The Mercury Bay airshow I enjoyed immensely more than the Tauranga one. Mainly because of its low key nature and varied aircraft on display. I will say that the Tauranga airshow gave me a moment I will never forget, the sight and sound of a Spitfire for me the first time I have ever seen one flying.
The highlights of the Mercury Bay airshow:
- The low level handling display by a Learjet
- The irrepressible Phil Hooker in his 152 Aerobat and OH6-A Loach displays
- A slightly less than perfect but still amazing formation aerobatic display from the Yak 52 display team (all 9 of them!!)
- Graham Bethell in his P-51 Mustang
- I am sad to say I have forgotten the name of the pilot, but he did a simply staggering solo aerobatic display in his Tiger Moth in a vicious crosswind which was, by the time he took off, swinging wildly between 090 and 120 degrees and gusting up to 18 knots from a mean of around 10 knots.
Here's a movie I cut together of the Spitfire and P-51 displays from each show.
The highlights of the Mercury Bay airshow:
- The low level handling display by a Learjet
- The irrepressible Phil Hooker in his 152 Aerobat and OH6-A Loach displays
- A slightly less than perfect but still amazing formation aerobatic display from the Yak 52 display team (all 9 of them!!)
- Graham Bethell in his P-51 Mustang
- I am sad to say I have forgotten the name of the pilot, but he did a simply staggering solo aerobatic display in his Tiger Moth in a vicious crosswind which was, by the time he took off, swinging wildly between 090 and 120 degrees and gusting up to 18 knots from a mean of around 10 knots.
Here's a movie I cut together of the Spitfire and P-51 displays from each show.
Comments