Air Show

[vilakins]

We went to the Air Show at Whenuapai on Saturday, along with a record crowd of 50,000 which meant it took over an hour to get out of the grounds and access road afterwards. It's on every two years but we've never been before because we're usually away on holiday at this time of year.

Here's a small selection of my favourite photos. Those who like planes can see 34 equally good photos in this gallery. All are between 20 and 90kB so should be quick to load if LJ Scrapbook is behaving itself.

The weather started off very cloudy which was a pity as the aerobatic trails didn't show up as well, but the sky cleared after a couple of hours. In fact it was stinking hot for the rest of the day, standing there in the sun without any shelter. Note to self: buy some camping chairs. Also you could only hear announcements about the planes and events in one part of the grounds, and we were by the parked planes which wasn't it. :-(


Harvards followed by the Red Checkers, the Air Force's aerobatics team


Goering's Luftwaffe was there, and was 'shooting' at a Boeing 757 in the air. :-)


2-seater jet trainer. Note the hexagons on the runway; they reminded me of B7, sad fan that I am.


Vampire and Harvard; Yaks in the background


Wing walking! Well, really more standing and posing. :-)


C17 Globemaster from the USAF, a massive bastard


Harvard climbing


Red Checkers with four extra trainees


Red Checkers looping


"Formation Thunder": a Boeing 757, two Orions, and a Hercules, and nowhere near as loud as the Hornet from the Australian Air Force!

Comments

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

love the formation flying! Looks really interesting, shame about the lack of shelter and not being able to hear the announcements. I know my late father in law used to take a radio to tune into the announcements so he could hear them. I've always fancied a couple of those shooting stick chairs for that type of occasion

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Next time we'll go to the other area, which was a lot more crowded though.

I tried to buy some good lightweight chairs in February at The Warehouse, and they said, and I quote, "It's summer, so we're out of stock." [rolls eyes] So I said, "You'd think it would be good business to actually meet demand when it's there, wouldn't you?" but the idiot guy just stared at me.

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

so that would be like saying 'of course we don't have valentine cards, it's February'?

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Exactly!

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

I love air shows and went to quite a few when Beth was in the Raf and posted near enough for us to get to her camp. I have never seen a side by side two man trainer though all ours, that I have seen, are one behind an other.
As for Formation thunder, I have heard all those planes as individuals and yes they would be noisy but even together they could in no way equal a Vulcan flying at tree top height along the runway. I think I was deaf for the rest of the afternoon on that day.

I have two very comfortable 'canvas' chairs (like these http://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/acatalog/Easy_Camp_Arm_Chair.html) which pack into a case that you can sling over your shoulder. They are very light and easy to carry.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the Hornet was the loudest plane there. I was glad we were in the car park by then, because being right by the runway where we had been would have been painful.

Those are exactly the sorts of chairs we want, but I can't find them on line here. :-(

[san-valentine.livejournal.com]

I've got one of those folding chairs. I got mine from Wilkinsons for about a fiver. I don't think their online service delivers to New Zealand though !

I use it when running a stall and the Birdsedge fete and when going to watch plays outdoors in the park. I'm sure they must be available *somewhere* in NZ - perhaps try general household/hardware places as well as camping and gardening shops.

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

I got my first at Hyper value for about the same, I had to pay ASDA £9:99 for the second which I thought was extortionate, HyperValue had gone bankrupt by then and Wilkinson hadn't arrived yet.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

The only place I know that sells them didn't have any "because it was summer". I'd never order from overseas; I'd rather go without. If I can find them here, they're quite cheap. Lots of people have them; I just haven't found out who stocks them.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I found that the sound of Harriers taking off was the most objectionable noise when I went to the Farnborough Air Show, even if they weren't the loudest, They produced a whine at a particularly unpleasant frequency.

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, that whine sets my teeth on edge. I think the most startling noise I ever heard was when watching the Red Arrows at RAF Brize Norton. The main bunch were doing a display in front of us when the synchronous pair joined them from behind at lower than tree top height, hedge hopping as my cousin called it, after she stopped laughing at us all. Beth had watched them training for the display so she was expecting it but didn't tell us! Every one ducked.

[san-valentine.livejournal.com]

I grew up in Norfolk which is a favourite haunt of the RAF, so low-flying jets were fairly common. Teachers would just pause in talking for a couple of minutes until the sound died down, then simply continued.

My sixth form college was originally a USAF hospital built during the war. There was a lot of subsequent building, but many of the classrooms were Nissen huts, and cold they were too in winter. It's just as well that fingerless gloves were fashionable in the 80's. They kept my hands warm in class and I could still hold a pen to write.

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I know all about the low flying jets of Norfolk, Sue of the dogs used to live on the Suffolk Border for a few years, near one of the big USAF bases. The noise from there was phenomenal and that was when they weren't low flying. You get used to anything in time, I lived 15 ft from the main Newport/London Railway, which also serviced Llanwern Steel works when it was at it's height of production. After the first month the only time I noticed the noise was when it wasn't there due to working on the line or a rail strike.
Don't talk to me about cold class rooms, my Grammar school had to take on all the pupils from a neighbouring one(it's building had been condemned) when I was in the 2nd form. The only way we could cope was to surround the playing fields with modern equivalents of Nissan huts that we called the Annexes, Thank fully only 2 of them were form rooms the rest were science labs and had lot's of Bunsen burners we could light up in winter as well as coal burning 'tortoise' stoves. That school had such a strict uniform rule that in the winter of 63 we were allowed to wear boots or wellies on the way to school but had to change into uniform shoes before we stepped into the buildings. There was no way we would have been allowed to wear fingerless gloves in class. Thankfully our science teachers had more sense than the head master and on really cold days we learned to take notes in full gloves and scarves.

[reapermum.livejournal.com]

I remember the winter of 63. We had arguments about uniform as well. We were permitted to wear a non uniform woolly under our school blouse and not be in trouble if it could be seen through the fabric.

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

That bit of school uniform wasn't a problem, we were allowed to were a navy blue knitted v neck jumper over our blouses and it didn't specify what ply, we all had a double knitting one hidden away just in case as well as the 4 ply we wore most of the time. And Mam and Gran knitted up an other one pdq. And we were allowed to wear navy duffle coats so long as we wore our tams even if we had the hood up, so it was only the shoes that were the problem

[reapermum.livejournal.com]

Those were our second jumpers. We were already wearing a blazer and school jumper on top of the blouse.

We were hardy in those days.

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

In deed we were, At least the old school building was stone built and very warm. And the head had sense enough to cancel Art for the duration, it was the only Anex we had at the time. Thank goodness that winter wasn't a year later.

[kalinda001.livejournal.com]

Sounds like the weather finally cooperated (somewhat) for once.

Beautiful formations,esp the ones against the clear blue sky, and great actions shots. I'm always amazed by the skill they display.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

It was wonderful once it cleared, but uncomfortably hot.

I didn't take a lot of photos because you miss the fun that way, but I'm pleased with the ones that worked.

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you finally got an outing after all the weather cancellations. And this looks like it was an exceptionally cool one. What beautiful photos you took.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

From you, that's a compliment! I'd like to go next time, but make sure we have chairs, and are where we can hear the announcements.

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

A nice lightweight folding chair would come in handy on many occasions- well worth the time it takes to find one suited to your needs.

[reapermum.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you managed one outing without rain.

The photos are great.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I was pleased with the ones I took; then I could forget the camera and just enjoy.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Oooooo!!!! I love them! Wonderful shapes, wonderful deisigns - and the piloting is masterly, excellent! Thank you, and the gallery is equally great!!!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you looked at the gallery! I was thinking of you. :-) I'd like to go to a Warbirds air show (all vintage planes) one day, but they're always far away from here, usually in the South Island.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

It would be a treat, indeed. You know, if I ever get to Duxford War Museum in England again, I will spend those 25 pounds on a flight in a vintage Hurricane - no hesitation! :-)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I was there in 2004, but we didn't have time for a flight. I would so love to do that too.

[nautile26.livejournal.com]

Oh, those formation shots against the clear, blue sky are wonderfully dramatic. Glad you had such an interesting (and fine) day. :)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Well, it was eventually! The morning cloud made the first lot of aerobatics less effective as the trails were hard to see against the grey. But all in all, it was a great day!