firework displays

[24hourman]

There have been fireworks at Le Mans since the first race in 1923 (Although officially organised) Are the huge campsite displays great fun or a disaster waiting to happen?

[Lawnmower Man]

Well If Brick is reading he has a photo of the injury I sustained from a Rocket that returned to Earth via my left shoulder.
The people camping next to us had a firework Malfunction where the hot bit that goes skyward  then explodes came out sideways in to our eating area.   I also think that there was a Firework malfunction in the Display at DfH.

t.

[Robspot]

The campsite displays ARE great fun but it does raise the question "what if your display injures someone and they decide to sue you?"

I can't see any insurance company granting Public Liability Insurance to a bunch of pissed blokes (even the extremely sensible Brethren  )

[knetter]

There was a little incident with fireworks in our campsite, however they were from our neighbours, probably the same as lawnmover man had, they fired a morter or something that came into our campsite and exploded on the ground, but nearly injured someone in JPC's team.

We ran over to chop the guys head off, but it wasn't on purpose as we thought it might have been and the guy apologized numerous times, so we drank some more beer and forgot about it.

rusty was extremely sensible and carefull with his setup, did not see anything go wrong during the display. Fire extinguisher was near all the time during the display.

[alibongo]

Unfortunately there is allways scope for a malfunction with fireworks, even proper display teams have their share of hick-ups, I saw a big mortar shell go into the crowd at a display, not nice......those things pack a punch and generate a serious amount of heat.....just treat them with the respect they deserve or it will end in tears !!!

[Rusty]

All of our ordnance went skywards that is why I use large mortars, no fallout other than shell cases. I had one spotter to make sure everything left the ground. Everything else was electronically fired.

Most damage is caused by smaller pyro, in particular small rockets and hummers.

The only lesson here is to buy large.

Rusty

[jpchenet]

All of our ordnance went skywards that is why I use large mortars, no fallout other than shell cases. I had one spotter to make sure everything left the ground. Everything else was electronically fired.

Most damage is caused by smaller pyro, in particular small rockets and hummers.

The only lesson here is to buy large.

Rusty

So.........next year.......even bigger!!! 

[Rusty]

Yep, that's the way to go dude.
You need a pyro licence in the UK for K4. I've been firing that sh**t for 20 years.

Friday night was a very very small nugget. If you want large then chuck in the bucks man and I'll blow everyone away, bar non. Those muckers were only 75mm, Brezac supply 100mm, yahoo !!!!

Oh, and safely too ( me excluded of course but you do need to be that close to get the full effect ).

Rustyola

 

[Rusty]

I saw a big mortar shell go into the crowd at a display, not nice......those things pack a punch and generate a serious amount of heat.....just treat them with the respect they deserve or it will end in tears !!!

That would have been caused by not loading the shell properly or using a small shell in a large mortar tube, equally disastrous.

[Paddy_NL]

after seeing the Brethren busy with the fireworks at our pitch on Friday, I wouldn't trust myself anymore with even a fire cracker. These guys know what they're doing!

[Gordonwr]

I have a scar on my head as a result of some fallout from the MB display, but I'm not complaining it was a brilliant show. Well done to all, bigger next year then?

[Fran]

Hmm - I dont really remember seeing many fireworks on friday - seemed less than usual. 

[Lawnmower Man]

I didn't see the prep work for the Bretheren Display.  But I do know from talk at the time and obviously some posts here that much care was exercised in putting on the display.   

To me, it makes perfect sense to go bigger and better.   I'm sure a firework is much safer going off at 200ft than at 20ft.

What bothers me is the people that just go out and buy the Biggest Cheapest fireworks they can.  Then let them off on in a crowded campsite after they have loaded themselves up with copious amounts of booze. 

With regards to the firework that got in to the DfH bar.    I don't know what display it was from, I wrongly assumed it was one of the fireworks in the DfH/Bretheren display.   Please accept my appologies.

t.

[termietermite]

Thought the firework display on MB was fab.  Well executed and seemed pretty expertly done to me.  I was very relieved when my mate realised he had left his rockets behind in the UK as, yeah, amateur night with these things is just plain scarey, especially with all those tents about.  Bretheren, you can have the contract for official firework display in my book.  As for some of the less-practiced in this art - please leave them at home.

[Lawnmower Man]

Unfortunately there is allways scope for a malfunction with fireworks, even proper display teams have their share of hick-ups,

Yes they do.   I don't know what the regulation distance is for the crowd to be positioned at an organised display is.
But I'll wager it's in the order of hundereds of yards.   Even with all of the precautions things can still go wrong.

The firework that malfunctioned next to us wasn't even 100 inches away.

I'm afriad having been on the wrong end of two fireworks in and wittnessing a third incident.  I really am anti impromptu firework displays. 

t.