OT: Flying Legends Airshow at Duxford today!!

[wdolson]

Cool pictures, all those fighters airborne at once must have been surreal.

I read the Blenheim was airworthy, crashed, and was painfully restored back to flyable condition. I believe it's the only flyable one in the world. That P-36C was restored at Chino, CA and had a chance to fly with the last flyable P-35 (actually AT-12, 2 seat variant) at the 2015 air show there before being shipped to the UK.

Berlin Express is a P-51C. The main difference between the B and C was where they were built, the Bs in California and the Cs in Texas. The early marks of both were identical, but the line in Texas started with the vents just behind the prop before switching over to P-51D production and the California plant started with the vents with D production. (The Army also started a different designation system between starting B/C and D production adding a two letter code for the factory to the end of the designation.) So the later P-51Cs were the only non-bubble canopy P-51s with the nose vents.

Sea Furys are pretty common in California. The only place in the US that still does air racing is at Reno, NV and there are a lot of retired air racers on the air show circuit in the western US.

It's been years since I've been to an air show. I used to work one in college and that was a lot of fun. I was on the duty to close the runway to regular traffic at the start of the airshow one year. We put a big X at the end of the runway (which was blown off by the prop wash from the first planes to take off). Just after was got the X down, 4 P-51s came and took off to start the show. They took off in pairs and the noise was both deafening and awesome at the same time. I was only a wing's length from two Merlins wide open.

Bill

[btd64]

Excellent photos. Thank you for sharing them. Beautiful....GP

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ORIGINAL: wdolson

Cool pictures, all those fighters airborne at once must have been surreal.

I read the Blenheim was airworthy, crashed, and was painfully restored back to flyable condition. I believe it's the only flyable one in the world. That P-36C was restored at Chino, CA and had a chance to fly with the last flyable P-35 (actually AT-12, 2 seat variant) at the 2015 air show there before being shipped to the UK.

Berlin Express is a P-51C. The main difference between the B and C was where they were built, the Bs in California and the Cs in Texas. The early marks of both were identical, but the line in Texas started with the vents just behind the prop before switching over to P-51D production and the California plant started with the vents with D production. (The Army also started a different designation system between starting B/C and D production adding a two letter code for the factory to the end of the designation.) So the later P-51Cs were the only non-bubble canopy P-51s with the nose vents.

You should write to the Flying Legends, Bill, as they have it incorrectly marked as a "b" on their site.

Sea Furys are pretty common in California. The only place in the US that still does air racing is at Reno, NV and there are a lot of retired air racers on the air show circuit in the western US.

It's been years since I've been to an air show. I used to work one in college and that was a lot of fun. I was on the duty to close the runway to regular traffic at the start of the airshow one year. We put a big X at the end of the runway (which was blown off by the prop wash from the first planes to take off). Just after was got the X down, 4 P-51s came and took off to start the show. They took off in pairs and the noise was both deafening and awesome at the same time. I was only a wing's length from two Merlins wide open.

Bill

You can see a lot online these days but nothing replaces the live sound of these machines and the scope of watching them in a big blue sky.

[John 3rd]

Magnificent. The B-17 is beautiful. Loved the PBY as well.

Are there any Brit 4EB still flying? How about German bombers?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Are there any Brit 4EB still flying?

warspite1

https://www.raf.mod.uk/bbmf/

[zuluhour]

beautiful!

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A few more.

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.

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The transports.

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Two adversaries together.

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Another Cat.

[JeffroK]

Fantastic pics,

Almost my favourite P51 paint job, take away the Shark mouth and paint the rudder pale blue with the Southern Cross.

The other P40F flys in Australia.

While all of the aircraft are amazing, its the rare ones that thrill, 4!!!! Hurricanes, the Blenheim I, P36's, FM2/F4F-4.

JIII, there is also a Lancaster flying in Canada, get to see that and you hear 4 Merlins at once.
PS Its amazing how different a Rolls Royce Merlin sounds compared to a Packard built Merlin.

[warspite1]

Looks like one of the aircraft - a P-51 - hit problems, closing the M11 motorway. Fortunately no one hurt.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/ca ... responsive

[Chickenboy]

Thanks for sharing, Obvert! [8D]

[fcooke]

Anyone on this site would love to go to Duxford. This airshow is amazing - and their static displays are very impressive as well. I have not been to a US airshow of equal caliber (have not been to Oshkosh), but the fact that this one is based out of a former WW2 base just adds to the experience. There have been accidents over the years - I think the ME-109 (or Spanish version) ground looped maybe 15 years ago - killing the pilot - not sure if it the same one - but I would guess so. There was also a bad crash more recently where a plane cam done on the nearby motorway (I am sure my Brits can clarify here - where a number of cars were taken out) but I think the pilot may have survived. But I think that was a jet, not a WW2 piston job.

Anyway - lived in the UK for 7 years and loved it. Duxford (and Hendon) are must visits in my opinion.

Regards,
Frank

[fcooke]

Obvert - would love the images when you have the chance. frankcooke@ me.com (space between name and me to keep the trolls at bay).

[Lowpe]

How come none where in flames crashing with pilots dropping from the skies in parachutes? That is only way I can see those planes.[:D]

Seriously good pictures.[&o]

Today, I stood at the High Water Mark of the Confederacy and imagined Armistead leading his troops to the Bloody Angle. Chilling, despite the July weather. I was with 2 of my 3 children (no more). Enjoy the time as it goes so fast.

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: JeffK

Fantastic pics,

Almost my favourite P51 paint job, take away the Shark mouth and paint the rudder pale blue with the Southern Cross.

The other P40F flys in Australia.

While all of the aircraft are amazing, its the rare ones that thrill, 4!!!! Hurricanes, the Blenheim I, P36's, FM2/F4F-4.

JIII, there is also a Lancaster flying in Canada, get to see that and you hear 4 Merlins at once.
PS Its amazing how different a Rolls Royce Merlin sounds compared to a Packard built Merlin.

That Lancaster shown in the link from Warspite is marvelous. GREAT PICTURES!

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: fcooke

Anyone on this site would love to go to Duxford. This airshow is amazing - and their static displays are very impressive as well. I have not been to a US airshow of equal caliber (have not been to Oshkosh), but the fact that this one is based out of a former WW2 base just adds to the experience. There have been accidents over the years - I think the ME-109 (or Spanish version) ground looped maybe 15 years ago - killing the pilot - not sure if it the same one - but I would guess so. There was also a bad crash more recently where a plane cam done on the nearby motorway (I am sure my Brits can clarify here - where a number of cars were taken out) but I think the pilot may have survived. But I think that was a jet, not a WW2 piston job.

Anyway - lived in the UK for 7 years and loved it. Duxford (and Hendon) are must visits in my opinion.

Regards,
Frank

warspite1

You refer to the Shoreham crash - it was a Hawker Hunter.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03 ... al-report/

[wdolson]

Dixie was in the RAF and was assigned to the BoB Flight. He got to ride in the Lanc during some airshows.

One of his threads:
http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3303019