When the Clips are running I would suggest double clicking on the screen to make them full size as that way is easier for viewing.
 61-0032 B52 US Air Force (Leuchars 11-9-08). Click Here To Play (90 secs 8.2 Meg) Click Here To Save |
 61-0032 B52 US Air Force (Leuchars 11-9-08). Click Here To Play (130 secs 14.0 Meg) Click Here To Save |
 58-0008 KC135R US Air Force (Leuchars 11-9-08). Click Here To Play (148 secs 15.8 Meg) Click Here To Save |
One of two main highlights for me during my three visits to Leuchars was the arrival of the B52 that comes here for the Airshow and knowing that it would be doing an overshoot I was determined to catch it on my HD Camcorder.
The B52 is very distinctive with it's very long smoke trails as you can see in the thumb above and this is something that you very rarely see these days with the old Commercial smokers banned from our skies.
As with the B52 this KC135 came right to the end of the Runway and used the large turning circle which was added during extensive Runway modifications over the past 18 months.
Unfortunately all three USAF aircraft arrived from the Sea end with a slight Tailwind which was a pity as the spot that I was standing at is amazing when it is used for arrivals with large aircraft flying very low over the Spectators and you can feel strong jetblast as they go by not to mention an extremely loud noise.
The aircraft was delivered to the RAF in 1960 but was retired in 1993 to Bruntlingthorpe where it was kept in a serviceable condition but it did not flying again until October 2007.
This Clip is of it's arrival to Leuchars on the Friday for the Airshow the next day and on reaching the Field it did a short display so I manage to record three minutes of it flying.
This selection includes:- USAF F15, USAF F16, 2x RAF Tornado's, 2x Belgium AF F16's, R Navy Jetstream and an RAF Typhoon.
The F4 and AN26 were from the Beach end where we were for most of the day but during mid afternoon the wind switched around and the Runway was change to 09 so arrivals were coming in over land so the Hawks at the end of this Clip are from the opposite end of the Airfield.
These Clips include:- 2x RAF Typhoon's, an RAF Harrier, FR Aviation Falcon 20 and one of the Belgium AF F16's that taxied out to do a practice display.
You can hear how excited the spectators were as it flew very low overhead creating some jetblast which added some wobbles to my footage of it.
After an overshoot the B52 Banked left and went out over the Sea again for coming in to land and deployed a Parachute just after touchdown, I have made this a longer Clip to show it turning at the end of the Runway for backtracking.
All three US Air Force "Heavies" arrived within 20 minutes of each other during mid morning and after that the rest of the day was very poor for movements but these three were the main objective of the day and I got them all on Camcorder so was pleased with the results.
96-0042 E-8C JSTARS
US Air Force
(Leuchars 11-9-08).
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(129 secs 13.8 Meg)
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XH558 Avro Vulcan
Sky Trust
(Leuchars 12-9-08).
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(120 secs 12.7 Meg)
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XH558 Avro Vulcan
Sky Trust
(Leuchars 12-9-08).
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(98 secs 10.3 Meg)
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The last of the three US Air Force big boys to arrival at Leuchars for the Airshow and this one was an E8 converted 707 that is used in Electronic Warfare so a good one to see.
The main highlight at this years Leuchars Airshow was the Vulcan Bomber making it's first flying appearence here for many years.
The second of my Vulcan Clips shows it completing a short display and coming in to land and I was very pleased to have been at Leuchars on the Thursday and Friday as the Airshow day on the Saturday was a washout with a cloud base of only 500 feet and a lot of drizzle during the morning in particular.
Leuchars Arrivals
Various
(Leuchars 12-9-08).
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(134 secs 14.4 Meg)
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Leuchars Arrivals
Various
(Leuchars 12-9-08).
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(141 secs 15.1 Meg)
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Leuchars Arrivals
Various
(Leuchars 12-9-08).
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(125 secs 13.4 Meg)
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Friday the 12th of September was the main arrivals day for Leuchars Airshow participants and as the landing Runway was from the Sea end I was on the Beach with my Camcorder and Tripod to catch them coming in to land, not an easy task as using full zoom on Fighters is very tricky to keep them well frames as you can see from my Clips.
part 2 is another selection of Airshow arrivals shot from the Beach showing :- a German AF F4 Phantom, Czech AF Antonov 26 and 2x RAF Hawk's.
The final selection of Clips were all from the 09 end where I was standing with about 50 other people but still manage to find enough room to set up my Tripod and capture a few landers as they flew over the top of me.
XH558 Avro Vulcan
Sky Trust
(Leuchars 12-9-08).
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(114 secs 12.1 Meg)
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CH-05 C130 Hercules
Belgium Air Force
(Leuchars 12-9-08).
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(69 secs 7.4 Meg)
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XV254 Nimrod
Royal Air Force
(Leuchars 12-9-08).
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(115 secs 12.3 Meg)
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Not long after I arrived at the Runway 09 end after coming from the 27 end due to a Runway switch I noticed a Towbar on the Vulcan and quite soon after it was pushed back from it's Parking spot and towed over to the other side of the Airfield so good to get some more footage of it.
This Herc made a short visit to Leuchars leaving after about 90 minutes so I guess it was here in support of the two Air Force F16's, this was it taxiing out to leave.
An RAF Nimrod was due to arrive during the afternoon from Kinloss but failed to show however this turned out to be a bonus as it turned up about 5pm when I was on the Mound at the 09 end, I was hoping for something big to land while I was here and this was the one that obliged.
ZA712 Chinook
Royal Air Force
(Leuchars 12-9-08).
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(86 secs 9.2 Meg)
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My final Clip from Leuchars was this Chinook coming in to land and taxiing along the Runway with it's front nosewheel in the air.