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North Weald Community Day Fly-In 2009 Review and PlanesTV Blog Update Now Online
Friday 23rd October 2009
Between 1942 and 1944, 331 and 332 Norwegian Squadrons operated Spitfires from what was then RAF North Weald. In 2009, the Royal Norwegian Air Force celebrated their 65th anniversary and to mark the occasion, 331 and 332 Squadrons past and present were represented when they returned to their former wartime home in Essex for a community fly-in event, held on the September 13th. Arriving on the Friday prior were a pair of 132 Wing F-16BMs, and more significantly, a RNoAF Falcon 20, which brought six Norwegian veterans back to North Weald, to make an emotional return to the airfield from which they flew combat missions during the war. The day was a mixture of commemoration and celebration, with a wreath laid at the airfield memorial in honour of the thirty-six Norwegian pilots who were killed flying from the airfield during the Second World War. The friendship between North Weald Basset and the Norwegian city of Bodø, the current base of 331 and 332 squadrons, was celebrated. Stuart Norris and Daniel Butcher report from Essex.
In our Blogs section, Ian Campbell looks back over the 2009 season and announces the winner of this month's free DVD in our PlanesTV Blog. Of course we have also selected another seven images for The Week In Pictures
Shipdham Bear Faced Cheek Air Day 2009 Review, VPG Blog and NAM Blog Updates Now Online
Saturday 7th November 2009
A fresh face with a familiar family name, Leah Hammond has been displaying Auster V G-AMVD at airshows throughout the summer of 2009 since gaining her display authorisation in June of this year. Leah has also initiated a number of methods of fund raising for cancer research, one highlight of which was the 'Bear Faced Cheek Air Day' held at the picturesque farm airfield at Shipdham, in Norfolk, on 27 September. Phil Whalley sampled the ripe country air to find out more.
Yorkshire Air Museum 'Target Falklands' Weekend 2009 Report and LPG Blog Update Now Online
Friday 30th October 2009
As the evenings draw ever darker, Elvington hosted three events in one weekend: 'Target Falklands', a Victor 'Thunder Run' and a Mosquito-Victor nightshoot. I was part of the team who organised the first nightshoot back in March, so it was interesting to see what we had learnt when it came to setting up a similar affair. On top of this, I assisted the museum in the running of their event, making for an interesting and varied weekend.Ian Finch takes a look behind the scenes at the setting up and running of the UK's newest aviation photographic trend; the night shoot.
Duxford Autumn Airshow and VRT Blog Update Now Online
Friday 23rd October 2009
Two thousand and nine was truly a mixed year as regards airshow weather and content. Many a great show line-up had been spoilt by the forces of nature, and conversely there has been much criticism of show organisation and missing star items. The airshows held at the Imperial War Museum Duxford have again suffered from less than perfect weather conditions this year, but the intended content of each event has remained strong. There has been a clear attempt over recent years to offer more unique and refreshing display items amongst the familiar favourites, and the Autumn Airshow of 11 October was no exception. Phil Whalley reports from an initially extremely damp Cambridgeshire.
In our Blogs section, Steve Barnes brings us a new Vulcan Restoration Trust update and we have selected another seven images for The Week In Pictures
.Events Calendar, Three New Blog Updates and 'The Week In Pictures' Now Online
Friday 9th October 2009
This week sees Howard Heeley give us another update from the Newark Air Museum, Steve Barnes brings us a report on the latest 'Visit the Vulcan' day at Southend, and Iain Campbell from PlanesTV makes the third addition for our hat-trick of blog updates.
Elsewhere on the site we have the return of UKAR's Events Calendar to make sure that you are never at a loss of what to do with your weekends, and of course we have another seven images gracing The Week In Pictures page.
RAF Leuchars Airshow Report Now Online
Friday 1st October 2009
Our additions for today are the latest installment of The Week In Pictures, and the release of a new blog from Matt Hampton, chief pilot of the Vampire Preservation Group.
After the disappointment of the last year's show hopes were high for the 2009 airshow. With wall-to-wall sunshine drawing in an estimated crowd of 45,000, '558 actually displaying, a selection of classic jets, four foreign fast jet displays including the much anticipated return of the Polish MiG-29 - not to mention over ten-and-a-half thousand pounds apiece going into the coffers of the RAF Association and the RAF Benevolent Fund, Airshow 2009 could certainly be deemed a success. But with that said there was something lacking, the airshow's soul was absent. To misquote the other Vulcan: It's Leuchars, Jimmy, but no' as we know it. Andrew Dickie takes a look at this year's Battle of Britain at Home Day, undoubtedly a success but was it a flawed one?
NATO Tiger Meet Report Now Online
Friday 25th September 2009
Today's update brings us a report on NATO Tiger Meet from Koen Leuvering, the latest installment of The Week In Pictures, and a further post by the Editor in our Editor's Blog
Anyone who had ever been to a Spottersday at Kleine Brogel in the past must have had high expectations when the location for the 2009 NATO Tiger Meet was announced. Not only do Luc Vanderfeesten and his team always manage to attract a wide variety of interesting aircraft, they also know what photographers are looking for.
Duxford American Air Day 2009 Review Now Online
Thursday 9th September 2009
The third annual American Air Day was held at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford on Friday August 21st. The event is aimed at families of US service personnel based in the UK. The day also allows the USAFE units based in the UK the chance to engage with the general public. The day offered a glimpse of front line aircraft from the USAFE units based in this country as well as chance to see some of the less well known support units, classic American aircraft and much more. Stuart Norris reports for UK Airshow Review.
Two new Blogs have been unveiled, from both PlanesTV and Newark Air Museum's Howard Heeley.
We've also uploaded this week's selection of photos from the UKAR forums for the latest installment of 'Week in Pictures'.
Rougham Air Display 2009 Review Now Online
Friday 4th September 2009
Now in its 12th year, the Rougham Air Display and Classic Car Show was held over the weekend of August 15th and 16th. Rougham is one of the smaller venues on the display calendar but always manages to attract a good variety of acts and is a great day out for families and enthusiasts alike. This year everything from World War One fighters to classic jets graced the sunny Suffolk skies. Stuart Norris reports for UK Airshow Review
We've also uploaded this week's selection of photos from the UKAR forums for the latest installment of 'Week in Pictures'.
RAF Benson Families Day Report Now Online
Thursday 3rd September 2009
This year has seen the traditional Royal Air Force Families Day under attack from ill-informed reports in the red-top press. Notably the News of the World, under the headline "Operation Joyrides: Fury as kids go on Chinook fun flights", chose to criticise July's event at RAF Odiham, querying the wisdom of "scarce" helicopters being in the UK rather than in Afghanistan. Of course anyone who stops and thinks would realise that no air force will ever deploy its full fleet of a type at any one time. Maintenance and training are just two reasons why there will always be examples of certain types on UK RAF stations, and RAF Benson is certainly no exception, being home to the Merlins and Pumas of 28, 33 and 78 Squadrons. Dan O'Hagan reports from sunny Oxfordshire.
Airbourne 2009 Report Now Online
Monday 24th August 2009
B&Bs, Retirement homes, geriatrics and the General Electric CFM-56/F-108 turbofan! Yes, the popular seaside show, Airbourne, returns. Trev Collins reports from four days on the south coast.
We've also uploaded a selection of photos from the UKAR forums for the second "Week in Pictures" update.
UK Airshow Review Major Update
Sunday 16th August 2009
We've made an array of improvements across the UK Airshow Review site, adding items such as 'The Week in Pictures', 'Talking Point' - our platform for debate articles, and a number of blogs, kicking off with information and general musings from the editorial team. To find out more about these and other changes, have a read of the Editor's Blog.
RIAT 2009 Report Now Online
Friday 14th August 2009
For many aviation enthusiasts the UK airshow season revolves around one show, the Royal International Air Tattoo, held at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Billed as the largest military airshow in the world, the show is renowned for attracting fascinating and rare aircraft. 2008 was the first year in the shows thirty-eight year history that the organisers made the difficult decision to cancel due to poor weather in the lead-up to the show. Certainly there was some fear after last year's cancellation; would the insurance payouts cover the cost? Would this year's insurance cost skyrocket to financially unviable levels and compromise the show? To make matters worse, would the current worldwide economic recession badly affect participation, with talk of air arms slashing their airshow budgets? Luckily most of these concerns proved to be unfounded. Russell Collins reports for UK Airshow Review.
RAF Cosford 2009 Report Now Online
Thursday 13th August 2009
Cosford takes its traditional spot in the display calendar of the second weekend of June, and fortuitously suffers from weather of the damp and grey variety, or the scorching hot. The 2009 show, saw the latter. The first of what is now only 3 RAF 'At Home' days, it appears Cosford very much sticks to a tried and tested method of getting the punters in, focusing more on the 'Families Day Out' than an out and out airshow. With this in mind, one would have to look hard over the last few years for any major changes in the display line ups from year to year. But still, Cosford sticks to a classic recipe that gets the punters in year on year. That's not to say this year's show didn't have its highlights, more of which later. Michael Hind reports for UKAR.
Kemble 2009 Report Now Online
Tuesday 11th August 2009
The Kemble Air Day has grown in tandem with its reputation as perhaps the finest privately-organised air display in the country. That expansion has been such that, for the first time, the 2009 show was held across two days on June 20 and 21. The now-traditional UKAR members enclosure did brisk trade as crowds swelled by the promise of the appearance of Avro Vulcan XH558 descended onto the Cotswold airfield for a show which more than lived up to the weighty expectations the aviation community has for Glen Moreman and his team. UKAR sent review debutant Ben Hughes to the Sunday show.
Welcome the the UKAR RSS Feed
Monday 10th August 2009
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