Over the weekend of 26th and 27th of May 2018 the Red Thunder Airshow 2018 was staged at Watts Bridge Memorial Airfield, around 1.5 hours drive west of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The airshow was organised to coincide with the end of the Red Thunder TFC (Tactical Flying Clinic), a separate week-long event where owners of ex-Russian and Chinese aircraft get together to learn formation and tactical flying from experienced pilots.
In this article I focus on aircraft that attended the airshow throughout the weekend that I have not covered in separate articles. This includes the following aircraft types:
Waco YMF-5C
RAAF C-130J
The RAAF made a brief appearance a the airshow on the Saturday afternoon, having Lockheed C-130J-30 A97-465 transport aircraft perform a couple of overflights of the airfield. The aircraft from 37SQN RAAF was returning to home base at RAAF Richmond after leaving RAAF Amberley, I presume the RAAF planned the diversion to provide some presence at for the event. Unfortunately the light was not good when this display occurred, a dull grey sky remaining after a thunderstorm swept through the airfield at lunchtime.
De Havilland Biplanes
Jonker JS1C Glider
On the first day of the airshow word went around that a glider was going to arrive in the afternoon that was powered by a gas turbine engine. Lots of people I spoke to about it were eagerly waiting to see this intriguing machine. When the Jonker JS1C glider VH-GAG arrived it certainly didn’t disappoint, performing an unpowered handling display on arrival then raising the gas turbine and impressively zooming around the sky. The unpowered display was quite impressive in its own right, the pilot carrying out climbs and turns at low altitude.
When the turbine was engaged it turned this sleek, silent machine into a sports car. The whooshing sound the turbine made as it swooped low over the runway and performed more handling manoeuvres surprised us all.
The crowd definitely enjoyed the spectacle of the big wingspan of the glider flexing as it performed tight banks and climbs, and that turbine sound was an unexpected pleasure. It’s fair to say that this aircraft was a surprise highlight of the weekend for many visitors.
Partenavia P.68B
Glassair III
American Champion Scout
Miscellaneous Aircraft
Other Information
Location
Watts Bridge Memorial Airfield is located near the town of Toogoolawah, around 125Km (1.5 hours) by road North-West of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. For more information about the airfield and its operation, visit the airfield’s website.
Image Galleries
If you’d like to view more of images on this topic, below are some links to my photography gallery website.
