Pootling along a straight stretch of road between Danby and Lealholm the other day (Lawns Road it's called, according to Google Maps), I heard a somewhat familiar noise approaching from behind.  Approaching rather fast, in fact.  Far too fast to see what it was in my rear view mirror - but that was OK, because by then it was in front of me anyway.  At about 150ft I'd estimate, going at a speed roughly equal to "like the clappers" and making a racket approximating to "WTF was that??": an RAF Tornado, which, having practised bombing/strafing the bejeezus out of an honest, VED-paying motorist, peeled smoothly away up Great Fryup Dale.

 

SWMBO was curled up in the passenger seat squealing with excitement.  I thought it was rather a laugh, too.  I think that must be one of the few occasions when I've felt that I'd rather like to be travelling in the vehicle that has just overtaken my Yeti...

 

It was only today that I realised that my dashcam would have captured the incident very nicely - if only I'd remembered to upload the video from it when I got home.  Doh!

Edited 17 August, 201411 yr by ejstubbs

I remember driving along the hill overlooking RAF St Mawgans in Cornwall at the same time the Red Arrows decided to make their entrance to the air show.

9 Hawks at about 150ft over my car...

That was some noise!

Then seeing them drop into the valley for the show. How I didn't crash or run someone over I don't know.

Tornado against a Yeti? Even Boss Fox's. I know where my money is going...

Tornado against a Yeti? Even Boss Fox's. I know where my money is going...

 

As well as being a tad faster, it was carrying significantly more ordnance than I can get on my Yeti too...

 

Still kicking myself about forgetting the dashcam footage 

I'm pretty sure they do practice on cars as moving targets, not to mention low level flying along roads and valleys.

We've just had a Lancaster fly over our house at about 1000 ft.

The sound of 4 merlins..... :p  I had to run to the window for a look.

We saw the Lanc (and heard it) too. Wondered which one it was and why there weren't two together.

We've just had a Lancaster fly over our house at about 1000 ft.

The sound of 4 merlins..... :p I had to run to the window for a look.

Gutted I missed being able to see the two together recently. That would have been an amazing sound and sight.

Has just gone back south, presumably to Conningsby. It was the Canadian one.

Looking on http://www.flightradar24.com/CGVRA/41a7527 it is not going back to Conningsby anytime soon.

They will both be performing at Dunsfold park wings and wheels this weekend, which happens to be at the end of my garden  .  Will get some Photos and post up here for you.

There are a couple of roads around here that the aircraft are BENEATH you!!

I've had the RAF 'fly by experience' up on the Yorkshire Moors - I was convinced that the car had spontaneously disintegrated...

When UK bound used to live in a village, Bayton, by Cleobury Mortimer, my house was a little elevated, and as was Jaguars and later Tornados used the house, flying in at eyelevel on the upstairs and then just a quick climb and over, frightening when thinking about accidents etc. The house was an old vicarage, so possibly some protection therein. Also used to get Chinooks and Hercules over again flying lower than the house, following the Teme Valley.

Also the adj church originally associated with the house  was on the same hill overlooking the vale between us and the Clee Hill, funny feeling looking down on the aircraft.

It was also on the flight path to Fairford and used to see the procession assembling en route the air show!!

I was out on a canal boat some years back when a Jaguar used us as a target run. He went over the boat at no height at all. Incredible noise.

 

Andy

There are a couple of roads around here that the aircraft are BENEATH you!!

I know that feeling - if you go to the Glenfinnan viaduct and climb the hills surrounding it you will (if you are lucky) catch the RAF doing low level manoeuvres and they will likely be lower that you are.

 

Gutted that the last time I was concentrating so much on getting a photo of the train coming over the viaduct that I completely missed my shot of the 2 typhoons blasting past in the background (my settings were completely wrong for fast jets!)

Duxford in September, VULCAN attending, woo hoo!

 

In my youth I was motorcycling rapidly around a country lane above Bristol when

a Vulcan snuck up on me, it was the flying testbed for the Olympus engine for

Concorde, it lit up the Olympus and disappeared I have never seen so much heat haze

and the noise even with my helmet on was awe inspiring.

Edited 19 August, 201411 yr by gumdrop

But the Vulcan is only there on the Saturday, and both Lancasters are on Sunday.

All three at Dunsfold this weekend.

The display schedule for the Canadian Lanc is here.  It also indicates when it is scheduled to be displaying with the BBMF's example.  I'm quite tempted to pop down to Ayr to see them on 6th September - especially since it's free!

 

I believe the Vulcan is due to attend as well - if you want to see (and hear!) then it's worth grabbing the chance ASAP because it's rapidly nearing the end of its airframe's serviceable life, plus they're running short of engines.  It's likely not going to be flying all that much longer  :'(

 

Scary to think that I used to see Vulcans flying "for real" ie in active RAF service when I was a kid, then they were phased out, then someone got one flying again and now that one is shortly going to be grounded for good - all in my lifetime.  Some things really do bring home to you how long you've been on the planet...

The sun went in so the photos not as good as I had hoped, but still a good display.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I used to play golf at Kington Golf Club on the border of England and Wales which at the time claimed to be the highest in England.

Spent many a round watching the jets and Hercules flying through the valley below us. Also had a scare at the the golf club I work at, very early one morning, when an Apache helicopter appeared over the trees, flew over my head. Then several minutes later a soldier fully kitted out came running down to the green I was cutting. Fortunately they were only asking to use the Clubs car park to congregate during maneuvers.

Did make my heart jump a bit though.........