Got a very pleasant surprise today. Now we regularly get a variety of aircraft overflying where I live at fairly low level, but looked up this afternoon, and there was a very distinctive shape I thought I'd never see flying (not quite dedicated enough to go to a show, not with two little boys under 3, and still trying to do some sport in the spare time I have). Had to be told to calm down by Mrs aracer, as I got rather overexcited, but mini-aracer #1 did at least have a good look, though I don't think he got the significance.

Not like we're exactly on the flightpath between Bruntingthorpe and Fairford, but I guess he was on a cruise around, and as I said, they do seem to like to overfly here.

In answer to the obvious question, sorry no pics, didn't have a camera handy.

It took off from Fairford and then flew to Cosford and back before doing its display at RIAT. Are you somewhere between fairford and Cosford?

That would explain it – SW Worcestershire Alps, which is on a reasonably logical flight path between those two avoiding Brum (actually in a small village at the top of a small hill a few miles away from the mountains – I'm convinced from the quantity of aircraft we get directly overhead that they use our little hill as a waypoint!) If it went from Fairford to Cosford and back, that would also explain the loud noise a little earlier when I wasn't outside to see! Thanks for helping.

awesome vulcan bomber vid here:

i was at fairford today and my son said it had gone to an airshow in wales but when i got back i'd checked web and couldn't find any airshow over that way, but seeing the direction it headed i makes sense now.

I too was more excited than my son

That youtube vid is amazing nickname, but imagine this. 1977 at Finningley, Queens Silver Jubilee Airshow, & we have a 4 Vulcan scramble! **** me, the noise was incredible & I think it registered 8 on the Richter scale at York university!
Alas, I can't find any footage of it.

Was actually surprised how quiet it was – almost doubted my eyes because of that. Though I guess it wasn't that low over me, and was on a clean cruise unlike that vid.

God – that noise takes me back to childhod air displays with my Dad…………….gutted to be missing it at the Windermer Air show!

My mum went to watch fairford from a layby (locals you see) and she said the vulcan wasn't nearly as loud as the eurofighter etc. I thought she was having a laugh, joins up with your thoughts though aracer.

esselgruntfuttock, i was there to witness that scramble, it was truly awe inspiring!

managed to catch a good view of the Lancaster on its way back from Fairford yesterday.
Missed the vulcan! 🙁

I'm off to the Windermere airshow this weekend for the Vulcan, Battle of Britain Flight and the Red Arrows. 🙂

It didnt use full military power for very long at all. My guess is now its financed by the public it costs waaaay to much to have the afterburners lit up non stop.
The display was almost calming, in a graceful way. Amazing to see such a large airframe flying again.
I thought the show to have lees aircraft than normal, possibly due to NATO and Iraq etc

crazy i saw a vulcan bomber on tuesday,
whilst working on a farm just outside Bath,
the farm is on the side of a valley
so it felt as if the vulcan was super low,
it was amazing to see it in flight!

It was at the Large Model Association event at Cosford yesterday.
The late Patron of the LMA who died late last year was a Vulcan pilot so it has graced a lot of LMA shows.

I went to a vintage motorcycle meeting at East Fortune raceway near Edingburgh last month and there was a Vulcan at an air museam next to the track. Very impressive although from a distance.

Worth taking a visit to the RAF Museum near Hendon, London. Its free and tucked in one corner is a Vulcan bomber. Good day out; my son absolutely loved it.

singletrackmind…pretty sure the Vulcan has no afterburners!!!!