OT: Flying Legends 2015 photos

[hairyspin]

Anyone going to Duxford this July? I've wanted to see this show for ages and this time I've got the ticket!

 

[gecko]

I'm very jealous! Have fun and take pictures for the rest of us poor unfortunates!

 

[Led Zeppelin]

Lucky man!! My brother went to the september show about 4 years ago but it was rainy.

Last week-end it was La Ferté Alais airshow and I use to go there on Friday afternoon to see the aircrafts when they arrive but unfortunately, I was at a meeting at CDG and was not able to go there this year. It's a shame, there was a Hurricane and I've never seen this bird flying.

 

[hairyspin]

Gosh what a day! Blazing sun mostly, terrific displays and much need of water and sunblock. If you go, get there early (free shuttle bus from Cambridge railway station), pay the extra fiver for the flightline walk and get a closer look at the birds - steady Owen, steady!

Then in the afternoon they all fly! This year's 10-ship Spitfire opener was head-spinning and the very devil to photograph; one of the Sea Furies landed back with some problem so it was a one-ship display; two Buchons accompanied Red 7 (Bf109G with proper DB605 motor) and showed how a Merlin in a Messerschmitt is like honey with pickled onions. All with the commentary from a French pilot who 'as flown many of zese proppelor aircrafts, lol.

However, should a fortune come my way some day, I've changed my mind on the dream aircraft - it'll have to be a Bearcat. Can that thing shift, and climb!

If you're going today I hope the day cheers up, might make for good cloud backgrounds. Photos to come after I get home...

 

[hairyspin]

Much fiddling later...

If your DSLR can shoot in RAW, it's worth using it. Yes, the files are colossal but the room for post-processing is so much greater than with .JPG and you can always dump the duds anyway: Photoshop and Camera RAW have been put to good use this week.

Walking the flight line on Saturday morning was great fun. Grumman Martlet in FAA colours:–

Spitfire Mk.VIII, note the retractable tailwheel!

Piper L-4: as spotter aircraft these little lightweight fleas caused more destruction in battle than the entire 2nd Tactical Air Force:–

Hawker Nimrod and Fury (sole surviving example) from the '30s. The Nimrod is the navalised version of the Fury with the tailhook just showing:–

 

[hairyspin]

This puzzled me for a moment. The short nose, cannons and small oil radiator suggested Spitfire Mk.V, but the over-sized Vokes air filter under the nose and the four-blade prop were just wrong .... it's the Seafire LF Mk.III (duh) and she's only recently back to flying order after a long restoration – see the very discreet tailhook underneath:–

With so many beautiful Spitfires on display, I just had to include another. As he likes classic aviation birds, this one's for Owen!

Engine runs are a feature of the show: the unsilenced, visceral noise is felt as much as heard and they're a bit smoky starting up. That's the operator with the ear defenders:–

That's a Merlin 500 above and the controls are directly behind the supercharger. Also running was a Bristol Hercules, but the operators have their controls on a stand off to the side. No wonder:–

 

[hairyspin]

The ever-popular Sally B was always besieged until the flightline closed:–

Also very popular is the shiny version of the P-38:–

One of the aircraft I wanted to see was the sole airworthy Morane-Saulnier MS.406. Pretty she ain't!

 

[hairyspin]

So here goes with the aerial pics, with apologies for not all being as sharp as I had hoped.

Ten Spitfires and one Seafire to kick off the show:–

1940s vintage flight of three Mk.I Spitfires, a Hurricane (there was supposed to be three, sadly) and the newly airborne Blenheim in Mk.I guise:–

The Blenheim is in nightfighter configuration, you can just see the gun pod under the belly:–

 

[hairyspin]

Four Hawks: a Curtiss P-36, Hawk 75 and two P-40s:–

Two Gloster Gladiators:–

Two Corsairs, one in FAA colours, the other as nightfighter:–

And only one thing to say about the Bearcat: I want one!

 

[hairyspin]

Tante Ju lumbered gently around the airfield looking like a big fat corrugated target:–

but what I most wanted to see was this: Red 7, a Bf109G with Daimler Benz engine:–

Here with the two Ugly Sisters (Ha-1112 Buchons, Merlin engines):–

And on her own: what a magnificent aircraft!

 

[hairyspin]

Lastly, here's Sally B with her "smoking engine salute" to all those aircrew who never came home:-

Thank you for watching! I hope this gives some idea of how much I enjoyed the show!

 

[NSS]

One of the best shows every year.

Sadly I have missed the last couple of years show due to work commitments.


Thanks for sharing the picture`s, well worth the effort.

Kev

 

[ian elliot]

Thanks for the link Tom, great pics. I can only go to a few shows a year so every year i alternate between RIAT and Flying Legends, next year it'll be Legends
There were a few wardirds at Fairford including a great display by the newly restored Blenheim, but i think Duxford is a better environment to appreciate classics. Ive got tickets to Shoreham next month so hopefully i'll get a closer look,

thanks again for the link, cheers iab

 

[NSS]

Duxford 2013 Flying legends.

My Picture`s

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinfairgrieve/sets/72157634684627852

Kev

 

[Cees Donker]

Thanks so much for these shots!

Great!

Cees

 

[Pat Pattle]

Looked like a grand day out, thanks for posting. I'd loved tp have seen the Fury and Nimrod especially! :0)

 

[sixstrings5859]

A awesome airshow !!! Thanks for the pictures bro...

 

[gecko]

Wow. If I ever make it to the UK, it WILL be during this airshow! Must have been amazing seeing the Blenheim, Hurricane and Mk.I Spitfires flying together! They really need to bring one of the DB powered Emils over from our side of the pond and have it fly with them.

 

[Pat Pattle]

They really need to bring one of the DB powered Emils over from our side of the pond and have it fly with them

.

......or about 250 yards in front would be more like it
;0)

 

[FOO FIGHTER]

Great shot of the Blenhiem w/escorts! Been drooling over these pics. Thanks for sharing!