Skywatch Friday - The old and the new

An impromptu airshow at the Zwartkop Airforce Base, Pretoria in April 2011. Sue and I popped in to visit the airforce museum and next thing we knew there was a display put on by a Gripen fighter jet and a de Havilland Vampire.

I had to wait for them to land to get some shots, as my poor old Panasonic Lumix could not focus on them quickly enough when they were in the air.

The SAAB JAS 39 Gripen, which recently replaced the SA Airforce's aging Cheetahs (Mirages) was quite impressive.

I was amazed that this old bird is still flying. I remember watching the Vampires flying over Pretoria, before I went to school way back in the 1950's. Mmmmmmm..... that dates me somewhat, but then I am also still operational.

You can see more pictures from around the world at Skywatch.

Vampire

My earliest memories of aircraft was of Vampires flying over Pretoria when I was a little nipper, back in the late 1950's. I would lie on our front lawn, for what seemed like hours, watching them doing circuits and aerobatics.
So imagine my delight to come across this one at the South African Airforce Museum. Who knows, it could well be one of those I watched all those years ago.

Vampire


Anyone climbing into the cockpit had to be quite athletic


The cockpit is quite cramped, with little in the way of instrumentation


What a big nose you have


Side view, with the distinctive twin tails

Jet engine

About the Vampire