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Bournemouth Air Festival 2012


mike65

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Spend the weekend down at the Air Festival this year. Arrived Friday and had a beer outside to the sound and sight of a Spitfire, what more can one want.

It was not just in the air there was a Royal Navy presence with HMS York, RFA Mounts Bay and HMS Severn anchored offshore.

The beach also got "stormed" by the Marines.

Yes Saturday was a nice warm sunny day, but Sunday started with fine rain and remained overcast. might not be good for people but a great help for aircraft photography on the South coast.

 

I know how much you lot love pictures so here are a few.

HMS York loos completely different as the sun was serring.

 

Mike

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Yes I know it was an Air Festival so I suppose we better get airborne.Part of the display included a re-enactment of the rescue of a downed pilot. Saturday was OK but weather made a change to Sunday's programme

This featured a brave parachutist who had to get wet.

The Catalina would come along to get him but was driven off by a fighter enter one faux 108 pano Buchon) which got seen off by a Spitfire IX (MH434) and a P51 Mustang (Ferocious Frankie) who then put on a close formation display. Of course whilst this is all going on the parachutist is picked up by HSL 102.

 

Mike

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Then of course some of our more modern favourites.

The Red Arrows - Only seven now!

Solo Hawk - nice paint job

" Tornado GR4's - literally ripping the air apart.

HMS Severn - Intercepting the rebel boat from the marine landing (missed off first post)

 

Mike

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For those who like things helicoptor we got

The Army Lynx. - Watching that thing pull loops and back flips is something else.

The Navy's Blackcats Lynx display team - Some close formation flying there.

And The RAF brought along a Chinook - might be big but it can pull some moves.

 

Mike

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Flipping heck Mike - that looked fantastic!!! I am not too sure where this event came from as it seems to have just happend over night but it is certainly one for the calender.

 

Said on the radio today that it brought in over 25 million to the local economy - that's a cracking result.

 

And thanks for sharing the images!

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Flipping heck Mike - that looked fantastic!!! I am not too sure where this event came from as it seems to have just happend over night but it is certainly one for the calender.

 

Said on the radio today that it brought in over 25 million to the local economy - that's a cracking result.

 

And thanks for sharing the images!

 

Jack

 

Where you been?

Its a 4 day event that has run annually since 2008.

I can well believe it brought that much in, Saturday was absolutely heaving between the 2 piers.

 

Mike

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Jack

 

Where you been?

Its a 4 day event that has run annually since 2008.

I can well believe it brought that much in, Saturday was absolutely heaving between the 2 piers.

 

Mike

 

Have been here but what I mean is that it just started as a weekend bash and then within a matter of years it has become massive. :-D

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Have been here but what I mean is that it just started as a weekend bash and then within a matter of years it has become massive. :-D

 

Yes I see what you mean now. It has turned into a bit of a monster, but appeared to be very well run and a friendly atmosphere.

You have it all to look forward to with A&E:D

 

Mike

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I spent the weekend at my mums, which is about 10 miles from the airshow and we saw the vulcan and the BBMF.

The did an improptu flypast heading towards the isle of wight.

The BBMF were parked up at Bournemouth. They did their forming up out the IoW way nefore running in.

The Vulcan ran in the same way.

Both were also displaying at Shoreham so would have had to head off that way.

On the Sunday the weather stopped the Ming walkers getting there and the parachute team, so the BBMF came out a bit earlier, so probably had some time to kill before Shoreham.

 

Mike

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It was a very good show, I went on the Friday and the seafront was heaving! Had trouble finding a spot on the beach to sit. The flying programme changed daily, and it was a shame the Sea Vixen was grounded due to paperwork, as I haven't seen that flying yet. Lanc was a late performer due to a technical fault, but the whole show is worth going to see. The dusk displays were extremely good, with the last perfomers having pyrotechnics as part of the display, will put up pics when I get them transferred over.

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The line up changed on a daily basis. The Venom only appeared on the program on Saturday (had the iPhone app)

Which Spit was with the BBMF on the Friday as I saw them come in around 6.15 and I am convinced it had changed on Saturday.

Are we sure the Sea Vixen was out on a paperwork issue alone. This way have had something to do with things.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2126128/Worlds-remaining-air-worthy-Sea-Vixen-plane-crashes-Bournemouth-Airport.html

 

Mike

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Got the paperwork thing from the air festival website, didn't know it had been damaged. Spit displaying on Friday as far as I can tell was the AB910. Dusk air pics haven't come out too bad.

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Spitfire 11 low flypast.

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Brendan O'Brien's flying circus.

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The SWIP duo.

Heard when we got back to our campsite someone had found a WW2 shell on the beach, no wonder they wanted us all to depart quickly when the show finished.

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Flipping heck Mike - that looked fantastic!!! I am not too sure where this event came from as it seems to have just happend over night but it is certainly one for the calender.

 

Said on the radio today that it brought in over 25 million to the local economy - that's a cracking result.

 

And thanks for sharing the images!

 

Jack

 

Where you been?

Its a 4 day event that has run annually since 2008.

I can well believe it brought that much in, Saturday was absolutely heaving between the 2 piers.

 

Mike

 

Have been here but what I mean is that it just started as a weekend bash and then within a matter of years it has become massive. :-D

 

Indeed since 2008 it has become a massive show, I just happened to be in Bournemouth on the Sunday either 2008 or 2009 not knowing in advance about the show. If Shoreham show was not already happening to piggy-back the displays onto I doubt this show would have started.

 

While the show brings in big money to the local economy unlike say Southport show there is no entry fee which of course brings the crowds but I do wonder how the displays are funded.

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Indeed since 2008 it has become a massive show, I just happened to be in Bournemouth on the Sunday either 2008 or 2009 not knowing in advance about the show. If Shoreham show was not already happening to piggy-back the displays onto I doubt this show would have started.

 

While the show brings in big money to the local economy unlike say Southport show there is no entry fee which of course brings the crowds but I do wonder how the displays are funded.

 

There is a rather simple answer to that. gleaned from listening to the commentary.

There was a lot of "brought to your courtesy of So and So"

They also get money from businesses that want there name plastered across the website an in the official program.

Many will be local as you say it drags the punters in big time so all benefit in someway

Of course there are the benefits of having it coincide with Shoreham. Did Bournemouth Saturday and Shoreham Sunday in 2008.

It also has the added benefit of RN Ships and a Marine beach invasion

There was only one disappointment this year. Tickets to visit HMS York were sold out by the time I got there.

Oh well maybe next year.

 

Mike

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