Airshows 2017

The Royal Aero Club annually kick off their air racing season at Leicester. It features around 17 to 18 aircraft on a 5 lap cross country course over the weekend. As usual it was quite a spectacle as they all dived in for the finishing line (& an absolute nightmare to try & photograph them all coming in!!)

Many thanks to all the usual gang at the airfield especially Suprastar for the great company as always & also a big thank you to Tara for sorting it out for us to view the event from the top of the tower.
I'm a bit late getting round to posting these as the event happened 22/23 April. -


Steve

As always Steve, great pictures.
Was a pleasure watching the Wacky Racers with you.

Have to admit, was quite an enjoyable weekend.

Its a great mix of:
- Maddening boredom when they all taxi around and wait for the Union Jack boxer shorts to be waved.
- Enjoyment watching the aircraft chase each other down and overtake.
- Terror as you hear the distant cry for ‘Mayday” from a competitor over my scanner.
- And of course, the action packed Apocalypse Now like grand finale.

Love the pics of the Tiger aircraft with the T2 hanger.

Cheers bud

We had a kings cup air race at Cranwell in 93. As you say its a madhouse at the end. The last aircraft to take off was a Spitfire 16, but he wasnt the last to finish!

Suprastar wrote:

Have to admit, was quite an enjoyable weekend.

Its a great mix of:
- Maddening boredom when they all taxi around and wait for the Union Jack boxer shorts to be waved.
- Enjoyment watching the aircraft chase each other down and overtake.
- Terror as you hear the distant cry for ‘Mayday” from a competitor over my scanner.
- And of course, the action packed Apocalypse Now like grand finale.

Chees Ed,

I think that's probably the best & most accurate review of the event anyone could ever ask for

canberra wrote:

We had a kings cup air race at Cranwell in 93. As you say its a madhouse at the end. The last aircraft to take off was a Spitfire 16, but he wasnt the last to finish!

They used to hold the Kings Cup at Leicester as well at one time. The beauty of all of these races is that because of the handicapping an Auster has just as much chance of winning as a big powerful twin engine aircraft. More often than not also the actual aircraft that's first over the line isn't always the winner due to cutting corners over the windsock markers out on the course somewhere.

Worth a visit if there's a race being held nearby...& they're usually free to get in as well

Steve:)

hope this works....

vimeo.com/214398377

Here's a video of race to the finish

Good photos Steve, I should of come up, weather was nice.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-39915801

At least no-one was seriously hurt.

Here's where you can catch SALLY B displaying during the 2017 display season -

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B-17 FLYING FORTRESS 'SALLY B'
Displays and Venues 2017

Venues listed here are ALL CONFIRMED and subject to unforeseen circumstances such as aircraft unserviceability, weather etc, our B-17 should appear. Training dates may change due to weather or unforeseen circumstances. More venues will be added as they are confirmed.

May
10 Wed Duxford Test Flight & Crew training
26 Fri Duxford & Cambridge Crew training
27 Sat Duxford Duxford Air Festival
28 Sun Duxford Duxford Air Festival
29 Mon Madingley 14:00 - Our Tribute Flypast to the many
29 Mon East Kirkby Display afternoon - Not landing
29 Mon Duxford & Cambridge Crew training

June
21 Sun Duxford & Cambridge Crew training

July
01 Sat Blackbushe
02 Sun Blackbushe
02 Sun Old Warden Shuttleworth - Not landing
08 Sat Duxford Flying Legends Airshow
09 Sun Duxford Flying Legends Airshow
22 Sat Sunderland Arrive Friday - Nightstop Newcastle
22 Sat East Fortune Not landing
23 Sun Sunderland Not landing
30 Sun Old Buckenham Old Buckenham Airshow - Not landing

August
13 Sun Duxford Official Sally B Roll of Honour Day
19 Sat Biggin Hill Arrive Friday - Air Festival
20 Sun Biggin Hill Air Festival
26 Sat Duxford Crew training
31 Thu Bournemouth Land Bournemouth Airport after display

September
01 Fri Bournemouth
02 Sat Bournemouth
03 Sun Bournemouth Depart after display
09 Sat RAF Scampton Arrive Friday
10 Sun RAF Scampton
16 Sat Southport Arrive Friday - Nightstop RAF Woodvale
17 Sun Southport
23 Sat Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow
24 Sun Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow

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More info here -
www.sallyb.org.uk/flying-programme.htm#Programme2017

Steve

Well, we had absolutely gorgeous & lovely late spring weather for Old Warden's Evening Show yesterday -