Abingdon Air & Country Show 2015

[paullangford]

A great addition to the flying display. This is shaping up to be pretty special.

What's Abingdon like as a venue?

One word....Excellent

[MRTT]

This show looks A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!

Here is the full participation list with the latest additions and cancellations.

Royal Air Force
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight- Supermarine Spitfire (F/S)
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight- Hawker Hurricane (F/S)
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight- Avro Lancaster (F/S)
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight- Douglas DC3 Dakota (F)
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 & BBMF Spitfire Synchro Pair (F)
Westland Puma HC2 (S)
Agusta Westland Merlin HC3A (S)
Grob Vigilant T1 (S)
Grob Tutor T1 (S)

Royal Navy
Royal Navy Historic Flight- Fairey Swordfish (F/S)
Westland Sea King HU5 (F/S)

Classic Jets & Cold War Era Types
BRONCO DEMO TEAM- Rockwell OV10B Bronco (F/S)
ROD DEAN- Scottish Aviation Bulldog T1 (F/S)
THE GNAT DISPLAY TEAM- Folland Gnat T1 (F)
JET AEROBATICS- BAC Jet Provost T5 XW324 (F)
MID AIR SQUADRON- English Electric Canberra PR9 XH134 (F)
VAMPIRE PRESERVATION GROUP- De Haviland Vampire T11 WZ507 (F)
Westland Whirlwind HAR10 (S)
TERRY MARTIN- Westland Wasp HAS1 (S)
Taylorcraft Auster TW536 (S)
De Haviland Chipmunk T10 (S)
Scottish Aviation Bulldog T1 (S)
THE GAZELLE SQUADRON- 2x Westland Gazelle AH1/HT2 (S)

Warbirds
PLANE SAILING OPERATIONS- Consolidated PBY5A Catalina (F/S)
WILL GREENWOOD- Yakovlev Yak-3M (F/S)
North American AT-6D Texan (S)
De Haviland Dh82A Tiger Moth (S)
Royal Aircraft Factory BE2E (S)
KENNET AVIATION- North American T-6 Texan (F/S)

Civilian
The Twister Duo- 2x Silence SA100 Twister (F/S)
LAUREN RICHARDSON- Pitts S1S Special (F/S)
GYRO AIR DISPLAYS- Calidus Autogyro (F/S)
INVICTA AVIATION- Shorts SC7 Skyvan (S)
Yakovlev Yak-52 'YAK ONE' (S)
The Renegades Parachute Display Team (F)
Kolb Twinstar (S)
Grumman AA-5 (S)
Robinson R44 (S)
Piper J3 Cub (S)
Robinson R44 (S)
Vans RV6 (S)
Victor Airtourer (S)
Vans RV9A (S)
Piper PA20 (S)
Piper PA28 (S)
Kitfox (S)
Condor (S)

[NotPennysBoat]

This is my first ever visit to Abingdon, any tips about where to sit or advice that will improve my day? Also, which runway do they use?

Oh, and when will I receive my tickets, nothing in the post yet!

[oagey]

Oh, and when will I receive my tickets, nothing in the post yet!

Please PM me your full name and address and I'll check up on the progress of your tickets for you

[NotPennysBoat]

Oh, and when will I receive my tickets, nothing in the post yet!

Please PM me your full name and address and I'll check up on the progress of your tickets for you

Thank you for your concern, I emailed them via the website and it's been sorted and I should receive in the next couple days!

Edit: that was you! Haha thanks again

[oagey]

Oh, and when will I receive my tickets, nothing in the post yet!

Please PM me your full name and address and I'll check up on the progress of your tickets for you

Thank you for your concern, I emailed them via the website and it's been sorted and I should receive in the next couple days!

Edit: that was you! Haha thanks again

Cheers Niall...Yep,that was me ;-)

[benben]

Vampire and Whirlwind have cancelled, T28 Fennec to fill the vampires slot in the flying.

[MRTT]

Canberra cancelled and replaced by Classic Air Force Meteor WA591.

So with just one week to go here is the current participation list

Royal Air Force
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – Avro Lancaster B1 (F/S)
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – Supermarine Spitfire (F/S)
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – Hawker Hurricane IIc (F/S)
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – Douglas Dakota III (F)
Supermarine Spitfire & Eurofighter Typhoon (F) Synchro Pair (TBC)
Airbus Helicopters Puma HC2 (S) RAF Benson
AgustaWestland Merlin HC3 (S) RAF Benson
Grob Tutor T1 (S) OUAS (TBC)
Grob Vigilant T1 (S) 612VGS

Royal Navy
Royal Navy Historic Flight – Fairey Swordfish (F/S)
Westland Sea King HU.5 (F/S) 771 NAS

Classic Jets and Cold War Era Types
North American (Rockwell) OV-10B Bronco (F/S) – Bronco Demo Team
Scottish Aviation Bulldog T1 (F/S) – Rod Dean
Folland Gnat T1 (F) – Gnat Display Team
BAC Jet Provost T5 (F) Jet Aerobatics
Gloster Meteor T7 (F) – Classic Air Force
North American T-28S Fennec (F/S) Radial Revelations
Westland Wasp HAS1 (S) Terry Martin
Taylorcraft Auster AOP6 (S) TW536
de Havilland Canada Chipmunk T10 (S)
Scottish Aviation Bulldog (S)
Westland Gazelle HT2/AH1 x 2 (S)

Warbirds
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina (F/S) – Plane Sailing
Yakovlev Yak-3M (F/S) – Will Greenwood
North American T-6 Texan (F) Kennet Aviation
North American AT-6D Texan (S)
de Havilland DH82a Tiger Moth (S)
R.A.F BE.2E (S) World War One Aviation Heritage Trust

Civilian
Twister Duo – Silence SA1100 Twister x 2 (F/S)
Pitts S-1S Special (F/S) – Lauren Richardson
Calidus Autogyro (F/S) – Gyro Air Displays
Shorts SC7 Skyvan (S) – Invicta Aviation
Yakovlev Yak-52 (S) – YAK ONE
Renegades Parachute Display Team (F)
Kolb Twinstar (S)
Grumman AA-5 (S)
Robinson R44 (S)
Piper J3 Cub (S)
Robinson R44 (S)
Vans RV6 (S)
Victor Airtourer (S)
Vans RV9A (S)
Piper PA20 (S)
Piper PA28 (S)
Kitfox (S)
Condor (S)

[LN Strike Eagle]

For some reason I had assumed that Hangar 11 would be represented at this show.

I was quite excited by the line-up, but the unfortunate cancellations of Whirlwind, Vampire and Canberra, and the uncertainty over the Lancaster's participation reported elsewhere have dented my enthusiasm somewhat. Sea King and Bronco now the highlights for me.

Anybody have any info as to which of the BBMF Spitfires are currently airworthy? Swordfish too - is that likely to be ready, as I don't recall seeing it anywhere last season?

[seven]

Neither Swordfish has yet to fly AFAIK. I have seen the BBMF's XVI and Vb flying recently.

7

[LN Strike Eagle]

Neither Swordfish has yet to fly AFAIK. I have seen the BBMF's XVI and Vb flying recently.

7

Thanks for the info. I was hoping the BBMF would be flying Mk.IIa P7350.

From what I can gather looking around the net, it is most likely to be Swordfish W5856, if it's ready in time - it had the engine refitted earlier this year and was expected to fly a few weeks later according to their fb page, with LS326 not due in the air until later in the season.

W5856 hasn't flown for many years though to the best of my knowledge (I've not seen it since the late 90s), so probably pressed for time to complete a test flying programme before Abingdon?

[2e1var]

Neither Swordfish has yet to fly AFAIK. I have seen the BBMF's XVI and Vb flying recently.

7

There was a large bi-plane up North of Yeovilton at about 8am this morning, wasn't Pophams AN-2. Too distant to get an ID.

Rich

[MRTT]

RNHF Swordfish cancelled and there will now be 2 Gnats.

[seven]

Neither Swordfish has yet to fly AFAIK. I have seen the BBMF's XVI and Vb flying recently.

7

Thanks for the info. I was hoping the BBMF would be flying Mk.IIa P7350.

From what I can gather looking around the net, it is most likely to be Swordfish W5856, if it's ready in time - it had the engine refitted earlier this year and was expected to fly a few weeks later according to their fb page, with LS326 not due in the air until later in the season.

W5856 hasn't flown for many years though to the best of my knowledge (I've not seen it since the late 90s), so probably pressed for time to complete a test flying programme before Abingdon?

The Mk.II isnt used for the synchro pair routine, i think they said it'll be the high performance Spitfires that are used. Which is odd because they used the IX last time!

Can't comment on wednesday as i was still unconscious at that time

7

[MRTT]

Weather looks pretty bad, hoping it changes by the weekend- although I suppose these days they don't seem to be able to tell the weather for the next hour let alone 6 days.

[Sean Mac]

Hope the weather plays ball, Still due in at 1145 with G-ELUE now.

Sean

[MRTT]

Hope the weather plays ball, Still due in at 1145 with G-ELUE now.

Sean

Will take a picture for you, see you there!

[MRTT]

T-28 Fennec CANX due to take off accident at Duxford, weather looks nice.

[MRTT]

The Rv8tors will be replacing the T-28.

So here is the final participation list for Abingdon 2015.

FLYING
RAF BBMF Lancaster
RAF BBMF Spitfire
RAF BBMF Hurricane
RAF BBMF Dakota
RAF Typhoon & RAF BBMF Spitfire Synchro Pair
RN Sea King HU5
Rockwell OV-10B Bronco (BRONCO DEMO TEAM)
Scottish Aviation Bulldog T1 (ROD DEAN)
The Gnat Display Team- 2x Folland Gnat T1
BAC Jet Provost T5 XW324 (JET AEROBATICS)
Consolidated PBY5A Catalina (PLANE SAILING)
Yakovlev Yak-3M (WILL GREENWOOD)
North American T-6 Texan (KENNET AVIATION)
The Twister Duo- 2x Silence SA100 Twister
The Rv8tors- 2x VANS RV8
Pitts S1S Special (LAUREN RICHARDSON)
Calidus Autogyro (GYRO AIR DISPLAYS)
The Renegades Parachute Display Team

STATIC
RAF Merlin HC3A
RAF Puma HC2
RAF Vigilant T1
Westland Wasp HAS1 (TERRY MARTIN)
Westland Gazelle AH1/HT2 x2 (THE GAZELLE SQUADRON)
Westland Scout AH1 (ARMY AIR CORPS HISTORIC FLIGHT)
Shorts SC7 Skyvan

The normal Fly-In will also be taking place with a large number of civilian aircraft arriving.

[bizfreeq]

weather looks nice.

Met office say heavy rain until lunchtime sunshine and showers after. Wind gusts increasing as the day goes on up to a peak of 32mph mid afternoon