This Is The Longest It Has Taken Me To Post A Post, Ever!

for a horrible reason which I shall mention when I get to it,

 so on to our day out which was Diana's day off, 

we had not eaten before we left, so lots of food to choose from,

 like this Hog Roast,

there were a couple of aisles of food stalls as it happens,

 although the weather forecast was not good, the rain held off,

 so what to have for breakfast? we walked up and down the stalls,

 also looking at some that were not food related,

 like this one,

 then decision made, burgers it was then!

 then a look around, but where were we? we decided to visit Biggin Hill for the 75th anniversary of D Day,

 so as you might imagine, anything of the period was here,

 even toys,

 and other stalls,

 and especially aviation related products,

 coffee next,

 and the start of a more detailed look around,

 starting with this show of commercial vehicles,

 like these,

 but I was soon distracted,

 by these American cars,

 now this really appealed to me, a flight in a genuine Spitfire!

 there was a slight catch, the cost was from £2,750, just a tad too much,

 but some Spitfire related items for the Man Attic might do instead!

 throughout the showground, lots of military exhibits,

 when ever I see one of these, 

 I am always reminded of Mr. Tony and Mad Mick who both had one each,

 Oh yes please! 

 all around people were in period costume, a pilot and a member of the ground crew,

 and khaki everywhere you looked,

 I am guessing we have all heard of hobnail boots, well here are a pair or three,

 with genuine hobs, that have a surprisingly early history, 

 we made our way into one of the large tents,

 where a couple was demonstrating how to dance, 1940s style,

 also there were a number of model aircraft on display,

 I at first thought a Lagonada, the same as Captain Hastings uses, but in truth I was not sure what it was,

 Lest We Forget,

 now when I was this chaps age I know exactly what I would be thinking, I bet you can guess too!

 a good old slogger, a BSA 500cc M20,

 and a lovely MG,

 time to look outside,

 a couple of Riley's,

 and I am sure I can just about remember these,

 my father always used to say that if you had a AA badge on your car, the motorcyclist would salute you as he drove past,

 another handsome,

 two-tone Riley,

 a couple of war birds that we shall see later,

 the ARP post,

 and fire station,

 and another war jeep,

 we walked to end of this display area,

 and I had to take a photograph of this beauty, A Citroen Lt 15, at first named the 7a, 

 memories of my youth,

 not that I had one,

 I had the predecessor of one of these, a BSA C11G,

 Diana was tempted, not,

 we had forgotten our chairs, so we bought a couple more,

 then a look at the car display before the air show started,

 and given a choice this would be mine,

 Oi! Steve move over!

 not seen very often there were a number of Panthers on display, often mistaken for Morgans,

 TVRs a plenty,

 going back a number of years,

 a Aston DB5,

 an American I do not know the name of,

 but these I do, original minis,

 Marks favourite, a MGB, this the is the GT version,

 Lotus here in force as well, 

 time for a sit down,

 the show about to begin, and as soon as it did, disaster!

 I had not noticed it before,

 as most of the photographs I took with the not yet one month old camera and lens,

 had 'busy' subjects,

 but against the sky there it was,

a black spot, either in the lens or in the camera where a pixel may have given up, why is it when it comes to things like this it always goes wrong for me? so next week back to the shop, thank heavens I believe in supporting shops and did not buy it on the Internet! so that is why it has taken me so long, taking the black spot out of each photograph, on to the show, minus the black spot,

 first a fly past by a helicopter taking photographs of the crowd, 

 then a little and large show,

 a full size stunt aircraft,

 was put through its paces by a remote control model of the same aircraft,

 which might not seem too hard, 

 but for the model flying must be so demanding as he or she can not 'see' like the pilot of the full size aircraft,

 especially in manoeuvres like this,

 where for the model left can easily become right,

 depending if the model is coming towards you or going away, 

 thankfully all went well, 

 the RAF Typhoon then took centre stage as it took off, 

 on its way to the Eastbourne air show,  

 and now for something completely different, 

 barnstorming,

 at its best,  

 as the wing walkers made their entrance,  

 this is one of the rare times, 

 I wish I had a telephoto lens 

 when the aircraft.

 wing walkers and all,

 commit to stunts like these,

as if it is not dangerous enough as it is,

 the walkers have to watch

 as not in their control at all,

 the pilots make all of the decisions,

 what a great show,

 I asked if Diana fancied giving wing walking a go, I think you can guess the reply!

 the place was packed, as an aside there is no tickets on the door, all tickets have to be bought on the Internet, I guess the insurance needed for moving the ticket money will be the reason, 

 next the some of the War Birds,

this a Buchon, which is essentially a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine Messerschmitt Bf10, 

  P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang,

 I managed to miss the Spitfire,  

 the time of the jets,

 the Breitling Jet Team, 

 taking off in two flights,

 and were soon putting on a show, 

 although moving at high speed,

 the formations impeccably took place,

 as each fly past,

 gave a different formation,

 absolutely amazing,  

 this was one of those shows,

  where you just had to be there,

 each pass,

 the formation changed,  

 next some upside down flying,  

 and another display,

 as two of the flight broke off, and came screaming towards each other along the crowd line,

 the speed we were informed was 500 KPH,

 a closing speed of 1,000 KPH!

 scary dairy indeed,

 the show continued with a revolver,

 one aircraft barrel rolls around the main group,

 a final regroup,

 as they ascend, and then land, 

 next The Blades,

 they are a British civilian aerobatic team based at the Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire,

 and have been described as "the world's only aerobatic airline" and are the only full-time civilian aerobatic team in the United Kingdom,

 and what a good show they put on,

 the finale of their show, 

 a huge heart in the sky, 

 then the unmistakable sound,

 of a Lancaster,

 accompanied,

 by a Spitfire and a Hurricane,

 what a fabulous sight and sound,

 this one fell into the 'what is it?' category,

 it was in fact a North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco, 

 which is an American twin-turboprop light attack and observation aircraft, it was developed in the 1960s as a special aircraft for counter-insurgency combat, and one of its primary missions was as a forward air control aircraft,

 the Turb Team then took to the skies, 

 in their distinctive coloured aeroplanes, 

 and let the stunts begin!

 a couple of poles were held up from the ground,

 and under the string that was strung across the poles them they went,

 amazing control,

 the string I am guessing just 30 feet or so above the ground, 

 then target practise,

 as the team flour bomb the ground crew, 

 next a duo of aircraft, 

that had synchronised smoke generators, 

  that left puffs of smoke in the sky,

 we were told the generators were controlled by wi-fi,

 so the pilots did not have to turn them on and off,

 as an aside the clouds were giving us a good display as well today, 

 a final roll and home, 

 in the far distance,

 going so slowly as to almost seem not to be moving,

 the Tiger 9,

 display team,

 keeping in perfect formation,  

 which was amazing given the power of the aircraft and how blowy it was today,

 then of all things,

 a Airbus A380 tried to join the display!  

 but it did not put the Tigers off, 

 as they continued the display,

 bearing in mind the windy conditions the next piece was surprising,

 the team split into two, 

 and then along the crowd line, flew at each other, 

 so not only did the lead pilot have to miss the first aeroplane,

 he had to miss the other three behind it! 

 what outstanding flying, 

 the War Birds took to the air again, 

 much to the delight of the crowd,

 and what a sight and sound they were,

 and this as a tail gunner, you do not want to see coming out of the sun towards you!

 a last look skywards, and we were in the car and home, what a totally fabulous day out, and not just for myself, Diana has already said she wants to come back here again next year, so that's all right then! 

 park the car, a wash and brush up, on to the bus, change buses in Beckenham to arrive here,

 the Toby Carvery in Eden Park,

 the sign above the door says it all,

 in case you think I look red, 

 I am, the sun gave me quite a tanning,

 we were famished,

 so turkey, beef, pork and gammon ham it was then,

 plus vegetables,

 my turn now, 

 'Cheers!',

 did I say Diana was hungry? 

pertifirolls for Diana's dessert,

 Knickerbocker glory for myself, 

 it was still light as we left, the bill came to £45.00,

 we changed buses at the Odeon, 

then the walk through the park and we were home, one from the Poirot box, a nightcap and we were off to bed.