WINGS AND WHEELS

 

A sensational bank holiday weekend at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey watching the fantastic Wings and Wheels event, an absolute gem in the air show calendar,celebrating its 10th Anniversary. Wings and Wheels combines fast cars with stunning flying demonstrations. There was a fantastic range of aircraft and cars on show as well as World War II  re-enactment societies and displays. There was a awesome display by the Breitling Wing Walker “amazons” who at times, were showing steely eyed skill as they held on without harnesses and inches from those deadly propellors and amazed the crowds.At one point they almost touched hands while flying inverted,remarkable!

Iron Maiden rock star Bruce Dickinson made a surprise appearance and hopped into a World War 1 Fokker Triplane and duelled his Great War adversaries  around the airfield in a  simulation of a world war I air battle. Also present were the famous last two remaining Lancaster Bombers,one from Canada,bringing a nostalgic tear to many eyes as they flew with a battle of Britain fighter escort. There were also many cars speeding around the race track including a Ford GT40 a variety of classics and supercars and a selection of motorbikes,some with side cars,tearing around the track famous for its role in the Top Gear TV Series.

A short video clip of an Apache Gunship and the British and Canadian Lancaster Flypast shot on a Lumix LX7 compact camera:

More images from Dunsfold can be viewed here:http://…/p763200112 Copyright Kerry Davies/All rights reserved. 

RED BULL GIVES YOU WINGS:THE RED BULL AIR RACE 2014

Usually Ascot with its iconic Grandstand is the venue for horse racing diary events throughout the year but on the 16th and 17th of August it was the venue for the Red bull Air Racing World Championships, an entirely different high octane action sport like motor racing in the sky.It showcases the skills of elite pilots from around the world in very nimble tiny planes that tear around the race course,very much like aerial jockeys ducking and diving between huge inflatable obstacles and missing by the skin of their teeth.I witnessed the practice session on Friday 15th 2014 and I must say,it is certainly a hair raising event.In between storm clouds and blue skies,the light was certainly quite something and a 300mm Nikon lens made it all the more dramatic.

Also present were an RAF Chinook carrying out manoeuvres nobody would believe possible with an aircraft of this size,dropping,climbing and virtually nose down vertical,quite remarkable!

There were also Breitling Wing Walkers and a fantastic rare display from Spitfire MH434,the Spitfire of the late Ray Hanna, probably the most famous remaining Spitfire in the air today,with a list of wartime actions and movie roles to its name.

More on MH434 here:http://www.mh434.com/history/index.html

RAF CHINOOK

RAF CHINOOK

RAF CHINOOK

RAF CHINOOK

Breitling Wing walkers

RAF Chinook

Breitling Wing walkers

Breitling Wing walkers

Spitfire MH434 the famous Ray Hanna Spitfire.

Spitfire MH434 the famous Ray Hanna Spitfire.

Spitfire MH434 the famous Ray Hanna Spitfire.

Spitfire MH434 the famous Ray Hanna Spitfire.

 

All Images copyright Kerry Davies/No unauthorised reproduction.