Zwartkops Air Show 2015

[CSoul 182]

Greetings all!

 

Here are a few shots from this year's Zwartkops air show. The event is an annual one run together with the SAAF museum, so we get some great static aircraft to look at. Unfortunately I did not get any flying shots because the cell phone doesn't do those very well. I do however have a few video clips from AAD 2014 that I completely forgot about (you can see them here: https://www.youtube.com/user/KwaggaType/videos).

 

If you're wondering about the YouTube username: after a lot of time spent trying to think up a name that wasn't already in use, I finally gave up and used the most bizarre one I could think of. 

 

To start with, a Mirage 3. In the background are a whole bunch of different variants; single-seaters, recon, etc.

 

Here we have the Mirage 3 from the above shot, on the left. Recon variants in the middle and on the right.

 

Further down the line and we have a Cheetah D on the right.

 

And right at the end, a Mirage F1. This one, I believe, was used at Overberg Airbase as a test aircraft.

 

2nd line. Another Mirage 3, an F1, and another Cheetah D.

 

This is the F1 from the above shot. If you look to the top left, you can just about make out a hangar. That's where the show aircraft were parked. It's a nice feature of the airbase, since you can see them start up, taxi to the runway and then take off. This spot is one of the better places to watch the show...If they hadn't put the toilets there. Grrr.

 

The odd one out among the Mirages: an Impala.

 

Close-up of the Cheetah D.

 

Nose are from another Cheetah D.

 

Another Mirage F1.

 

PC-7 Astra trainer. This was a new display.

 

F-86 Sabre.

 

P-51D Mustang.

 

Blackburn Buccaneer. This one is interesting: in this photo and the subsequent one the aircraft looks quite sleek; up close, it's actually looks really chunky, almost as if someone took it from either end and squeezed. The overall effect ends up making the aircraft look shorter and smaller than it really is. But it is huge, this thing.

 

From the rear. If the air brakes were closed, it would not fit in the hangar.

 

Pic of the radar in the nose.

 

Here's a Vampire. One of these took the air later in the day.

 

A Mig-21. This one was probably captured in Angola. I can't be sure since I couldn't read the information labels; the hangar was very busy at the time.

 

From the front.

 

BRDM with Strela SAM, I think. Clambering all over it, the reason why I struggled to read the labels. 

 

Outside and here's another Border-war capture.

 

If you're wondering about all the dirt, you can see the reason for it in this pic. There was quite a lot of construction going on. Luckily, very, very luckily, there was little wind on the day. This is the Rooivalk (Red Kestrel). I could only get this shot because the crowd in front of it literally never thinned out long enough to get a shot from the front.

 

An 88mm. Couldn't resist going for silhouette shot. The Transformer look-alike in the distance is part of an anti-poaching initiative. To the left, you can see the new shelter where the Shackleton is kept.

 

And this is it. Again, the dust is due to construction; the aircraft used to be out in the open.

 

Together with a Canberra. That's yours-truly's shadow.

 

And finally, a Ventura.

 

This photo is not from Zwartkops but from AAD 2014 at Waterkloof AB. The Gripen was at Zwartkops but it was behind a fence and if you thought the crowd around the Rooivalk was something...

 

Another pic from AAD 2014. This exact aircraft was was flying at Zwartkops. 

 

And another from AAD 2014. This was the first time I've seen this at any air show in the country. A two-seater Hawker Hunter.

 

And to finish it all off, a pic of the Vertigo Studios SBD Dauntless - a fantastic add-on which I hadn't really planned on buying - but did anyway. 

 

Thanks for reading! 

[Captain Coffee 2,030]

Great pics of some beautiful airplanes. Such nice conditions most of them look ready to go.

[brett 2,286]

Great post, really like seeing all those aircraft.

 

Something must be wrong with me, all those Mig's and other advanced jets(Hawker Hunter ) was great and then the P51 shows up and stops me in my tracks. I guess I have to admit, I must be a prop man.  An amazing collection, you are lucky to have see it.

 

Thanks for the shot of the SPD at the end. My Dad had gotten some flack in his leg while riding rear gunner in one, he said it was worth it because they all took out a bridge that day. It wasn't his usual job but he was ordered to fill in for somebody, glad he made it back.      

[CSoul 182]

Thanks Brett.

 

I like the P-51 as well, though the Mirage 3 is my favourite of the lot.   There was a P-51 flying as well. Absolutely beautiful aircraft to see in the air.

 

 

[allardjd 1,853]

Great set of photos - really enjoyed them.

John

[mutley 4,488]

Thanks for sharing Marcellus, our very own private show with some interesting info.

[MyPC8MyBrain 273]

looks like a day well spent, nice!