Cold War Jets and LPG Open Day, Bruntingthorpe - 2nd May 2004

Where else can you stand thirty feet from a fast jet screaming down a runway with both burners blazing? For those in the know, the answer of course is at Bruntingthorpe during one of their many open days where the resident jets are powered up and blasted down the airfield's massive runway, although the mighty birds never take flight, the show is certainly popular amongst airshow fans. Warplane reports on the first event at "Brunty" of 2004. Reviewed by Mark McEwan with photography from Chris Chambers

The first of this years such days was held at the Leicestershire airfield on the 2^nd of May, and for many of the enthusiasts attending, it promised to be the first sound of fast jet noise of the 2004 air show season.

Although strictly speaking not an air show in the purist’s sense of the word, the event was well attended by regular air show goers, numbers certainly bolstered by Duxford’s decision to move its typical May slot to June to co-incide with the D-Day anniversary. Those attending were of course eager at the prospect of seeing, hearing and feeling the power of two afterburning Rolls-Royce Avon engines or four Rolls-Royce Conway engines roar down Bruntingthorpe’s  2 miles of concrete runway, each burning some 300gallons of fuel during the performance.

Many of those attending were there only to see one particular aircraft type perform, and the Lightning fanatics were not to be disappointed, with both the Lightning Preservation Group’s (LPG) two F.6s – XR728/JS and XS904/BQ delighting the appreciative audience with a fast taxi run complete with afterburners. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the LPG’s band of volunteers, both aircraft looked almost as good as the day they last saw active military service, with the former, “JS” wearing the markings of the Lightning Training Flight complete with the non-standard tail code – that being the initials of the last Binbrook station commander, Group Captain John Spencer. “BQ” wears the markings of 11 Sqn, and has the honour of being the last Lightning to fly in the UK when it was delivered to the airfield in 1993 from it’s former home at Warton.

Another undoubted highlight of the day was the fast taxi run made by the Collection’s Victor K.2. Resplendent in 55 Sqn markings (the aircraft’s previous operator), XM715 was one of the last aircraft to be put through it’s paces, and left the crowd in little doubt as to why Bruntingthorpe’s previous air days were known as Big Thunder! This particular aircraft was a Gulf War I veteran and still wore it’s nose art and name “Teasin’ Tina” together with mission markings applied during the conflict.

It was also nice to see another old aviation favourite in the shape of ex. Boscombe Down resident – Comet 4C “Canopus” – ably perform alongside some of Bruntingthorpe’s more sprightly residents. The aircraft has lost it’s military serial in favour of a civilian registration – G-CPDA – the closest British Aviation Heritage could get to BOAC’s first Comet 4, which was registered G-APDA. It is hoped that one day Canopus will return to the skies, although it has to overcome several hurdles before that can happen, not least acquiring it’s Certificate of Airworthiness.

Whilst not actually performing a taxi run, Canberra B.6(mod) WT333 was “fired-up” – always a spectacular and smoke producing event with the aid of a couple of starter cartridges! It’s sister-ship, another Canberra B.6(mod) XH568 could be found on static display nearby.

Ground exhibits were also much in evidence, with engineless former Olympic Airlines B.747-200 dominating the static park, together with ex. Airbus Industries Super Guppy which was open to the public. Several of Bruntingthorpe’s other residents were present on static display including Phoenix Aviation’s Sea Vixen FAW.2 and Sea Hawk FGA.6 and rather worn-looking ex. Danish Air Force Hunter F.51 wearing 92 Sqn’s “Blue Diamonds” aerobatic team colours.

Attracting much interest by the public was Vulcan B.2 XH558 which currently resides inside one of Bruntingthorpe’s hangars. It is hoped the aircraft could be ready to take to the air again as early as the end of 2005, providing the Vulcan to the Sky Trust (VTS) can raise the final £600,000 needed to meet their financial target and move onto stage two of their four stage process, just one step away from airworthiness!

This was my first visit to Bruntingthorpe, and indeed the first time I’ve been able to appreciate the awe of a Lightning in full reheat, and it certainly won’t be my last trip to a Fast Taxi Day. Although it perhaps doesn’t run with the precision and timing of some of the modern military airshows, it is a well organised event with a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. This is the closest you’re going to get to feeling the thunder of a Lightning without going to South Africa!

 copyright Flightline UK 2004