We went on the Sunday, a glorious day with the top down the entire journey, at the end of September at 9am in the morning is very, very good going – and it started well as, as we pulled into the site for the first time, a WW2 german liveried plane was just taking off and we thought it was a sign of good things to come. We were guided through to our Pole Position parking in the site, as opposed to last year were we parked in the ‘modern car’ car park
We made the effort – we were dressed up in period attire – 1960’s this year, as opposed to 1940’s last year – and we were a very small group who were dressed up. Perhaps the organisers could offer a better incentive to get people to join in – it’s currently have your photo taken and it will appear on the website – sadly there are no pictorial references to the previous winners just a list of 4 names for best dressed lady and best dressed gentleman. We clocked some pretty amazing outfits – a couple of soldiers, polka dresses and great costumes but jeans and shorts were more common with 99% choosing modern attire as opposed to period. I am not sure why I have the blisters on my feet due to poor vintage shoes, when I could and perhaps should have worn a pair of trainers instead.
Vauxhall heritage were celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Chevette, which we couldn’t really get that excited about – but the display did also have a static ‘Biggles Bi-Plane’ replica which we could.
The Battle of Britain memorial flight was due on the Sunday but sadly the Lancaster has been grounded for most of the season after an engine fire earlier in the year – after a stunning Lancaster display last year, with the Spitfire and Hurricane, the Lancaster was really going to be missed. Also the Breitling areobatics teams had pulled out, it seems quite late on, the had been ‘replaced’ by the TRIG aerobatic team – yet both the Lancaster and Breitling planes were STILL being advertised, on the Sywell Classic website, before, during and after the event – a bit naughty that!
A WW1 dogfight DID take place on the Saturday – perhaps the Saturday, in future, is the better day to attend?
The aerial displays consisted of a Spitfire and a Seafire around 11am and the (rather excellent) drafted-in-at-the-last minute TRIG aerobatic planes later in the day – sadly in between the clear blue skies were empty and nothing at all was flying.
The vintage fair was amazing – with all sorts of authentic period stuff in Hangar 1, the tannoy was set far too loud though and wasn’t working particularly well unless, of course, Norman Collier was doing the talking!
The food stalls looked great with everything on offer from hog roasts to ostrich!
There was nothing for the younger ones to do – sadly no fairground or stalls.
It’s an event that seems to be trying really desperately to find an identity – It has a vintage-style advertising that seems to try to match the highly successful Goodwood Revival but souped up cars, hotrods, bikes and american muscle seem to have taken over the show. One of the ‘stars’ of the show seems to have been a Fiat 126 on the dragstrip doing a wheelie on its burnout – not my cup of Earl Grey. It certainly isn’t a cheap show either – we prepaid an online discounted £18 for x1 adult plus a junior at £7.00 – plus a service charge of £2.53 – so £27.53 in total whereas it would have been £22 for an adult and £10 for a junior however, with our ‘Pole Position’ parking we HAD to pre-purchase our tickets.
The event had fantastic weather with long periods of clear blue skies throughout both days – the event should be an excellent event and, to me it was ok; average; a slight disappointment. It is a show that has huge potential (this was only the third year) – but the organisers do need to determine what kind of show they intend to hold – they also need to ensure they are not advertising things that they know are not happening too! (The website shows Elle and the Pocket Belles – who weren’t there, a vintage fairground – that wasn’t there and the aforementioned Lancaster and Breitling planes – sort the website out, or let me do it!)
We never did see the german plane again!
