If you fancied a couple of days in the sun being kept company by Harrier’s, Hurricane’s, Hunter’s and aircraft beginning with various other letters of the alphabet, then the RAFA Shoreham airshow in Sussex was the place to be over the last weekend in August. Despite earlier rainfall of biblical proportions, Saturday dawned bright and clear and set the tone for a weekend of late summer sun - the good weather bringing out the crowds in large numbers. Not only did they get to see the green machines and numerous classic cars, the programme included three (yes 3!) flying Spitfires, a B17, and to pander to our strange Anglo-Saxon sense of European disharmony and national stereotyping – a mad Frenchman with 12 geese and a microlight, and 4 heroic British WW1 aircraft chasing a single German around the skies in a mock dogfight. The poor little Fokker didn’t stand a chance. The airshow is run for charity and is organised entirely by volunteers. This is to be commended - but it did show when it came to the organisation of Military Vehicles, nobody seemed to know where to put us or the odd smattering of Jeeps, a Ferret and assorted other green vehicles. After spending an hour in the area originally allocated to us, we were relocated 200 yards away to a spot overlooking the classic car area. A case of contrast and compare as the classic owners produced chamois and T-Cut, and we struggled with cam netting and poles for the second time that morning.

Barbara & Chris's 110	Jamie's 109

At least we stood out, leading the eye gracefully from the gleaming Essex Capri Owners Club and on to the 30 foot inflatable rhinoceros, emblazoned with the legend “Save Our Rhino”. As the beast occasionally sagged to its not insubstantial knees it became clear this was more likely to be a cry for assistance in running the generator, and not a general attempt to assist the ailing African animal population. The EMLRA contingent at Shoreham amounted to 2 vehicles on both days, Barbara and Chris Thomas in their 110 hardtop, and myself and companion (who wishes to remain anonymous) in my 109 FFR. Due to the lack of competition, we easily swept the board with the Shoreham EMLRA awards for “Highest Cam Netting” and “Most Welcoming Teapot” (Barbara and Chris), and “Most Overloaded Vehicle” and “Most Attractive NBC Dummy” (myself and other, awarded by myself, primarily because it has my eyes – well, photocopies of them anyway). Despite our numbers only just meeting the minimum requirement laid down by the National Institute of Psychiatry for striking up a conversation without being sectioned, we were able to tack on to Mark Buddle and Carl Honeysetts’ 5th Airborne Brigade base-camp to form quite a substantial swathe of green (and sand, and white…). It makes a nice change to visually stand out and create so much interest at a family show like this, as opposed to being “just” another group of Landrovers at the larger MV shows.

The entire contingent. Barbara looks on whilst the Utterly Butterly wing walkers dodge our antenna.	Jamie emerging from bunker for lunch/to scare off small children

So, for all those members in the Sussex area looking for a local, fun, unpretentious show to attend, put this event in your diary for 2004 – maybe we can attempt to raise a 5 a side football team next year!

Jamie Wilkinson