There was an intangible buzz surrounding the 2010 Air Fair. A particularly strong line-up and the promise of extensive tributes to the Battle of Britain in the 70th anniversary year had helped contribute to a growing sense of anticipation in the weeks leading up to the show. Enjoying some excellent, if hazy, conditions over the two days, Biggin once again drew huge crowds over the weekend; if a little thinner than usual on Sunday, thanks for the now infamous Germany vs. England World Cup game. The weekend saw the first true summer weekend with plenty of blue sky and some red hot sun that left me a little crisp in places.
Commentary at the 2010 Air Fair was provided by LBC Radio’s Anthony Davies, Biggin Hill regular Andy Pawsey, Trevor Graham and the irrepressible, hugely charismatic Brendan O’Brien. This year’s commentary was generally in keeping with the usual high standard we’ve come to expect from the team, though Anthony Davies was perhaps a little out of his depth, particularly so with his references to the “replica” Spitfires and Hurricanes in the “Battle of Britain Memorial Flight” scenario. To be fair, it was his first time commentating at an airshow as far as I’m aware and I’m sure that, with some input and assistance from the other, more experienced members of the team, he could fit nicely into the commentary quartet.
Biggin Hill always boasts one of the most varied line-ups in the UK, and 2010 was no exception. At first glance, the programme had something for everyone - a broad cross section of aviation, encompassing aerobatics, fast jets, helicopters, parachutists, display teams, classic jets and warbirds. You had Brendan O'Brien's Piper Cub 'crazy flying' and truck top landing (which he achieved on both days!) contrasting with the afterburning aerobatics of the Typhoon and F-16 and the classic lines of the VC-10. The programme was well organised, with highlights dispersed throughout the day so as not to leave any "quiet" periods in which casual airshow goers may lose interest. Generally, there were very few gaps with the majority of the programme slickly running from item to item with very few pauses.
The Royal Air Force brought all but one of their available display assets to Biggin Hill (the King Air was conspicuous by its absence), with an impressive line-up of present day RAF air power that rivals any of the larger military shows, complimented by Merlin, Griffin, Twin Squirrel and Tucano in the static park. The 2010 solo displays remain a pleasure to watch; it is surely a testament to the dynamism of the Tutor, Tucano, Hawk and Typhoon displays that my eyes were glued to the skies and I was still impressed by their routines, despite having seen some of them several times already this year. Flt Lt Tom Bould's display in the Tucano won him the Best Solo Display trophy - well deserved! All three trainer displays are exhibitions of pinpoint accuracy and precision.
The Harrier GR.9 role demonstration was a bit of a controversial one at Biggin. As discussed in my Cosford report, the Harrier demo is focused around crowd centre, with the majority of the five minute slot dedicated to the Harrier's showpiece, with the touch-and-go, bow and rotating slow pass all taking place in the middle of the airfield. Unfortunately, many at either end of the airfield were left untouched by the noise and spectacle of the Harrier's hover-centric show, though the spontaneous applause from those nearer crowd centre acted as proof, as if any were needed, that the Harrier remains an immensely popular display act.
The Air Fair also saw the debut of the 2010 Chinook HC.2 role demonstration, replacing the full sequence of previous years. While it may lack the finesse of the old style routines, where the Chinook's performance was exhibited through a sequence of near aerobatic manoeuvres, the role demo brings to the forefront the aircraft's operational capabilities, with a brief insight into some of the key duties the Chinook fleet are tasked with on a daily basis in Afghanistan. From an engagement perspective, it demonstrates to the public the aircraft's in-theatre purpose in the same way that the Tornado GR.4 duo do with their close air support routine.
For the enthusiasts and photographers, there are plenty of opportunities to photograph the Chinook being put through its paces in a way that we haven't seen before: be it off-loading an underslung load, performing a mock casualty evacuation or deploying troops via the fast roping method. It really works in both respects and I have to admit to preferring this current incarnation over the more theatrical air display performances of seasons past. It could also be argued that these role demonstrations are more relevant, given the current conflict and global climate, and arguably more important given their ability to engage the public and give them a closer look at exactly what these aircraft are doing each and every day.
The RAF also brought along the aging VC-10 tanker-transport from 101 Squadron at RAF Brize Norton for a few passes - both fast and "dirty" - with the "Vicky Ten" landing at Biggin Hill on Saturday before departing into its display on Sunday; a most impressive sight that will certainly be remembered as one of the high points of the 2010 Air Fair. The aircraft also bears some significance to the Battle of Britain theme, a point capitalised on by the commentary team, who played a recording of an interview with James Nicholson, a Victoria Cross winner in 1940, effectively bridging 70 years of operational service for 101 Squadron.
The Air Fair has been criticised, perhaps unfairly, in recent years for failing to attract the type of foreign military participation that gives the show its 'International' tag. While there may have been the basis for this argument in 2009, this year's show rebounded with some very welcome international visitors, representative of the nations whose pilots served alongside their RAF contemporaries in 1940. It would be remiss not to mention the efforts of Air Displays International in securing participation from the Royal New Zealand and Czech Air Forces, who were set to contribute the popular Boeing 757 and a superb deployment of Gripen, L-159, Mi-24 Hind and Antonov An-26 'Curl', respectively. As is often the way in the current climate, neither Air Force were able to attend in the end, cancelling their deployments some weeks prior to the show. Disappointing, yes, but these things can, do, and always will happen, such is the nature of airshows in general. It was a wise move in keeping the Czech participation off the official website, given the provisional nature of their booking, thus preventing more widespread disappointment.
Regardless of these drop outs, Biggin boasted an impressive international gathering that some military shows would be envious of. On the ground, visitors could enjoy the opportunity to get up close to a Polish M-28 Bryza, sporting a fetching camouflage scheme, alongside the French Air Force's Dassault Rafale, making one of only a handful of appearances in the UK this year, and the C-160 Transall support ship. The Bryza crew in particular turned a few heads on Saturday morning as they enjoyed a few pints of beer under the shade of their mount's tail at 9am!
Joining the flying display were two foreign solo acts in the shape of the French Air Force's Alpha Jet E and the Belgian Air Component's strikingly schemed F-16 Fighting Falcon. The former put on a sprightly, dynamic performance that ably demonstrated the Alpha Jet's agility. The rapid roll rate and "crazy flying" sequence were particularly impressive. The display also featured a rather eclectic soundtrack, courtesy of the French, with tracks ranging from Michael Jackson to Muse and Snow Patrol! The Belgian F-16 tore the skies apart on both days, with Sunday's routine enjoying a great deal more airspace to utilise than Biggin is normally used to, allowing the F-16 and indeed the other fast jets to perform their aerobatic routines. In contrast to the Dutch 'Viper', I thought the Belgians had a lot more punch to their slightly shorter display. Whilst not hugely different in terms of the display structure and manoeuvres demonstrated the two European F-16 solos aren't dissimilar, but in clipping a few minutes of identical passes, the Belgians possess more impact than their Dutch counterparts.
At the other end of the spectrum were the precision aerobatics of the award winning Matadors, the Blades and the Swift Aerobatic Display Team. The Blades in particular were on fine form with their ever impressive display of formation and solo aerobatics. Paul Bonhomme and Steve Jones wowed the large crowds with their routine, even managing an impressive formation valley dive on Sunday evening. Classic jets are often well represented at Biggin Hill, and 2010 was no exception, with Team Viper’s Strikemasters, the Gnat pair and Jonathan Whaley’s Hawker Hunter F4 ‘Miss Demeanour’ in attendance. The Hunter, penultimate act on both days, flew a spectacular sequence of high speed ‘blue note’ passes, tight turns and graceful aerobatics in perfect blue skies in one of the highlights of the day. Rather spectacularly, Jonathan began his display on Sunday by diving onto the display line from crowd right, flying through fast and low beneath the departing Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Hawker Hurricane IIc. He seemed to be having the time of his life flying ‘Miss D’. Fantastic!
Team Viper, who will be converting to Hawker Hunters in the near future, invariably put on a pleasing display – classic jet display teams are always a cracking sight! – and I thoroughly enjoyed their display at ‘The Bump’, particularly the four-ship tailchase that would look even better with Hunters. The Gnat team have improved on their 2009 sequence, with a seemingly closer and more centred display, with less time spent repositioning for solo passes and more opportunities to photograph the Gnats from different angles.
Drawing together the theme of the show and the overarching memories of absent friends was Biggin's much hyped Battle of Britain centrepiece. Organised by retired RAF Squadron Leader Andy Pawsey, the man behind the excellent 'role demos' that dominated the 2007-8 airshow seasons, Biggin Hill's tribute was planned over the six months preceding the show. If the 'role demo' brought Andy to the dance, the Battle of Britain scramble can surely be considered as his masterpiece. Indeed, it was announced on Saturday that the sequence had been awarded an honorary display sword - the second Andy has received for his efforts in organising large scale set pieces at Biggin Hill!
The beauty of Biggin's Battle of Britain tribute was that it utilised aircraft, music, speeches and sound effects to tell the story of the battle in a dignified, reflective manner. The sequence started with a brief training montage, featuring de Havilland Tiger Moth, a seldom seen Bucker Jungmeister and North American T-6 Texan, representing the Harvards of RAF usage. Even at the offset, there was a poignancy to the gentle cavorting of the biplane trainers; symbolic perhaps of the final days of a young man's innocence before he was cast off to war, with the broadcasting of an infamous radio telegram from 1940 announcing that the Germans had been issued an ultimatum to cease their action against Europe, and that no response had yet been received, adding a sense of foreboding in contrast to the light aerobatics performed overhead.
As Andy Pawsey's focused, authoritative commentary described the transition from open cockpit biplane to the claustrophobic war machine and the combat training the pilots would undertake to prepare them for the aerial battles that were to come, we were treated to a number of formation passes and a brief tailchase by Peter Teichman and Phil O'Dell in the Hurricane IIb and Spitfire I - performed in unison with Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's "This country is at war with Germany..." speech - before they broke into the overhead for some high circuits.
Meanwhile, an excellent dogfight sequence commenced, with the 'Spirit of Kent' Spitfire IX (flown by Dan Griffith) and Peter Vacher's Hawker Hurricane I (flown by Pete Kynsey - it is worth noting that the Hurricane suffered both a coolant leak and a mag drop prior to the show. Credit must go to engineers Simon Steggall, Iain Pearse and David Brenchley for their efforts in ensuring the Hurricane was fit to partake in the flying display; it was appreciated by all!) scrambling to intercept the Messerschmitt pair performing low level strafing runs up and down the runway. With the Hurricane and Taifun engaged in a tailchase beneath the Spitfire and Buchon, Sir William Walton's classic 'Battle in the Air' piece from the Battle of Britain film provided an appropriate backing to the three tiers of aircraft circling over Biggin. As one would expect from Messrs Romain and Griffith, their dogfight was a tight, wheeling battle with both aircraft jostling for position, the Spitfire eventually manoeuvring onto the Buchon's tail; extremely evocative against the wispy white clouds and crisp blue skies on Sunday afternoon.
The choreography of Sunday's sequence in particular was flawless, with each segment seamlessly progressing to the next without delay - no mean feat when dealing with 70 year old aircraft! With the Messerschmitts dispatched, the order to scramble was issued and the remaining Spitfires and Hurricanes launched in a streamed takeoff, departing to crowd rear to formate. As the eight fighters joined into two 'finger four' formations behind the crowd, the sounds of Luftwaffe bombers echoed over the airfield and an impressive pyrotechnic display was unleashed, which on both days started a grass fire that created a low hanging pool of smoke. What followed was pure, unadulterated airshow magic which moved me in a way I haven't experienced at any event in all the years of attending airshows. The sight of eight RAF fighters flying over a burning Biggin Hill in perfect blue skies, with one of the Spitfires in the second quartet pitching up and out of the formation in a 'missing man' formation, paying tribute to those who did not come home, sent chills down my spine.
The lead four-ship flew a wide bank away from the crowd, while the three remaining fighters of the second section departed to behind the crowd. The arrival of the quartet through the thick, billowing smoke cloud, the sounds of their Merlin engines audible long before they dramatically broke through the smoke, is a sight that will live long in the memory. As they banked away from the crowd, the BBMF fighter trio flew at low level from crowd rear, rejoining with the lead formation and breaking into a lengthy tailchase. Initially performed to a triumphant recording of Elgar's 'Jupiter' march, the mood quickly changed to one of reflection and quiet contemplation, with a haunting rendition of 'I Vow To Thee My Country' accompanying the sound of tailchasing warbirds.
The sheer overwhelming emotional impact of this routine left few untouched by the poignancy and melancholy of seeing massed Spitfires and Hurricanes flying at low level over a bombed out, smouldering Biggin Hill, the smell of burning lingering in the stunning blue skies that evoked memories of summer 1940. I think we all know we witnessed something special - possibly even otherworldly - at Biggin Hill over the weekend. I could wax lyrical all day about how strong this sequence was, but in summary, Andy Pawsey and his colleagues captured, in one 40 minute sequence, the heart and soul of the Battle of Britain and all those who fought for the land they loved. It is a testament to the impact of Biggin's tribute that I still get goosebumps thinking about the sights, sounds and smells presented over the weekend. They can all be proud of what they have achieved.
In an excellent bit of airshow booking, the set piece was followed by the Typhoon and Spitfire PRXIX duo display, enjoying far better conditions than those braved a fortnight ago at Cosford. Thankfully, a brief period of solitude was allowed between the displays, enabling a few moments for one to reflect on the sacrifices of the Few. I think that the steady, dignified Typhoon and Spitfire 'heritage flight' really brought home the theme of the 2010 Air Fair: paying homage to the servicemen, and women, who daily fly into danger, and to those who pay the ultimate sacrifice. It showed, perhaps, that through all of the technical development and advancement over the past 70 years, one thing has remained constant: there are still a courageous Few willing to put their lives on the line in the name of freedom.
The juxtaposition of warbird set piece and current RAF role demonstrations from Tornado GR.4 and Chinook certainly attest to this. As is now a tradition at Biggin Hill, the show was drawn to a close by Nigel Lamb in the Old Flying Machine Company's Spitfire IX, MH434, displaying to the melancholic orchestral version of 'The Last Post' and Katherine Jenkins' splendid rendition of 'Jerusalem'. Flown very much in the "Hanna spirit", Nigel's display was pure poetry in motion, bringing the curtain down on an emotional, but superb Air Fair.
With almost seven hours of flying on each day and a programme full of highlights, topped off by a spectacular Battle of Britain tribute, this was arguably one of the best Air Fairs for over a decade. The organisers clearly identified the deeper meaning behind the event and, as such, an undercurrent of remembrance ran throughout the day, with many of the acts bearing a link to the overall theme of the show, be they through squadron history or type provenance. It will be very difficult for any other event to surpass Biggin's tribute; they set the standard, not only for this year, but for all future celebrations. Venues like Duxford sometimes seem to lose sight of what they are trying to achieve and, more importantly, why they are putting on aerial tributes, and, in doing so, lose some of the impact along the way. The Biggin organisers clearly recognised that you don't need 20+ Spitfires to "get it right" and in keeping it relatively simple, they went above and beyond anything I've ever seen before. The post-show feedback from all quarters has been overwhelmingly positive and Air Displays International can hopefully capitalise on their current momentum to produce yet another scintillating Air Fair in 2011.
GAR wants to interact with its readers so if you have a question for the author or a comment to make on this feature, please click on the button below. The best comments will appear right here on GAR.2010-07-06 - Paul Fiddian
Firstly, Elliott - well done on a fantastic report: your best yet I reckon, and the photos...out of this world!!
Colin: I'd echo Damien's thoughts 100 per cent. I'm genuinely shocked and shaken by this news: can't even begin to imagine how you all must now be feeling after all the euphoria surrounding this year's show...
2010-07-06 - Damien Burke
Colin, shocked to read your news. Can't begin to imagine what reasoning the airport have for throwing away all that experience. Biggin has been a slickly run and highly entertaining show for as long as I can remember.
2010-07-06 - Colin Hitchins
Your words have brought home to me what we achieved at Biggin Hill this year was special. We always hope that we can offer something special at the most famous of all of the Battle of Britain airfields, this year working alongside Andy Pawsey, Smithy and Dan Griffiths that ambition came to fruition. The team at Air Displays International care about the show in a way that I have never felt anywhere else, Bill Robinson who puts the flying display together, Simon Ames, Display Director, Barry Sargeant, Ground Operations Manager and many more made something very special happen on the 26th & 27th June.
On a more sombre note, Biggin Hill Airport Ltd have announced that they are terminating our contract to stage the Air fair. We are aware that they wish to continue the show but the format for future years is at this time uncertain.
A big thank you to everyone who has supported the show over the past 48 years from all of us at Air Displays International.
Regards
Colin Hitchins
Event organisor
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