Aerobatic Team Quiz...

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Member for

20 years 6 months

Posts: 8,195

just idly wondering...

1. Which aircraft type was the mount for the most aerobatic teams?

2. Which aircraft manufacturer takes the title for most aerobatic teams using their products?

Any other related answers or triv appreciated. Like Q.1a - which type was operated by the most countries in their national teams.

I was assuming military, but civil teams welcome, so Q.1b would be (military) and Q.1c (civillian).

Extra points for lists to prove answers, deductions for 'cos I sa so'. :D

I've got an eddicated guess to the answers to one and two, but I may be wrong. As they sa in the Eng Exam, discuss...

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Member for

21 years

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Oh look another pointless quiz

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20 years

Posts: 5,575

My guess would have been 1) the Harvard/T6 and 2) North American

There are a lot of civil teams using the Harvard as well as military teams of the past.

Member for

19 years 10 months

Posts: 1,174

Mike - I concur with your findings - but I am a bit ruffled by your deliberate exclusion of the P-51 in Q.2 !

Los Cofres (Guatemala)
Los Quetzales (Guatemala)
Red Devils (USAF)

Other airforces that used P-51's in official display formations, albeit without official names:

Swiss AF
Dominican Air Force (FAD)
Indonesian AF (TNI-AU / AURI)

Martin

Member for

20 years 6 months

Posts: 8,195

Oh look another pointless quiz

:p to Nick. :D

Actually, not pointless, as I for one expect to learn something. As you obviously kno all the ansers... Fule. Chiz. :D

FWIW I recon that North American are going to top out as maker, but Harvards vs Sabres could be interesting. How many teams used DH products? (Vampires...)

In what way, exactly, does a Pitts Special fail to be a 'proper' aeroplane Mike?

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Then ask a question then rather than start another bloody quiz. Alternatively rename this forum the Quiz forum :(

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19 years 10 months

Posts: 1,174

And Martin, when somone puts up a 4-ship of garishly-painted identical Mustangs with smoke, I'll include them too! :)

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20 years 6 months

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1) Because I've seen endless ones going round and round and round and round and round and round and round at airshows for as long as I can remember, making irritating noises and annoying me.

Sure you don't mean P51Ds? Fits your somewhat personally predjudiced description, so I'll steal it for my personal predjudice!

Nick, breathe.... For 'Quiz' read 'discussion' which is what I was thinking of, but 'discusson' on the thread header is a bit previous!

Good defence of the P51 corner by Martin.

Talking W.W.II fighters, the French three aircraft Spitfire team (Red, white & blue) looked a great idea - and what an airrshow act they'd make today, even without smoke - tho you could add Saunders Smokewiders - just!

Member for

20 years 1 month

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I too kind of take offense to that comment, "only proper aeroplanes"
The Pitts is in fact a "proper aircraft" as one with over 1000 hours in the various series of Pitts I never felt I was not flying a "proper" aircraft, in fact it can fly circles literally around what you probably categorise as "proper aeroplanes"
Bad timing as well to denigrate such a wonderful aircraft, with Mr Curtis Pitts passing away just 3 days ago, June 10th.
So, to answer, the Pitts would pretty much HAVE to be the only answer to your question, flown worldwide by both Civilian and MILITARY teams, it has entertained untold numbers of airshow visitors.
1:Pitts S1S, S1C, S2A, S2B, S2S, Pitts Model12, and all the modified variants.
2 Pitts, Aerotek, Aviat.
can you name even 1 aircraft that has survived as long, in the chosen field you mentioned, from the 40`s to present day, flown by thousands, won world aerobatic competitions, and still continues to excel in competition and airshow flying? No you cannot! not the Extra series, Caps, Sukhoi`s, One Designs, Giles, or any of the various homebuilt offshoots, none of which combine all of the abilities of the Pitts series.
Curtis got it right, a great designer and a fantastic aircraft.
not a "proper aeroplane" !!! what a ridiculous comment!

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20 years 6 months

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Hi Canadair,
Don't mind Mike, someone's trodden on his corns I think. :D

Any idea how many teams the Pitts types may have formed? You may well be right in that it wins the numbers overall, but military jet teams I'm going to go for the Sabre.

Member for

20 years

Posts: 5,575

There was a three-ship Spitfire display team doing airshow appearances in the UK in the late 1980's/early 1990's too.

Another team to use the Mustang was the Brietling Fighters, and their unnamed NZ predecessor too, but each only used one of, as each P51D accompanied a P40, Spitfire and Corsair.

As for Harvard and T-6 texan teams,here's but a few:

- The Roaring Forties (NZ civil, five-ship, 1978-2004)

- Warbirds Harvard Display Team (NZ Civil, four-ship?, 2004 - present)

- The Red Chequers (RNZAF, 1960's - 1978)

- A CFS Harvard team proceeding the Red Chequers (RNZAF, three-ship, postwar-50's)

- Southern Knights (Australian) http://www.australianwarbirds.com.au/southern.html

- Flying Lions team (Civil, South Africa)

- The Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team (http://www.canadianharvards.com/)

- AeroShell Aerobatic Team (http://www.stuartairshow.com/aeroshell.html)

- South African Air Force Harvard Aerobatic Team (SAAF)

- North American Aerobatics Team http://www.aeroclub.com.sv/ilopangoairshow/ilopango2004intnorthamaerobaticteamen.htm

I am certain if you look hard enough you'll find dozens more, especially historical ones, and I'm sure there will be more in the USA. In fact i think Steve Patterson said he was in one with his T-6

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20 years 7 months

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Spitfire Display Team (I think it was called) consisted of Spitfires MH434, NH238 and PL983, with Ray Hanna leading.

There is a pic of the three aircraft (with MH434 painted in her high-altitude markings, and NH238 & PL983 still wearing their Piece of Cake markings) in Jeremy Flack's book, Spitfire - The Legend Lives On.

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19 years 10 months

Posts: 1,174

as for the stubby nosed little trainers:

"Skytypers" with their rare SNJ-2's 70's to today

EST "European Sky Typing" from Belgium with AT-6B's around 1966

Martin