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Post by graham on Jul 14, 2018 7:48:59 GMT
Well, trotted along to Fairford yesterday, met up with Jeff, Bill and Frank as planned, plus also bumped into private pile and keefyboy which was a bonus. Weather was generally a bit cooler than of late plus the skies darkened late morning and we had about 45 minutes of steady rain after which it went all hot again. Left at 3.45 to "avoid the rush", and it took me two hours to do the 33 miles home. I know that no one can help where Fairford is located and that it's surrounded by narrow country roads but routing the outbound traffic down through Blunsdon where the lights on the A419 junction were letting about six cars through at a time was plain ridiculous. It took me 45 minutes to do half a mile there. Goodness knows how long those who left after the aerial displays had to endure.
A spanking good show though with constant aerial displays, and I have to say that for me, the Czech Gripen and the French Navy and Air Force Rafales were superb. A huge static display as usual and having just started to log, looks like I've had a great RIAT. Took about 700 photos so will sort them all out over the next few days and posts the best of those I took
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Post by zz on Jul 14, 2018 8:03:49 GMT
Was also at Fairford yesterday. Arrived at 6am, left at 2.30 after the cancellation of the flypast (bloody typical - the only hour of bad weather in the last 3 weeks!) No traffic issues whatsoever- straight in, straight out.
Had a drive round the northside aircraft, then walked the static park- felt it was very quiet.
The cancellation was disappointing but understandable, but if the B2 rumour is true (3pm today) then I’ll certainly feel that I went the wrong day! ( not that I could attend any other day!)
Made 2 A400s at Brize afterwards.
Did anyone see any SAS Dauphins overflying in the morning of afternoon?
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Post by Jeff on Jul 14, 2018 8:04:14 GMT
B2 today? Displaying or arriving at 3? Fairford Today a B2 flyby is planned. MYTEE21. Flightplan says two aircraft. So 21 with MYTEE22. Probably one airspare like last year. Eta RIAT 14:59LT
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Post by mikephipp on Jul 14, 2018 8:38:58 GMT
WEATHER. After cancellation of fly-past, I looked at black clouds all around & decided they must arrive overhead Fairford fairly soon. So left & headed south to hit horrendous downpours. Roads at Tidworth were flooded with water coming up through manholes. Got home to Poole where it was sunny all day!! It's something to do with air shows - remember blazing heat at Yeovilton. Perhaps Farnborough will get it right.
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Post by rh226 on Jul 14, 2018 8:46:42 GMT
Left at 3.45 to "avoid the rush", and it took me two hours to do the 33 miles home. I know that no one can help where Fairford is located and that it's surrounded by narrow country roads but routing the outbound traffic down through Blunsdon where the lights on the A419 junction were letting about six cars through at a time was plain ridiculous. It took me 45 minutes to do half a mile there. Goodness knows how long those who left after the aerial displays had to endure. Graham, Your best bet for the future is to go back via Cricklade, Purton, Royal Wootton Bassett, Lyneham and Calne. Not many people think of going that way, so the roads are pretty empty of traffic.
Phil, I'm going tomorrow and it looks like I shall miss the B-2 again (went the wrong day last year, too), unless it is very kind and comes in over Yeovilton.
Bob
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Post by graham on Jul 14, 2018 9:20:13 GMT
Thanks Bob, I would have done exactly that but the route out was marshalled by the boys in blue and there seemed no option other than to follow the signs.
Anyway, have finished logging and I made 99 frames and 12 scrapes yesterday plus USAF C17 99-0167 OTT with a few queries that don't seem to be on Planebase if anyone can shed any light please.
"41" - Estonian AF An-2 "NH-221" -Finnish Army NH90 "58" - Ukrainian AF Su-27P1M "71" - Ukrainian AF Su-27UB1M "EC-400" - Airbus A400M, earmarked as ZM421
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Post by rh226 on Jul 14, 2018 9:45:12 GMT
A look at Scramble shows the following
41 (yellow) -- An-2 = c/n 111747320 NH-221 -- NH90-TTH = c/n 1262/TFIA21 58 (blue) -- SU27P1M = c/n 36911035612 71 (blue) -- SU27UB1M = c/n 1041405 EC-400 -- A400M = c/n 056
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Post by graham on Jul 14, 2018 9:53:32 GMT
Cheers Bob
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Post by zz on Jul 14, 2018 10:20:43 GMT
Phil, I'm going tomorrow and it looks like I shall miss the B-2 again (went the wrong day last year, too), unless it is very kind and comes in over Yeovilton.
Bob
All luck of the draw. I was lucky last year- unlucky this year (it was Friday 13th!!!)
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Post by keefyboy on Jul 14, 2018 11:40:35 GMT
I always find the easiest route in and out of Fairford is to pick up the A429 at M4 Jct 17 then head north to Malmesbury Take a right onto the B4040 (the brown route). Fairford is well signposted and you will be directed onto the B4696 that comes up from Wootton Bassett. Just follow the signage through the Cotswold Water Park and across the A419 avoiding it completely. I left yesterday just after the Frecce and I was home before the end of the show - 28 miles in 35 minutes. Trust me this is easily the best route - but dont tell everyone!!
Cheers Keith
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Post by keefyboy on Jul 14, 2018 11:47:12 GMT
Due to a change of plan, I won't be going to the coast today. I'm very tempted to take a quick trip to Kemble hoping that I might get a glimpse of the B2 and maybe even some of the RAF flypast.
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Post by zz on Jul 14, 2018 14:43:18 GMT
FC reporting that the B.2 was “Spirit of New York”. If correct, that makes it 82-1068 which was at RIAT in 2012.
So I don’t feel disappointed about missing it now!
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Post by rugbyref on Jul 14, 2018 14:49:42 GMT
I left yesterday during the Tricolori, and was delayed by 30 seconds at the exit. Unfortunately the A419 by Swindon was dire, and then entry onto M4 was delayed by 2 police cars stopped on the hard shoulder with 3 cars sandwiched between them.
Today’s Daily Telgraph has a great F35 photo, but spoiled by a caption which stated that there was a 50 plane flypast.
I haven’t checked my log yet, ID’d visitors G-XXEB, G-RVCH, G-ROON, N51AH. Failed to identify the Puma visitor and the Ecureil folowing G-ROON.
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Post by rh226 on Jul 14, 2018 14:56:07 GMT
FC reporting that the B.2 was “Spirit of New York”. If correct, that makes it 82-1068 which was at RIAT in 2012. So I don’t feel disappointed about missing it now! And I certainly don't, having seen it on deployment at Fairford during June last year (Baltops/Sabre Strike time). Whew!!....(wipes brow theatrically).
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Post by gtf4j2m on Jul 14, 2018 16:51:29 GMT
A few notes for all
LN-DHY Vampire FB.6 was present as SE-DXS in 2011
MM81868 HH-101A is ex ZR536 and was at Farnborough in 2016
4178 C-130E Pakistan AF was at Fairford in 1993 as A97-198 RAAF-37sqn
1503 C-130E Polish AF- is c/n 4426 ex 70-1272 regular at Mildenhall 70's to 90's
"TX176" G-AHKX Avro srs 19. Whilst TX176 was an Anson C.19 this has nothing to do with G-AHKX which as an Avro srs 19 was a civilian Anson and has no military background.
OE-XSY "XG545" this never flew as this serial (XG545 w/o in 1957). OE-XSY's military career was with the W German AF
Hope this helps
Graham GTF4J2M
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Post by zz on Jul 14, 2018 17:20:15 GMT
If you’re talking “ex-es” how about
Austrian Herc 8T-CA ex XV181
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Post by gtf4j2m on Jul 14, 2018 17:33:32 GMT
I did not include that as I saw it as 8T-CA at Waddington in 2009, so good point. Just edited my post to include info on OE-XSY sycaore.
The AS355 which arrived at the same time as G-ROON was G-PERX
Graham GTF4J2M
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Post by billsamuels on Jul 14, 2018 20:10:47 GMT
I left yesterday during the Tricolori, and was delayed by 30 seconds at the exit. Unfortunately the A419 by Swindon was dire, and then entry onto M4 was delayed by 2 police cars stopped on the hard shoulder with 3 cars sandwiched between them. Today’s Daily Telgraph has a great F35 photo, but spoiled by a caption which stated that there was a 50 plane flypast. I haven’t checked my log yet, ID’d visitors G-XXEB, G-RVCH, G-ROON, N51AH. Failed to identify the Puma visitor and the Ecureil folowing G-ROON. Definitely G-PERX. Read it off with the Bertha’s!!! Bill
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Post by rugbyref on Jul 14, 2018 20:28:44 GMT
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Post by billsamuels on Jul 14, 2018 21:47:42 GMT
I’d say that was a successful purchase, and great results...
Thanks for sharing mate.
Bill
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Post by rugbyref on Jul 14, 2018 22:09:32 GMT
Thanks Bill. Just checked my log, and made 104 frames. With the 46 I made from Tuesday’s flypast, a total of 150 for the 2 days is not too shabby.
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Post by keefyboy on Jul 15, 2018 18:44:47 GMT
A cracking show for me - I only went on the Friday and, to me, it's all about entertainment. RIAT got it spot on as usual and turned it into a great family day out. Fantastic flying - I have personal views on some of the displays - but I have respect for all participants and will just say thanks for coming to all you guys.
I think my first IAT was at North Weald in 70/71 and it has grown so much since those days when I could just jump a Central Line train. Greenham Common was great for it's diversity of aircraft but RIAT at Fairford have nailed it. Sure we won't see all the Russian aircraft displays like in the late 90's/early 00's but it has easily become the biggest and best international airshow in the world and I would like to think it will stay that way for years to come. The Corporate hospitality and lectures etc are what keeps so many exotic air arms coming back - it's certainly not about spotters - it's about building camaraderie amongst air arms - so it's a big thumbs up from me and long may it continue!
Cheers Keith
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Post by rh226 on Jul 15, 2018 21:35:17 GMT
An excellent day with no traffic problems inbound. Got turned onto the alternative Blue route and it was no queueing straight through to the show!! The wife and I had to give up early as the heat was getting a bit too much for us (can't take it any more like we used to)
Log now finished and I managed to make (erm...cough) 115 including seven pseudo-mil (UK civil carrying military regs).
Cheers,
Bob
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Post by dave on Jul 16, 2018 8:05:44 GMT
hi morning, I went Friday, on the shuttle bus from Swindon once we hit the lanes we hit the traffic, the bus was hitting the trees on both sides then cars and vans started coming towards us. At one time the driver had to get out and ask them to reverse, and he said to us this surpossed to be for bus and coachs also vip passes in cars, started from Swindon at 0850 arrived at the show at 1040, most of the passengers got off the us and walked the 2-3mls. After the rain, and the flypast was cancelled I caught the 1500 bus, has I had to get back to the IoW
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Post by dave on Jul 16, 2018 8:24:19 GMT
hi again, don't know what happened there the screen flickered and it was posted...
so the return to Swindon took 35mins, but with it being the 13th, that was not the end of it... caught the train to Bath, changed to the Portsmouth harbour on which was 15mins late sat in the station for 25mins then had to de-train as it was broke. Waited for the next hourly one which was 15mins late then had to be packed in and stood for 1 and 1/2 hrs, stopped and started arrived at the harbour just on 2020 has the ferry was up anchoring, so then had to wait a hour for the next...
But this is the IAT then RIAT experience, the show I enjoyed it, did anyone notice how open the crews were? in the c/p of the CAF C.130, USAF C.130, CV.22, the queues were to long for the Extender and the E.3. Pity about the cancelled a/c and flypast, but God and the wife willing I will be back next year, I've nothing else planned for that weekend.
regards, dave...
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Post by graham on Jul 16, 2018 11:21:42 GMT
Blimey Dave, someone wasn't smiling very favourably at you on Friday.
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Post by dave on Jul 16, 2018 16:09:03 GMT
hi, your right there! but me mum loves me...
regards, dave...
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Post by graham on Jul 17, 2018 5:53:16 GMT
..and that's all that counts...
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Post by brizewatcher on Jul 17, 2018 19:31:51 GMT
Made 123 this year, not bad going. Will post a full log shortly.
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Post by zz on Jul 17, 2018 19:47:27 GMT
72 for me this year, including a few civil. This is the highest total for years and would have been 3-4 more had I gone Saturday/Sunday rather than Friday.
The total was helped slightly by not going to Yeovilton Air Day first this year- several of my “needs” were there the week before.
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