I had heard that the 2 Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptors due in the UK for RIAT and Farnborough would visit RAF Lakenheath a day or two before the big airshows, then on Monday I was informed 4 were due in at 7:30 that evening, I dropped everything and headed to the Suffolk base.Of course I wasn't the only one to get advanced info, the aircraft had been heard by lots of avid scanner listening 'spotters' and excited messages had gone out on various online forums, the area around Lakenheath was packed with aviation enthusiasts.Some F15Cs launched to go and meet the visitors, cameras were checked and rechecked as the hum of excitement got louder, the F15Cs returned, perfect for some test shots, checking the histogram and tweaking the settings, then in came the Raptors to touchdown at 7:30pm!Will they go low-level; I doubt it, as it's not necessary for the high level intercept role this stealthy futurist jet was designed for, but who knows, I would love to see these pouring vapour and screaming through Cad or around Corris, but I think it'll only be if I photoshop it!!!
I am sure it's obvious from the content of my blog that I love jets, the scream of Typhoons and the roar of F15Es around the loop are awesome noises... but the song of Merlins as a 'choir' of 10 Spitfires growl up the grass and into the air at Duxford's spectacular 'Flying legends' show is THE music of aviation.Legends is the airshow that I just cannot miss, year on year it gets better, 3 hours of beautifully preserved and maintained 'Warbirds' fill the air for such a full on show, you really don't know which way to look.Apart from the flying there is also the reenactors that surround the airfields parked aircraft and present a picture of wartime, the like of this I have only ever seen 'on set' when I used to work on movies. Photographically it's the combination of people and planes that is the 'icing on an already tasty cake' I took so many pictures I have still to look at and edit many of them.A fantastic show!
