Photo Opportunity - Two Lancasters together in the air.

[Bill Yates]

You've no doubt seen the news this week that there will be the last two airworthy Lancaster Bombers flying in displays around the country and there is one this Sunday, at Kenley Airfield:-
http://insidecroydon.com/2014/08/12/spi ... st-aug-17/
It's a photo opportunity not to miss if you enjoy watching these old birds fly!

Bill
(with thanks to Tony Charters of SPA for this information, which is posted exactly as received)

[Rose]

Both Lancs are due to fly into Biggin Hill this afternoon at 3:30 together with the BBMF Hurricane and Spitfire. The Dakota is already here, as are the Red Arrows, who came in about an hour ago. All the planes will be based here until Sunday, for the duration of the Eastbourne air show and other displays at Kenley, Shoreham and Headcorn. I am working at home today and will be standing on the roof terrace watching them come in ! We're going down to Eastbourne tomorrow and will be watching the show from Beachy Head so watch out for plenty of pics on my Flikr page over the next few days !

[toms]

Hi Bill & Rose

Many thanks for this information. I'll most certainly take a trip to Biggin Hill tomorrow in the hope of catching sight of the Lancasters. I was going to Eastbourne just for that so it could save me a journey.

Regards,

Tom

[Rose]

If you want to see them fly out with the Hurricane and Spitfire, they'll be leaving BH for Eastbourne about 2:30. It may be a bit busy up at the airfield - and there'll be plenty of traffic wardens around so be careful where you park...

[Mike Farley]

I have just returned from Eastbourne and will post some pics if I have anything that is sharp. A tripod with a gimbal head would have done nicely today. Image stabilisation just did not do it once my arms started to get tired.

[Rose]

We may go on Saturday now as tomorrow's weather forecast is looking rather wet.

[Mike Farley]

We may go on Saturday now as tomorrow's weather forecast is looking rather wet.

This morning, just before setting out, I looked at the weather forecast for Croydon and Eastbourne. The former was supposed to remain dry and the latter would have rain throughout the day. Apart from a short shower just after arriving in Eastbourne at around 11:45, the weather was dry with lots of sunny periods when it was positively warm. Croydon, by contrast, was deluged.

I can think of no other profession where its practitioners consistently get it so wrong, yet maintain high public regard.

[Mike Farley]

I have not had any time to go through my shots from today's air show at Eastbourne, but I did find this image of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flying with the Canadian Lancaster which came across the Atlantic last week. It might not be my best shot of the formation but, as Nina will tell you, I am behind with my post capture processing and this will have to do for now. The Canadian plane is the second from the right and the Spitfire is flying above the Hurricane.

I was shooting next to a plane enthusiast who has been photographing at Eastbourne since 1978 and he told me that of 7,500 Lanacasters which were manufactured, these are the only two which are left flying, with a third which can move under its own power but its owners have insufficient funds to return it to an airworthy state.

[Mike Farley]

As a follow up to Bill's post, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the Canadian Lancaster are flying every day at the Eastbourne "Airbourrne" event, which is the largest free air show in the country and runs until this Sunday. As well as the BBMF, there are many other displays, including the Red Arrows who are celebrating their Golden Jubilee year. The planes fly along the front over the sea and you can see a series of black buoys which indicate the display line. A programme costs £3 and tells you when the various displays are scheduled. This can change at short notice and the Chinook has been withdrawn due to several of the aircraft being sent to help relieve the humanitarian crisis in northern Iraq. Yesterday, start time was 12:30 and finished at 16:25, with the Red Arrows being the final event.

You can get a good view from anywhere along the promenade, although I ended up half way up St John's Road to the west of the main area where there are some steps leading down to King Edward's Parade. It is up a hill, which helps when getting shots of the planes, and you can see all the way along the front towards the pier. You will probably find another tog there, shooting a Canon 1D with a 100-400 and 2x converter, who has bagged the best spot, but the next step down is just as good and you will not get in each other's way. Do talk to the guy as he can give you a lot of info and he has a FM radio so that he can listen in to the commentary, which you cannot hear from the location.

For the Red Arrows, I went down to the Grand Parade and found a spot by the Martello Wish Tower, which is the focal point to which the team displays. Yesterday, either due to the cloud height or not having permission from air traffic control to exceed 5,500', the team did its "flat" show which meant that there was no looping the loop and similar manoeuvres. Nevertheless, it is still an impressive feat of flying. In at least one shot, I managed to get the syncro pair crossing and they are exactly level, despite a closing speed of 800 mph.

http://www.visiteastbourne.com/airbourne/

[Jase]

I normally sit on the beach about 100m west of the pier. and try be bag the planes above the pier. that may be interesting this year.
if i get my new camera today Ill be there tomorrow if anyone wants to say hello

jase