Yak Attack 2010!

 

 

Yak Attack was held on May 1st 2010 and proved to be a fantastic day.  A long line of radials were to be seen on the visitor’s line.  We welcomed over 30 aircraft to White Waltham, Sukhois, Yaks and even the Russian Zlins decorated the field with their colourful markings.

 

It started with drizzle and expectations were low but the scene changed as the day progressed and the sun came out.  The photographers set up their cameras and aircraft started to appear over the horizon, Pimms was served and Members and their guests enjoyed food from the barbecue before the display started.  During lunch a surprise circuit was flown by Roger Bade in his very rare Yak 12 and the White Waltham piper cub.  It was an interesting contest as to who could go the slowest!  There were good number of entrants for the spot landing competition and unbeknownst to most of the Yak pilots their efforts were also included as they touched down for the fly-in.

 

As arranged at 2pm the display started but a special treat was in store for everyone, Peter Teichman had made an appearance in his historic P-51D Mustang and kindly agreed to do a fly-by to start the show.  Peter has a wonderful collection of WWll fighter aircraft at Hangar ll in North Weald and has always been a great supporter of White Waltham so YAK ATTACK 2010 was started with an all time great radial engine, the purring sound of a Rolls Royce Merlin.  Next up were the Aerostars in Yak 50’s with a new spectacular aerobatic programme for 2010.  This is the stuff of real formation flying!  We were extremely proud to welcome them to our Heathrow dominated airspace. You find yourself holding your breath as six aircraft swoop across the skies in a series of beautifully precise manoeuvres executing what appears to be an endless sequence of near misses.  A really superb show.  Gena Elfimov followed in a Yak 52 which belongs to a group based at White Waltham involving Nigel Rhind.  Nigel, together with Bob Davey gave an entertaining running commentary throughout the whole event.  Gena never ceases to surprise with a display which starts with a nerve wracking flick roll just after take off.  He then performs a range of extraordinary aerial tricks including seeming to be landing upside down!  Next up was Simon Cattlin, who keeps his Yak 55 at White Waltham.  Simon gave an excellent demonstration of some death defying stunts. He would definitely have been pulling the most 'G' during the afternoon   Finally our very own Lee Myall who had obtained his CAA Display Authorisation only the previous week gave us his first ever display in his Nangchang – a brave man given the experience of the previous exhibitors.  White Waltham is very proud that it is home to not just one but two Nangchangs.

 

Just as the show was over the clouds started to roll in.  The sound of radial engines filled the air as one by one they left.  Some stayed until the Airfield closed at 8pm leaving the Waltham based regulars to dance the night away.