THRILLS FOR 90,000 SPECTATORS AT IRISH AERO CLUB’S DISPLAY
Leinster Leader 4 June 1955
THRILLS FOR 90,000 SPECTATORS
Irish Aero Club’s Display
Falling – Falling – Falling from a height of more than two miles, Lieutenant J. Bangoeut of the French Air Force had a crowd of 50,000 persons breathless with suspense until when within 1,000 feet of the ground he opened his parachute and landed safely just beyond the edge of the field.
This was the greatest thrill of the two-day air-display at Weston Aerodrome, Leixlip, which opened on Whit Sunday. The total attendance was about 90,000, which should encourage sponsors, the Aero Club of Ireland, who organised and financed the event.
Motorists had difficulty in finding parking space because of the number of cars which lined the side of the road almost from Island Bridge to the Aerodrome.
The Tanaiste, Mr. Norton, was delayed by reason of this traffic congestion, but the interval before the special opening allowed visitors an opportunity to inspect some of the machines on the ground.
Opening the display, Mr. Norton said if we were to keep pace with modern progress we must do so by making available to our people a knowledge of aircraft which was essential. In doing this the Aero Club was rendering a service to the Irish nation. He believed that “in the near future Aer Lingus aircraft would carry the Irish flag into many more Continental Countries.”
Lieut. Bongoeut, who had nearly one thousand jumps to his credit, took his machine to a height of 12,000 feet before starting to drop earthwards. Few, if any of the crowd could actually see him above the clouds as he held the struts and prepared to jump.
A tremendous cheer echoed across the aerodrome as he dived from the plane and came plummeting towards the ground in a graceful swallow dive, with a ribbon of powder marking his descent as it streamed from a pouch attached to him leg.
DISPLAY BY ARMY “SPITS”
Three Army Air Corps Spitfires gave the crowd a polished display of close formation flying at nearly 400 m.p.h. They then peeled off from the formation for a straffing run over the aerodrome at 500 m.p.h.
Capt. Healy gave a breathtaking display of advanced aerobatics and stunt flying in his Spitfire; looping, rolling off the top of a loop and doing a series of loops at over 300 miles an hour.
An excellent display was also given by an Army Chipmunk, piloted by Capt. Treacy.
Members of the Aero Club’s Flying school showed that they were masters of the art of flying, by impeccable formation flying in four flights, led by Capt. Kennedy.
The crowd were astonished when an Aer Lingus Vickers Viscount flew over their heads at 300 feet, and feathered one to the port engines, and on a second run feathered one of the port engines, and on a second run feathered both port engines, whole flying at 150 m.p.h. The Viscount completed its display as it screamed over the crowd at 325 m.p.h., and them climbed to a height of nearly 1,000 feet in a matter of seconds.
GIRL TELLS HOW
Miss Rosemary Kennedy, daughter of Capt. P. Kennedy, delighted the crowd with her favourite stunt. She climbed to the required height, and then let the plane go into a spin. While in this spin she told the crowd over the radio, exactly what she was doing at the controls
A new Swedish Saab Safir plan also provided the crowd with plenty of stunt flying, making low-level flights at high speed, and rolling while in a loop which showed the remarkable skill of its Swedish pilot.
WELCOME CHANGE
A welcome change from the roar of the aeroplane engines was the graceful flight of the Dublin Club’s gliders. These flimsy craft were piloted by Messrs. Sean O’Brien, John Byrne and Freddie Heinz, a former Ober Lieutenant or first Lieutenant in the German Luftwaffe. Freddie used to pilot Heinkel 111s before he was shot down in 1941. These slow moving and delicate aircraft were extremely well handled and displayed the skill of their pilots, who hope to be able to get the use of Baldonnell aerodrome on week-ends, so that they will be able to tow the gliders to 2,000 feet with their car before casting loose.
The display concluded with the attack on “Fort Donoghue” and the fly past of all the aircraft that participated.
First Officer Thomas Keogh, Killashee, Naas, was O.C. Flying Control, and the success of the display was in no small way due to his excellent work. Tom, who is an Aer Lingus pilot, flies on the Continental routes.
He joined the Air Corps during the emergency, and since then had flown a wide variety of aircraft, logging over 3,000 hours. Later he went to Weston Ltd., where he became a Charter Pilot, and then Flight Operations’ Officer to P.A.A. before taking up his present position.
Re-typed by Jennifer O’Connor
