Silver Swallows

[John K]

Matt_k, it looks likely that there'll be a Belgian Fouga Magister at RIAT this weekend, possibly the same one that did a display last year. Very nostalgic! Although it doesn't have the Marbore 1Vs' that the IAC SUPER Magisters had, so it's not as quick! I'd left before the Silver Swallows were formed, although the No. 1 Fighter Sqn, or as it later became 'Light Strike Sqn', had a display capability with some very good pilots (Curley, Humphries, O'Shea,) As ground crew if there wasn't anyone going up in the back seat the pilots used to say to us "Go and get suited and booted and get back here before I've finished the walkround!" Formation flying was the Dogs Danglies! and aerobatics in a jet are something else, although the Grob Tutor does a very good substitute!
I'll let you know how the Belgian Fouga does. JK

[matt_k]

I flew the tutor myself and the bulldog and they were so much fun to fly aerobatics in

[John K]

Hi Matt_k
the Fougas were great for aerobatics! The weather was crap at Fairford I didn't get to see the Belgian Fouga, the only stuff I did see airbourne was a Tornado, Mirage and Jaguar  and the B1, the Tornado was spectacular in the damp air! you could see the shockwave forming on the protuding surfaces when he came in for a really fast pass!
There were thousands of Air Cadets there, we brought up about 350 from Kent Wing.

[Flyboy]

As the PC9's will not be used to form a display team for a while, what is the likelyhood of a team being formed using the Marchetti's. Or is it a case that the instructors will instruct on the PC9's and will no longer be current on the Marchetti's and therefore not be able to form a team? Anyone got any info on this?

[matt_k]

At the airshow in Baldonnel a few years ago, the Air Corps had a team of 3 Marchettis and they were called Team Warrior and were announced at the time as the Air Corps new display team but I havn't heard anymore about them since..

[Silver]

I believe that 'Team Warrior' were/are a "temporary" display team until a new team is formed with the PC-9's.

[matt_k]

Does anyone remember their display..It was very impressive considering the lack of time they had to prepare. The leader performed a roll at about 200ft with the undercarriage down as a finale..apparantly thats awkward to do in a Marchetti..

[Fouga]

they were at salthill last year and they sucked........But thats my opinion if u were there ud know they were too high and too far out for the crowd to get a good look.

[clan]

Fouga, "Sucked" Is a very polite word to describe the team at last years show. But at least they turned up last year. More then what can be said for this year.

[Silver]

I've thought of a new name for a display team -

'Team Air Corps' !

[Fouga]

so thats where my tax is going for you to say that eh FF?

[Flyboy]

Anyone living near the Don, have you seen the PC9's and how do they look now the honeymoon period is over. Do the Warriors fly too, or have they stopped using them now they have they have the PC9's.

[202]

As a matter of interest is there any history of display flying during the Chipmunk/Provost/Vampire era of the Air Corps? The latter flew over the Easter Parade in Dublin for a number of years (anyone know what year this stopped). But apart from that I am not sure if there was any team as such.

[IAS]

Actually in the last "Easter Parade", can't remember the year, it was about 1971/2, showing my age here) the Vampires (3, I think) were joined by 3 Allouettes, 3 Provosts and a Dove.

IAS

[alpha foxtrot 07]

matt, quick point, the guys in team warrior spent about 6 months practicing for the 75th aniv airshow. the guys who said they sucked last year, well the guys flying were a different group of pilots, not the original three who started the team, they were a very talented group.