RAF Leuchars Airshow 2011 DVD Cover
Produced by PlanesTV; available from PlanesTV.com priced DVD £16.99, Blu-Ray £24.99
For many reasons, RAF Leuchars Airshow 2011 was a very significant event. Defence Cuts and financial cutbacks may have reduced the show’s static displays, but the flying display was a very well varied and impressive affair. A few weeks aftre the show, it was announced the RAF would be leaving Leuchars over the next few years with the Typhoon squadron (No 6(F)) based there supposedly moving to RAF Lossiemouth. Happily though, this airshow will not be the last staged at Leuchars.
It was however a show that enjoyed several seasons of weather in one day with moments of brilliant sunshine interspersed with some very bleak grey rainclouds However, those conditions do create some impressive cloudscapes! Such varied weather however does create problems for all photographers weather they shoot stills or film, but PlanesTV’s camera operators have coped well despite the rain! The extensive coverage covers everything from the early morning Radio Controlled Model Aircraft display (watch out for the dramatic ‘crash’ and impressive response from the station’s fire and rescue!) right through to the closing sunset ceremony giving a true flavour of a RAF Leuchars Airshow.
As with many recent productions, PlanesTV have use a direct feed from the show commentary to provide narration for the show. For the most part this works, though there are occasions where background noise, mostly music does become a little distracting.
The flying display footage captures some great moments, the Vulcan appearing though the gloom with vapour streaming from it’s wing-tips is just the first of many. The Leuchars airshow took place just two weeks after the tragic accident at Bournemouth Airport which claimed the life of Flt Lt Jon Egging. Planes TV have included the tribute paid to Jon Egging in their productions, first on the teams arrival at RAF Leuchars and as part of their display later in the afternoon.
As ever there is some great on-board footage extras; particularly impressive is that taken from the cockpit of the Belgian Air Component F-16 solo display. Overall, this in another impressive DVD and well worth a look, even if like me you didn’t attend the RAF Leuchars Airshow.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r9iD-5en7o
