Blue Eagles

Associated sites:
Army Historic Aircraft Flight | The Museum of Army Flying | Army Air Corps Recruiting

Blue Eagles Team Displays – Lowestoft, Lyme Regis and Music in the Air – 29th to 31st July 2004

Starting on Thursday 30th July, the Team had a very long weekend indeed. Thursday and Friday were spent at another huge seaside show, Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival. This was followed by the RNLI display at Lyme Regis on Saturday 31st, after which the Team had to quickly return to Middle Wallop to take part in the Music in the Air display! DeltaWeb’s photographer Keith Draycott was kindly given permission to follow the Team for the whole weekend, capturing a wide variety of images of the Team at work. These pages are Keith’s impression of the very long weekend! The first page shows the Team at Lowestoft and then on the transit to Middle Wallop via the local airfield at Seething. Many thanks to Mike Page and Alan Young at Seething for their outstanding hospitality.

Nathan and Alexander Catchpole from Lowestoft enjoyed the Gazelle cockpit….	….as did Gemma Aitchison from Luton.

One special visitor was Eagle 3 from the 1982 Eagles, Paul Strugnell, seen here with 2004 leader, Al Rickers.	Lowestoft ladies, from left to right, Anna Osbourne, Sandra Sexton and Maria Giles visited the stand. They had created a "Calendar Girls" style calendar to raise £25,000 for the local East Anglia hospice….

….and chose the Gazelle cockpit as an ideal place to advertise their delightful publication!	The Lowestoft Sea Front was full by midday!

And so to the display, in a clear blue sky. Here are Als Rickers and Scott in line abreast.	Ed and Graham in unusual attitudes Part 1 (on Thursday)…

….and Part 2 (on Friday)!	Close formation in the back to front.

The perfect pull up….	….and loops in the Thursday finale.

Friday’s opening cross-over break was a stormer.	Coming back to Seething to refuel.

Lifting off to return to Middle Wallop….	….the Team formed up and departed in style.

En route.	Looking forward in vic formation.

The other side of the vic.	Across the middle, Nige having pulled forward.

Abeam the Lynx.	The Team formed up in box, with Nige trailing to allow Keith to get this shot.

Box from above.	Crossing above the Lynx.

Glinting in the hazy sunlight.	A fine view of Stewart’s Gazelle.

The low light picks out the sheen of the finish.	Overhead Duxford, home of many historic types and the Imperial War Museum.

The Eagles’ roost.