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Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Given today is an auspicious date, commemorating the Battle of Britain, felt it was an appropriate time for this post.
Hard to believe that it is now 30 years since this fabulous Finningley show which was the best in my view altho' the '93 show was also exceptional. The reasons it was the best are because of the Gulf War jets which featured in both the static and flying displays and particularly the amazing display by the Russian Knights with their Su-27 Flankers. Please feel free to add your own photos to this post and I would also be interested in seeing what was @ Leuchars on this day. I know that the Russians were and ditto the Gulf War flypast but I'm more interested on what was in the static.
Finningley '91 - Programme cover by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 - Flying Programme by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 F-111E 68055 55TFS by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Tornado GR1 ZA492 - Finningley '91 by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley - Tornado with Gulf War nose art '91 by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley - Jaguar '91 by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 - Display Bucc by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 - Display Tornado 45 Sqn. by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finnigley '91 - Gulf War flypast Tristar + F3s by Michael Britton, on Flickr
FInningley '91 - Russian Knights by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 - Russian Knights (1) by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 - Su-27 Flanker of Russian Knights by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 - Russian Knights (2) by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 - Russian Knights 3 by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Hard to believe that it is now 30 years since this fabulous Finningley show which was the best in my view altho' the '93 show was also exceptional. The reasons it was the best are because of the Gulf War jets which featured in both the static and flying displays and particularly the amazing display by the Russian Knights with their Su-27 Flankers. Please feel free to add your own photos to this post and I would also be interested in seeing what was @ Leuchars on this day. I know that the Russians were and ditto the Gulf War flypast but I'm more interested on what was in the static.
Finningley '91 - Programme cover by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 - Flying Programme by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 F-111E 68055 55TFS by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Tornado GR1 ZA492 - Finningley '91 by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley - Tornado with Gulf War nose art '91 by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley - Jaguar '91 by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 - Display Bucc by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 - Display Tornado 45 Sqn. by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finnigley '91 - Gulf War flypast Tristar + F3s by Michael Britton, on Flickr
FInningley '91 - Russian Knights by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 - Russian Knights (1) by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 - Su-27 Flanker of Russian Knights by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 - Russian Knights (2) by Michael Britton, on Flickr
Finningley '91 - Russian Knights 3 by Michael Britton, on Flickr
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Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Remember it well; they were the first Su-27s I'd seen:- think their hosts were the Red Arrows.
Couldn't get anywhere near the fence-line when one did a taxi-by; next to me was a charity enclosure with no-one by the fence; couldn't see an official to give 'em a fiver to be in their enclosure.
Roger
Couldn't get anywhere near the fence-line when one did a taxi-by; next to me was a charity enclosure with no-one by the fence; couldn't see an official to give 'em a fiver to be in their enclosure.
Roger
Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Great show, as ever , what a treat to see now zilch! but it up north and it seems very few airshows around this part of the country. GOOD SHOW as always including the non flying events on base , was great for children! Rob
Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Hi Mick
T’was indeed a cracking show
It took us hours to get off as it was so crowded
Thanks for posting
Paddyboy
T’was indeed a cracking show
It took us hours to get off as it was so crowded
Thanks for posting
Paddyboy
Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Same here Paddyboy. It was the latest we ever got off the base. As I recall we had to wait until all the flying ceased and they opened an exit on the opposite side of the runway. Our normal practice of making an early exit before the end had to be dispensed with on this occasion in order to see the Russians who were the penultimate display. The Vulcan closed the show. We always preferred it when the Reds provided the finale as they gave you a twenty minute head start!
Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Hi Mick
Not just us who avoided the Reds then
Ended up dark when a few ATC boys with torches shepherded us off
Didn’t get to our overnight B&B until after midnight
Best regards
Paddyboy
Not just us who avoided the Reds then
Ended up dark when a few ATC boys with torches shepherded us off
Didn’t get to our overnight B&B until after midnight
Best regards
Paddyboy
Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Think I was at Leuchars that day.
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Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
The Russian knights were based at scampton during their visit. I have a video somewhere of a practice display over scampton,they came low over my head on numerous occasions.
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Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Always used to do Friday arrivals then overnight train for Leuchars, happy days.
Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Hi F3 . There is a good report on Leuchars on the Scramble website . At Leuchars the Russian Knights support aircraft was parked by the crowd line and the crew were letting youngsters go inside for a look round ( which included my 7 year old son). Otherwise just a normal Leuchars show with a few U.S Navy aircraft off of a carrier etc. Mid afternoon it started raining heavy so became a bit of a washout , but worth it .
Wednesday 18 Sept was Russian Knights afternoon display at Scampton.. Friday tea time a trip around Finningley to view a photograph the static ....Saturday 0610 train from Doncaster to Leuchars and 1619 return from Leuchars arriving back to Doncaster 2025 and home by 2100 !
M
Wednesday 18 Sept was Russian Knights afternoon display at Scampton.. Friday tea time a trip around Finningley to view a photograph the static ....Saturday 0610 train from Doncaster to Leuchars and 1619 return from Leuchars arriving back to Doncaster 2025 and home by 2100 !
M
Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Those were the days.
Friday working till midday, then collect hire car from St Albans Herts.
Route to various friends houses till car full...drive overnight to Leuchars arriving for gates opening on Saturday.
Depart 1300 to Errol(XG882 Gannet) Perth(tour) and Glasgow, night stop in Carlisle 710 miles on clock!
Sunday.
Carlisle Leeming Finningley(hoping that not everything had left or been put away!) Waddington(CF18 188797) Mildenhall(C2 162178) then back to St Albans!
Friday working till midday, then collect hire car from St Albans Herts.
Route to various friends houses till car full...drive overnight to Leuchars arriving for gates opening on Saturday.
Depart 1300 to Errol(XG882 Gannet) Perth(tour) and Glasgow, night stop in Carlisle 710 miles on clock!
Sunday.
Carlisle Leeming Finningley(hoping that not everything had left or been put away!) Waddington(CF18 188797) Mildenhall(C2 162178) then back to St Albans!
Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Seems to have been a very busy, but memorable, w/end for some! Just glad the Leuchars rain did nt come south.
- roughcutter
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Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Deffo the best Finningley show I've ever attended, infact I had been lucky enough to spend the day before, watching the arrivals from the Biffa track.
Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Indeed a great show Mick.
Remember having a good look in Hangar 1 (SAR Engineering) at the assortment of Wessex , Whirlwinds and Seakings with XZ594 in rebuild after a major prang.
Another great show long gone
Thanks for posting
Keith (3Greens )
Remember having a good look in Hangar 1 (SAR Engineering) at the assortment of Wessex , Whirlwinds and Seakings with XZ594 in rebuild after a major prang.
Another great show long gone
Thanks for posting
Keith (3Greens )
Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Brilliant show but memory tainted by the long wait to get off airfield. Mind you, i would do it again to relive that show.
Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Great set, remember it well, we were queuing on the A1 to get in - unfortunately we didn't get in until around 1.00 and we parked right down past the Nimrod AEW3, there wasn't to many cars after us that got on the base.
Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Yes. And then the problem was getting off it! Scheduling the RKs almost at the end of the display prevented us playing our usual get off the base card which was an early exit. Never failed when the Reds provided the finale but sadly on this occasion the wife nearly posted me as a missing person.
Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Thankfully, getting in late we were not that far from the gate!F3 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 04, 2021 4:47 pmYes. And then the problem was getting off it! Scheduling the RKs almost at the end of the display prevented us playing our usual get off the base card which was an early exit. Never failed when the Reds provided the finale but sadly on this occasion the wife nearly posted me as a missing person.
Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Happy days. I think we went to this one on the Sunday
Normal schedule was Yeovil Penn Mill to Bristol, arriving around 9-10PM. Two hours in a pub anethnetising oneself, then buy a day return* to Leuchars and onto the 00:01 train from Bristol to Edinburgh, and then whatever the first train to Leuchars was. We were usually there before the gates opened. All day at the show, then get something around 5PM back to Edinburgh. Dinner in the Pizza Hut near the station before boarding the last (and slowest we could find) train for Doncaster. Get off at Donny, and sit in the station buffet eating British Rails best microwaved bacon rolls for breccy. Then Cycle out to Finningly. Most years you could get in on the Sunday morning after a quick chat with the guard on the gate. Nip round the deserted static taking photos, then back to Donny for a midday ish train to Bristol, and home to Yeovil Penn Mill in time for Sunday dinner.
*Apparently as long as you started the return on the same day as the outbound, you could complete your journey the following day. And breaks of journey were allowed too. It was usually about £6 return Yeovil to Bristol, and sub £20 Bristol to Leuchars.
Normal schedule was Yeovil Penn Mill to Bristol, arriving around 9-10PM. Two hours in a pub anethnetising oneself, then buy a day return* to Leuchars and onto the 00:01 train from Bristol to Edinburgh, and then whatever the first train to Leuchars was. We were usually there before the gates opened. All day at the show, then get something around 5PM back to Edinburgh. Dinner in the Pizza Hut near the station before boarding the last (and slowest we could find) train for Doncaster. Get off at Donny, and sit in the station buffet eating British Rails best microwaved bacon rolls for breccy. Then Cycle out to Finningly. Most years you could get in on the Sunday morning after a quick chat with the guard on the gate. Nip round the deserted static taking photos, then back to Donny for a midday ish train to Bristol, and home to Yeovil Penn Mill in time for Sunday dinner.
*Apparently as long as you started the return on the same day as the outbound, you could complete your journey the following day. And breaks of journey were allowed too. It was usually about £6 return Yeovil to Bristol, and sub £20 Bristol to Leuchars.
Re: Best ever Finningley - Sat 21 Sept '91
Sounds like an ideal weekend break. Unaffordable at today's rail travel cost!Malcolm wrote: ↑Fri Nov 05, 2021 12:00 pmHappy days. I think we went to this one on the Sunday
Normal schedule was Yeovil Penn Mill to Bristol, arriving around 9-10PM. Two hours in a pub anethnetising oneself, then buy a day return* to Leuchars and onto the 00:01 train from Bristol to Edinburgh, and then whatever the first train to Leuchars was. We were usually there before the gates opened. All day at the show, then get something around 5PM back to Edinburgh. Dinner in the Pizza Hut near the station before boarding the last (and slowest we could find) train for Doncaster. Get off at Donny, and sit in the station buffet eating British Rails best microwaved bacon rolls for breccy. Then Cycle out to Finningly. Most years you could get in on the Sunday morning after a quick chat with the guard on the gate. Nip round the deserted static taking photos, then back to Donny for a midday ish train to Bristol, and home to Yeovil Penn Mill in time for Sunday dinner.
*Apparently as long as you started the return on the same day as the outbound, you could complete your journey the following day. And breaks of journey were allowed too. It was usually about £6 return Yeovil to Bristol, and sub £20 Bristol to Leuchars.
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