general melchett Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 (edited) Just got back from Waddington, thought I'd post a some pics of the departures this morning.Better display than the 'airshow' as usual, just a shame some of these aircraft didn't perform !!, These are now full resolution !! Sorry there's rather a lot !!, Edited July 7, 2009 by general melchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 (edited) Second lot, Edited July 7, 2009 by general melchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 (edited) And if you can stand it , one more selection, Hope someone likes... Melchie Edited July 7, 2009 by general melchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexwh773 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Cracking photos there Andy, the Luftwaffle Phantom looks rather nice with her bottom on fire Mind you, shame they sent a grey one But beggars cant be choosers. Bexy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 (edited) Everyone I have spoken to said it was a dreadful show and will never go again, people on coaches I know eventually got in at 2:30 to find the poor flying display had already finished, and those that saw it said with all the extra costing Hospitality tents taking up the majority of the display line they were forced to watch it from the Carpark area and the Lack of anything of interest flying like Harriers, Tornados, F16, F18 need I go on,? it meant in their words that it was all a waste of time and money and they felt they had been conned, that and the Vulcan debacle.... Nice pictures though, just a shame as you say they never flew, perhaps the next one should be called the Waddington Airpark....... Edited July 6, 2009 by TonyT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 Thanks Bex, I had a feeling you might like the toom, should have seen the characteristic clouds of black smoke roiling over the area as she held military power before lighting the fires....local visibility down somewhat !!!...I agree about scheme, though it was immaculate and the crew were jolly nice chappies to talk to !! Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 Tony I couldn't agree more , my feelings about the 'show' are posted elsewhere , but to say it was a con is an understatement, worst show I've been to in years, wouldn't mind so much but they keep upping the entrance fee.... perhaps the next one should be called the Waddington Airpark...... Spot on ... Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Thanks ever so much for showing your the photos, having sat in hoorendous traffic around Waddington for over 3 hours before finally giving up and driving all the way back to Lancashire again it was nice to see some of the aircraft we missed! I wanted to take photos of the Fly Navy Jetstream which I hoped would be there and the Black Boscombe Alpha Jets...to thanks for including those in your excellent photos! Cheers Tony O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Fox Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Thanks for the photos, showed me what was actually miles away on the other side of the airfield. We sat in traffic for nearly three hours, no police presence was visible and when we got in we were so far from the 'action' it was a big disappointment. The price structure was interesting to say the least and the complete lack of toilets at our end of the flightline was a disgrace. The volunteer bus service was a fabulous idea and has worked well in the past, but there was a minimum 25 minute wait most of the morning and early afternoon. This is the biggest and only RAF open day in the north of England and I will seriously have to think about returning, which is something I would never have believe I would ever contemplate. I fully understand the operational issues for the RAF and thank all our servicemen and women for their sacrifices, three more dead this weekend puts things into context, and fully understand that an air display is a minor consideration and a distractiion in a serious operational situation. I am not having a pop at any of them. Perhaps it would be better not to try to run such an event until we can revert to more peaceful times? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornado64 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Hospitality tents taking up the majority of the display line they were forced to watch it from the Carpark area this is what realy grinds , it is happening to sports too , real enthusiasts are being ignored so they can pander to companies sending people on joly outings , who will probably ignore the show so longs as they have a martini a cucumber sandwich and can talk about julie in accounts tits !!! sod them off to the back of the field and give enthusiasts or those actualy intrested a prime spot !! great shots by the way melchy !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Tango Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Cracking set of piccies Melchie old bean, shame about the show, but at least you saw some of the planes flying even if it was a one off in to the wide blue yonder. Some one has to do the jolly old Dawn Patrol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 (edited) Thanks fellas, Tony , I really feel for you waiting 3 hours for a non event, I pretty much did the same recently with Cosford, after police diverted us off through miles of very beautiful but totally unnecessary countryside to avoid congestion, three hours later we got in just to bu++er off home again before the Vulcan to avoid the horrendous jams !!!! :analintruder: Just for you another couple of shots of the Boscombe Alpha's and Jetstream, these are full resolution and look a lot better , should have done them all that way but ran out of time !!, Silver Fox couldn't agree more ,I probably will only go for the arrival and departure days and leave out the bit in the middle and I live in Lincoln !!! The whole show was a disgrace, I know a lot of people who went were mightily unimpressed with the whole thing, Perhaps it would be better not to try to run such an event until we can revert to more peaceful times? This is the way the great Mildenhall shows went, sadly never to return while military ops are ongoing...9/11 changed all that !! Tornado again spot on, the whole thing resembled the Lincolnshire show rather than a 'premier' airshow, everyone cashing in on flogging whatever you could to anyone.I know families attend these things and not everyone is interested in aviation but for goodness sake have some thought for those of us who are !! bring back Finningley, (or Robin 'oods, or Doncaster airport or whatever) !!!!...Fairfords programme doesn't look too special either.....think I'll take up trainspotting T-Tango old man, only one thing to say ......''Never in the field of Airshow displaying has so much been paid, by so many, for so little'' ...Amen, ( with apologies to Mr Churchill....) Melchie.. Edited July 6, 2009 by general melchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Melchie, Any photos of the Alpha jet in the air ? Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 Sorry Robert ,unfortunately no , should have taken some on Friday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornado64 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 i see a grim future for airshows presently !! my local airfields show ( barton ) used to provide a far superior air display in the late 80s early 90s on a small private field , than many supposedly large events are supplying now . alas it is now gone !! along with woodford !! my nearest is southport now and although good this too seems to lack on display nowadays compared to older shows !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornado64 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 but southport is only around 8 quid to get in , and we managed to park the car for free and no hassle getting out either ..if booked bin advance it is a fiver each admission linky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 (edited) Just a couple more , these were actually on arrivals day , but I thought people might like to see them , don't worry there's only a few !!, Edited July 6, 2009 by general melchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSTON Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 General M. Nice collection of photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 Thanks Houston, appreciated, looks like it was a great show going by the pics but believe me ...it could have been but it wasn't !! Melchett... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamienB Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Everyone I have spoken to said it was a dreadful show and will never go again, people on coaches I know eventually got in at 2:30 to find the poor flying display had already finished Blimey, seemed to be thousands of happy people there when I was there. And the flying programme went on til after 17:00 so perhaps these people on coaches went to the wrong airfield? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Fox Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 General M, yes thats what happened to Mildenhall and all the other great shows from Finningley onwards, but if we are putting an extra, unnecessary strain on our armed forces then we have to think about it. True the flying display did go on to 17:00 on Saturday, the sun shone and the kids loved it, but there we huge holes in the flying program and only one true noise maker flying. I enjoyed the BBMF as usual and the Arrows were top notch but a single single-engined aerobatic aircraft about a mile from where you are sat isn't exactly thrilling, at least the Chinook driver came to see us. Sorry I can't afford the VIP enclosures and the littlest one couldn't walk that far. I saw all this in sadness not anger, I love air displays, I've been hooked since my first Finningley in 1964, and would love them to be back to the days when a base like Coningsby could put on a days show but I guess that'll never happen and you can't have a slap up meal, go to the theatre have 7 pints and get a taxi home for ten bob anymore either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 I feel the same way old chap !!, reminiscing is a great if frustrating past time...I too recall great shows in the sixties such as one at Gaydon where we had Victors, Vulcans ( 2 of each), Belfast, Argosy, Lightnings, Buccs, assortment of choppers,VC10, Hunters, etc and the USAF gave us F100's, RF 101's , F4C's ,B66', the list goes on and I even remember seeing a B58 Hustler at a very early Mildenhall show...!!!...ah the memories, Even the RAF 'at home' shows in September and the USAF' open houses' used to be filled with wild and wonderful aircraft both in the static park and in the air.... You never know things might change and swing back but somehow I doubt it, Melchie... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seamus Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 A good account of the day there Andy It's a shame to hear you didn't enjoy your day Though I wasn't there myself, from what I've seen from yours and various other posts is a pretty decent looking static display, albeit in quality rather than quantity. As for the flying display, yes, perhaps a little thin, but seemingly a good deal of variation to suit everybody's needs. Yes, an additional fast jet or two wouldn't have gone amiss, but then again, when wouldn't they? Waddington has the unfortunate problem of sharing the same weekend with the main Belgian airshow at Koksijde, which, understandably, draws in a fair amount of the continental fast jets (Dutch and Belgian F-16s, Hungarian Gripen, Swiss Hornet to name a few), to the detriment of Waddo. I too recall great shows in the sixties such as one at Gaydon where we had Victors, Vulcans ( 2 of each), Belfast, Argosy, Lightnings, Buccs, assortment of choppers,VC10, Hunters, etc and the USAF gave us F100's, RF 101's , F4C's ,B66', the list goes on and I even remember seeing a B58 Hustler at a very early Mildenhall show...! It's missing out on seeing many of those aircraft (I did see an F-100 at RIAT 97, one of my personal airshow highlights) that makes me wish I was a good few years older than I am....You lucky old buggers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alrite Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Nice pictures, would love to have seen the GAF F-4 flying, but I'll see a phantom (greek) at RIAT departures I have to agree with you on your opinion of the show. Having driven from north cheshire to find out he Vulcan was cancelled as I drove into the airfield was abit of annoing really and set the whole tone of the show, it better be at RIAT! Re. the fast jet demos, Waddington's team apprently sent alot of invites out but many turned down due to the current financial and opperational circumstanes of many airforces today, but as said many still attended the show in Belgium (name escapes me) which seems to unfortunatley happen year on year now. Being a fast jet enthusiast mainly, it was again annoying that the Typhoon was put on at 5:30, understandably to keep the crowds there, so it was a looooong day for me. I though the AdA alpha jet display and the vampire were superb however which made it o.k. The biggest bone to pick for me was the cost. When buying the tickets at the gate I went inside a side room/building to pay by card and spoke to some RAF personal, all were quite concerned and one chap rather quite angry with the cost so much so he let one of my family get in free! All in all it just makes me appreciate how lucky were are in the UK to have RIAT, the wealth of aircraft it provides is exceptional. Nice try Waddington but for me to go again they will have to do better next time unfortunatley, heres hoping next years show is a bit better. Got a nice tan though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angels49 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 and that General is all I have to say, all I can say really.......You've cost me another hour of right clicking.......well that is if it's OK with you, I'll not copy a single one without your OK. It's as simple as that sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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