Lowestoft Air Show Day 2 Setting Up

With day one out of the way, time to do it all over again on day two! But this time there would be a twist: One display would be fired from the pier as normal, the other - an identical copy - would be fired at the exact same time from a boat anchored in front of the main beach. This setting up section covers both the pier and the boat.

Returning to the pier the next morning and it was another glorious summer's day. The team were in excellent spirits after the success of the first display and looking forward to going one better that night with the double show. The distant beach was already nearly full with people as the day's air displays started.

: Yippee! Another day and another van full of pyro! : One whole van just for the tubes : Looking in to the partly unloaded van : A repeat of day one : Loading the 8" tube : Same pyro, different crew : Loading racks

I don't know what they feed their crew on at Dynamic Fireworks but it does does the trick. The whole crew had a spring in their step as they unloaded all the same shell racks from the vans, the same firing desk and the same miles of cables. This is a team that enjoys its job, even two days running.

: Loading shells, a steady hand needed here : Quality tool box : Candle fans : Close-up of the 8" shell - check out the label : Big boxes and big cakes : Mines and candles

The low flying aircraft on day one were enough to test the patience of the most focussed crew member trying to fuse shell racks. On day two they seemed even worse, maybe our ears were still ringing from the previous day's pyro, but several air display teams provided some very distracting routines!

: Good view of the miles of cable : Firing area takes shape : Flight rockets and shells : These were launched in bundles from a mortar tube : A look at the fusing : The crew fusing : More large cakes : Checking connections

The pier setting up was now almost complete save for the late afternoon final circuit checks (shown above). Time now for a quick tour of Lowestoft's finest dock areas - OK we got lost - as we tried to find the boat where display two would be set up. After much head-scratching and some wheel spinning we found it, a boat called Terramare

: The Terramare : Getting shell racks ready for loading on to the boat : Some interesting junk at the docks, here some anchors : Answers on a postcard - looks like a shark cage : Final rack preparations

At our first Air Show feature the year before, the setting up was done at sea and I have never felt so ill. This time it was done in the dock and the boat did not move an inch, I have to say a big thanks to whoever decided on this course of action. My stomach appreciated it!

: This crane came in VERY handy! : Items would be loaded into a cage first : Attaching strapping : Touch down!
: Next lot : There it goes : Gradually filling the deck up : Assorted pyro ready for lifting

Loading equipment and pyro on to a boat might sound easy but as you can see here the deck of the Terramare was some eight feet below the dock. A crane was needed to lower the gear a metal cage at a time. Some time later and there was enough firepower on deck to take on the Armada!

: Where's everything going? : View of the shell racks : View across tubes to large ship : It'll be tight on deck - but room enough for the professionals : Setting the racks out : The 8" tube - could probably sink a ship with that : More deck views

The team quickly sorted out the shell racks and other pyro, and with a rogue shower threatening we headed back to the pier in case any waterproofing was needed. Check out the setting up video for some good footage and to get an idea what the boat was like.

With two separate displays set up, time again to sit back and wait for the main display. Neither we nor the crowd were disappointed as you can see in the next section.