Swindon Kite Festival is set to take off, on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th May, at the Science Museum Wroughton.
 | | Pompy Fish Kite |
Organised by local kitists, the White Horse Kite Flyers, and The British Buggy Club the festival brings together aerial fanatics from the USA, Germany and all over the UK for a spectacular display of kites in all shapes and sizes. Taking to the air will be battling Indian Fighting Kites, display kites, stunt kites, powerful sports kites and gentle giants big enough to lift a man. And in a twist on the traditional kite flying sport there'll be kite buggying with the BBC aka the British Buggy Club. For those not in the know kite buggying is a high adrenaline, wind powered sport that involves racing around in a small go-kart-like vehicle whilst clutching the strings of a large power kite. At the festival, members of the British Buggy Club will be taking to the runways and burning rubber at speeds in excess of 40 mph. So expect some high speed action. Joining them in the air will be the Welsh Pairs team, the Ex-Grads, with an arena display and White Horse resident teams Matrix Management and Pair Gemini.
 | | Kite Buggying |
Meanwhile at ground level, in hangar D4 to be precise, kite flyers from the German Historic kite group will be displaying kites designed and created by kite pioneer Arno Haft. And again this year organisers have put out a call for people to dust off their 'Gibson Girls' and bring them along to the festival. The 'Gibson Girl' is a WW2 box kite nicknamed for its distinctive hourglass shape. Folding up like an umbrella it was standard issue on aircraft lifeboats during the war. When an airman ‘ditched in the drink’ the kite was flown, not just for the fun of it, but to act as an aerial for a small transmitter that would send out distress signals. After the war the kites were sold off by the war department for half-a-crown a pop and became very popular with families. So it's worth rooting around in your attic or basement and if you're lucky enough to find one bring it along to the festival.
 | | WHKF diver's legs |
And if your neck isn't hurting too much from all that sky watching the Southern Rocket Group will also be on hand with their amazing collection of model rockets which they’ll be setting a spark to at intervals throughout the weekend. Bring your binoculars as the bigger rockets can hit heights in excess of 2,000 feet. Plus with all that vast space, at the Science Museum Wroughton, there will be no excuse for visitors not to come along with their own kites and join in. And for those needing to be shown the ropes, so to speak, there's a Children's kite workshop, kite stalls and kite traders. Let's just hope it’s windy…. The Swindon Kite Festival runs from Saturday 7th through Sunday 8th May, from 10am to 5pm, at the Science Museum Wroughton. Admission is free.
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