Hi All

[Gixergs]

The Tse Tse with 6 pounder recoilless gun. As one pilot said to me "It didn't seem b***y recoilless to me".I've been really lucky Aviation wise in fact I never realised how lucky until I started chatting to a friend in the US that had never seen a Spitfire on the ground let alone flying.I got to see one flown by the late great Ray Hanna on a regular basis.Now that was a sight.

[smyfe]

Phil, if your mate wanted to see Spit's he could have a close look
YouTube - Danger - Low Flying Aircraft
Best wishes

Mick

[Gixergs]

The very same Ray(you do know they can go over 30') Hanna.If you have heard of the Red Arrows Ray is the reason why.He was a founder member and went on to lead them twice! This was also Ray in the series A Piece of Cake. Sadly Ray has his own wings now but is at least flying once more with his Son Mark who was tragically killed in a crash some years ago.
YouTube - Spitfire under bridge

[Plastic Bonsai]

Thanks for the vid! Pre CGI days were wonderful. He also did the P-51 flypast in Empire of the Sun.

P-51 Cadillac of the Skies!

[Gixergs]

And in Saving Private Ryan,in fact Spielberg wanted ray and Mark for the job because of the work on Empire.He did A Bridge too Far as well as many other films.Piece of cake's bridge stunt is probably his most famous bit of film work.

[Gixergs]

YouTube - Stunning DH Mosquito Display at North Weald '96
This should keep you happy for a while Mick

[peter taft]

Now this is great stuff, and like PB says pre CGI... done for real and with REAL SKILL... nice vids Phil

[Gixergs]

Ray and the Arrows no not a 60's pop group but a clip of a pre health and safety show by the Red Arrows.This is how I remember them performing!
YouTube - Very Low Level Flight

[smyfe]

Brilliant video Phil, I was surprised when i first saw the Gnat by how small they were
P4130615 [800x600].JPGBILD0110 [800x600].JPG
Yet another one of the joy's at Cosford

[Ashrunner]

"War Story" time 8v)

Not long after I arrived in Italy, I got word that the Frecce Tricolori (the Italian Demonstratoin Team) would put on a practice performance at Aviano that afternoon. Not long after the nine Fiat G-91s landed, I grabbed my camera, walked out to the active runway edge in an attempt to get a photo of them taking off.

When the photo didn't turn out as good as I hoped, I stayed where I was, sat down in the grass and shot images of their maneuvers and their low passes over the runway. Towards the end of the practice session, I was approached by an Italian Air Force officer who was the team's announcer. He squatted down next to me and as the aircraft made a low speed, diamond formation pass over us, yelled, "You need to move further back towards the taxiway. You are sitting at ground zero and the team will do their signature maneuver very soon." We got up and walked towards the taxiway.

As we walk, I asked why I had to move, after all, I had a good spot for photos of their passes. He asked me I had seen them perform before and I said I hadn't. He then explained that their final pass would be one where they do another diamond formation approach and at show center (ground zero very near where I was sitting), all nine aircraft would go into a vertical climb and transform into a circular formation on the way up. At the top of the climb, each aircraft would loop over and if the timing was right, they all pass over the ground zero as the same time, from different directions at different altitudes. "You'll see why I asked you to move then."

As I watched the group approach, then start their climb, I shot a few photos of their formation change, then watched them all loop over at the top. I followed one of the aircraft as it loops towards the ground, then level out at about 75 feet and head towards show center. As I followed him, I caught sight of another aircraft approaching from my left. I turned my head to watch him fly no more than three feet above the ground, directly over the spot I was sitting moments before. Within maybe a second or so, all eight of the other aircraft flew over the spot at their different altitudes.

Naturally, having never seen their performance before, I was amazed at their finale and at the same time, glad the Italian captain had asked me to move.