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Air Fete '98 - Probably the least memorable

Warbirds, Replicas and Nostalgic photos in here please.
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F3
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Air Fete '98 - Probably the least memorable

Post by F3 » Sun Aug 02, 2020 9:05 pm

A question for all Air Fete devotees; do you remember the 1998 event? If the answer is in the negative or requires you to think really hard then you've just proved my contention. There are two reasons for this. Firstly because it followed the 1997 event which maybe likened to the proverbial Lord Mayor's Show given that it celebrated USAF's 50th Anniversary and secondly it was up against some stiff competition as it clashed with the Italian Air Force's Anniversary show which attracted most of Europe's display teams. The truncated flying display concluded shortly after 1600 hrs on the Sunday which left everyone feeling somewhat short changed and it was definitely the thinnest static display ever seen @ the Hall. However having said all that what would we give to see such a display today? Here are the pics - judge for yourself.

ImageAir Fete '98 - C-130 13187 THK by Michael Britton, on Flickr

ImageAir Fete '98 - F-5 Tutkish Stars by Michael Britton, on Flickr

ImageAir Fete '98 - Turkish Stars by Michael Britton, on Flickr

ImageAir Fete '98 - MiG-29 6930 Slovak AF by Michael Britton, on Flickr

ImageAir Fete '98 - C-17 0001 437 AW by Michael Britton, on Flickr

ImageAir Fete '98 - C-17 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

ImageAir Fete '98 - F-15C + P-51s (1) by Michael Britton, on Flickr

ImageAir Fete '98 - Tornado GAF by Michael Britton, on Flickr

ImageAir Fete '98 - MH-53 + MC-130 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

ImageAir Fete '98 - MH-53 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

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paddyboy
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Re: Air Fete '98 - Probably the least memorable

Post by paddyboy » Mon Aug 03, 2020 4:35 am

Hi Mick :P

Was that the one where the temp was high 40's F (if that) and some of the parking on grass became a quagmire :S

Seem to have spent an awful lot of time in the hangars in that one :grr:

I'd stopped togging by then :lol:

Thanks for posting :thumbs:

Paddyboy :clap:
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Fighterfoto
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Re: Air Fete '98 - Probably the least memorable

Post by Fighterfoto » Mon Aug 03, 2020 7:51 am

You're right, I don't recall it. I think there's a tendency to look back at Air Fetes through rose tinted spectacles but there was more than one toward the end which were disappointing. Not only were there, by the standards of the day, an absence of the star types the show had attracted in the past, but there was the annoying habit of parking stuff on the other side of the field. Of course it's very much missed, used to love the Monday departures when there were a handful of us there.
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Unknown74
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Re: Air Fete '98 - Probably the least memorable

Post by Unknown74 » Mon Aug 03, 2020 8:36 am

The USAF F-15 Eagle display with the Mustangs was really good as was the local based Special Ops Squadron display. Undoubted stars though were the Turkish Stars, unpredictable display they could appear anywhere - On the Friday they appeared over our campsite! Not a classic but enjoyable.

F3
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Re: Air Fete '98 - Probably the least memorable

Post by F3 » Mon Aug 03, 2020 9:31 am

paddyboy wrote:
Mon Aug 03, 2020 4:35 am
Hi Mick :P

Was that the one where the temp was high 40's F (if that) and some of the parking on grass became a quagmire :S

Seem to have spent an awful lot of time in the hangars in that one :grr:

I'd stopped togging by then :lol:

Thanks for posting :thumbs:

Paddyboy :clap:
That sounds like the 2000 one. 10 mins sunshine then bucketing down - and repeated. We took shelter from one downpour in a nearby Herc (one of the flying radio/TV station propaganda specials as I recall as I remember finding a propaganda leaflet inside, printed in the Serb language, which I kept as a souvenir). According to Dad the roof of the Midland Counties book stall caved in due to the weight of rainwater resulting in £3K worth of damaged stock. I believe that was the start of one of the wettest summers on record.

Unknown74
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Re: Air Fete '98 - Probably the least memorable

Post by Unknown74 » Mon Aug 03, 2020 9:51 am

The only disappointment in 2000 was the Weather.

F3
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Re: Air Fete '98 - Probably the least memorable

Post by F3 » Mon Aug 03, 2020 10:59 am

Unknown74 wrote:
Mon Aug 03, 2020 9:51 am
The only disappointment in 2000 was the Weather.
I agree. Great show which could nt be enjoyed because of the weather. Missed about half the flying display through constantly having to shelter from the showers, which were seriously full on downpours. At least the best bits (Draken + B2) were able to be enjoyed in the sunny intervals.

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Knife 04
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Re: Air Fete '98 - Probably the least memorable

Post by Knife 04 » Mon Aug 03, 2020 4:49 pm

Nice set Mike - this probably explains the lack of shots I have for this show - thought I had lost a load

Please keep them coming

Darren

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paddyboy
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Re: Air Fete '98 - Probably the least memorable

Post by paddyboy » Tue Aug 04, 2020 4:34 am

You're right, Mick, that cold, wet one was 2000 ;)

The late shows were also notable for the lack of one Roger Hoefling on the mic :grr:

Turkish Stars commentator was as entertaining as the display :lol:

Paddyboy :clap:
XH558, always the first lady in my life
Just remember, please don't tell the wife


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Knife 04
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Re: Air Fete '98 - Probably the least memorable

Post by Knife 04 » Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:07 pm

Some pretty good stuff in the static though in 1998 - NC-141A, AC-130U & WC-130

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