Cotswold Airshow (Kemble): Hawker Hunter 60th

[Chris558]

A good show this year - went Saturday and didn't have to queue AT ALL!! - Amazing, considering SHE was there...either the threat of showers out-weighed the Vulcan Effect, or everyone got there early!

Anyway, the showers were sharp but few with plenty of sun in-between and a GLORIOUS cloudscape. So rather than have my eye stuck behind a viewfinder all the time, I enjoyed the flying with the MK 1 eyeball (just took the odd shot) and concentrated on the statics.

The only classic jet missing was the Sea Vixen but can't have everything!






Flt Lt Jules Fleming - First female solo RAF display pilot





BBMF Dak sporting her new colours...



A rarity...


And these are pretty rare now aswell...



There were Six of these, USA registered (so off across the pond, presumably)




Hunters galore!!





Three Meatboxes - L to R: Air Atlantique (flew), Martin-Baker (static) and the newly restored T.7 flyer in glorious primer which flew again just days before, but sadly static at the show. Hope to see that one fly next year!




Complete with her support vehicles....



And some of Plods....



And last but certainly not least...THE FINALE....


Happy 60th, Hawker Hunter!!

Hope you enjoyed 'em.

[Garry Russell]

Thanks for that Chris

Ther were never very many VFW.614 and for sometime now that's been the only one flying

The Dominies were registered in the US last week and flown to Kemble. It is believe they are there for parting out and scrap

There are few useful parts though as the Dominie was a special type HS.125 Srs.2 and has little in common with any exising airframes as most of the early Viper 125's are gone.

They are quite different form the Srs.1 and 3 with a military fit and a re profiled fuselage..

It has been a source of specualtion why they were US registered but it's not unusual for this to happen for one last flight and the fact the delivery is to Kemble points to the end of the road for them.

But no one seems to know for sure

[Paul K]

Great set of photos, Chris. I'd love to have seen the Hunter flypast.

[Chris Trott]

Great pics. You guys have some nice airshows. It's rare we can put together a real themed airshow except for the occasional Thunder Over Michigan or Genesco but it has a lot to do with the large distances involved to get all the planes together rather than a lack or will or turnout for them.

As for the N-numbering, it depends on a couple of things. If it's a US company (even if it's their UK Unit) then usually for paperwork, they have to re-register it in the US prior to scrapping to prove ownership (just as if it was a UK company they'd usually have to put a G-register on it) for insurance purposes. The other reason it happens is because the US FAA is much easier to satisfy for a one-time ferry flight than the UK CAA, thus if you can get the aircraft registered as a US aircraft and get an FAA ferry permit, the CAA will be much easier to deal with than trying to do it through the CAA alone as they require a lot more for even just a one-time flight.

[Garry Russell]

There were a few aircraft...Like the Coventry Shackleton for exapmle that were put on the US register ex Brit Mil but as intended never left the country.

It seems often to be done with types that have no civil certification as is the case with these 125's

[DarrenL]

Not often you see the MB Meteor at a show either.

[simondix]

I would like to know who is paying for the support vehicles. As one who puts my hand in my pocket to support the Vulcan I would hate to think it is being spent on flash cars.

[Paul K]

I would like to know who is paying for the support vehicles. As one who puts my hand in my pocket to support the Vulcan I would hate to think it is being spent on flash cars.

Yes Simon, that thought did occur to me too. Given TVOC's knife edge finances, I think I'd have preferred to see a couple of Mondeo estates on an 02 plate. Then again, maybe they are freebies from BMW as part of a sponsorship/advertising/publicity arrangement or some such.

[Chris Trott]

The 2 BMW's seem to have something on their rear side windows that suggest sponsorship of some sort, but one would need better side-on views to read them.

I also note that the 3rd vehicle is a Ford, so maybe the cars were donated by a corporation as they renewed their fleet. This has occurred with several non-flying organizations here in the US where corporations used donation of vehicles in lieu of money for the tax benefit (full write off of the market value after 1 year) versus getting a much sub-market trade-in value for the vehicle.

[DarrenL]

They aren't all the same year of registration so maybe a bit of free two way sponsorship with who ever loans the cars, or you supply the cars and we'll make an appearance or fly-over for you (between normal airshow/ferry flights).

It's amazing what a flyover can do you know, we had the BBMF Lancaster do a flyover circuit very low over Leighton Buzzard last week for a gent at the golf club. But everyone, in and outside enjoyed it especially as the circuit took it over a lot of houses, possibly from High Street to golf club, which is quite a distance on foot.