Pages

sunnuntai 20. heinäkuuta 2014

Warbirds fly-in

I still haven't finished the Hellcats as they are missing the final mud layer. Instead I've been to an annual air show held in central Finland. The theme this year was Warbirds with a special emphasis on WW1 and WW2 aircraft. There were some very rare planes flying including the only Gloster Gauntlet Mk. II that is in flying condition as well as a few DC-3:s, a Spitfire and much more! The area also had a meeting for military vehicles and there were quite a few tracked and wheeled pieces roaming around. Being a very typical Finnish summer day the show was interrupted for a few hours as a surprise thunder storm made flying impossible and forced most spectators to take cover indoors.

I guess I'll let the images speak for themselves with only short explanations in between. Enjoy!

The airshow started with a memorial jump from a DC-3 in the honour of people who lost their lives in a airplane accident where a plane carrying paratroopers fell down near the airfield in April killing most passangers.



There were 3 flying Great War era fighters. Fokker Dr.I, R.A.F S.E.5a and a FVM Ö1 Tummelisa. The shows included simulated fights between the Fokker and both other aircraft as well as the S.E.5a attacking the airfield and doing stunt flying piloted by Daniel Ryfa who normally works as a stunt pilot for Red Bull.




















From WW2 there was a Finnish Gloster Gauntlet Mk. II which was the only flying specimen left in the world. In addition there were 2 DC-3's, 2 AT-6 Texans and a AT-16 Harvard and finally a Spitfire Mk. IX. Especially the Spitfire was an awesome sight fighting a simulated fight against one of the Texans and afterwards performing loops and barrel rolls in a stunt flight.
















The day also featured quite a few re-enactors from both Napoleonic era and WW2. There were quite a few WW2 Finns and Germans around and even a few British and US paras. A reenactment group of the Royal Finnish Artillery Regiment from the Russo-Swedish war of 1808 gave a demonstration firing their two cannons.



 





There were also numerous historical and modern aircraft that were not flying in the shows. Arriving by plane gave you a free pass to the event and all those planes were lined up next to the runways for all visitors to see. The Auster AOP was very interesting to see especially with it's slightly more exotic "Remove Before Flight" tags.











There was also a modelling competition held at the event with scale models of aircraft in various scales. There was also a themed section of Detachment Kuhlmay showing the various different aircraft used by the German unit that was crucial in stopping the Soviet attack in Karelia in 1944.















Finally there was a selection of nice cars and even a small herd of reindeer kept in a pen close to the airfield.



 

8 kommenttia:

  1. WOW! They had everything you could possibly want on display. I really like the WWI planes and would love to see one in real life. There are some nice looking models on display and some of those bases are really neat.

    I do love classic car shows. We've one here every year and I go and dream and dream and dream....

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Yeah the WWI really were a treat. They look fantastic, but I can guarantee they sound even better! Especially the Radial Engine on the Fokker was amazing to hear (at least to a mechanical engineer like me). And the roar of the Spitfire when it was doing low altitude passes

      Poista
  2. Very interesting pics. Thanks for sharing. Especially the WW1 planes really caught my eye.

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Thanks! Yeah you don't really see these old machines even in museum conditions let alone flying. But they aren't strictly historical. The Fokker for example has a frame rebuilt in the 90s with the historical drawings and materials used. Only the engine is really from the war time.

      Poista
  3. Fantastic post, some great photo's :-) Those WW1 planes look very flimsy up close, it would take a lot of nerve to fly one! Cheers, Paul :-)

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Thanks Paul! Yeah you'd probably be in for a bumpy ride :) Even in good conditions those buggers were jumping up and down all the time with even the smallest winds.

      Poista
  4. That looks like an absolutely amazing day, wonderful photographs to boot.

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Thanks Michael! Even the better half found the day and all the planes amazing so overall a very nice trip :)

      Poista