Netty's Niknak's: August 2013

From the Comedy Carpet
(Click on the photo to enlarge)

Well what a wonderful day hubby and I had yesterday. It was the annual airshow in Blackpool and it couldn't have been more perfect! To begin with we were undecided whether to take the car and park in town or get day passes for the trams and park on a side street near a tram stop. The trams won so we bought our all day tickets for £3.50 each from a paypoint outlet (you get £1 off if you pre buy your ticket) parked the car on a side street off the prom and waited for our tram. It was Aniello's first ride in one of the new trams and he wasn't impressed that it was so full we had to stand all the way to the pier! I was just happy to be on it to be honest. They're fabulous. I love the heritage trams because of the history of them but for a smooth ride you can't beat the new ones.
We got off at North Pier and had a wander down to the Tower headland where the displays and attractions were. Blackpool really went to town (excuse the pun) on the airshow this year. One of the first things I noticed was the portable toilets! Good thinking there with the toilet situation.....or lack of.....being what it is in Blackpool.

Portaloos in the Pool!

For the first time there were merchandise stands where you could buy key rings, hats, and other trinkets with the Red Arrows logo on them. Great for a nice little keepsake of the day. I was tempted but resisted ;) I did however have a go in a flight simulator. At £4 it was quite expensive for what it was but I don't regret it. I would have forever wondered about the experience. I actually took a video inside but it's not very good because a child's head was bang in the middle of the video!

Red Arrows flight simulator

A great idea was to sell programmes, calendars etc and get the Red Arrow team to sign them. I bought a programme but couldn't be bothered queuing because it looked a mile long! Looking back I wish I had though. It would have been nice to have a photo taken with them. As it is I had to settle for this!

The Red Arrow pilots meet and greet

A few more photo's from the Tower Headland before we made our way South. We had to make full use of our day tickets ;)

Stage area for the entertainers

The end of the queue to meet the pilots!

Some of the stands

Ice cream bike

Headless man

A plane on the headland

Another street statue...they really are so clever...

Seagull and the tower top

We met daughter number two on her Victoria Pendleton bike

Two little dogs in a carriage (you see everything in Blackpool)

A council worker already on the job of clearing up after the messy people and the show hadn't even begun yet! Well done Blackpool Council (for once)

A North view (North pier)

A South view (Central pier)

By the time we'd walked back to the comedy carpet the Red Arrow pilots were getting into cars to whisk them off to the airport ready for their stint in entertaining us mere mortals.

We knew they weren't going to be flying for at least a couple of hours so decided to take another tram down to South Pier and watch the start of the airshow from there. This time we managed to get seats and Aniello decided he really did like the new trams :)

Tram going in the other direction but identical to the one we got on

Aniello

A couple of photo's taken from the tram

Central pier big wheel

Yes I do!!!!!!

We went and had a coffee and then the airshow began!

First up was the BBMF's Dakota BBMF stands for Battle of Britain's Memorial Flight and is the RAF's tribute to the Aviators of World War 2. There are 12 aircraft in the BBMF consisting of

One Avro Lancaster
Six Supermarine Spitfires
Two Hawker Hurricanes
One Douglas Dakota
Two de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunks
For more information on the BBMF go here

I spotted this little boy sitting on the railings and just had to take a photo of him. I wish I could give a copy to his parents. The sea was so rough! I love it when it's like that :)

South pier

Looking North

Aniello watching from the wall with The Viking Hotel in the background. A little plug there for the hotel our son manages ;)

Then we decided to get the tram to Central Pier and watch a bit from there so that we could say we'd watched the show near all three piers. Sad I know! These were taken from the tram so they aren't very good. This was the Tucano

Next was the Breitling Wingwalkers. I'd have loved to have a go at that if I was younger. How exciting!

Next up was the Swordfish

I wonder who they were saluting?

The Hunter .......Miss Demeanour.....was next. This plane is privately owned by Jonathon Whaley. An interesting story about this one is that the owner based her artwork on a space shuttle's re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere. More info on the Hunter here

Next was the Trig Team in their Pitts Special S-1D Biplanes

They must have had a fantastic view from up the tower!

This nippy little Calidus Autogyro was next

Then came the Royal Navy's Sea Fury

And the moment I was waiting for! The BBMF with the Lancaster Bomber accompanied by the Hurricane and the Spitfire. I always well up when I see this magnificent plane ♥