The Red Arrows
Portland Harbour 2010
At five o’clock yesterday evening I stood on top of White Horse hill and watched the Red Arrows perform for Weymouth carnival.
From this perfect vantage point I could see them soar a mile high above me then swoop down five or six miles to my left (east), climb again and explode out of formation five or six miles to my right (west).
Portland Harbour 1940
They say the Red Arrows are the best recruiting sergeant that the RAF could possibly have. That is if we have the RAF for very much longer. It looks likely that soon we will have just one integrated service. That makes sense though. In modern times we need an integrated approach using land, sea and air.
Nothing can extinguish or outshine the honour of the RAF or the Army or the Navy, whatever the future holds. As we remember the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, the Red Arrows flew yesterday through the same skies that our young heroes did then in their Spitfires and Hurricanes. Nothing can ever repay our debt to those who enabled Britain to stand alone for more than a year against the Nazis. It is no exaggeration to say that through those dark days they and Britain saved the world. See brilliant BBC story here.
We shall honour them for ever.
Beautiful pics Peter! I have a very similar photo to your 2nd one that I took of the annual Rand Airport Airshow last year (I stand in my back garden and take the pics – the airport is just over the hill from where I live) – although my pic is not of the Red Arrows, some other show planes that were flying over – took some beauts last year – this year the show was a bit disappointing!
Julie
August 19, 2010 at 10:44 am
Thanks Julie. I hope you and your son are safe this morning. What are you, an hour ahead of the UK?
Peter Reynolds
August 19, 2010 at 11:04 am
Thanks Peter, yes son safe at home, all quiet at the office so far – they’re concentrating on trashing hospitals today! Yes, I think we’re an hour ahead of you at the moment.
Julie
August 19, 2010 at 11:08 am
Here’s an extra for those who look a little harder!
Peter Reynolds
August 19, 2010 at 1:03 pm
STUNNING shot! WOW! WOW! WOW!
Julie
August 19, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Just had to update this article with a link to a brilliant BBC story
Peter Reynolds
August 19, 2010 at 2:50 pm