I was at Yeovilton Airday about a month ago,
and they had the Vulcan flying. So beautiful, actually got a bit of wood.
(Vigilante Man weeps because you're stupid., Fri 6 Aug 2010, 1:05, 22 replies)

envious
after countless childhood trips to Hendon RAF Museum, an Airfix model of one and no attendances at air shows at all thanks to stingy parents, I have never seen one fly. It would be my beautiful moment, but I guess that was when I just happened to catch the Red Arrows in Swansea last year after 27 years of missing them.
(cypherspace is not a toaster, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 1:22, closed)

Envious
I wasnt far from there and would have gone if it hadnt clashed with a 3 day camping party.
A Lockheed Lightning flew overhead, probably on its way to or from the airshow.
I confess to going a bit 'oooh look, isnt that lovely ' while my fellow party goers just didnt get it.
I go gooey when i see the Spitfire & Lancaster flying together
Beautiful machines
(insomniac-surfer oh go on then, just this once, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 1:42, closed)

Spitty and lancaster always appear at the airshows here.
Cracking planes, I took an elderly gent to the airshow last year, he loved seeing the battle of britain planes, little wet cheeks he had because he used to count them going out, and count a fraction of them coming back in when he was 'a young lad'.

I would recommend getting yourself to Bournemouth this year for it, but unless you want to spend 6 hours stuck in traffic(just in Bournemouth) to see planes fly on and off for 3 hours it wont be worth it.
(Mensa Reject has gone out, I'll be back on, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 6:44, closed)

As a resident of Farnborough I am obviously very spoilt with the airshow.

Got to see the Vulcan and Red Arrows flying over my house twice and the fantastic A380 everyday.

'Farnborough - It's a shit hole, unless you like planes'
(jono_h, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 6:27, closed)

Hey, it's better than Aldershot! Air Show Week always makes me happy to be home - for two weeks a year I get to watch amazing planes that set off the car alarms ^___^
(epinephrine, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 11:27, closed)

I must admit,
not really impressed by the dead sparrows any more, have seen them just too many time. Do remember back in the early '90s when the Russians would come over and show off their wares to any potential buyers. Damn they knew how to fly!
(Vigilante Man weeps because you're stupid., Fri 6 Aug 2010, 23:49, closed)

On the subject of Russians
This- www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BY7-LgF7d4 was filmed by an air traffic controller, dunno if you can hear his commentary, but it's not exactly complimentary.
(M61A1 CUPID- STUNTS, Mon 9 Aug 2010, 9:18, closed)

They had a couple of famous accidents though...
...and the blokes flying them weren't ordinary squadron pilots - unlike the Red Arrows.

If Mikoyan's head test pilot got it wrong in a brand new Mig 29 then it's an indication of how close to the knuckle they took it.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Mon 9 Aug 2010, 12:05, closed)

"Yay" for the aerosexuals
I am one as well, I hae been fortunate enough to build a career around playing with flying machines.
(M61A1 CUPID- STUNTS, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 7:06, closed)

I saw a Vulcan flying at Mildenhall (I think) back when I were a lad
It remember it being flung around the sky almost as if it were a single seat fighter, the shock waves from it's engines shook me when it turned tail at the crowd and climbed.

My favorite though by a long shot was the English Electric Lightning. That really was an incredible plane.

I used to live right next to the A12, so I got to see plenty of exotic aircraft as they used to navigate using the road. Best by far was the sight of a late mark Spitfire AND a P51D flying in formation.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Fri 6 Aug 2010, 9:06, closed)

RAE Thurleigh
Early 80's, when the Vulcan was still operational, I was lucky enough to be riding past RAE Thurleigh when one was flying. It took off, circled round, came in to land, touched down, throttled up and took off again, about ten times. It was an absolutely spectacular sight that I remember as clearly as if it was yesterday and the sound was glorious.
(lardyboy Next stop, Fissplap Central, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 9:26, closed)

I saw a Vulcan at
I think Cosford, in about 1995 (might be slightly wrong on details here, but about that time).

I can still remember the noise vividly.
(SnowyTheWereRabbit the Leporid from Hell, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 9:37, closed)

Saw the Vulcan fly last year at the RAF Leuchars air show with my lad
just a fantastic sight. We've been to the show every year since he was 4 - just me and him, every year - a real boys day out. He's 12 now. But every year is still magic. We never get bored of watching the red arrows.
(Reverend Fister "a disciplined fuckwit", Fri 6 Aug 2010, 9:49, closed)

Was at Farnborough
A couple of weeks ago, saw the Vulcan, my god what a noise but a sweet bit of engineering, only 1 left in the world as well. Not worth it's own thread but a beautiful moment was seeing Mrs Arrows grandad with a tear in his eye as the WW2 tribute flew over. Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane...awesome.
(bROKEN aRROW PUA HVI Master, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 10:28, closed)

There are a few Vulcans left, but only one airworthy
There's on that's been stranded at Southend Airport since the 1970s - it had to make an emergency landing there and the runway was too short for it to take off again.

Last I heard, there was a planning application to turn it into a nightclub.

Sad times.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Fri 6 Aug 2010, 10:36, closed)

Yeah
They mentioned at the airshow that their budget is possibly being scrapped so it may be the last time we see these types of craft fly. They cost millions to maintain...sad times indeed
(bROKEN aRROW PUA HVI Master, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 10:45, closed)

Air days long gone...
I've been lucky enough to see most of the British classics flying - EE Lightning, AVRO Vulcan, the BBMF, and not to mention the numerous times seeing the Red Arrows.

There are a couple of Vulcans (and other classics) that are maintained for fast taxi runs - basically a take-off with out the actual take off bit and you can go along to see these happen fairly regularly.

For a real bit of pant-wettingly awesome Aeroplane geekness, try this: Thunder City

And one of my beautiful moments? The afore mention fast taxi runs - last year, a HP Victor was taking part in one of these and this happened :-)

Ooops! :-)
(TC, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 10:59, closed)

If I ever win the lottery jackpot, or become the next Duncan Bannatyne
Then I want to be taken for a jaunt above Cape Town in a Lightning.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Fri 6 Aug 2010, 12:30, closed)

BAE Buccaneer Summer Special
"For a limited period only, Thunder City is offering you
an opportunity to fly in this iconic fighter jet for just
R69 995 including a FREE DVD of your Sortie!"

Just over 6k, call it 10k with holiday and spending money.

I better start saving.
(Vigilante Man weeps because you're stupid., Fri 6 Aug 2010, 19:22, closed)

oh yeah
... those instruments of genocide really do it for me as well.
(haberman is singing in the changes, Fri 6 Aug 2010, 14:23, closed)

Fail
Lightnings, Spitfires and other single seat military jets of that era are point defence fighters.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Fri 6 Aug 2010, 22:27, closed)

However
That was a response to the original post, which ONLY mentioned the Vulcan which was a bomber - specifically one designed as part of our nuclear deterrent.

No mention of Spitfires, Lightnings or any other fighters and interceptors in the original post.

So I'm afraid that calling of Fail was itself a little bit of a fail.
(Frottage cheese, Mon 9 Aug 2010, 13:19, closed)