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 From
the time the show was announced, Kemble's Classic Jet Airshow
was always going to be one of the highlights of the airshow
calendar. It fills an important gap left behind after 1998's
Classic Jet and Fighter show at Cranfield. Of course, Kemble
has hosted several shows with a classic jet theme, most notably
the Hawker Hunter 50th Anniversary show held in 2001. As well
as the flying display, Kemble also boasted a large gathering
for the static show. Unfortunatly, two of the show stars were
unable to make it, the RAF BAE Systems VC10 and Martin
Baker's Gloster Meteor T7 1/2. The static park was dominated
by Kemble's most recent airliner arrival, an Indian Airlines
Airbus
A300. ALso at Kemble ae the remains of the DC-10 which
has gradually been dismantled over the last few months and two
Canada 3000 Airbus
A300s on the far side of the airfield. However, star
item in the static was the Royal Air Force BAE
Systems Canberra PR9, still carrying nose
art from recent operations in the Gulf. Also from the modern
day RAF were the Shorts
Tucano T1 and BAE
Systems Harrier GR7. Dissappointly, the De
Havilland Vampire was unable to take to the air in it's
60th Anniversary year, but the static park was graced by the
Heritage Pair's example. Also restricted to the static park
were examples of the BAC Jet Provosts, with examples
in ETPS
and Cranwell
Poachers colour schemes. Several piston types were also
on static show including Martin Willing's North
American T-28J Fennec. The large model flting association
was also able to fill some of the gaps in the development of
jets with two superb models of a Handley
Page Victor and a Avro
Vulcan, both powered by pure jets.
 The
flying display was opened by the Xtreme Team in
their Walter
Extra EA300s. Pilots Dave Roome and Andy Cubin also
displayed later in the afternoon forming the Folland
Gnat T1 duo
display with virtually the same manouvers. First of the
classic jets in the display was naturally enought, the Armstrong
Whitworth Meteor NF11 in the hands of Dan Griffiths.
This is the only example of the RAF's first operational jet
fighter on the UK airshow circuit, yet it is under the threat
of being sold, potentially to an overseas customer. Moving along
to the last of the first generation jet fighter, the next display
item was a unique display by a pair of De Havilland Venom
FB1s, one from Kennet
Aviation and the other from Gerrald
Williams at Swansea. Even while these pionnering jets were
in service, the military still utilised piston fighters. One
of the last in Fleet Air Srm service was the Fairey
Firefly FB5, being flown in place of the still unserviacble
Sea Hawk.
 Much
later naval air power was represented to very good effect by
by the Red Bull De
Havilland Sea Vixen D3 sporting it's new and spectacular
sponsored paint scheme which
looks great against blue skies! Bck on the ground, Red Bull
are using the Sea Vixen to full effect as a marketing tool to
promote the energy drink with a
"trio" of "Foxy Ladies." Another silver
classic jet looking great smoking about in the blue Cotswolds
skies was the North
American F-86A Sabre flown by AVM Cliff Spink A familiar
shape in new colours for 2003 is Tom Moloney's "new"
BAC
Strikemaster Mk88 in Ecuador Air Force display team
colours which put on a spirited display of aerobatics in the
hazy summer skies. The action moved on with familiar
pair of Hawker Hunter T7As in Black
Arrows and No
II(AC) Squadron colours operated by Delta Jets providing
an airfield attack with the pair of Folland Gnat T1s
also from Delta. Joining Delta's more familiar No
4FTS painted Gnat was the former Intrepid Aviation's Yellowjack
Team marked Gnat. This display was a reminder of the RAF at
home Days in the 1950's and 1960's where the Gnat and Hunter
would have been a common sight. Classic Aviation Project's
beautiful BAC
Canberra B2/6 provided the finale to the civilian operated
classic jets with it's typical graceful display of tight turns
and climbs.
 The
last part of the flying programme was dominated by aircraft
employed by the modern military forces. It was opened however,
by a type only kept in service to keep officer's flying currency
up when they are assigned to desk jobs, and has no real role
in military flying any more. The Fouga
CM170 Magister from the Belgian Armed Forces is still
however, an excellent display aircraft combining a very
low take off with graceful loops and roles enhanced by display
smoke. First of the RAF displays however was a Supermarine
Spitfire PR19 from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
providing a glimsp of how far piston engine technology had reached
as the jets entered service at the end of the second world war.
The modern day jet fighters of the RAF were well represented
by the BAE
Systems Hawk T1, SEPECAT
Jaguar T4 and the Panavia
Tornado F3. The F3 display in particular was noteworthy
being more spectacular than usual which some very powerful
climbs into the late afternoon skies.
The first part of the finale
to the days flying was a massed flypast of some of the civilian
classic jet aircraft. Joining the formation was Golden Apple
Trust's Lockheed
T-33A Silver Star to form a spectaculat formation of
different types. While the formation joined up, Tom
Moloney played the "joker" flying another solo routine.
With the skies cleared, the formation
headed back over the airfield. While it wasn't as spectacular
as 2001 Hunter formation, it was still a notable achievement
with the Delta Trio of Hunter and a pair of Gnats followed by
Canberra, Meteor, T-33 and Sabre. Following th formation the
Delta Trio flew an entertaining loose tailchase over the
airfield. It looked as though it was play time over Kemble!!
The flying was closed by former Kemble residents, the Royal
Air Force Red
Arrows who were parked in front of their former
hangers. They were much loved residents at Kemble, the locals
always enjoy welcoming them back to their former base.
Once again, the Kemble Team lead
by Glen Moreman provided another display which was very well
organised and was of a very high quality. The only real downer
on the event was the cancellations which were very infortunate,
particularly the loss of the Vampires and Jet Provosts from
the flying display which are two types all too rarely seen in
flying displays at the moment. We particularly liked the management
of traffic and information using big electronic boards which
also provided information on upcoming events at Kemble at the
end of the day. Perhaps another certain Cotswold based airshow
should take note!! We hope this is the first in a long line
of Classic Jet Airshows held at Kemble!
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