Riat 2008

[kato13]

TiggerCCW UK 07-11-2008, 02:28 PM Here I am in Cheltenham, heading to the RIAT Airshow again. Maybe. Just checked their website and they've cancelled tomorrows show due to the weather. Hopefully Sunday (when I was planning to go) will be better! Highlights of this years show - F22's making their first appearance outside the US.


I did get to stop off at the RAF museum at Cosford again. Excellent as ever and the new Cold War hall is amazing. I'll try and get some pics posted at a later date. My only real criticism of it would be that there is actually too much in there, which can make getting photos a bit tricky.

********************

TiggerCCW UK 07-12-2008, 01:22 PM Arses. They cancelled the show. Going to try the Fleet Air Arm museum tomorrow instead.

********************

Raellus 07-12-2008, 02:45 PM Sorry Tig. We still expect a full report on the museum, though. ; )


My 4-year old son really wants to go to an airshow. Every day he asks "Is the airshow here yet?" Ever since I took him to see 3 flying WWII bombers at our little regional airport here, he's been obsessed with airplanes, warplanes especially. His favorite TV show is Dogfights on the History Channel. We enjoy watching it together. It sure beats having to watch Thomas the Tank Engine and Curious George.


If you can post any pics from your museum visit, I know one little guy who'd love to see them.

********************

TiggerCCW UK 07-12-2008, 04:40 PM I'll definitely get something sorted when I get home - its easier on the big computer rather than the lap top, plus my internet connection is dubious here - I'm using the wireles of a restaurant across the street from the B&B. Ssshhh - don't tell them. I took about 300 pics yesterday, so I'm sure there'll be something to interest Raellus Jnr. I'll try and get a good selection of shots tomorrow as well. I'm disappointed about the airshow, but having seen pictures of some of the ground conditions I understand why they binned it. At least I'm getting to head to Yeovilton instead - never been there.


http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/...-war-intro.cfm


In the meantime here's a link to the website

********************

newyorkronin 07-12-2008, 10:22 PM Just checked out the RAF museum's site. I can't believe they have an Me163. Its amazing that WWI planes, if you ever look inside, look like they're made of thin plywood and held together with chicken wire and to think men went up fighting in these things...


Sometimes on the 4th of July, the US Navy's Blue Angels pop by Coney Island in New York. Very cool. In junior high, our class went to the USS Intrepid Museum on Veterans Day and a USMC UH-1 was doing a demonstration. When it lifted off, it made a hard bank over our heads, went off the deck and ducked out of sight! We thought it was going to chop us up with the rotors and then crash into the water! But it re-appeared in the distance, just a few feet above the water. Talk about evasive manuevers!

Here's a wild video of low-level helo-flying:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbDDZjgD97Q


The first time I saw F-14s in flight was the afternoon on 9-11, as I walked home from work. Boy were they loud! I mean, I live under the approach path for LaGuardia-bound jets but even the roar of 747s didn't come close to these fighters!


I saw on TV the Red Bull air race and they were flying some model of Mooney single-engine prop if I remember. What dexterity! The manueverability and responsive of the controls were amazing! I've never seen any aircraft handle like that.


It's also interesting that armed turboprops are still manufactured (I think the Nautical-Air Handbook has stats on it):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMBRAER_Tucano

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilatus_PC-7

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilatus_PC-9


I would imagine turboprops can be maintained and fueled much more inexpensively than jets or even helicopters. A recon/close air support asset even a cantonment warlord can afford!

********************

Targan 07-13-2008, 07:00 AM So Tig, a bit of trouble with the Orangemen's marches eh?

********************

Nowhere Man 1966 07-13-2008, 01:56 PM I missed going to our local airshow here in Pittsburgh this year although I did get some good pics of the Snowbirds. That's one advantage of living in a flight path near the airport, I can still take pictures of the flights and listen in with my police scanner that can get military frequencies. I could not got that Saturday, had things to do, and Sunday was a rainout. Every once in a while, military jets do fly in, last week, an F-18 flew in, scared my poor cats.

********************

TiggerCCW UK 07-13-2008, 04:29 PM The first time I saw F-14s in flight was the afternoon on 9-11, as I walked home from work. Boy were they loud! I mean, I live under the approach path for LaGuardia-bound jets but even the roar of 747s didn't come close to these fighters!



I know what you mean - I was at RIAT two years ago, right on the flight line, as near the runway as we could get. The noise of some of the fighters going up was amazing, but the B52 and the B1 definitely got the record for the loudest of the day - awesome noise.



So Tig, a bit of trouble with the Orangemen's marches eh?



Still in England, so I haven't got all the details, but from what I'm hearing it was pretty civilised this year. I know that the Lodges and the cops were actually working together this year to try and minimise any problems, and the Lodges were even urging people not to bring drink out to the parades, which is a big step forward.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7503990.stm


http://www3.u.tv/news/LocalNews/inde...&sel=1&local=1


http://www3.u.tv/news/NationalNews/i...&sel=1&local=0


All in all it could have been worse, but I really think that as a country we should grow up and forget all this bollocks, be it the 12th parades or the Hibernians (Catholic equivalent of the Orange Order). Serously, the country has come so far in the last decade, can't we just make the leap forward and realise that the majority of the people in the country don't care about who beat who in a battle 318 years ago, we're more bothered about jobs, paying rent or mortgages and just getting on with our lives. If the small minority of wankers who live in the past would just piss off it would be a much better world. That said I still wouldn't want to live anywhere else, its a great place, the people are friendly warm and funny by and large, theres amazing scenery and its generally just a nice place to get on with your life. Rant over, sorry :blush2: Any of you that fancy coming this way to find out what I'm talking about, please feel free, and let me know when you're coming.


On a seperate note, I spent today at the Fleet Air Arm museum in Yeovilton. Again a very impressive place, everything fom WW1 aircraft up to a Concorde.

http://www.fleetairarm.com/

The carrier exprience is very cool - simlated flight on a Wessex to Ark Royal, mocked up flight deck with multiple aircraft on it, simulated launch of a Phantom and recovery of a Buccaneer and then a tour of a mock up of the island of Ark Royal. All in all a very good day out. I'll try and get the photos in some sort of order when I get home and get them online somewhere so that you can check them if you're interested.

********************

Raellus 07-15-2008, 03:00 PM ...but the B52 and the B1 definitely got the record for the loudest of the day - awesome noise.


Speak of the devil! I was pumping gas today and heard an awesome racket. I looked up to see a B-1B flying overhead, relatively low. Right place at the right time. Must have been on the way to Davis Monthan AFB, although no B-1s are normally based there. Cool!



On a seperate note, I spent today at the Fleet Air Arm museum in Yeovilton.



Sounds awesome.


Here in southern Arizona we have the "world famous" Pima Air & Space Museum. It's got a great collection of Cold War era U.S. aircraft and a few British (including the incredibly odd-looking Fairey Gannet SR. 1) and early Soviet MiG models for good measure. Most of these aircraft are outdoors. They also have 5 "hangars" full of mostly WWII vintage aircraft.

********************

TiggerCCW UK 07-15-2008, 03:20 PM They've a Gannet at Yeovilton on the mocked up hanger deck. Definitely an odd looking aircraft, but strangely charismatic. There was another one in at the back of a hanger in the active part of the base (no pubic access) waiting for restoration. Got a few pics of both of them.

********************

Targan 07-16-2008, 03:26 AM (no pubic access)That typo is pure gold!

********************

TiggerCCW UK 07-16-2008, 04:09 AM That typo is pure gold!

:blush2: :blush2: I meant to do that. Yeah, that was it - it was a deliberate test of your observation rolls. Targan obviously got the first critical success :blush2: :blush2:


Phew, think I got away with that....

********************

O'Borg 07-16-2008, 04:55 AM I saw on TV the Red Bull air race and they were flying some model of Mooney single-engine prop if I remember. What dexterity! The manueverability and responsive of the controls were amazing! I've never seen any aircraft handle like that.

The UK leg of the Red Bull air race is held over the Thames outside the Millenium Dome (aka O2 Arena) and I work in a datacentre just the other side of the river, so we get to watch them for free on the practice days

They've a Gannet at Yeovilton on the mocked up hanger deck. Definitely an odd looking aircraft, but strangely charismatic.

I'd substitude Ugly for Odd myself

When I first went to Yeovilton the best bit was in the carpark - there was a Sea Harrier doing a vertical landing right the other side of the wire fence - watching a Harrier land on a damp airfield is a bloody impressive spectacle.

I saw a better demonstration of the Harriers abilties at the Southend airshow a couple of years ago - the pilot took her down to about 20 feet up, nose on to the promenade, and just went sideways along the length of the promenade in front of the crowds.

I can see why in the Falklands war the Argie pilots were terrified of the things just by reputation alone. Lots of warplanes can bounce you from behind, but the Harrier can reverse back and have another go

********************