The Red Arrows wowed the crowds at Wings and Wheels 2007 with their aerobatic acrobatics
Today was all about those magnificent and their flying machines. Dunsfold Park in Surrey is the home of Wings and Wheels, the annual August Bank Holiday Sunday air show, and is where we found ourselves for a few sunny hours this afternoon.
Better known as the home of BBC’s Top Gear, the former WW2 airfield was not only alive with the purr of four-wheeled vehicles’ engines, but also the buzzing of propellers, and the ssh-ing of deafening jet trails. The name of the event speaks for itself, as modern and vintage cars take to the track, and planes of shapes and sizes sketch a gallery of smoke pictures in the sky.
Arriving just after lunch, we were greeted by the sight of the dancing Chinook, making seemingly effortless pirouettes above us. The sight of something so industrial and imposing enjoying a deftness of touch hitherto reserved for much lighter aircraft, really was spectacular, and so very noisy. It was going to be a good afternoon.
The weather certainly played its part. Bright sunlight caught the wings and polished bodies of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, and everything else that took to the sky. The fluffy clouds even eventually gave in, and departed to leave a flawless blue arena for the aircraft to play in.
The Red Arrows, always crowd pleasers, didn’t disappoint. Searing through the sky at very high speed leaving red, white and blue trails, their enthusiastic, energetic, and stunt-filled display brought admiration from young and old alike.
Striding in the sky: the Team Guinot wing-walkers
Admiration of a different kind was bestowed upon the breathtaking Team Guinot wing-walking display, with the young female stars delicately balancing on the wings of the eye-catching bi-planes, carrying on an age-old tradition. Or at least that’s what the commentator thought, describing the girls as ‘chicks’ and ‘honeys’, in an amusing commentary of political incorrectness.
Other personal highlights included the Black Cat Lynx helicopters of the Royal Navy. Although much smaller and agile than the twin-rotor Chinook, they were no less impressive. Skirting around and above the runway, they scurried through the skies, before taking a final bow for the appreciative crowd.
All in all, there were around 4 hours of flying displays, with something for everyone, meaning all air fans were catered for. The static motoring displays diverted attention from the sky to the ground when the planes weren’t flying, with MGs and Triumph Stags rubbing Best of British shoulders with Astons and Jaguars.
Tales of daring-do: the Battle of Britiain Memorial Flight
With the weather playing its trump card, a family get-together, a lovely lunch, and most impressive air displays at a seemingly familiar location giving us opportunities to improve our zoom photography, it was another enjoyable day out to add to our summer 2007 show tally.