Posted by Flightline UK on September 30, 2008 under Royal Air Force, Warbirds and Classic Jets | 
Imperial War Museum Duxford has announced that, due to technical reasons, the World’s only flying Vulcan bomber will not now be taking part in the Museum’s Autumn Air Show this Sunday, 5 October – the last major air show in the UK this year. A statement issued by the aircraft’s operators, Vulcan To The Sky, cites technical problems with one of the aircraft’s four jet engines as the reason.
“The Vulcan was very popular when it displayed at Duxford in September so, due to public demand, we booked it again for our Autumn Air Show.” says Richard Ashton, Director of Imperial War Museum Duxford. “We know that the public were looking forward to a return appearance of the aircraft but even without the Vulcan, our Autumn Air Show is still going to be a great show. The line-up has just been enhanced by the addition of the RAF’s newest fighter, the Typhoon, which means our last air show of the year will feature a fantastic blend of classic aircraft and front-line fast jets – and we’re really looking forward to the show. We wish the Vulcan To The Sky team the very best and hope to see the Vulcan back over Duxford in 2009.”
Although visitors will not get to see the Vulcan in the air on Sunday they will instead have the chance to meet many of the RAF crews who took part in the daring ‘Black Buck’ Vulcan bombing raids during the 1982 Falklands War. Flying many thousands of miles, the RAF Vulcans undertook what were then the longest bombing raids in history to attack Argentine positions on the Falklands. Richard Ashton adds “This is what we do at Duxford. By giving our visitors the opportunity to meet the men and women who made history, we bring history to life.” The Vulcan crews will be attending the air show alongside other aviation veterans including wartime RAF Bomber Command aircrews.
Duxford’s Autumn Air Show is the UK’s last major air display of the year. World-famous French Air Force aerobatics team the Patrouille de France will be taking to the air as well as RAF fast jets, Royal Navy helicopters and classic aircraft including a Mustang, Hurricane and several of Duxford’s famous Spitfires. Visitors to the show will also be treated to a thrilling display from the Belgian Air Force’s F-16 Fighting Falcon jet fighter.
Imperial War Museum Duxford’s Autumn Air Show will take place on Sunday 5 October. Duxford is just south of Cambridge at Junction 10 of the M11. Gates will open at 8am and the flying will begin at 1.30pm. Admission will cost: Adults £24.95, Seniors (60 and over) £22.00 and £9.95 for Children and Concessions. Under 5s are free. Ample free parking is available. For further information, visit www.iwm.org.uk/duxford or telephone 01223 835 000.
All flying subject to weather, serviceability and operational commitments.
Posted by Flightline UK on September 28, 2008 under Civilian Organised Airshows and Trade Events |
The world’s fastest ever production military aircraft will be celebrated at an out-of-this-world book launch at the Duxford Autumn Air Show on Sunday 5 October. Forty years after it first entered service with the US Air Force, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird still holds the record as the fastest military aircraft in regular service and frequently flew on the edge of space.
Author Colonel Rich Graham, who is travelling from the US for the launch, flew the spyplane for more than 4600 hours over a fifteen-year period and is the world authority on flying the SR-71. Although it is ten years since the aircraft was retired from service, the SR-71 remains one of the most impressive and enigmatic aircraft ever made. His book entitled Flying the SR-71 Blackbird is expected to be a big hit with the crowds at the air show. Visitors can also see Duxford’s own SR-71, the only one preserved outside the US.
“We are delighted to host the launch of Colonel Graham’s book” says Richard Ashton, Director of Imperial War Museum Duxford. “Like the Concorde on display at Duxford, the SR-71 Blackbird still looks futuristic and although it doesn’t fly any more, it is certainly one of our most popular exhibits. This is a rare opportunity for our visitors to meet someone who flew this incredible aircraft on the edge of space.”
The Blackbird has close ties with the East of England as the US Air Force operated the high performance spy-plane from RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, between 1976 and 1990 – it was the only Blackbird base in Europe and Colonel Graham flew Duxford’s SR-71 from Mildenhall on a number of occasions.
The aircraft was used by the US Air Force for almost three decades to gather intelligence around the world. Incredibly powerful cameras and electronic sensors could survey over 100,000 square miles an hour. Designed and built in the utmost secrecy, a total of only 32 SR-71 aircraft were made by Lockheed in the US. Travelling faster than a bullet and flying 15 miles above the earth¹s surface, the SR71 flew so high and fast that not a single one was shot down, as it was capable of simply accelerating to escape any attack, even by heat-seeking missiles.
Duxford’s Autumn Air Show is the UK’s last major air display of the year. World-famous French Air Force aerobatics team the Patrouille de France will be taking to the air as well as RAF fast jets, Royal Navy helicopters and classic aircraft including Spitfires, Mustangs and the Swordfish. The crowds will also be treated to a thrilling display from the Belgian Air Force’s F-16 Fighting Falcon jet fighter.
The Duxford Autumn Air Show will take place on Sunday 5 October. Imperial War Museum Duxford is just south of Cambridge at Junction 10 of the M11. Gates will open at 8am and the flying will begin at 1.30pm. Admission will cost: Adults £24.95, Seniors (60 and over) £22.00 and £9.95 for Children and Concessions. Under 5s are free. Ample free parking is available. For further information, visit www.iwm.org.uk/duxford or telephone 01223 835000.
All flying subject to weather, serviceability and operational commitments.
Posted by Flightline UK on September 17, 2008 under Any other business |
This is to confirm that the 2009 SHOREHAM ROYAL AIRFORCES ASSOCIATION BATTLE OF BRITAIN AIRSHOW will take place on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd of August 2009.
It will be our ‘20th ANNIVERSARY EVENT’ and it is intended to make it a fitting tribute to those that have organised it over the past twenty years with some displays that will make it different from past years.
It will also be our way of saying a big thank you to those that have supported us over the years by helping or attending the airshows. It is not easy to run an event this size, considering all involved are volunteers and the organisers under Don Bean MBE are well aware of this. “Our aim is to support the Royal Air forces Association and to raise the record funds we have done over the past 19 years is an outstanding achievement that we should all be very proud off,” he added.
“There were some traffic related problems on the Saturday of this year’s event and it is our intention to make sure that this will not happen again in 2009. There is no doubt that this year’s two day show was a great success with Saturday breaking all attendance records making up for the inclement start to the Sunday. The feedback we have had from the aviation media and aircrews is that once again Shoreham was one of the highlights of the air display calendar,” said John Periam.
Not only do we need your support for 2009 but if there are any who have a genuine interest to help us do please contact the Airshow Office on 01273 441545. “The work is not easy but it is fun and aviation can become very addictive as many of us have already found out,” said Don Bean.
Look forward to seeing you in 2009.
Posted by Flightline UK on September 5, 2008 under Any other business |
Cancellation – The Victory Show, Cosby nr Leicester
Due to the sudden and unusually persistent heavy rainfall, a decision was made by the organisers of the The Victory Show to cancel the event on both Saturday September 6th and Sunday September 7th.
As with any cancellation of any event the very difficult decision was taken following discussions between the organisers, exhibitors, police and other safety services. It was based on concerns for the visitors and the disappointing conclusion was that we could not fully safeguard them or provide an event in these conditions deemed worthwhile for them to visit.
Despite a huge effort by everyone involved to improve the conditions of the waterlogged public car parks and ground display sites, it became clear that significant areas of the fields and of the battleground were unusable. For further information please visit www.victoryshow.co.uk where further updates will be published in due course.
