Sunderland Airshow 2012

Sunderland's Airshow is in it's 24th year , can't understand why I have not been before especially in the last few years when I have not worked weekends all I can say if you have not been then get along to next years show being the 25th year I'm sure there will be something special. The crowds where huge we went via the Metro I think it's the only way to go take plenty to eat and drink and something to sit on as it's a long day , I have never been to an event with so many people but it's well organized and being an airshow its all happening just above you. The highlight for me was the Battle of Britain memorial flight , like many boys of my generation I spent many an hour carefully assembling my Airfix kit of these classic planes Hurricane, Spitfire and Lancaster bomber when they where painted and finished we used to take a hot needle and pierce the wings with a row of holes to simulate bullet damage before hanging them from the bedroom ceiling to gather dust  happy times  !!!! . The flying was very very impressive, stunning , superb , you could use numerous descriptions but it really was a fantastic day well the final flight was the Red Arrows I have seen them a few times but they never fail to impress and gave a stunning display to end the show I took about 20gigs of photos and was having a great time as there has not been much in the way of birds to photograph of late . At the end we decided to wait awhile for the crowds to clear thinking we would be here for ages I checked out the numerous Gulls that had gathered above the crowds picking up dropped hotdogs, ice creams or numerous other items and giving there own display of some fantastic flying  they must have come from miles around for the feast ,eventually walking up to the Metro and seeing the queue  for north bound trains my jaw dropped it was huge around the corner and down the street four or five deep with police to keep it in check, Metro staff checking tickets before letting people in so I thought I had better dig it out and suddenly I was at the gate having just found it , amazing how quick we where on the platform waiting for the train and boarded in about 6-7 minutes very well organized , estimates are over 1,000,000 in the two days .....if   you've been then go it's fantastic. 

 For photographs you have to be quick as this formation rapidly split up for their  individual displays , making me one happy chap !!!

Lancaster ,Hurricane and Spitfire

 I'm not an aircraft buff so most of them I had no idea what they where but they did give a fantastic display , yes one is flying upside down while above it's partner cool  !!!!

 A Hunter jet

 Breitling wing walkers gave an impressive show

 Catalina and a Mustang

 The famous Red Arrows

 Skydiving display team they all landed on the beach within a metre or so of there target

 Red Bull team also very impressive show

 These are just some of the aircraft taking part being the more showy for taking photographs of , but also Tornadoes and a Typhoon came over very fast

 Hellicopters giving a display who would have thought it but again very good

Thats the angle it was flying at . One of these would have been good for the White Throated Robin twitch at Hartlepool you could just imagine it above the Doctor's Garden   !!!