Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford, Gloucestershire, UK; 19-21 July 2024
The largest and greatest Military Airshow in the world! This year this certainly lived up to that name with over 150,000 visitors treated to the sight of over two hundred aircraft, static and flying; nearly twenty hours of precision flying spread over three days. Friday was bright and scorching, Saturday grey and overcast and Sunday a mix with a bright ending. Major themes this year were fifty years of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, sixty years of both the Red Arrows and Patrouille Suisse display teams the 75th Anniversary of NATO and the Centenary of the Royal Canadien Air Force.
The eastern portion of the enormous static display is ‘off limits’ on the Friday as arriving items are arranged and parked ready for the big weekend. The most spectacular line was that of the F-16s with a raised platform at one end to allow photographers to view the line. Many tail fins were adorned with special markings celebrating their National history with this type; still attracting new nations; in this case those freshly delivered to Morocco and Romania. This platform had a long queue all weekend.
As ever, the event attracted a number of formation teams, the RAF Red Arrows not only flew one of their tightest routines; now back to nine aircraft but also flew with the Canadien CF18 Hornet and with the six F-5s of the Swiss team in trail. Another highlight was the presence of the Saudi Hawks and four Hawks from the Midnight Hawks from Finland. Another team comprised six MFI-9 trainers from the Norwegian Air Force having flown from Bardofuss in the Arctic Circle; a significant journey for a low level prop trainer.
As befits a military show there were numerous fast jet demonstrations. This year the highlights were the RAF Typhoon in invasion stripes; a gift for photographers needing hard edges for autofocus. The Canadian Hornet in a resplendent blue top surfaces and red/grey underside and a Qatari F-15QA in desert grey that was ‘on delivery’ so flown by pilots from Boeing; one carried significant underwing stores whilst the second was ‘cleaned up’ allowing more challenging manoeuvres. Additional displays in the single engined category came from Gripens from Sweden and the Czech Republic, a Harrier from Spain and a Aermacchi 346 from the Italian Air Force. The RAF F-35 Lightning III in the hover suggested that merely deafening the enemy might be a sufficient deterrent!
The static park, packed with interesting types and opportunities to inspire the next generation featured a wide selection. The Canadien enclave featured a C-17, C-130, CC150, CC295 and Griffon helicopter. The Qatari zone another C-17 plus an NH90, Typhoon and Hawk plus a Saudi display of A330MRTT and F-15 Eagle; both these Nations are increasingly significant in a world dependant on Oil particularly given the present uncertainty in the region.
Among those more traditional military types were a few novelties; Fixed and rotary types from the Qinetic fleet at Boscombe Down, a Grumman Firecat water bomber from France, a Breguet Alize maritime aircraft, an Antarctic Survey Twin Otter were among a selection of Agency operated types supplemented by civilian types right down to recent lightweight electric aircraft. For any families considering career opportunities this event now outstrips Farnborough for educational opportunities.
