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Post by colford on Mar 30, 2021 9:14:20 GMT 12
I watched it and was OK. I think it maybe lacked an overarching documentary storyline as it came over a bit as a chronological collection of PR clips. For example could have shown the daily life of a pilot cadet or loadie or maintainer etc and intersperse that with the historical clips. Having said that agree the peacetime safety stuff was interesting. The pilots were pissed off at being grounded but was pointed out 3 accidents had the same cause.. Bring on the flypast. Originally there was a proposal for a multi-part documentary, each part covering a particular time frame so as to tell the story in a chronological order with each part tying to a current Air Force person or capability, and then a number of themed parts eg people, technology, training, maintaining, culture. Then Covid-19 came along and it was scaled back to the one documentary, But, some of those concepts from the multi-parter were kept and incorporated into the single documentary. Trying to cover too much in a reduced timeframe. One of the original concepts had a high profile presenter who had a number of their family members serve with the RAAF in the past and they would tie the narrative to their family member's RAAF experiences and history - put the personal story in there as well. |
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Post by Mustang51 on Mar 30, 2021 16:15:20 GMT 12
Telecast starts at 1000 local. Full dress rehersal of the Trooping of the Queens Colour this morning
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Post by planecrazy on Mar 30, 2021 17:33:50 GMT 12
Watched for the second time a bit less sleepy than I was last night.
Great footage of RAAF Kittyhawks and a short interview with Len Waters,
Australia’s only indiginous fighter pilot. Nice to see a brief clip of the CA15
“Kangaroo,” so sad she was scrapped. Some great footage of Liberators,
Lincolns and Canberras, early Hercules, even a short clip of a couple of
Hercs over Lord Howe Island’s lagoon when they where talking about Iraq!
The mighty F111, in service for nearly thirty five years, never flew in combat
but eight were lost, running cost more than $40,000 an hour! An Interesting
comparison with the cost blow outs of the F111 compared to the F35.
One chaps comment relating to the F35, “the delivery of violence on behalf
of the government,” bit full on but is guess true.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 30, 2021 17:35:30 GMT 12
So midday here? I am flying to Blenheim tomorrow and leaving here about 1.45pm, I might be able to get to see it then, if the iview.abc.net.au/ link works. |
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Post by colford on Mar 30, 2021 18:30:21 GMT 12
Quick trio of photos of "Century Formation" over Canberra this afternoon. Change of aircraft, was originally supposed to be 1 x Mustang, 1 x P-40 and 2 x Spitfire, which became 1 x Mustang, 1 x Boomerang, 1 x Spitfire and 1 x Hudson. Was a bit of haze hanging around over the city this afternoon and the position of the afternoon sun effectively silhouetted the aircraft as they passed. Also they didn't seem to get down as low as they had on previous flypasts whilst over the Lake and running up ANZAC Parade. They effectively did not drop down below the same level as the top of Mount Ainslie, and started their pull up and turn to the west once they were over the RAAF Memorial on ANZAC Parade.  Flypast - 1 by Colin Ford, on Flickr  Flypast - 2 by Colin Ford, on Flickr  Flypast - 3 by Colin Ford, on Flickr Getting everything organised now for tomorrow, the position of the sun during the flypast tomorrow morning will be more favourable for photography from the location I am planning to use. I think I will be getting to "my spot" early because there is a fair bit of interest in the event locally and a lot of the 'usual suspects' were out photographing todays flypast. |
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Post by Mustang51 on Mar 30, 2021 21:00:23 GMT 12
Flew past my hotel window at 15.41. Light perfect from there and a nice topside pass. Should be great tomorrow
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 31, 2021 11:29:32 GMT 12
It seems I missed it, or at least when I remembered at 12.25pm there was nothing being live streamed by ABC
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 31, 2021 11:30:49 GMT 12
Or maybe it just does not work in NZ?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 31, 2021 11:31:51 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 31, 2021 12:19:44 GMT 12
So everyone on the parade is marching off. I guess i missed all the warbirds? I saw some modern jets and some Hercs and Blackhawks fly past, but that is all.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 31, 2021 12:20:57 GMT 12
Oh here they are now, including an RNZAF Harvard!
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Post by skyhawkdon on Mar 31, 2021 12:26:16 GMT 12
Great commentator and weather for it! Pretty spectacular on the ground there I imagine.
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Post by colford on Mar 31, 2021 15:40:03 GMT 12
Certainly a big day here in Canberra for the flypast. Big crowds turned out and positioned themsleves anywhere they thought they would get a good view of the flypasts as they took place. Event didn't run exactly to plan, a couple of last minute changes, some quick work arounds by some of those involved, and at the end of the day an event that as the Roulettes finished up their display at the end f the flypast the crowd broke into spontaneous applause in appreciation.
Didn't get to my usual photo spot for these types of flypasts early as I had planned. Big traffic delays due to event traffic diversions and people trying to get into the central areas to see the flypast. When I got to the base of the 'Mount' that I usually drive up to the top of for photography, the road was blocked off by the Police. Essential traffic only to the top, you could park at the bottom and walk up! There was already a steady stream of people walking up the 'Mount', so I parked my car (was in sight of the Police checkpoint so would be well guarded), unloaded what camera gear I thought I would need to photograph the event and set out on the climb up. I have coined a new term 'Covid fitness', which reflects the amount of huffing and puffing I was hearing from the people around me walking up the 'Mount' and that I was soon joining in the chorus. Got up the top and found a very big crowd already there, so finding a good spot was a bit of a problem. But did find what I thought would be a reasonable spot and set myself up. Soon surrounded by a lot more people before the flypast commenced.
Had my scanner so could listen into the various radio chatter, including some of the airboss traffic and intra-formation chatter. Proved useful in keeping track of what was going on. Also had FlightRadar24 mobile app, which was another way of keeping track of where various formatons were positioning themsleves.
Once the flypasts commenced it became quickly pretty clear of the display axis and that I was in a reasonable spot. The formations were obviously using a number of ground landmarks - a number of radio calls were using the Glenloch Interchange which is a fairly major road junction, next to the National Arboretum and its distinctive visitor's centre which is at the western apporach into the flypast route, as a visual marker and timing point eg "overhead Glenloch at time ..." The 'Mount' I was on which is in alignment with Canberra Airport at the exit point for the flypast was likely another visual marker as most of the flypast aircraft went directly overhead or slightly to one side of that position.
When it was all over, a somewhat easier walk back down the 'Mount', then work way out through all the traffic leaving the event. Lots of traffic.
Back home, just finished downloading about 1,000 photos. From quick glance a few good 'keepers'. Will pick a selection out and post later.
Have the broadcast recorded and will watch that shortly.
Happy 100th Birthday RAAF!
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Mar 31, 2021 17:01:28 GMT 12
Ando! Succinct and informative. Well done! What a cracker day.
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Post by mcmaster on Mar 31, 2021 17:30:47 GMT 12
Ando! Succinct and informative. Well done! What a cracker day. Agree well done Ando, good show. Happy 100 RAAF |
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Post by colford on Mar 31, 2021 18:41:18 GMT 12
Quick selection of some of the flypast photos from the earlier stages of the event. These were the flypast aircraft associated with the ceremony for the presentation of the new Queen's Colour to the RAAF at Government House. As you can see, there was a haze layer over the city and surrounds, so not 100% perfect for photography. Sequence is essentially as the initial formations appeared. At the end, a couple of interlopers, who were supposed to participate, but just ended up doing a quick circuit around the Parliamentary Triangle in between the ceremonial flypasts and the main flypast. Those couple of photos will give you an idea of the crowds around the lake foreshores and other vantage spots. The initial flypast formations approached from the west, passed over Lake Burley Griffon close to Government House, then proceeded eastwards towards the central basin of the lake - in alignment with Parliament House and the Australian War Memorial, then turned north to head back to rejoin the holding patterns established up to the north of Canberra. What I did notice was that they had one of the RAAF hot air balloons located in the area near Government House, a nice big and clear visual aid for navigation. Spartans.  RAAF Flypast - 1 by Colin Ford, on Flickr  RAAF Flypast - 2 by Colin Ford, on Flickr  RAAF Flypast - 3 by Colin Ford, on Flickr F-35 Lightning II  RAAF Flypast - 4 by Colin Ford, on Flickr  RAAF Flypast - 5 by Colin Ford, on Flickr  RAAF Flypast - 6 by Colin Ford, on Flickr  RAAF Flypast - 7 by Colin Ford, on Flickr Growlers and Super Hornets  RAAF Flypast - 8 by Colin Ford, on Flickr  RAAF Flypast - 9 by Colin Ford, on Flickr  RAAF Flypast - 10 by Colin Ford, on Flickr C-130J  Flypast -12 by Colin Ford, on Flickr  Flypast - 13 by Colin Ford, on Flickr  Flypast - 14 by Colin Ford, on Flickr Army Blackhawks  Flypast - 15 by Colin Ford, on Flickr  Flypast - 16 by Colin Ford, on Flickr |
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Post by mcmaster on Mar 31, 2021 20:18:54 GMT 12
Looks a pearler of a day and great shots. Any 75 squadron Classic F18s in the flyby?
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Post by colford on Mar 31, 2021 21:04:42 GMT 12
mcmaster, there was a flight of four Classic Hornets in the formation, along with the flight of 2 x Supers and 2 x Growlers, plus 2 x Supers flying off the wing of the MRRT near the end of the flypast. Photos from that I will probably be posting tomorrow at the rate I am currently going through my photos. Eyes are already starting to show it was a long day - "Is that photo blurry or is it my eyes that are getting blurry?".
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 31, 2021 22:02:36 GMT 12
I'm glad I got to see most of the live feed, and all the WWII aircraft and most of the modern stuff. I had to leave the viewing when the tankers were on screen to get the the airport (I'm in Blenheim for the weekend, had the roughest flight ever in an airliner on the way down, I nearly spewed!)
Great work Ando, you were brilliant as the presenter, a real natural.
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Post by Mustang51 on Apr 1, 2021 13:15:40 GMT 12
Thanks Dave, skyhawkdon, mcmaster and johnnyfalcon.........wished I could have done more but there were a few issues with aircraft changes, equipment intermittent failures and graphics not matching the flypast order....oh well, I have 100 years to get it right next time.. It was a great honour and privilege to be asked in the first place and something I shall never forget. We were placed on the balcony above the parade ground in Government House, home of the Australian Governor General, and had the best seat in the house above all the VVIPs.
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