RAF Cosford Air Show 2014 review

	Organisation and Innovativion with a “Can & Will Do” attitude – that’s Cosford! The RAF Cosford Airshow is one of only two Official RAF shows – the other being held at RAF Waddington and, it’s fairly obvious, that Cosford has all the potential to grow into one of the most popular – particularly as previous years’ access and traffic problems seemed to have been successfully resolved by the Local Authorities and the Organisers.

	There were a few changes to this year’s event and more time and effort had been put into the “ground attractions” making the show more “user friendly” to all members of the family. So, Dad could concentrate on the air displays and the interesting static exhibits – and, perhaps, squeeze in a quick visit to the RAF Museum – whilst the rest of the family could browse the stalls or watch the arena displays. The time and effort spent was obvious for all to see, so, this review is slightly different in so much as it endeavours to do more than be just a list of participating aircraft

	Of course, the stalwarts were on display including the Red Arrows, now in the 50th Display Year, and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, albeit with a DC3 Dakota, whilst the Lancaster was on “official duty” in France, commemorating the anniversary of D Day. The noisiest of aircraft, the Typhoon, and of course, the Avro Vulcan were also there to excite the crowds. So, let’s start from the ground up. Having attended the Media Press Day a few weeks ago, it was easy to see the hard work and effort that had gone into this year’s show, not just recently, but for the whole year since the 2013 event.

	On the Media Launch Day, there were simply two Harriers and we were informed that there would be a “history of the Harrier” static display as a prominent feature of the show. We weren’t disappointed. I arrived early, in bright sunshine, to photograph the display and found the “holy grail” of the Harrier enthusiast - Sea Harriers, GR3 and GR9 Harriers and of course, the start of it all, the P1127 Kestrel. The show team must have spent many hours amassing all the ancilliary equipment and munitions to bring this diorama to life. With Cosford’s track record of bright early morning sunshine, the Harriers and personnel provided a really worthwhile photo opportunity and the results were more than acceptable.



	Of course, Cosford is still the home of the Jaguar. In recent years, with the exception of an orange, spotted livery, on one aircraft, many aircraft had been sporting paint schemes which were long overdue for refreshment. The personnel at Cosford did not disappoint and for this year we were treated to new black finishes and refreshed grey aircraft which added a great deal to the Taxi and Ground Handling displays.



	After a very bright morning, the Cosford weather closed in and great light soon turned to a cloudy and murky grey. Nothing unusual there, though – it seems to happen every year. Grey skies and a little rain followed and it was unfortunate that it coincided with the display by the Typhoon, still, what we couldn’t see, we could certainly hear!

	The air displays began with the Falcons and continued with the Belgian Aerobatic Team, the Tucano, a once only flypast of the new Airbus based Voyager and something that many had really been waiting for, the MidAir Squadron’s Hunter T7 and Canberra PR9. I had been lucky enough to be invited to their inaugural display at Kemble, previously, so I knew what to expect, but, for those with cold war memories, the sight of these two icons, flying together, was a wondrous thing to behold.



	The rain cleared, the sun shone and the flying continued on into late afternoon. Everyone seemed to have had their fill and the Show Organisers, Station Personnel and all those involved in organising and running the event can be more than pleased with a “job well done”. I am certain that the RAF Cosford will continue to produce yearly shows with their innovative ideas and by harnessing resources like the RAF Museum, utilising serving personnel and forging strong links with the local residents and business communities - Cosford is so much more than just an airshow. RAF Cosford – a great day out and see you in 2015!

	Review by Dave Briers - click HERE for Daves Showcase