70 Glorious Years, in 15 Typhoons.
To Stratford and the Olympic Park to watch the Queens Jubilee Flypast as it flew across east London from Essex towards the Mall and Buckingham Palace.
The flypast came over in 15 waves. The first 4 waves were helicopters.
This is the third and fourth wave; 1 Wildcat and 3 Merlins, followed by 3 Pumas and 3 Chinooks. As aerial photography goes it won’t win me an award from Jane’s Fighting Helicopters, but it gives an idea of the terrain of the Olympic Park 10 years after the Olympics (and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee) and the interested crowd of observers. Westfield shopping centre was full of Bank Holiday shoppers, but we all have our different interests and enthusiasms.
Wave 5 was the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. I’m a bit of a BBMF groupie. This was the Lancaster, named The City of Lincoln accompanied by two of the flight’s Spitfires (a third was anticipated) and the two Hurricanes. As I am always telling people you can distinguish the Spitfires by their elliptical wings. The Chipmunks and the Dakota were not able to fly today.
Wave 6 was a Phenom and 4 Texans, training aircraft I didn’t capture well.
Wave 7 was 3 Hercules. Aircraft which I am only just starting to appreciate under the influence of friends who have long admired their sturdy versatility and capacity for hardwork.
Wave 8 was an Atlas and a Globemaster, Wave 9 a Poseidon and a Rivet Joint, Wave 10 a Voyager, a Lightning and a single Typhoon. Again my photographs are not up to much.
But I caught Wave 11 better. The Royal Air Force VIP Voyager ‘Vespina’ (aka Boris Force One ) accompanied by 4 Lightnings.
Wave 12 was 4 Hawks.
Then my prize photograph of the day, Wave 13. 15 Typhoons forming the number 70.
Finally, 9 Hawks of the Red Arrows display team in the v-formation preparating to send red, white and blue smoke up the Mall and over the Palace.
45 or so seconds flying time later, this is what they looked like over the Mall and the crowds. As I can’t be in two paces at once I pinched this from the Daily Mail.
