Airbourne: Eastbourne International Airshow 2019 Review

  Airbourne is, to me, where it all began. Airshows, which led to aviation in general, which led to photography of aircraft, and to becoming a reviewer and journalist within aviation. It is the place where I fell in love with aviation and thus, Airbourne is the show I hold close to my heart, the four days in August are like Christmas and the event I always, completely, look forward to. Airbourne this year fell within the three-month period which saw the Red Arrows touring North America, and the organising team came out the blocks before just about any other show to announce this, and that plans were being put in place to build an airshow programme without them. In my opinion, this year’s show was rounded and well received, with a nod to many aspects of aviation. 

Starting with the headline announcement for the show, it saw the Dijon based Breitling Jet Team penned as the Red Arrows replacement, with the bonus of them displaying all four days of the airshow – something the Red Arrows rarely do. The team used Biggin Hill as their base for the four days, whilst also displaying over the weekend at the airshow being held there. The team were one of a surprising number of new displays featured on this year’s schedule, which included warbirds, aerobatics, jets, helicopters, and display teams. 

The Breitling Jet Team flew an immaculate display of precision aerobatics across the four days in their six Aero-Vodochody L-39 Albatros trainers, in both lovely evening sunlight, early afternoon blue skies and a bit of overcast murk as well. The Thursday display, which closed the opening day of the airshow stood out especially as the aircraft glinted off the low-lying sun in the late afternoon, backed against a blue sky with a photographers dream in some white fluffy clouds. The team flew their full display, which included all the high looping formations, crossovers, breaks and their lovely formation topside. Their signature “Apache Roll” was met with applause on the Thursday, as was their entire routine upon its conclusion, which I must say was flawless. The team displayed over the other three days with either their full display on Thursday and Sunday, or their rolling display with the lower cloud issues on Friday and Saturday – even some fireworks were thrown in to end their displays. 

As I mentioned, there was an abundance of new displays for the 2019 airshow, and as well as the Breitling Jet Team, show-goers also enjoyed a debut display by the Gazelle Squadron over the weekend days, which saw the two bright red, ex-Navy and RAF airframes put on a highly-polished routine of wingovers, peddle turns and aerial ballet before breaking at crowd centre. This new team of extremely friendly and professional pilots and crew have big plans to grow this display into a resurrection of the long-gone Blue Eagles or Sharks display teams of old, which also used Gazelles as part of their display teams. The Sunday display was thwarted a little by some gusty on-crowd winds which meant their display was somewhat curtailed, but the Saturday display showed off the aircraft nicely indeed. 

Further Airbourne newbies came in the form of the Ultimate Warbird Flights/Air Leasing, with their four-ship of iconic World War Two warbirds. Leading the formation was the wonderful and very popular Republic P-47D Thunderbolt “NellieB”, flanked by the Hispano Buchon HA-1112 M1L representing a Messerschmitt BF109E from the Battle of Britain era, which was also representing “the enemy” and the famous Supermarine Spitfire TR.9, while following up the rear was the eye-catchingly schemed North American TF-51D Mustang “Contrary Mary”.  The display featured a series of formation passes to begin with, before the quartet broke at crowd centre for a mock dogfight between the Spitfire and Buchon (Including some smoke effects from the Buchon), before the heavy American “Jug” lead the Mustang through some high loops and climbs in formation. The display then formed back up for a couple more passes, including a nice topside to close this most refreshing warbird display sequence. I think this was one of the highlights of the day, and something different from the usual solo warbird displays that are seen around the UK, and something I’m sure we will see more of in the future.

Another debutant from the warbird era was that of the Norwegian Spitfire Foundation with the Hawker Sea Fury T.20. However for the first three days of the event, the aircraft was unable to appear due to gremlins preventing its display. On the Sunday though, the Sea Fury roared in, in the hands of Stu Goldspink. With a couple of thunderous growls as it passed through, the aircraft was put through its paces nicely indeed. Better late than never, as they say, and it was certainly worth the wait! It is great to see warbird operators venturing beyond the skies of Duxford and other warbird airfields to display at more family oriented airshows such as Eastbourne, Bournemouth and others – I personally would love to see it happen more often with some of the beautifully restored and preserved examples of rare aircraft we have within the UK. 

Further warbird action was supplied on Thursday and Friday by a second North American P-51D Mustang; this time the beautiful “Miss Helen”. There isn’t much that can be said about the P-51 and the display that hasn’t already been said, but the iconic sound of the Mustang with its Merlin Engine and gun-port whistle is always a fantastic treat at an airshow and at Airbourne we were lucky enough to enjoy two of them over the four days. 

Classic Jets made a strong appearance once again at Airbourne, this time in two pairs displays, firstly the Strikemaster Display Team with their pair of BAe Strikemaster Mk.82a’s. Although the Thursday and Friday saw Mark Petrie fly solo, before Ollie Suckling joined for the fast-paced pairs routine over the weekend days. The second pairs display was from overseas with the Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron with their Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15UTI and Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star. This was a debut for the Shooting Star at Eastbourne, and with that came a dogfight with the MiG-15 before the aircraft broke off and performed solo displays. The MiG was carrying a new, far more menacing black paint scheme, which was shown off perfectly throughout, whilst the T-33 gave a slightly more subtle display. Nonetheless, I look forward to seeing the Shooting Star again in the future, as it is a lovely shape to watch carve its way across the sky. 

Aerobatics played a part in the displays as well, although the event didn’t feel swamped with them, with enough different routines, which gave enough variety, without the sense of repetitiveness. The Fireflies took to the skies over the weekend with three displays in their pair of Vans RV-4s; two daytime shows and a pyrotechnic-filled evening show on the Sunday night. The Blades, commented on by Arthur Williams, flew across all four days with their usual sequence, from their crossfire break, their crazy flying, and ending with their champagne break. The team changed a little over the weekend but saw Andy Evans, Kirsty Murphey, Mike Ling, James McMillan and even The Blades Racing Team pilot, Ben Murphey take to the skies across the four days in what will be the last year of the team flying the Extra 300.  

The Aerosuperbatics Wingwalkers brought their dynamic wing walking show to the four days of the show, as they usually do, and for me they give me the fun personal challenge of trying to capture their crossovers – something of a fun joke carried over from last year. The display was as ever, barnstorming, radial roaring fun - always a crowd favourite. Finally in the aerobatics category came the ever fantastic, ever so slightly insane, Richard Goodwin in his highly modified Muscle Pitts. Entering on the knife edge and carrying it right along the display line, before pulling up into what I call controlled chaos. The display is one of the most entertaining, thrilling displays you will ever see in solo aerobatics, where you can honestly witness man and machine working in harmony. The now very well-known liveried Pitts will be seen a little less as Rich will be introducing us to his even more modified Jet Pitts in the near future – and what a display that will be! 

The Tiger Parachute Display Team dropped in from above to open proceedings on each day of the show, although on the Friday, in what was slightly turbulent conditions, one of the jumpers had a fairly hard landing which required a precautionary trip to the local hospital for a check-up - luckily no major injuries were sustained. Other Armed Forces displays came from the Royal Air Force Tutor Display Team, with their Grob Tutor T.1. The Royal Air Force Tucano Display, in one of its very last airshow appearances before retirement, displaying across the full four days. The Tucano was put through its paces and reminded us of what a workhorse this trainer has been in the RAF since the retirement of the Jet Provost. It will be sad to see this type retired, although there were hints during the commentary that we would see a RAF Texan II display in a couple of years – something I would love to see. 

Larger RAF aircraft came from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight who, unfortunately were thwarted by weather for the first two days but were able to display with four aircraft across the weekend. It was a welcome return for the Avro Lancaster, accompanied with the usual fighter escort of Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane. Nothing beats the sound of six Merlin’s roaring across the Airbourne skies. A bonus came from the BBMF’s Douglas Dakota “Kwitcherbitchen” which gave a spirited solo display, taking the tally of DC-3 variants to appear over Eastbourne this year to twenty-two! This was the first time the BBMF had brought its Dakota to Airbourne for a number of years, and it was a very welcome return. 

The Royal Air Force Chinook Display Team made appearances on both weekend days with the heavy lifting behemoth, highlighting an impressive, albeit, watered-down sequence following the past fatigue issue. The Sunday display especially seemed very impressive, with what felt like one of the better displays I have seen since the reprised display routine. Nothing beats the iconic “Wokka” blade slap of those massive rotor blades, and with the aforementioned on-crowd wind, that was amplified somewhat, only adding to the display. 

The final display at this years Airbourne was the booming RAF Typhoon Display Team, flown by Flt. Lt. Jim Peterson for the second year. Bringing the noise, the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 created fluff, noise, and drama, as it does wherever it appears. On the Saturday, with the overcast conditions at the beginning of the afternoon, the Typhoon created lots of “spluff” from those delta wings, making an already dramatic display, that much more impressive. Throughout the three days it flew over the skies of Eastbourne, it swapped either the early or late shift with the Breitling Team, making sure the show opened and closed with a bang. 

This years Airbourne: Eastbourne International Airshow felt like a complete package for a free seaside show, with a broad range of aircraft displays, and something for everyone to enjoy. The addition of The Breitling Jet Team and the Ultimate Fighters were the big highlights, with the ever-popular Chinook and Typhoon also getting peoples attention. The only thing I would perhaps enjoy seeing in the future would be the inclusion of something which Airbourne has been so very well known for in the past: Innovation. From its time as a very big military affair in the mid 2000’s, right up to 2015, the show has tried to get something a little different, unique or new. Whether it be the Dassault Flamants from France, the debut seaside show appearance by the Bristol Blenheim, or going back a ways, when it got the USAF B-1 Lancer displaying – it would be great to see that once again, or even some unique flypasts or formations, maybe one of those shiny new F-35s at Marham? One can hope…

I am already looking forward to Airbourne 2020, I hope its as enjoyable as this year, maybe even better! 

Words and Photos by Matt Silvaire.