Air Race @ North Weald. 26.04.09

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Member for

16 years 6 months

Posts: 2,322

My first visit to an air race ! For my second consecutive Sunday at North Weald I realy enjoyed the day and (of course) took 300+ photos.
Many thanks to the organisers for a supurb day, and to one of our fellow forumites for his help with getting me into a position for some excellent photos !!!???
I tried to get as many shots with more than one aircraft in view ! but the sky is so large and the aircraft so small !!!! As always please ask if you would like to see something special from today, I may have seen it ???
Please, at the moment I do not know the results of the race, or any of the participents names, but I am sure there will be people here who do ?
I will supply the photos (if possible) you fill in the details !!! Keith.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/air%20race%20nw/DSC_0265.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/air%20race%20nw/DSC_0270.jpg

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And this was what it was all for, apart from the sheer enjoyment.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/air%20race%20nw/DSC_0353.jpg

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This must have been a handicapers nightmare ????

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/air%20race%20nw/DSC_0161.jpg

Original post

Member for

16 years 4 months

Posts: 1,151

aahh great shots, i did go with a friend (i was in the brown mini t-shirt)

Lovely weather and was a nice way to spend a few hours on a sunday

Well done to the organisers and the pilots.

Any idea who won?

cheers

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 933

The AA5 won, Auster was second and AA1 third. Saturday AA1 first, Firefly second and RV6 The Hum third.

Member for

16 years 4 months

Posts: 1,151

The AA5 won, Auster was second and AA1 third. Saturday AA1 first, Firefly second and RV6 The Hum third.

Thanks Yak :)

A good day had by all i think, for someone had a never seen an air race it was a good experience :)

Member for

19 years 11 months

Posts: 506

now that's what I call a trophy!

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 5,196

snip< i did go with a friend (i was in the brown mini t-shirt)>snip

Is that like a mini skirt???!!!:)

tee hee

Nice pix tho' and I like the Spit Trophy

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 933

The Spitfire is the Beverley Snook Trophy. The pilot one is the Battle of Britain Trophy.

The red SF260, Race 1, was flown by Craig Beevers. Last year this won the British Championship flown by Ally Allen, navigator this year.

Pup 150, Race 12, was flown by Roger Hayes (four times King's Cup winner). This Pup won the King's Cup two years ago flown by Neil Cooper, who was racing the Bulldog G-CM this time.

The Auster, Race 123, was flown by Rob Callaway-Lewis. He won the championship two years ago. He also makes tents!

The aircraft have dispensation for a stream landing after the finish.

I spent both days as a turning point marshal at the Chelmsford turn.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/Turn-1.jpg

Member for

16 years 4 months

Posts: 1,151

Is that like a mini skirt???!!!:)

Haha way to breezy for that :D

Member for

16 years 6 months

Posts: 2,322

XH668. Sorry only got your 2nd PM when I arrived home this evening !

Rocketeer. I was going to do that one !!!!

YakRider. Thank you for the results, here I may need your help, second place no problem, I think I know an Auster, but first and third ! umm !
Below is what I think is a photo of the aircraft (taxying out to do battle) in the finishing order ????

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/air%20race%20nw/DSC_0092.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/air%20race%20nw/DSC_0081.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/air%20race%20nw/DSC_0082.jpg

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 933

That's correct/ The AA5 Tiger, Race 82, is from oop north. Nice guys, but can't remember their names. AA1 Race 79, is flown by Rex Levy and comes all the way from Stapleford - about 8 minutes chock to chock. The other Stapleford AA1 G-BTLP has an engine out at the moment and couldn't race.

Member for

16 years 6 months

Posts: 2,322

YakRider. Phew! .. thank you for that confirmation, you mentioned earlier race 1 SF260, may I show you, what I think is my best photo of the day ? .... race 1 immediatly after take off ... going for it ... Keith.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/air%20race%20nw/DSC_0156.jpg

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 933

Nice action shot. He is making the slight turn to the right to go around the scatter point. These are placed to help bring the aircraft onto the first leg. Sometimes, such as at Bembridge for the Schneider Trophy, there are several spaced at intervals. Wind/runway direction can also make this stage of the race quite complicated. Normally all turns are to the left.

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16 years 6 months

Posts: 2,322

YakRider. Thank you so much, it is so nice to have this much input from a person who has knowledge of these details and helps the rest of the world to understand such things !

Keith.

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 933

A couple of pictures to show what it is like from the racers point of view. These were taken in France at Le Treport in 2006 for the Battle of Britain Trophy race.

The line-up shows the starter with his flag raised. That is ten seconds to go, so you have full power and are holding on the brakes. When the flag drops you start. The second shot shows what it is like going round a turning point. This is visible just in from of the wing on the grass. The Brentwood turn at the weekend was similar to this on a grassy triangle.

To give an idea of how fast things are happening, I was using an OM1 on motor drive to try and get a turning point shot for a magazine article. Out of 16 pics only two had a turning point fully in view!

The pilot here is Roger Hayes, who was flying the Pup. The aircraft is the Hong Kong Bulldog from North Weald. Race height then was 500 feet. Now it has gone up to 700 feet for noise abatement.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/StartRGB800.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/Turn1RGB800.jpg

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15 years 2 months

Posts: 2,828

Excellent photos! :cool:

Member for

16 years 6 months

Posts: 2,322

Mods.Thank you for moving this thread to it's proper home, I just did not think ! DOHH !!

YakRider. Thank you for even more, enlightening, information and those are what I call 'action shots'.

Here are a few take off photos. Keith.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/north%20weild/DSC_0116.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/north%20weild/DSC_0143.jpg

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Member for

18 years 1 month

Posts: 96

I arrived at North Weald on Sunday with a spare battery after Ben (race 78) had called me with starting problems on Saturday that meant he had to bow out of the Saturday event.
To cut to the chase, we started OK and I found myself in the pillion seat for a practice lap (with one of the corner tents missing to add to the entertainment) and then for the Battle of Britain race. Managed to grab a bit of shaky video from the hot seat at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXxuPCg7uZI

If anyone has any good snaps of G-MARX on her first race outing, I wouldn't mind a copy to markalbery metronet.co.uk.

We ended about 2 minutes behind scratch at about 185mph, but it was his first go, so plenty of learning points.:)

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 933

The missing turning point was at Brentwood. It was put up again later in the morning. We don't leave vulnerable ones up overnight any more. I put the Chelmsford one back up on my way to North Weald first thing.

At Leicester last year one was trashed and the dayglo bits stolen - I had a spare in the boot of my car and got it put up about two minutes before the first aircraft arrived. The Brentwood team were threatened with physical violence on Saturday. Fortunately the individual involved was restrained by his mate. I was lucky on mine and had people who stopped for a chat because they were interested in what was going on.

Glad you got the RV sorted. Seemed to be taking the turns nicely from where I was standing.

Member for

16 years 6 months

Posts: 2,322

Mark A. These are the best I have from Sunday ! Please feel free to use, should any be of interest ?

Keith.

Taxying out.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/air%20race%20nw/DSC_0118.jpg

Take off.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/air%20race%20nw/DSC_0137.jpg

Going for the line !

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