RAF Waddington International Airshow 2003

The first of the big mlitary shows for 2003 was the RAF's main show of the year held at RAF Waddington. Waddington has rapidly grown a reputation for attracting a selction of rare and interesting visitors and is one of the main shows that enthusiasts from around the country will head for. Sadly this year, the show demonstrated a point raised at the European Airshow Council's meeting all too well. Waddington had to compete for participants with the Zeltweg Air Power show in Austria the same weekend. Zeltweg is Austria's main military event, much in the same way that the UK has the Royal International Air Tattoo. Many participants present at the Council's meeting complained that there seemed to be very little in the way of cooperation between orgnaisers when setting dates of shows or show timings. At Waddington this lead to what was a very sparse list of European participants. Even the Royal Netherlands Air Force failed to supply one flying display!!! It was not all bad news however, what was at Waddington was high quality and entertaining. While the static display was down on number pf nations taking part, it didn't seem any smaller than previous years.

The Home Team

Being the Royal Air Force's main display of the year, you expect a very strong contingent from them, and this year was better than even with very an even larger display than usual. Opening the show on both days were representatives of Waddington's based squadrons with the Boeing E-3D Sentry of No 8 and 23 sqns flying past, joined on Saturday by a BAE Systems Nimrod R1 of No 51sqn. Sunday however, only saw the E-3 open the show as both R1s were required for missions, although it did mean the crowds saw two during the flying display, a standard buff coloured example landing, while a grey example performed a flypast later in the afternoon before landing. All of the RAF's display teams took part during the day as well with performances by the Panavia Tornado F3, Panavia Tornado GR4, SEPECAT Jaguar GR3, BAE Systems Harrier GR7, BAE Systems Hawk T1A (No 208sqn), BAE Systems Nimrod MR2, Grob Tutor T1 and Shorts Tucano T1. Making a welcome reappearance to the UK airshow circuit after many year absence was a SAR demo by a Westland Sea King HAR3A providing a close up demonstration of the famous yellow helicopters rescue abilities while the tactical demonstration of a Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules C5 marked the debut of the type in the RAF's hands. Sunday also saw another unique RAF Flypast comprising a cross section of the RAF's tanker fleet with a BAE Systems VC-10 flanked by two Panavia Tornado F3, another VC-10 and Tornado F3 and the Lockheed Tristar KC1 bringing up the rear end of the flypast. The RAF's three main display teams were also at the show. The Falcons Parachute Display Team flew at the beginning of the show while the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight reminded us of the RAF glorious past with the Lancaster, Spitfire Vb and Hurricane IIc. The Red Arrows closed the flying display on both days as the only formation jet team to take part in this years show. Equally impressive was the RAF's static show contribution with pretty all of the major types represented. Dominating the Alpha Dispersal was 99sqn's Boeing C-17A Globemaster III. We don't often see the C-17 at shows as they are kept so busy supporting the UK's military operations around the world. The most recent of which was Operation Telic or the recent Iraq War. The static park included a number of aircraft which had been involved with the air war, most notably two Panavia Tornado GR4s (IMAGE 1, IMAGE 2), one of which still sported it's noseart. It's interceptor brother, the Panavia Tornado F3 was also present in numbers, but most notably sporting it new role as a Wild Weasel aircraft. The SAOEU example showed a test fit with a single ALARM missile, while 11sqn showed off a fully operational Panavia Tornado EF3B. The SAOEU as usual had an impressive display which included the BAE Systems Harrier GR7 and a 16sqn SEPECAT Jaguar T4. Further examples of the Harrier GR7 showed the abilities of the aircraft to operate from dispersed locations. Joint Helicopter command provided a Boeing Chinook HC2, while the RAF's oldest operational jet, the BAE Systems Canberra PR9 was also on static show. Both show days saw 32 (The Royal) Sqn bring in some VIPs in their BAE Systems 146 CC2 for a rare public outing at an airshow. Specialised air testing was also well represented at the show, with the RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine providing a BAE Systems Hawk T1 and DERA providing a very rare outing for one of it's last remaining BAC 1-11 aircraft.

Of course, it's not just the RAF that operates UK military aircraft. The Royal Navy provided it's dramatic Westland Lynx HAS3 duo. Their display certainly catches the attention of the crowd with some brilliant timing and positioning. The Army Air Corps was not to be left out with displays from the Blue Eagles (IMAGE 1, IMAGE 2, IMAGE 3) and it's great to see the Lynx back in the team, even if it has meant they have now only a very short season in which to display their unique flying abilities. Also displaying and winning the prize for the best presented display (much to the disgust of some of heavy metal fans!!!) were the AAC Historic Flight with their unique mix of fixed wing and rotary aircraft (Beaver, Chipmunk, Auster, Soiux, Alouette II and Scout)

Best of Friends

Though Waddington foreign participation was small, it was still of very high quality. Some of the aircraft arrived from the Cambrai Tiger Meet and Waddington invited many of those attendees for a "big cat meet" for any squadron with a Big Cat link.  Providing by the biggest line-up of the Europeans this year were the Germans. The Flying display once again saw a dramatic demonstration of the Boeing F-4F Phantom. Though restricted to what is basically a role demonstration, the display does show off the phantom to great effect. Star of the static line-up was a Panavia Tornado IDS, yes you heard me right...a tornado...why? Well just look at the photo! They call it Blue Lightning you know!! See it paired with the GAF Panavia Tornado ECR you do start to wonder if German air force mechanics have too much time on their hands! Much less colourful was the German Navy Panavia Tornado IDS, clearly they're far too busy! People with far less time than the German are the Belgians who could only manage a quick painting on the tail of their static Lockheed Martin F-16AM Fighting Falcon. The Belgains also managed to display their F-16 in the UK at last after several attempts were aborted because of the unfair condition that UK civilians have to stump up the insurance. As with any F-16 display, you certainly get your fix of burning and turning. Also in the air was the Belgain Armed Forces Dassault Alpha Jet E with a broken smoke pod! The French Air Force in the end managed a half decent showing with the Dassault Mirage 2000D joined by a Mirage F1CT and a EMBRAER EMB-121AA Xingu in the static area.

However, the star of the flying really had to be the Boeing EF-18A Hornet from the Spanish Air Force. The display defied belief with really very tight turns and climbs and an impossibly angle of attack! Back on the ground the Royal Netherlands Air Force managed to send two Lockheed Martin F-16AM Fighting Falcons and a Fokker 60-UTA-N while the Royal Norwegian Air Force sent a F-16AM and a F-16BM. Italy had quite a reasonable showing two with a pair of Lockheed/Aeritalia F-104S-ASA-M Starfighters joining the Air Cavalry's Agusta Bell AB205 and Agusta A129 Mangusta. From further afield came the Polish Navy PZL M-28MR Bryza-1R maritime recce aircraft, which is now a regular sight at UK shows. Waddington is the home base to the RAF's contribution to the NATO AEW force, so it's unsurprising to see a NATO Boeing E-3A Sentry joined by a Boeing 707 on the Sunday. The United States Air Forces also managed to send a Boeing E-3B Sentry in it's very small line-up joined by a Gates C-21 Learjet, Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle and a Lockheed Martin F-16CJ Fighting Falcon from USAFE.

Civvie Street

A large contingent of civilian owned hardware made up a significant part of the 100 Years of Flight Static park on Alpha Dispersal. Many of these aircraft are often seen at other displays however but in the helicopter park two aircraft did catch the eye. First of these was an all white Bell Model 47G and the other a Hillier UH-12E in Royal Navy training markings.

Civilian visitors also made a big impact on the flying display. The Utterly Butterly Barnstormers  returned to the show and also provided a charity wing walk for one of SNECMA's high ranking employees before the display. Further barnstorming antics were providing by Denny Dobson in his Walter Extra EA300XS and Will Curtis in the Team Alpine Sukhoi Su-26M; both of whom had very busy schedules that weekend!! Classic Jets made up a good proportion of the flying display with Classic Aviation Project's BAC Canberra B2/6, Tom Moloney's BAC Strikemaster Mk88 and Delta Jet's Folland Gnat T1. However, the most significant display was that of Hawker Hunter Aviation's Hawker Hunter F58a which marked the return of the former OFMC's huge Hunter fleet inherited from the Swiss Air Force.

Waddington did very well considering the circumstances in which they held their display with some very entertaining flying and the usual interesting static park. The organisation of the event is first class with easy access and egress from the airfield for most visitors. Despite the lack of any major foreign show stoppers this show once again enforced Waddington's position as one of Europe's best airshows and long may it continue.

 copyright Flightline UK 2003