The RAF Cosford Air Show 2016, taking place on Sunday 19th June falls on Father’s Day, making it the perfect opportunity to enjoy a family day out for all generations. From interactive exhibits showcasing the Royal Air Force to an eclectic mix of trade stands, awe inspiring flying displays to the chance to jump inside a cockpit and act like a fast jet pilot there is something to keep both children and adults entertained for hours.

Helping to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Air Cadet Organisation, the Air Cadet Village will inspire the younger generation with their interactive displays and simulators and encourage those thinking of joining the organisation. Incorporated in to the flying display will be historic aircraft associated with the ACO, giving a sense of nostalgia to those who grew up as an Air Cadet.

With just over five weeks to go until this year’s RAF Cosford Air Show organisers are encouraging the public to buy their tickets soon to avoid disappointment. For the second year running tickets are advanced sale only and will not be available to purchase at the show. ‘The Air Show is a fantastic chance for the whole family to enjoy a day out together, taking part in activities across the showground everyone will be entertained’ said Clive Elliott, Air Show Director. For those wishing to give the day that special touch there are a range of hospitality options available for all budgets and ages.

Tickets for the RAF Cosford Air Show are available to purchase from selected Mid Counties Coops, the RAF Museum at RAF Cosford and Hendon, Midlands Air Museum in Coventry and on our website www.cosfordairshow.co.uk. Tickets are £25.00 per adult with accompanied children under 16 entering free.

Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton Air Day 2016on Saturday 2 July will host a rare pair of restored WW2 fighters at the Royal Navy’s premier airshow. Joining RNAS Yeovilton’s resident historic naval aircraft, the UK’s only active Corsair and one of just three Seafires airworthy in the world will both perform solo displays and a joint flypast during Air Day’s five-hour flying display. Underlining naval airpower’s rapid evolution during WW2, these classic types will very much bring naval aviation heritage to life.

The powerful Corsair was in Fleet Air Arm (FAA) service between 1943 and 1947. Many examples equipped the British Pacific Fleet, the Royal Navy’s response to Japan during WW2’s final months. Painted to represent just such an aircraft, The Fighter Collection’s FG-1D Corsair will be making its first Air Day appearance in many years. Also in a British Pacific Fleet scheme, Air Leasing Ltd’sSeafireLFIIIc, which was originally built at the nearby Westland factory, is brand new to the show. Built in 1944 and, after a lengthy restoration, reflown in 2015, it is among the 2,000-plus ‘navalised Spitfires’ produced.

The Royal Navy Historic Flight based at RNAS Yeovilton will also be out in force at Air Day. Its Swordfish I, W5856, will perform in the flying display while its Swordfish II, LS326, plus its Sea Fury FB11, will be on static display. First flown in 1934, the Swordfish was already considered passé when WW2 broke out but on numerous occasionswon its spurs on operations staged thereafter. With its ‘Bismarck 75′ theme, Air Day will acknowledge a landmark Swordfish engagement thattook place 75 years ago during which examples helped sink the German Navy’s largest battleshipat the time – Bismarck. W5856 – Air Day’s flying Swordfish – wears an authentic 820 NAS scheme that directly represents one of these Bismarck attackers.

It was a later conflict, Korea, that saw the Sea Fury rise to prominence. Introduced in 1945, the Sea Fury was the FAA’s ultimate piston-engined fighter. While not currently flying, the RNHF’s Sea Fury FB11 will be just one of the static highlights for Air Day’s expected 40,000 visitors.

Further display team, fast jet and historic aircraft participation news will be announced in due course.Discounted advance tickets can be purchased at www.royalnavy.mod.uk/yeovilton-airday.

To celebrate the successful launch of the Royal Air Force Museum’s ‘Names on a Plane’ fundraising campaign, museum bosses are giving members of the public the opportunity to win a Red Arrows prize package worth £1,000. The winner will see their name written on the wings of a world famous RAF Red Arrows Hawk Jet, that will fly throughout the 2017 display season!

For one spectacular season of air shows and celebrations, the underside of a Red Arrow Jet will display names chosen by members of the public who have contributed to this unique campaign, including one lucky competition winner who will also receive an exclusive personalised prize bundle.

In addition to their ‘Name on a Plane’, the winner will receive a commemorative RAF Bluey with a special message from the Reds; a personalised die-cast Corgi Red Arrow Hawk Jet with their chosen name; a limited edition ‘Names on a Plane’ pin badge and a complimentary one year RAF Museum membership package, packed with added benefits. ‘Names on a Plane’ is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity from the RAF Museum for everyone to be a part of the RAF’s history and to add to the lasting legacy of the prize, the competition winner will see their chosen name on the digital wall in the Members Room at the RAF Museum London – opening in 2018.

The competition is now open and to be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, all you need to do is head to the RAF Museum’s website www.rafmuseum.org and answer a simple question. Entry is free of charge and all correct entrants will go into a prize draw and the winner will be selected at random. The competition closes at midnight on Sunday 19 June 2016, so aviation enthusiasts are encouraged to enter now so they don’t miss out.

The campaign will raise funds for the museum’s RAF Centenary Programme which will see the RAF Museum celebrate and commemorate the centenary of the Royal Air Force in 2018, through a major transformation of its visitor experience at its London site, sharing the RAF story on site and online.

For more information about the campaign and the naming packages available, which start from donations of just £30, visit www.namesonaplane.org. The Royal Air Force Museum is a registered charity, Charity Number 244708.

Date: 13-14 May 2016

Time: 6.00pm to 9.00pm

Cost: £12.50 per person

Tickets to the popular Open Cockpits Evening event taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford next weekend are almost sold out. Less than 70 tickets are available for the event on Friday 13 May and all tickets for Saturday 14 May have now gone.

With new aircraft recently added to the line-up, the evening is packed with a mix of modern jets and nostalgic wartime aircraft, meaning there is something to please aviation enthusiasts young and old. The new line-up includes the Folland Gnat F1 – the forerunner of the Gnat T1 trainer which achieved fame with the ‘Red Arrows’ aerobatic team. It was also used by the Finnish Air Force and the Indian Air Force with whom it was successful in combat in the 1965 and 1971 wars against Pakistan, becoming known as the ‘Sabre slayer’ for it success in downing Pakistan Air Force Sabres. Also new to the line-up is the Hawker Hunter nose section – part of an aircraft that served on the front line of the Cold War in RAF Germany from 1955 to 1957 and the FMA 1A58 Pucara – flown by Argentina’s military government during the 1982 Falklands conflict.

With fifteen historic aircraft available for a close viewing both evenings, aviation fans who would like to climb on board are encouraged to purchase their tickets soon, before they sell out. Admission on the evening is by advance ticket only which are available to purchase via the museum’s website www.rafmuseum.org/cosford, where you can also view a full list of aircraft open on the night.

Visitors will have exclusive after-hours access to the museum which displays a collection of over 75 aircraft, military vehicles, engines and aviation artefacts within three wartime hangars and the National Cold War Exhibition. To ensure visitors get the most out of this unique experience, the museum’s team of volunteers will be on hand to talk through the aircraft controls and answer any questions they may have.

The museum will close at 5.00pm both days, however the Visitor Centre and Refuel Restaurant will remain open for visitors attending the evening event which commences at 6.00pm and finishes at 9.00pm. Tickets cost £12.50 per person which includes parking. Minimum height restrictions of 1.07 metres will apply.

Compass Travel (Sussex) Ltd are once again providing an invaluable public bus service from Guildford Train Station to Dunsfold Aerodrome for Wings & Wheels. Following the success of last year’s trial, visitors will have the option of public transport to and from the Show four times a day with all profits from the service donated to Help for Heroes by Compass. 

The bus will run on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th August and the timetable is as follows:

· Dep Guildford Train Station: 0830 0930 1030 1130

· Dep Dunsfold Aerodrome: 1600 1700 1800 1900

This year tickets can be purchased in advance online through the Wings & Wheels shop (www.wingsandwheels.net/shop). A single fare for an adult is £2.50 and £1.50 for a child aged 5 – 15 years. Each bus carries 44 seated passengers and 27 standing. Seats will be available on a first come first serve basis over the event weekend.

Jamie McAllister, Event Director, Wings & Wheels comments: “The bus service was extremely popular last year and we are delighted to be working in partnership with Compass Travel again. The bus service gives those who have previously been unable to attend an affordable option to join us.”

Managing Director of Compass Travel Chris Chatfield said, “We were really pleased with the success of the first shuttle bus service to Wings & Wheels which enabled us to donate £665 to Help for Heroes. We are looking forward to working with the team again this year and building on the service.”

Visitors to Wings & Wheels can also enjoy the full complement from the RAF as they display with the Red Arrows, King Air, Eurofighter and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (Spitfire, Hurricane, Dakota) air displays. Also displaying are the Attack Helicopter Display Team and Royal Navy Black Cat Display Team. More aviation displays will be announced in May.

For motorsport fans, supercars and classic and vintage icons put on an awe inspiring display of power and speed on the Top Gear track in a two hour auto spectacular from Brooklands Museum. Over in the Wheels Zone you can expect an array of interactive and static displays as wells as two and four wheeled shows in the Stunt Zone and a new Monster Truck arena offering demonstrations and passenger rides.

The show also includes over 25 fixed-price catering outlets, two bars, hospitality facilities, free on-site parking, public camping, lost children point, disabled access, informative show commentary, opportunities to meet the pilots, official show merchandise and grandstand seating.

The 12th annual Wings & Wheels will be held over the August Bank holiday weekend; Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th August 2016, at Dunsfold Park near Guildford, Surrey, and is open to spectators from 09:00 until 21:00.

Advanced rate tickets from £22 for adults or £50 for a family are available. A family ticket consists of two adults and three child’s tickets. Single child tickets (for children aged 5 – 15) will be £7, whilst children under the age of 5 go free. Hospitality packages start from £155 per person, weekend passes, grandstand tickets and camping are also available. For more information visit www.wingsandwheels.net or to book standard tickets call 08712 305 572.

Wings & Wheels is promoted by Dunsfold Park Limited and in 2016 will be assisting the fundraising efforts of Brooklands Museum Trust and Help for Heroes.