Yorkshire Airshow 2006 (long, many pics)
I've been looking forward to today for ages, yesterday the weather was dreadful but today was perfectly acceptable airshow weather.
Highlight of the day was a formation of 3 spitifre in formation. There were several veteran WWII spitfire pilots there and they flew a salute that was returned by the senior veteran. They also flew the missing man formation (3 planes fly past then one pulls back hard and leaves) to commemorate all those who never came back. It's good to see the RAF still remembers and was rather moving.
http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...on06/spit2.jpg
http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...on06/spit1.jpg
The RAF Falcons parachute display team were also there and as good as always. They set out to prove that anything the Red Arrows can do they can do better.
http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...06/falcons.jpg
Elvington has it's own Hunter which is pretty cool.
http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...06/hunter1.jpg
Next up is the Douglas Dakota, complete with loadmaster waving from the rear door. Apparently in WWII one Dakota pilot won a VC, something of a rarety for a transport pilot. He made the first run drop of paras and got shot badlyy, the plane was also on fire but he went round for the second run anyway. After dropping the equipment and food for the paras he ordered the rest of the crew out and died when the plane crashed. Incredible.
http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...n06/dakota.jpg
Recently retired (July) from RAF service we have the Canberra, a great aircraft that's been around for over 50 years.
http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...6/canberra.jpg
Not to be outdone by the RAF, the Blue Eagles were there for the Army Air Corps. Unfortunately their flying (man these guys can fly) was better than my photography so just a shot of the Lynx from their display.
http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...on06/lynx1.jpg
Last from the pics we have the Blades. These guys are a new aerobatics team and consist of 3 former Red Arrows pilots and 1 world class aerobatics instructor. They are nothing short of incredible, they fly Extra 300s which are VERY manouverable and as one of them is the test pilot for Extra Aviation they know them pretty well. I've seen a fair few aerobatic teams over the years but these guys are something else. If you ever get the chance to see them I'd advise you to take it, you won't regret it.
http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...06/blades1.jpg
http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...06/blades2.jpg
http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...06/blades5.jpg
http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...06/blades6.jpg
http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...06/blades7.jpg
http://www.yorkshiregeek.co.uk/image...06/blades8.jpg
There was more but my back was killing me by that point so I beat a retreat back to the car. Next time I must remember to take a chair! I missed the simulated bombing run by the Dakota as I had a telephoto on not a wide angle. I can tell you that half a dozen barrels of avgas (avpin? avtur?) exploding makes one HELL of a noise and frightened the life out of everyone, more than one kid curled up on the ground in terror! The noise of several dozen car alarms set off by the explosion was also fairly loud :D
All in all a great day out and I'm glad I went.
I've realised that 300mm is really the minimum lens for an airshow and 500mm would have been nice at times but I think I did ok, all pics were taken with the Sigma 70-300 APO.
Thanks for reading this far and I hope you like the pics, as usual any comments/lessons in photoshoppery are more than welcome.