Sywell 2024

[Jeff Hunt]

Good stuff all around!

Jeff

 

[Gnomey]

Good shots Karl!

 

[Micdrow]

Great stuff guys, really some fantanstic shots there.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Paul.

 

[rochie]

Yes thank you Paul

 

[MaxCamps]

As Karl has already mentioned, we attended the Sywell air show on its second day, Sunday, 23rd June, ready for a good day out, and we certainly weren't disappointed. We travelled from the Tin Tent in south Norfolk, to stay overnight in a hotel nearer the venue and meet-up with our friends, Max and Barbara, who'd been to the show on Saturday, so that we could get to the field for gates open by 08.30 on the Sunday morning.
We were somewhat caught out, as the weather forecast predicted cloud cover and max temperatures at around 20-21c, but the cloud broke up, and moved away from the field to the north, exposing us to hot sun and around 28-29c for the whole day !
Consequently, we both ended up getting fairly severe sunburn and looking like cooked lobsters - first time I've been burned in over 50 years !
I'd left home on Thursday, 20th June, in cloudy, dull conditions and a temp of 14c, to travel to the Tin Tent in Norfolk, so the rise in temperatures, and the clear, sunny skies, was something of a shock to the system after nearly nine months of p*ssing rain and dull, cold conditions, resulting in me being rather lethargic and quite stiff and painful, especially in my arms and shoulders.
This affected my camera handling significantly, and the results of my photography are below my usual standard, for which I apologise in advance.

The overall organisation, access and exit, car parking and facilities were excellent, and the flying line-up superb, being, if anything, a step-up from the immensely popular, and now finished, "Flying Legends" shows at Duxford, in a more relaxed ad spacious atmosphere.
The available airspace at Sywell also allowed for a much better display "box" and, with the crowd line facing north west, the lighting was, most of the time, much better too.
The Flight Line Walk was very, very long, stretching virtually the whole length of the field, and access to the parked aircraft was much closer than at DX, within a couple of feet, with the added bonus of access at both front and rear of the line, a very nice touch.
Although we didn't venture to "explore" the ground attractions, we did note that some of the participating aircraft were on static display on the "crowd side" of the field, in authentic, period depictions with re-enactors and ground equipment, again with very close access.
Regrettably, there were a couple of "drops outs" due to technical problems etc, and two of these were the Tempest II and Fokker D.XXI, which we'd have loved to see, and the US Navy R4D, which was still stuck Stateside with an engine problem. The expected A-26 Invader (static display only) was also absent, but, these things happen, so have to be accepted.

The show was opened by B-17G "Sally B" and the P-47D "Nellie B", both Duxford-based, which took off and formed up for some formation passes before performing solo slots, and the first few (rather poor) pics show this, with much, much more to follow.

I'll sort and post more coverage over the next week or so, and no doubt Karl will add his pics when he's able.


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Terry - super shots! We thoroughly enjoyed our visit & it was great to meet up on Saturday night with you & Karl!
A definite for next year & we must coincide our visit which was regrettably not possible this year due to clashing car race at Thruxton on Sunday!
Thanks again & best regards Max & Barbara

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Max.