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.