Post by Irish Stu on May 18, 2009 17:41:14 GMT -6
On Sunday we went to the annual airshow at Duxford Airfield near Cambridge, about an hour's drive for me. Duxford was built during World War One in 1917 and was used by both the British and American air forces until it was decommissioned in 1969. It was then bought by the Imperial War Museum for storage, restoration and display of exhibits too large for its headquarters in central London. It is now a European centre for aviation history and host to regular events such as the airshow.
Unfortunately the weather wasn't great on Sunday, there was light rain on and off throughout the morning and strong gusts of wind all day, so many of the WWI planes were unable to fly due to the conditions. However, we were still treated to a spectacular airshow featuring WWII planes, stunt planes, bombers and modern day fighters.
With a couple of hours to spare before the flying began we took a look around the museum's displays, starting with the WWII exhibition where we saw British, American, German and Russian tanks, artillery and other theatre of war equipment :
This tank is an actual prop used in the movie 'Saving Private Ryan'. It looks like the real thing until you tap on it... it's made of plywood.
We then took a look around the aircraft hangers where exhibits are displayed both on the ground, and hanging from the ceiling. Duxford is home to the biggest collection of military aircraft in Britain, including the largest number of American military aircraft outside the USA, including a B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, B-25 Mitchell, P-47 Thunderbolt, and aircraft from the Cold War era such as a B-52 Stratofortress, SR-71 Blackbird and F-4 Phantom. The B-52 was so big it almost filled the hanger making it difficult to get a good shot of it. This was the best I could manage :
And a few of the others :
A Hawker Siddeley Harrier 'Jump Jet'. I was surprised at how small it was :
The business end of a Scud Missile :
And to provide some balance, a Patriot Missile :
Then it was time to go outside and watch the airshow :
We were later to be treated to a display by a couple of Red Bull pilots :
A Spitfire. I used to make Airfix models of these when I was a kid and had them hanging from my bedroom ceiling :
I was getting some great shots. Then my camera lens and the concrete path I was standing on had an unfortunate, gut wrenching, and very expensive coming together. So I had to revert to my trusty Sony pocket digital. The weather was getting nasty again, but the rain held off long enough for what proved to be the most breathtaking display of the afternoon. A glider was towed into the air, but rather then then releasing itself it remained on the towing cable and performed endless barrel rolls which had the crowd open-mouthed in awe. But, as if this was not enough, at the same time a stunt plane was flying cork screws around the pair of them!! It was incredible, and even the guy commentating over the PA sounded like he was going to wet himself with excitement :
Sadly, without my lens, the rest of my pictures are nothing more then 'snaps' of unidentifiable planes against a heavily overcast sky.
The highlight of my day came, whilst still mourning my lens, when we visited Hanger One, home to Concorde. This is Concorde 101, the second Concorde to be built by British Aircraft Corporation/Aerospatiale. I couldn't get over how small it was!! I'm only 6ft tall but had to stoop to get through the door, there was a central aisle with only two seats either side, and the ceiling was so low that the overhead lockers (or rather the illuminated yellow perspex panel where they used to be) were actually below eye level. Legroom was little more than you get on AA in coach... there weren't even TVs on the seatbacks. But, nevertheless I WAS ON CONCORDE!!
The pointy end :
The other end :
A view into the cockpit :
This looks like something out of a 1950s sci-fi movie :
Well worn leather seats :
Simon
Unfortunately the weather wasn't great on Sunday, there was light rain on and off throughout the morning and strong gusts of wind all day, so many of the WWI planes were unable to fly due to the conditions. However, we were still treated to a spectacular airshow featuring WWII planes, stunt planes, bombers and modern day fighters.
With a couple of hours to spare before the flying began we took a look around the museum's displays, starting with the WWII exhibition where we saw British, American, German and Russian tanks, artillery and other theatre of war equipment :
This tank is an actual prop used in the movie 'Saving Private Ryan'. It looks like the real thing until you tap on it... it's made of plywood.
We then took a look around the aircraft hangers where exhibits are displayed both on the ground, and hanging from the ceiling. Duxford is home to the biggest collection of military aircraft in Britain, including the largest number of American military aircraft outside the USA, including a B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, B-25 Mitchell, P-47 Thunderbolt, and aircraft from the Cold War era such as a B-52 Stratofortress, SR-71 Blackbird and F-4 Phantom. The B-52 was so big it almost filled the hanger making it difficult to get a good shot of it. This was the best I could manage :
And a few of the others :
A Hawker Siddeley Harrier 'Jump Jet'. I was surprised at how small it was :
The business end of a Scud Missile :
And to provide some balance, a Patriot Missile :
Then it was time to go outside and watch the airshow :
We were later to be treated to a display by a couple of Red Bull pilots :
A Spitfire. I used to make Airfix models of these when I was a kid and had them hanging from my bedroom ceiling :
I was getting some great shots. Then my camera lens and the concrete path I was standing on had an unfortunate, gut wrenching, and very expensive coming together. So I had to revert to my trusty Sony pocket digital. The weather was getting nasty again, but the rain held off long enough for what proved to be the most breathtaking display of the afternoon. A glider was towed into the air, but rather then then releasing itself it remained on the towing cable and performed endless barrel rolls which had the crowd open-mouthed in awe. But, as if this was not enough, at the same time a stunt plane was flying cork screws around the pair of them!! It was incredible, and even the guy commentating over the PA sounded like he was going to wet himself with excitement :
Sadly, without my lens, the rest of my pictures are nothing more then 'snaps' of unidentifiable planes against a heavily overcast sky.
The highlight of my day came, whilst still mourning my lens, when we visited Hanger One, home to Concorde. This is Concorde 101, the second Concorde to be built by British Aircraft Corporation/Aerospatiale. I couldn't get over how small it was!! I'm only 6ft tall but had to stoop to get through the door, there was a central aisle with only two seats either side, and the ceiling was so low that the overhead lockers (or rather the illuminated yellow perspex panel where they used to be) were actually below eye level. Legroom was little more than you get on AA in coach... there weren't even TVs on the seatbacks. But, nevertheless I WAS ON CONCORDE!!
The pointy end :
The other end :
A view into the cockpit :
This looks like something out of a 1950s sci-fi movie :
Well worn leather seats :
Simon
