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![]() Dave Eade sums up the triumphs and tragedy of a strange year. All photos by the author. At about 15:00 on 11 September, as I sat watching events on the Internet unfold in front of my eyes, I said that things would never be the same. Within a few weeks of that horrific event, another, albeit insignificant by comparison, continued to unfurl itself painfully slowly in Greece. The thought that aircraft spotters, however naïve, could be incarcerated for five or six weeks for doing what we all do would have been unimaginable before that fateful day in September.
2001 contained its fair portion of tragedy, of course. The events at Biggin Hill Air Fair will stay in the mind of spectators for years, I am sure. It is to be sincerely hoped that, other than a safety review, nothing has to change at this stalwart of the aviation calendar.
The star
event of the military calendar this year has to be Waddington.
Never before, and unlikely ever again, have the skies reverberated with
what is probably one of the best F-15 displays ever seen in the UK - and
this time courtesy of none other than the Israeli Air Force. I would suggest
that many a hardened spotter found not one but their first four new entries
in his Israeli So to RIAT
- of which so much is always expected. After last year's wintery effort,
this year's extravaganza had no complaints - choosing the best weekend
of the year. No-shows by the Hong-5 and Sea Vixen or the total prima-donna
attitude of the F-117 security guards paled into
insignificance compared to the roasting dealt out to those runway spotters
by the B-1 - Like RIAT the organisers of the 'Spottersdag' at Kleine Brogel know exactly what their audience want - and give it to them and plenty. One was left with the impression that it HAD to be organised by spotters and the feeling all day that wherever you were, you wanted to be somewhere else. A better selection of colour schemes and, yes, the odd surprise, would be hard to find.
So the days loomed when the annual trek to Northern climes was upon us - time for Leuchars's Battle of Britain show. Again, nobody would have guessed that either the Americans would be forced to call off or that we would start with two minutes silence for, what was then thought to be, 5 - 6,000 people senselessly wiped out in New York. Most enthusiasts today are probably too young to even begin to comprehend what the loss of life in World War II was like and the thought that one act, other than nuclear, could claim so many innocents was totally incomprehensible. All credit to the powers at Leuchars who decided to show a comprehensive two-fingered salute to those that would seek to control our lives by violence. A complete show in every way was presented at very short notice to a totally appreciative audience - we will not be moved!
Surprises - the autumn display at Duxford. Disappointments….That I missed the Delta show at Kemble. Regrets - the fact that I STILL haven't seen that b****y Sea Vixen and the Editor will hardly use any of the 1,264 slides I took in 2001 (Ouch - hope I've addressed that one now!- Ed). Roll on 2002… I can't wait!
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