100 years of the RAF

Diddums · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:20

Well, it was actually on April 1st but I guess a couple of months late won't harm anyone. The RAF are doing a 100 aircraft flyover in London, the details of which can all be seen here. Anyone making a point of watching? I probably will provided I'm not dragged in to anything unexpected. Should be quite the celebration

Derek W · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:24

Saw a bit about it in the last couple of weeks on the BBC breakfast news. The folk being interviewed were saying it's probably the most complicated flyby they've ever done to get all the different aircraft to fly over in a specific order because of all the different speeds they travel at. I think they're all taking off from about 5 different airstrips?

Freakbro · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:27

Nah, I'll just catch the highlights on the news.

NooBish AbbZ · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:28

Pringle W said:
Saw a bit about it in the last couple of weeks on the BBC breakfast news. The folk being interviewed were saying it's probably the most complicated flyby they've ever done to get all the different aircraft to fly over in a specific order because of all the different speeds they travel at. I think they're all taking off from about 5 different airstrips?

A lot of stuff pre-positioned, for example Typhoon down from Lossie, but yeah nevertheless

Also @Diddums 100 days after the 100th anniversary, More chance of better weather

Armageus · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:28

Saw a large amount of them fly over my house last week when they were practicing from RAF Cranwell.

Seeing 6 Chinooks together was mightily impressive

Diddums · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:29

NooBish AbbZ said:
A lot of stuff pre-positioned, for example Typhoon down from Lossie, but yeah nevertheless Also @Diddums 100 days after the 100th anniversary, More chance of better weather

Ahhhh, that makes more sense

Diddums · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:29

Just a shame we won't see any Vulcans, one of my regrets in life is never seeing one of them fly

Jimbeam3678 · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:35

Diddums said:
Just a shame we won't see any Vulcans, one of my regrets in life is never seeing one of them fly

They used to practice manoeuvres right over my old place of work just outside York as it was stored at Doncaster airport. The noise, good lord the noise.

J.T · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:44

This is going to be awesome!

Nasher · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:45

I saw a couple of vampires fly over on Sunday. Shame they are only doing this over London

Maundie · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:50

Nasher said:
I saw a couple of vampires fly over on Sunday. Shame they are only doing this over London

Are you located in Whitby

Seriously though I do regret only seeing the Vulcan once at Farnborough, my old man was in the RAF and in the 80's he was stationed at Bruggen, we used to have Phantoms and Tornados taking off and landing all day long.

I_M_Weasel · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:51

Only 70 years since they last shot something down.

Nasher · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:51

Maundie said:
Are you located in Whitby

Seriously though I do regret only seeing the Vulcan once at Farnborough, my old man was in the RAF and in the 80's he was stationed at Bruggen, we used to have Phantoms and Tornados taking off and landing all day long.

Nope I was visiting parents in North Bedfordshire

I_M_Weasel said:
Only 70 years since they last shot something down.

Falklands? Probably Iraq as well

Maundie · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:54

I_M_Weasel said:
Only 70 years since they last shot something down.

You sure, RAF pilots taking off from carriers shot down planes during the Falklands

I_M_Weasel · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:55

No, Fleet air arm in the Falklands and non in the gulf. In fairness it's lack of opportunity over lack of ability.

vanpeebles · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:55

Diddums said:
Just a shame we won't see any Vulcans, one of my regrets in life is never seeing one of them fly

The last one flew over my head while I was cleaning my car on the drive. I nearly pooped myself and ran away

Still makes the hairs stand on my neck when I think about it. Awesome beast!

MookJong · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:56

I hope this gets full coverage on BBC or at least on iPlayer, I really want to see this.

I hope there is never a time when there is not a spitfire still flying in this country. It is so sad that whole swathes of British jets from the 40-70s are no longer flying. I wish I had been more into planes as a kid in the 80s as so many things were still flying at airshows, but no more.

I_M_Weasel · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:57

Maundie said:
You sure, RAF pilots taking off from carriers shot down planes during the Falklands

FAA claim the kills, but you are correct that RAF pilots where flying for the FAA in the Falklands.

Randomface74 · 10 Jul 2018 at 08:58

I saw a bunch of Chinooks fly over my house about a week ago. I'd really like to be there today, but didn't even hear about it until this morning and I have to work.

Nasher · 10 Jul 2018 at 09:02

billysielu said:
I saw a bunch of Chinooks fly over my house about a week ago. I'd really like to be there today, but didn't even hear about it until this morning and I have to work.

Yea they look huge and shake the whole building when they are coming in to land. I work on a base and see them coming and going quite often. Apaches are the best, it's amazing how silent they can be at low level. Driving along in a Toyota pickup truck, you just wouldn't hear it coming at all