TIGERMEET 2011 CAMBRAI BA103 FRANCE

                                                                 TIGERMEET
Tigermeet as you may know is an annual event held at an airbase that has an association with the Tiger as its squadron figure head.This year the Tigermeet association celebrated 50 years of the association.This year i was lucky enough to be able to go to this great event on the 15-15 of May 2011

The hosts for this year were 01/012 based at BA103 Cambrai France with there Mirage 2000 aircraft.

My journey started at Birmingham airport where i was picked up by minibus having previously booked the trip with Globemaster Aviation Tours of SuttonColdfield.The pickup point being the Ibis hotel at the airport.From Birmingham we travelled south to Luton airport via  the M1 and again picked up people by a hotel.It was then onto Hatton Cross bus terminal by Heathrow airport.And then it was onto Dover for our crossing via PandO ferries to Calais.From there it was a fairly short journey to Cambrai of 83 miles.We arrived early morning  near one of the crash gates and waited for around 40 mins untill the security gates were opened.I must say at this point how very organised the French Air Force were, by the fact they had 4 lanes running.One for us Brits,one for French,one for the Dutch,and lastly any others including Italians.Once on base we were directed to a prime parking spot and deplanned.And the rest of the day was ours to enjoy.

The viewing area was in the form of a long rope line that was within feet of the main peritrack.The aircraft were parked to our left on a very large aircraft pan in all there splender.

This year we had aircraft from many countries and i have provided you with a link so you can see the break down of squadrons etc      http://www.natotigers.org/tigermeet/premeet.php?ntmID=50

The action started at just gone 8.15am with starter carts coming to life and engines winding up to idle speed.For me it was the Rafales that caught my ear.They do sound a bit like a Starfighter when spooling up.Over the next hour the first wave of aircraft taxied by and took off to great cheers from the crowd.An hour of so later they returned.I still can picture the scene in my head,which will remain with me for a long time.The colours and effort put by various squadrons was awesome.JBG32/1 from Germany with their Tornado being my favourite.Wave 2 was very much like wave 1 after dinner,but no less exciting.Sadly at 3.30pm it was all over for us and we departed for good old blighty.

My conclusions are if you get the chance please go as you will never forget it.Well maybe the minibus i will forget as my backside is still num.And my spine feels like i have ejected from a Phantom.But for £115 return i will not go on to much.

Images wise i will post a few below.They are not great as the weather was grey with silver clouds.Not good for digital.

Thanks for looking Jim.

The very rare Mirage F1 in spanish service

This is one aircraft that looks good in grey

The brand new Polish F-16C

Note the Polish aircraft have a brake chute.And the new Sniper pod

Polish C-130 ex USAF

Spanish F-18

A true work of art on this Mirage 2000

The Gripen

335 SQN F-16C from Araxos Greece

And the neighbours the Turkish F-16

JBG 32 Mighty Tornado in all its splender

The Swiss F-18

The line.Can you see the digital Mig29.Sadly she did not fly the day i visited.

Polish F-16D Block 52 plus.Awesome machine.

The Austrian Saab 105, Great Scheme.

The artwork needs no words.JGB32 Tornado.

      

Gloucester IPMS Model Show 8 May 2011

                                                      Gloucester Show 2011

Situated in Churchdown in one of my favourite counties of Gloucestershire this last weekend was the Gloucester IPMS Show.Held in the community centre,the show is one of the medium format shows.But what it lacks in size it certainly makes up for in quality and a very friendly approach to all that visit.

My show attendance started this year with the short Fourty mile drive straight down the M5 from Birmingham and coming off at Junction 10 and going down the country route.You can come off at Junction 11 and take the short One mile last road straight to the show.

Upon arriving i was very warmly greated by one of the Gloucester club members, who after i had asked for a disabled space duly parked me right outside the entrance door.Hows that for service.And then to cap it all we were escorted to our table.That being  the 580 Modellers table,as Coventry had not asked for a space this year.I urge any club to cap that level of service.

This year 580 were located in one of two annex rooms together with IPMS Birm ingham,IPMS Warrington,Wombourne and a new club to me called Early Risers.Once set up i took my first venture around.In the main hall,which normally serves as a meeting hall and hall that stages plays etc were many traders and clubs packed in all nice and neat.Amongst the traders were my good friend Chris Summers from Kit-Kits together with his lovely friend Ulla.On the opposite side my equally good friend Phil Mitchell on Mainly Military.Situated in the middle were Freight Dog who had some very interesting bits and bobs for the TSR2 and Buccaneer in 1/72(Images below).Amongst the clubs in the main hall were the hosts Gloucester who had some very nice models indeed that caught my eye.Amongst them was a really nice Sea Vixen and Two Mitsubishi aircraft.Those being the F1and T2.Both of these models have featured in a in depth article in Miltary in Scale in the March 2011 edition.On another table were Fifty Six Tornadoes in 1/72.This was a sight to see indeed.I have two 1/48th ones that i have to take out the box.

My purchases at this show were very reserved this year as i am going to Tigermeet at Cambrai Sunday and the pennies are tight.But i did buy some Mr Model Liquid glue at £4.50.This product is excellent.

One thing i must mention was the tea and cake.The ladies worked very hard all day serving the hungry masses and if you read this thankyou from the bottom of my heart girls.Well done.

That now leaves the images with narratives as appropriate.My thanks for a great show goes to Jeff Brown and his crew at Gloucester IPMS and i look forward to next year.

Dave Foxalls F-16 Agressor in 1/32.This is the Tamiya offering and has a unique finish.In reality this A/C is the only one of its type in this scheme,with the pink desert colour.

The 580 stand going big with a trio of F-16's

Dave Foxalls Academy 1/32 Greek F16C

Dave Foxalls Agressor F-16 also an Academy 1/32 offering.

Dave Foxalls Mosquito Mk 18

Dave Foxalls FB VI

Now onto something very special.Steve Newton of Birmingham IPMS and his boats. 

A lovely recovery vehicle on the Warrington stand

Now this was something different The Stryker.

One of these is one my list to build.A lovely offering on the Wombourne stand.

And here is the Wombourne stand.

This Hind on the Gloucester stand was a work of art in 1/35

I have not seen anything like this before in such fine detail on the NORCS stand.This diorama was taken from a photograph.

A 1/35 Jadgpanther on the NORCS stand.

The big King Tiger also on the NORCS stand.

The Jadgpanther.This time a frontal view.

And the NORCS stand sign. 

This for me was one of two stars of the show.

The Skyraider.One of my favourite aircraft.This was  factory fresh. 

Wow.Words escape me.What a wonder. 

Ok another Phantom i hear you say.I love Phantoms its a fetish of mine.

A wonderfull F-1 as mentioned above.

And the sister ship the T-2

Les Adams of 580 sporting his Andy Warhol socks.

Oh er Mrs.Now this was nice.Check out the crisp lines in the larger version  of the image.This Vixen was on the Gloucester stand.

I attempted the carrier deck shot.

Mig 21MF i think.

Chris and Ulla that are KITS-KITS.

580 Modellers go BIG.

I am getting very interested in the Albatross,having spent time with our Chairman Mike Haines.This offering was on the Early Risers stand and was a 1/32 offering.

A Type 97 by Tamiya

The lovely 1/24 Mossie

The Early Risers were indeed early to arrive at Gloucester.

The nice offering of add ons for the TSR2 from Freight dog

And the bits and bobs for the Airfix Buccaneer in 1/72 MMMM i am very tempted.

56 Tornadoes more than our depleted RAF can muster.

And this is the very nice chap who made them.

And the very nice chaps table cloth.

Steve Newtons Fishing Boats

Oh er chief another Phantom.

Ok the last one this edition i promise.This one is Dave Foxalls F-4B conversion in 1/32 from Tamiya.

A very nice pair of T-80's on the Warrington stand.

Foxys M-60 Lost in a box and now found.



Thanks for looking.The next show is Birmingham this weekend the 15th of May 2011.Where i will be reporting on this renewed event.