The Army Flying Museum at Middle Wallop in Hampshire will be encouraging visitors to join them from the 8th May to commemorate VE Day 2025.
The Museum will be staging a very special temporary display which will feature Second World War highlights from the Museum’s collection. Visitors will be able to see artefacts and documents that provide a unique insight into Army aviation during the global conflict, along with excerpts from recordings of those who were there. Many of the items in the exhibition will not have been on public display before, therefore offering a unique opportunity to even the most regular of visitors to the Museum.
A stunning soundtrack of words and music will be played in the breathtaking Hayward Hall from the 8th – 10th May, giving visitors a chance to remember, commemorate and reflect whilst admiring the amazing aircraft on display.
On Friday 9th May, the Museum will host a very special talk by Military Historian – Paul Beaver – Middle Wallop in the War Years. Most people know Middle Wallop for its Battle of Britain connection, but its history during the Second World War was varied and fascinating. From flying Poles to American fighters, the airfield had many users in five years of conflict. A great opportunity for visitors to learn some things they may not have known about Wallop!
Local enthusiasts Gramofun, will also be sharing their love of gramophones on the 9th, bringing a selection of wind-up gramophones and 1940’s records to ensure visitors can hear the music exactly as it would have sounded in the day, with a very special VE80 theme.
With special VE80 activity sheets and a trail for younger visitors to learn more about the Second World War, the Museum hopes to encourage family groups to come and experience all the Museum has to offer.
To encourage visitors into the Museum to commemorate VE80, the Museum are offering a very special one-off entry fee of just £8 on the 8th May!
Organisers of The Royal International Air Tattoo have confirmed tickets for this year’s show are selling at record speed for the third successive year.
The event, which is held at RAF Fairford, has already sold over 100,000 tickets for this year’s show, putting them ahead of the same time last year.
Last July, 168,000 people descended on the rural airfield for three days of aerobatic displays, interactive tech exhibits and the chance to talk to pilots and their crew, and this year looks to be no different with demand for tickets at an all-time high.
With Saturday 19th July close to selling out, organisers have recently announced the Italian display team, the Frecce Tricolori will be performing over the Gloucestershire skies this summer.
Joining the Frecce are a further three flying displays and three static displays from the Italian Air Force. These join an already extensive list of aircraft from 15 nations confirmed for RIAT, with many more aircraft to be added to the line-up in the coming weeks.
Head of Air Operations at Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises, Peter Reoch said: “The Frecce Tricolori are always a welcome addition to the RIAT flying programme and visitors who joined us in 2022 will know how impressive and energetic their display is to watch.
“We’re grateful to the Italian Air Force for their continued support and look forward to welcoming their aircraft and crew to RAF Fairford later this year.”
In just over three months, RIAT will return and highlight the importance of aviation in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, search and rescue, and more, under the theme of ‘Eyes in the Skies’.
So far, the aviation show case has announced the Royal Air Force Red Arrows, a Spanish Navy Harrier as well as a Portuguese Merlin, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Danish F-16 and Swedish Black Hawk helicopter displaying for the first time with a number of announcements still to come.
“We are looking forward to this summer’s show, we already have some great aircraft confirmed to be taking part and will be adding to the line-up right up until the show later this year,” added Peter
“Ticket sales have been incredible, at RIAT we know our event is an incredible day out whether you’re an aviation enthusiast, a family with young children or someone who has never been to the event before – we have something for everyone. Tickets are available via www.airtattoo.com
On Sunday 11 May, the skies of Bedfordshire will once again be filled with aircraft as Shuttleworth’s 2025 air show season kicks off in style with their Season Premiere Air Show.
A traditional Sunday air show, the Season Premiere offers the perfect opening to a new season with something for the whole family to enjoy. The air display will feature a range of exciting visiting aircraft, many making their Shuttleworth debuts – an aspect that Shuttleworth has a growing reputation for developing into an ever-more thrilling spectacle. The US ‘Ready 4 Duty’ team (Douglas R4D-6S) will be on site as a static exhibit to explore prior to taking to the skies at later shows. Shuttleworth also boasts its own stunning Collection of aircraft – dating back to 1909 – of which many will take to the skies on the day. From fan favourites like the de Havilland DH.88 Comet to the Sopwith Triplane and Supermarine Spitfire, the Collection alone promises to leave visitors in awe of these remarkable historic aircraft that Shuttleworth’s engineers maintain in an airworthy condition.
Outside of the flying, air shows at Shuttleworth promise ground entertainment throughout the day. Guests can enjoy a free fun fair, delicious food and drink and stalls to browse, whilst children can discover a variety of STEM activities from Shuttleworth Learning’s Discovery Zones. Visitors can watch a parade of the Collection’s veteran vehicle fleet or catch a vintage bus to Shuttleworth House – the former home of the founder of the Collection, Richard Shuttleworth, and an award-winning events and wedding venue. The Clayton and Shuttleworth Heritage Team will be on hand to display working exhibits of steam traction engines and more, and then there are nine idyllic acres of Regency Garden to explore.
For a small additional fee (no more than £12 per person), guests can enjoy a guided tour of Shuttleworth House or take the opportunity to go onto the airfield itself with a Flightline Tour – limited availability for Season Premiere.
Various third parties will also offer air experience flights: Cambridge Flying Group in their two-seater, open cockpit Tiger Moths, Scillonia Airways with their de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide, and Warbird Experience with their North American T6 Harvard ‘Wacky Wabbit’.
For those who want to turn a flying visit into an unforgettable stay, there is camping available, as well as beautiful Garden Suite accommodation at Shuttleworth House.
Marc Boult, Head of Visitor Operations at Shuttleworth, said, “We cannot wait to start the 2025 air show season. With a refreshed layout, amazing ground entertainment and stunning air displays, we’ve got a full day’s entertainment for the whole family, and what’s unique about Shuttleworth is just how close you can get to the aircraft. We’ve got big plans for 2025 so don’t miss it!”
The Season Premiere Air Show is the first of seven spectacular shows taking place at Shuttleworth this year, each with their own unique charm and theme:
Military Air Show – 31 May
Festival of Flight Air Show – 28 & 29 June (Red Arrows appearing on Saturday)
Summer Air Show – 26 July
Flying Proms Air Show – 16 August
Best of British Air Show – 30 August
Race Day Air Show – 5 October
The Season Premiere Air Show takes place on Sunday 11 May. Tickets start from £34, and kids go free. For tickets, and more details about the full season, visit www.shuttleworth.org
This week’s update has something for everyone with theme-related aircraft and RIAT debutants!
Starting with our theme of ‘Eyes in the Skies’, we are delighted to say we will be joined in July by a pairs display of photo-reconnaissance Spitfires, with a Mk.XI and Mk.XIX flying together to showcase both the Merlin and Griffon engine Spitfires in a distinctive blue colour scheme.
Elsewhere we have another rare addition to the static display from the Spanish Air & Space Force with their CASA VIGMA aircraft, plus a pair of Mirage 2000-5 aircraft from the Hellenic Air Force this summer will mark the first time these jets have ever participated at the Air Tattoo! Rounding off this week, we have two more civilian aircraft participating in the static display with a pair of ex-RAF Bulldog training aircraft.
Last chance! Early bird pricing for Sunday ends midnight, Tuesday 22nd April
We extended our early bird pricing for general admission Sunday, and 5% off Sunday enclosures through Easter. And now it’s your last chance to get your Sunday tickets at a discounted price. Act now before it’s too late! All tickets will be at full price from Tuesday 22nd April at midnight.
All enclosures on Saturday are now SOLD OUT, apart from Altitude. If you want to upgrade your experience you will need to be very quick as we expect it follow suit and sell out soon. Friday is selling much faster than last year and Sunday is catching up. Don’t miss out, we know you’ll be disappointed if you do. Buy your tickets today!
The Wings Aviation Museum is proud to announce the generous gifting of the original Kestrel undercarriage by the Royal Air Force Museum to support the restoration of Hawker Kestrel XS694 — a rare and iconic piece of British aviation history.
This extraordinary donation follows six years of delegation, discussions, and unwavering commitment, and marks a significant milestone in the restoration of XS694. The RAF Museum has gifted the complete main gear, nose gear, one outrigger, and two main wheels — vital components that will allow Wings Aviation Museum’s dedicated team to progress the project with greater authenticity and historical accuracy.
Manufactured by Dowty, a leading British aerospace engineering company now known as Safran Landing Systems, the Kestrel’s undercarriage was an advanced piece of design for its time — developed to withstand the demands of vertical and short takeoff trials. The survival of these original components is incredibly rare, making this gift both technically invaluable and historically significant.
The museum plans to reverse engineer the outrigger to fabricate a second one, ensuring the full set is complete. Anyone with experience in reverse engineering or fabrication of aircraft components is encouraged to get in touch and lend their expertise to this unique restoration effort.
“We are deeply honoured by the RAF Museum’s support,” said Aaron Simmons and Dave Cotton, joint project leads at Wings Aviation Museum. “The undercarriage is not just a mechanical part — it represents a major piece of British innovation and aviation development. This gift brings us one step closer to preserving a vital chapter of our aerospace heritage.”
“We are proud to support the restoration of Hawker Kestrel XS694 — an aircraft that played a vital role in the development of V/STOL flight and Britain’s aerospace leadership. The RAF Museum is fortunate to have a Kestrel on display at our Midlands site, where it continues to inspire visitors with its story of innovation and engineering excellence. By gifting these rare and original parts — which would otherwise remain in storage — to the Wings Aviation Museum, we are helping to bring another remarkable airframe back to life. It is through partnerships like this that we ensure our nation’s aviation heritage is preserved, shared, and celebrated with wider audiences for generations to come.”
— Maggie Appleton, CEO, Royal Air Force Museum
The Hawker Kestrel FGA.1 was a pioneering aircraft developed in the early 1960s to test Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL) technology. With only a handful ever built, each surviving component carries immense historical value. XS694 is one of only two surviving Kestrels in the UK — and the only example to have been brought back from the United States, where it served with both the United States Air Force (USAF) and NASA during its active life.
In a fitting tribute to the aircraft’s legacy, once restored, Hawker Kestrel XS694 will go on public display at Dunsfold Aerodrome — the very airfield where it first took to the skies. This future display will honour not only the aircraft’s revolutionary design but also its unique connection to British aviation history and innovation.
The Kestrel is just one part of the Wings Aviation Museum’s ambitious future at Dunsfold, where plans are progressing for a new, expanded museum site. The new facility will tell the story of Hawker Aviation and British aerospace innovation at Dunsfold, from the early jet age through to the iconic Harrier. As part of its mission, the museum will deliver engaging STEM-focused educational programmes designed to inspire young people to explore careers in engineering, science, and technology — connecting classroom learning with real-world aviation heritage. Visitors will also experience enhanced exhibition spaces and hands-on restoration workshops, bringing the remarkable legacy of British aircraft design and test flying to life. XS694 will take pride of place in this new setting, helping to inspire future generations.
The undercarriage components will be integrated into the ongoing restoration efforts at the museum’s workshop in West Sussex, where volunteers and aviation experts have been working tirelessly to return XS694 to its former glory.
Wings Aviation Museum extends its heartfelt thanks to the RAF Museum for this remarkable gift and their ongoing support of historic aircraft preservation. Their generosity ensures that future generations can continue to connect with, learn from, and be inspired by Britain’s rich aviation legacy.
Wings Aviation Museum invites supporters, historians, and enthusiasts to follow the project’s progress and contribute to this historic endeavour. Donations of tools, parts — including essential skin pins — and financial support are all welcomed to keep this unique restoration flying forward.
Always a popular sight and a welcome addition to the flying programme, the iconic jet will be participating in this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo.
Also in this week’s announcement, we have a Slovak Air Force C-27J Spartan on the static line-up as well as a further four civilian aircraft with two Soko J-20 Kraguj and a pair of DHC Chipmunk T.10s which will also be lining up on the tarmac.
Tickets are flying out – there are less than 10,000 tickets remaining for Saturday, so be quick to secure your place. Only the Family Enclosure, FRIAT and Altitude still have space in their enclosures.
Friday is also seeing high demand, selling faster than ever before! Sunday is still at Early Bird prices, so this is a great opportunity to get your tickets at the best price available now.
This week we have a double dose of F-16s with the Royal Danish Air Force flying their fast jets into RAF Fairford for this summer’s show.
Both aircraft are from the Eskadrille 727 squadron – one in a striking red and silver livery taking part in the flying display, and the other featuring on static display as part of our celebration of 40 years of RIAT at RAF Fairford, representing the Danish F-16B which featured at the 1985 show.
Elsewhere, under our Eyes in the Skies theme, we’re pleased to welcome the German Navy back to RIAT, with their classic Westland Sea Lynx helicopter. This might be the final time to see this type appear at the show, so not to be missed.
Finishing for the week, we’re pleased to announce a Dornier Do 27, coming from Switzerland. As always, our website has more details on this week’s update and the full aircraft participation list to date.
With five of our Saturday enclosures already SOLD OUT it’s time to act now to avoid disappointment. Upgrading to an enclosure is a great way to make a special day even more amazing.
We think you’ll love our new enclosure, Altitude. Located at the heart of the showground, perfect as a base to browse the static aircraft from, as well as a great spot to watch the flying displays. Altitude offers something completely different with upper deck viewing spaces and a cool, contemporary vibe. As well as an all-inclusive cocktail bar with selected wine, prosecco, beer, cider, spirits, cocktails and soft drinks and complimentary food served throughout the day. Once the flying display has finished the festivities continue with an exclusive DJ music set in the enclosure.
Tickets for the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) have been selling even faster than last year, so don’t delay and buy yours today HERE.
Newark Air Museum Outdoor Aeroboot Aviation & Avionics Sale
Saturday 12th April, 2025
The next Newark Air Museum Outdoor Aeroboot / Aerojumble Sale at the museum’s site in eastern Nottinghamshire takes place on Saturday 12th April, 2025. This charity fund raising event has attracted interest from a wide range of sellers across the UK and is taking place as a standalone museum event.
The funds that the museum raises from organising the event will be used to support the development of facilities at its Gateway Aviation Site, which is located in eastern Nottinghamshire close to the Lincolnshire border.
More than thirty-five (35) sellers, who come from around the UK have pre-booked selling spaces on the wide expanses of our Southfield Site, close to the aircraft display line and the museum café.
Buyers / visitors who attend this fund raising event will have the opportunity to search through a varied selection of aviation and avionic items: including books, paintings, prints, DVDs, plastic kits, die-cast models, clothing, radio equipment and a wide range of aircraft parts.
Normal museum admission rates will apply: Adults £12.00, Over 65s £11.00, Children £6.00 and Family ticket [2 adults & 3 children] £33.00.
The museum opening times will be 09.00 to 17.00 hours; with the sale taking place between 09.00 and 14.00 hours; to get the best bargains we suggest that you get there early.
Further details are available on the Events Page of the museum website www.newarkairmuseum.org or by telephoning 01636 707170.
It’s Guten Tag from Germany this week as the German Air Force confirms their participation in RIAT25.
For the flying display, we are excited to add an Airbus A400M to the line-up in a display that will demonstrate the aircraft’s agility despite its size. We’ve also got a further four aircraft making the trip to RAF Fairford, for static display.
Firstly, RIAT favourites, we’ve got a pair of Panavia Tornados. Joining them on the tarmac and following up on some recent RIAT rarities, we have a new arrival from Germany, with their C-130J Hercules and a special forces H145M which has only been sighted at a British airshow once before! Bringing this week’s update to a close, there is a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Dakota for static display. Incredibly, this aircraft also visited the show the first time it was hosted at RAF Fairford back in 1985.
Moving over to Sweden, we have a RIAT debut in the flying display with a Sikorsky Hkp16 Black Hawk joining the line-up with another one lining up on static display this July in what is a great addition to this year’s programme. Rounding off this week’s update, we also have a civilian-owned Hawker Hunter T.72 and a Rheims-Cessna F152 on static.
