ALL eyes turned skywards at 2pm on Thursday when a throaty roar heralded the arrival of the historic RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight - and the long-awaited opening of the first Bournemouth Air Festival.
The stately Lancaster - one of only two still flying - dwarfed its companions, a Spitfire that actually took part in the Battle of Britain and a Hurricane that first flew in 1944 and stayed in continuous service until 1991.
Thousands of spectators lined the promenade, pier and clifftop as the great afternoon of free entertainment unfolded against a backdrop of steely grey clouds. Out to sea, a flotilla of small boats hardly moved on the flat water.
Some sat in deckchairs while their children swam in the sea and played on the beach. Others strolled along the seafront, taking in the stalls and static displays put on by the armed services.
But what was happening in the sky was probably the best recruiting tool, with the RAF, Royal Navy and Army taking turns to show off their dazzling airmanship.
There were swoops, dives, barrel rolls and loop-the-loops aplenty, but perhaps the biggest thrill came from the mighty and ear-splitting Eurofighter Typhoon, which looked and sounded like every child's idea of an aeroplane.
SEE Friday's Daily Echo for more words and pictures
8:38pm Thursday 28th August 2008
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CommentPosted by: Christopher, Wallisdown & Winton West on 9:01pm Thu 28 Aug 08
This is an updated time table from the Military Air Shows website:
Flying Program for Friday, Saturday, Sunday - subject to change!
Friday 29th August
1:30pm-2:30pm
RAF Falcons Parachute Team
Black Cats
BBMF
Grob Tutor
Tucano T1
2:30pm-3:30pm
Blue Eagles
Folland Gnat
Red Arrows + Folland Gnat
Red Arrows
3:30pm-4:30pm
Falcon 20 (FRA)
Yakolevs
Sea vixen
King Air
Hawk T1
Team Guinot
Typhoon
Saturday 30th August
12:00pm-1:00pm
Red Arrows + Folland Gnat
Red Arrows
Yakolevs
1:00pm-2:00pm
Navy lynx
DC6
Sea Vixen
BE200 King Air
Blue Eagles
Sea Hawk
2:00pm-3:00pm
BBMF
The Blades
Folland Gnat
Grob Tutor
Tucano T1
3:00pm-4:00pm
Hawk T1
Team Guinot
Catalina
RAF Falcons Parachute Team
Vulcan
Sunday 31st August
1:00pm-2:00pm
Yakolevs
Navy Lynx
Folland Gnat
BE200 King Air
Catalina
Blue Eagles
2:00pm-3:00pm
Sea hawk
Avro Lancaster
DC6
Grob Tutor
Tucano T1
Sea Vixen
3:00pm-4:00pm
Red Arrows + Sea Vixen (Brian Grants bowout display)
Red Arrows
Team Guinot
The Blades
4:00pm-4:30pm
Hawk T1
Eurofighter Typhoon
RAF Falcons Parachute Team
Air displays start times::
Friday - 1.30pm
Saturday - 12 noon
Sunday - 12.40pm
This is an updated time table from the Military Air Shows website:
Flying Program for Friday, Saturday, Sunday - subject to change!
Friday 29th August
1:30pm-2:30pm
RAF Falcons Parachute Team
Black Cats
BBMF
Grob Tutor
Tucano T1
2:30pm-3:30pm
Blue Eagles
Folland Gnat
Red Arrows + Folland Gnat
Red Arrows
3:30pm-4:30pm
Falcon 20 (FRA)
Yakolevs
Sea vixen
King Air
Hawk T1
Team Guinot
Typhoon
Saturday 30th August
12:00pm-1:00pm
Red Arrows + Folland Gnat
Red Arrows
Yakolevs
1:00pm-2:00pm
Navy lynx
DC6
Sea Vixen
BE200 King Air
Blue Eagles
Sea Hawk
2:00pm-3:00pm
BBMF
The Blades
Folland Gnat
Grob Tutor
Tucano T1
3:00pm-4:00pm
Hawk T1
Team Guinot
Catalina
RAF Falcons Parachute Team
Vulcan
Sunday 31st August
1:00pm-2:00pm
Yakolevs
Navy Lynx
Folland Gnat
BE200 King Air
Catalina
Blue Eagles
2:00pm-3:00pm
Sea hawk
Avro Lancaster
DC6
Grob Tutor
Tucano T1
Sea Vixen
3:00pm-4:00pm
Red Arrows + Sea Vixen (Brian Grants bowout display)
Red Arrows
Team Guinot
The Blades
4:00pm-4:30pm
Hawk T1
Eurofighter Typhoon
RAF Falcons Parachute Team
Air displays start times::
Friday - 1.30pm
Saturday - 12 noon
Sunday - 12.40pm
Posted by: 2Much, New Forest on 9:57pm Thu 28 Aug 08
WOW!! Christopher..that's great info..thanks!!
WOW!! Christopher..that's great info..thanks!!
Posted by: GRIFF, Christchurch on 8:52am Fri 29 Aug 08
Thanks Christopher!
Posted by: GeoffS, Bournemouth on 9:13am Fri 29 Aug 08
Had a great afternoon, back at the weekend for more. Note to the "commentators", shut up during displays!!!!
G&Family
Had a great afternoon, back at the weekend for more. Note to the "commentators", shut up during displays!!!!
G&Family
Posted by: Mr B, bournemouth on 9:28am Fri 29 Aug 08
Sounds like the afternoons are great but the evenings have not had the same level of detail given to them. The official guide does not contain any timings for the evening events or tell you that certain events are only on certain nights. The posters around the lower gardens were all adertising last weeks entertainment. All the stalls were shutting at 6pm despite the fact there were thousands of people about. The baloon glow to music did not involve any music.
Dont get me wrong we had a good time but would have been able to have an even better time if we knew what was going on when.
Sounds like the afternoons are great but the evenings have not had the same level of detail given to them. The official guide does not contain any timings for the evening events or tell you that certain events are only on certain nights. The posters around the lower gardens were all adertising last weeks entertainment. All the stalls were shutting at 6pm despite the fact there were thousands of people about. The baloon glow to music did not involve any music.
Dont get me wrong we had a good time but would have been able to have an even better time if we knew what was going on when.
Posted by: neil, bournemouth on 9:48am Fri 29 Aug 08
I agree Mrs B great air show and the static displays were good, but not that information on evening entertaiment.
I agree Mrs B great air show and the static displays were good, but not that information on evening entertaiment.
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