Came across this guy on YouTube purely by accident Filming to die for, beautifullly edited, Oh and the Japanese have the coolest paint schemes on the planet. https://www.youtube.com/user/The130077 This one of a Viggen is well done also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-776wVpBOQ&t=363s Apologies if they have been seen before John
Thanks for that I already know of that site, in fact one the pics is currently my computer wallpaper https://www.e-pic.se/Aircraft/Aircraft-sorted-by-type/SAAB/SAAB-AJS-37-Viggen/i-HSmpWX4/A John
In the days when airshows were proper (pre First gulf War) I watched a Viggen display at Mildenhall. it landed and stopped i n 100 yds and then just blasted off back into the air.
The Viggen (there were several variants) was a one off design built to the Swedish Air Force Requirements & specifically to meet their needs. For the Engine they took a Pratt & Whitney engine used in the Boeing 727 and slapped a BIG Afterburner and a massive thrust reverser onto it. It was produced by Volvo. It had an unusualy high By Pass ratio for a fighter The idea was that if the Ruskies invaded the airfields would be deystroyed on day 1 or 2 of a conflict, so the Swedes marked out suitable areas of road that could be used as temporary bases. This way they could carry on fighting in a series of rearguard actions. From what I read they fully expected to be overwhelmed in about 2 or 3 weeks, but they were going to make the Russians pay dearly for the invasion. Using short lengths of roadway needed massive stopping power (the reverser) & massive Oomph (the afterburner). I read somewhere that they even conducted trials on the feasability of landing a Viggen onto a US carrier (no arrestor gear on a Viggen) the aircraft would rely on that massive reverser to stop it going over the end. No idea how far the trials progressed before it was abandoned. The reverser was primed before touchdown and came on automatically when the nosewheel made contact with Terra Firma. One of my all time Favourate aircraft although I have never seen one in the flesh Must have been quite a sight Higgy
I love military jets I watch them paint pictures of them and build models of them a proper saddo in some peoples eyes
Cant remember if it was 84 or 85 but I was manning a display for the microlite manufacturer I used to work for at RAF Locking airshow in Weston Super Mare. There was a display from a Vulcan, his party piece was to buzz the runway and then give it the full beans and point his nose skywards, the basrard thing blew our display stand to pieces, including sending the microlite we had on display half was across the showground. The noise was something else.
I’m hoping the Red Arrows move up here to Leeming when Scampton closes. One of three possible bases so fingers crossed.
I grew up in Leeming. Our house backed on to the airfield almost at the end of the runway. The Vulcans and later Tornados used to make a defining sound as they took off, especially at night. They used to train pilots there too, if my memory serves in Chipmunks and Provosts. Went up there on the bike last summer. The place looked dead.
I did a FAC course at RAF Leeming once. As part of the cse we had a flight in a Hawk to get a pilots eye view of the stuff we were doing. The two pilots allocated to the cse were old Jaguar pilots, on the sortie he was not allowed to loop the Hawk but he could ‘throw it around a bit’. Anyway after about 45 minutes of him letting me take control and him pretending to be reading his map whilst completely blocking my view with he told me to turn off my g-suit trousers and then started to really hoik it about, within about 20 seconds my vision was a pin prick and very very grey. I remember coming round to see the side of a mountain passing the cockpit at about 500 mph. You dont get jobs like this in civvie street.
I was given a guided tour of a B1B Lancer bomber a few years ago. In the cockpit (which was tiny, built for midgets and chiz-folk), poked my head inside the payload area, the works. Was told I could not take my camera phone with me so I took no pics. During the tour, the other five folks all took pics with their camera phones and iPads. Yeah, how I laughed.
If you like bombers I can thoroughly recommend this https://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/ I know theres been several events on here at East Kirkby but the place is an absolute must for anyone with an interest in Bomber Command. I did the Taxy run in Just Jane, the sensation and joy and utter sadness that gave was incredible. Watching other guests stood by the control tower waving us off as we trundled down the runway made the hairs on my neck stand on end and brought tears to my eyes. The idea that 55,585 airmen saw that sight as they left for their targets but did not return just seems mad now but it happened 70 odd years ago. To make a trip of it, we stayed at Petworth Lodge Hotel which was the officers mess of 617 Sqn, again sleeping in a room where theres the possibility that previous occupants did not return from ops. They have a great bar there full of 617 memorabilia.
Nah not really, I mean I’ve been to the occasional air show, seen really fast planes take off and it kinda makes the hairs stand up a bit, but that’s it. Air shows remind me of steam rallies in that that attract the same kind of folk, folk that wear badges on their caps, have food in their beards and real ale stains on their tee shirts. They possess the ability to waffle on and on endlessly, knowing every intimate detail of their well honed subject .. ..bit like bikers really... shit I really need to get a new hobby!
I live under the flight path between RAF Wattisham and RAF Woodbridge..... ...not that many planes but plenty of Apaches. Arrows bloody hurt.
Found this and thought someone might like it, coffee table ? <div class="hl-image hl-item__bg-image hl-image__no-fill"><img src="https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/MQAAAOSwO-ZcyU9L/s-l225.jpg" alt="Rolls Royce Merlin engine Art piece"></div>£1,750.00
