It seems curious the Czechs would be so keen to revive the event, having not attended one of the traditional events in the past, but also due to their relative lack of support for some of the larger, more established events in the UK, most notably Waddington and RIAT. The build up to the event was unusual too, with nothing but a rumour of its confirmation circulating until a mere ten days before it went ahead, with an official press release announcing the confirmation of the Czechs' attendance. It seemed too good to be true, with the cynic in me fully expecting the stars of the show to withdraw their participation. Sure enough though, the promise of a Mil Mi-171 'Hip' and Mil Mi-24 'Hind' came to fruition, with both aircraft arriving during Friday morning. It's becoming increasingly uncommon to see these two types visiting the UK, so the chance to photograph them was one not to be missed, especially when they turn up practically on my doorstep!
Unfortunately, I was only able to attend the event for a few hours on the Sunday morning, thereby missing the chance to see the Czechs' arrival and departure, so my photographic opportunities were limited to ground shots of the two aircraft parked up on the museum's confined helipad. Accessibility to the helicopters was exemplary, with both aircraft having their cabins opened up for the public to peruse, with engine access panels and, in the case of the Hind, cockpit doors opened too; a rare opportunity indeed to get up close and personal with these magnificent beasts. Additional foreign military participation came in the shape of an Armee de l'Air AS 555 Fennec, which departed early on the Sunday, just as I was turning into the museum car park, the camera firmly out of reach in the boot of the car. A touch irritating, as its departure was rather spirited, though in truth, the Fennec was a mere under-card to the day's main event.
The crews were as accessible as their aircraft, only too happy to indulge in conversation with the inquisitive public, creating a delightfully friendly and relaxed atmosphere about the museum. It's quite surreal taking a quick break in the cafeteria whilst one of the crew members tucks into his sausage and chips! They were clearly enjoying themselves as much as those who came to see them, typified by one crew member enjoying a beer beside his aircraft whilst lounging on garden furniture! The whole event had a very relaxed feel to it in fact, with raffles, cake and sweet stands plus a couple of stands selling aviation paraphernalia dotted throughout the museum, giving it an almost village fete feel. It was all very quaint.
Admission to the event included access to the museum itself. Despite living fairly locally, I had never visited before; a shame really, as there are several rare and unique aircraft tightly packed inside the hangars, many of which have their origins with the local Bristol and Westland companies, as well as further Soviet heavy metal from the Mil stable. The airframes on display are supplemented by an interesting array of parts and artefacts originating from some of the more unusual helicopter designs to have flown, or not as the case may be. All in all, the museum is a thoroughly fascinating exhibition of all things rotary and certainly worth a nosy for those who haven't visited before.
Weston's Mini Helidays turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday morning, presenting a golden opportunity to photograph two icons of the Cold War period. On the face of it, the event appears to have been a success, due in no small part to the outstanding contribution by the Czechs, which will hopefully lead onto bigger and better things for next year. It would be nice to think other air arms will follow the Czechs' lead and contribute aircraft of their own, enabling the event to restore itself to its former glory.
2011-07-27 - Lauren Schofield
Lovely photos, Uncle Shaun. Thank you for taking me. Did you notice that the Hip crewman ordered a child's portion of sausage chips & beans?
I loved seeing all those helicopters inside, too, and finding out how the Fairey Rotodyne really worked.
Lauren
2011-07-27 - Ian B Waudby
Lovely shots. #3371 is some beast. Great first article.
Ian
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