a barrel-roll........the f16 going vertical and shaking one's chest........having a look inside the Sally B.........lots of memories:-)

regards
Stovepipe

Nforce

Some of my best airshow memories are of the late Oliver "Sammy" Bruton in his Stampe and Arthur Wignall in his Pitts. The IAC Silver Swallows Fouga team always put on a great show. Brian Lecomber in his Dunlop sponsored Pitts was a regular too.
I remember the big hoohaa when the Red Arrows did their first display in the Republic (in 86?) and the last time (prior to last weekend) I saw Sally B was in '88 at Baldonnel. I lament the airshows of old (pre Rammstein) as they truly were spectacular compared to today's PC events.

Aerohead

For me Baldonnel 2000 and after that every Salthill Air Show that I got to see, the German Navy Tornadoes low level across the water, so low pushing the sea ahead of them and then doing a mid air refuel, the Reds at Salthill and the Thunderbirds, the B1 as it screamed overhead on full after burner. I got to see every fast jet that the US and the Brits had at Salthill and of course our own brilliant Silver Swallows, there will never be another free show in this Country like it, sadly missed.

You can still access their website with pictures and video from past shows

link: http://www.salthillairshow.com/2007_index.php

Chicken1

God Aerohead you have brought back some wonderful memories of Salthill, the RAF Harrier display, Reds , Thunderbirds, F15s, F16s, F18s A10s and F14s from the Carrier JFK, the Germans were unreal how low they came down and the noise lovely, anyone remember the Spanish Mirage I was listening in on the scanner and he went on so long the display controller asked him how long more , he replied "I like it here I will keep going" I miss Salthill

islanderre

I used to live close to Galway Airport and well remember the harriers arriving fro the Salthill Airshow; I recall them doing a fly by and me rushing outside to see them go around and line up for the runway.
As some may know, a carpentry and joinery workshop is very close to the 27 end of galways runway and as the harriers came in every car alarm sounded such was the noise from them!!!!!!!

Another time @ salthill; the Thunderbirds I think appeared out of no where to the rear of the crowd.........was amazing the noise and the crowd loved it too.

Happy days them!!!!!!!!

Tenger

I am feeling bad that I missed all those great opportunities in years gone by.....was never able to get to Salthill or Baldonnel.
My only Irish airshow was about 25 years ago in Fermanagh....first time to see a B-17 up close and personal.......always stayed with me. (although growing up in bandit country helicopters were a regular sight!)

I have been lucky enough to see the USAF Thunderbirds display in Chicago 4-5 years ago. On the lake front they put on a hell of display...nice and low over the water. And they did the classic arrival trick of screaming in from all points of the compass behind the crowd. Got to see a sedate but impressive Sea Harrier display this year there too. Am hoping that the Blue Angels will display next year (and that I manage to get there too)

Duffer2010

Living close to Baldonnel as a kid, I relished the build up of aircraft activity in run up to the Air Spectaculars back in the late 80's early 90's. Nothing better than hearing a different engine sound off in the distance and you'd look skyward as a Spitfire & ME 109 formation would descend in. Another memory is a four ship of Harvards flying low over my house in line astern formation, as they headed in for the 87' show-such a sound.
Best fast jet display at Casement in my opinion was the Draken in 93. Basically a missile with wings.
I am really digging deep memory wise on this one, but does anyone remember the Phantom that performed at Fairyhouse? it nearly ripped the roof off the grandstand with the noise

Storm 10

Was that not the F11s seem to remember three of them flying over the stand and everyone ducking and screaming,

tosspot15

I remember some airshow in the late 90's at Baldonnel where they had LOADS of aircraft. Huge military turbo props from lots of different countries that could walk right up to and go inside.

They had lots of jets flying about (the noise of them!). I also think I remember a ferris wheel. It was a really hot sunny day too.

I still have a picture or 2 laying about of a plane that looks like a c130 or something. My memory of the event is vague.

Skyknight

Duffer2010 wrote: »

I am really digging deep memory wise on this one, but does anyone remember the Phantom that performed at Fairyhouse? it nearly ripped the roof off the grandstand with the noise

Yup, bit vague on the date though, '83/4 I think. I distinctly remember a Aéronavale Vought F-8E doing a very nice high speed low-ish pass at Fairyhouse. It is quite possible that it could have have been during the same show as the RF-4C, though I can't really be sure. Bloody awesome stuff though.

tosspot15 wrote:

I still have a picture or 2 laying about of a plane that looks like a C-130 or something

C-160 Transall

shedweller

I was at the baldonnel event in 2000 i think it was. I was at the saturday event so i missed the red arrows big display on sunday. But i do remember the Iolar landing and there was a bit of a crosswind iirc. The plane swerved suddenly and almost went off the side of the runway! I got a great picture of it mid swerve and you can see the tyres bent sideways under the side load. It was a close one!
There was a swiss f-18 that wouldn't finish his routine and had the commentator stumped as to what he was doing next! And then there was an f-15 that blew us away with its power. It went supersonic as he left too and we saw the cloud cone form around the plane as he departed. Simply awesome! They need to do this stuff again and sort out whatever nonsense caused it to stop.

Turbulent Bill

Duffer2010 wrote: »

Living close to Baldonnel as a kid, I relished the build up of aircraft activity in run up to the Air Spectaculars back in the late 80's early 90's. Nothing better than hearing a different engine sound off in the distance and you'd look skyward as a Spitfire & ME 109 formation would descend in. Another memory is a four ship of Harvards flying low over my house in line astern formation, as they headed in for the 87' show-such a sound.
Best fast jet display at Casement in my opinion was the Draken in 93. Basically a missile with wings.
I am really digging deep memory wise on this one, but does anyone remember the Phantom that performed at Fairyhouse? it nearly ripped the roof off the grandstand with the noise

I lived close by too as a kid, and the Draken is a standout memory. Woke me up early on school holidays as it roared along at low level, and legged it outside to see the delta shape flying around my house - wonderful!

Much as I enjoyed the Flightfest last weekend, I'd love to see a proper airshow again...

DieselPowered

Are there any more photo links to the airshow in Fairyhouse in 1984? I would like to see more of what went on that day, I have a memory of F111's on the ground somewhere? did they land there or am I thinking of an airshow in Baldonnel back in the day?

Edit: Just googling this, it seems the Irish Air Spectacular in Fairyhouse ran from 1980-1986?

Storm 10

DieselPowered wrote: »

Are there any more photo links to the airshow in Fairyhouse in 1984? I would like to see more of what went on that day, I have a memory of F111's on the ground somewhere? did they land there or am I thinking of an airshow in Baldonnel back in the day?

Edit: Just googling this, it seems the Irish Air Spectacular in Fairyhouse ran from
1980-1986?

Fairyhouse is a racecourse they could not land there but they did do a flypast with a lot of noise

bernsy

Does anyone remember the show (think it was in BAL) where the 4 F-16's did the fly past before the show actually started, I think they were en route somewhere else because they just did the one flypast before disappearing. We were still parking our car so didn't hear what the commentator was saying - if anything.

ednwireland

several visits to church fenton airshows (late 70s early 80s) and managed to get a trade day pass through work (rr aerospace when i worked there) to farnborough 1992 ish

DieselPowered

Storm 10 wrote: »

Fairyhouse is a racecourse they could not land there but they did do a flypast with a lot of noise

I know what Fairyhouse is, but there was a lot of aircraft on the ground that landed on the course.

peter1892

BA used to sponsor the Fairyhouse shows back in the early 80s, they had a mock-up of a 757 interior and flight deck at one of them (it would have just entered service). Can't remember much else about them though...

I went to one show in Newtownards in 1982-ish where the Red Arrows appeared, that was amazing. Various other a/c there as well including a Phantom, always a favourite for that noise!

Duffer2010

DieselPowered wrote: »

I know what Fairyhouse is, but there was a lot of aircraft on the ground that landed on the course.[/QUOuTE]

The onily jet that landed during the Fairyhouse years was a Vampire in RAF markings and when I say landed it was a touch and go.

Fairyhouse ran from the late 70's until 1984 (the year of the ill fated Wilga accident).
In 1985 the Air Spectacular moved to Cork airport, this show had quite an impressive line up including the Freece Tricolori and some Luftwaffe F104's. Unfortunately due to fog the show was cancelled.
Baldonnel hosted the event between 1986 and 89.
1990 saw the venue changed again, this time to Shannon, there was a fantastic static line up of USAF aircraft along with two major military display teams-Freece Tricolori and Patruille Aguilla of Spain.
In 1993 it was back to Baldonnel.

FunkyDa2

Some pictures from Fairyhouse

FunkyDa2

More Fairyhouse pics

FunkyDa2

The last four

FunkyDa2

Not strictly airshows, but an interesting link all the same

http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/325/language/en-CA/Lower-than-a-Snakes-Belly-in-a-Wagon-Rut.aspx

shanew

undated unfortunately, but I think the two black & white photos are from the early days at Fairyhouse - when we got the Jolly Green Giant, F4 etc.

C001

Abbeyshrule used to put on displays through the 80s and early 90s with heavy metal and military jets and a huge number of Irish GA aircraft usually visiting. The following is a video from the 1995 show, one of the last if I recall correctly which was tame under a typical Irish summer sky but still had a DC8 and C130 low over Longford.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEm76W3ssp4&sns=em

EchoIndia

bernsy wrote: »

Does anyone remember the show (think it was in BAL) where the 4 F-16's did the fly past before the show actually started, I think they were en route somewhere else because they just did the one flypast before disappearing. We were still parking our car so didn't hear what the commentator was saying - if anything.

That was in 1987 - "Cash 11" was the callsign IIRC:


USAF F-16Cs at Baldonnel par Irish251, sur Flickr