GREAT YEARS

摘要

You know when something's new yet still, somehow, reassuringly familiar? So it was with the Paris-Villaroche Air Legend show at Melun-Villaroche, south-east of the French capital. A large, international air display, hosted by an aerodrome imbued with its own significant heritage, its lengthy flying programme based around set-pieces and very much historic-led, but with modern military and aerobatic acts to leaven the mix. On the ground, historical tableaux, heavy on re-enactors and military vehicles, add an air of nostalgia. At a time when fresh entrants to the calendar tend to be restricted in scope, it was an especially welcome addition. But, in another sense, it harked back to one event above all - one that hasn't been staged for close on three decades, but still triggers the fondest recollections. The Great Warbirds Air Display was among the British scene's pioneers. It was, indeed, the UK's first true warbird show, springing up as that American-derived term began to gain currency on this side of the Atlantic, and reflecting the industry's development during a memorable period. Forty years on from its inaugural edition, its influence is abundantly clear, even if memories of how it inspired a whole airshow genre may have faded.