May 2024 – Airscene News

Jets from Portugal, Lithuania and Hungary to join RIAT24

RIAT Portuguese F16

With less than 10 weeks to go until this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo, things are shaping up nicely, with a pair of Portuguese F-16s the latest jets confirmed to be heading to RAF Fairford in July.

Joining a plethora of F-16s across our ‘Viper Line’ we are looking forward to celebrating 50-years of the Fighting Falcon this summer. Meanwhile, also arriving from the Portuguese Air Force is their new Embraer KC-390 for the first time at RIAT.

Elsewhere, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is turning 75-years-old we are delighted to welcome a Lithuanian contingent with a Mi-8T Hip and C-27J Spartan joining us in Gloucestershire. Plus, sticking with NATO, there will be a C-17 Globemaster coming from Heavy Airlift Wing based in Hungary.

Rounding off this week’s announcement we have a Soko Kraguj and a Valmet Vinka taking part in our static display, both of them privately operated in civilian hands.

www.airtattoo.com

King Charles becomes Royal Patron of the RAF Museum

King Charles

We are honoured and thrilled to announce that His Majesty King Charles III has graciously accepted the role of Royal Patron for the RAF Museum. His Majesty’s dedication to honouring the legacy of the Royal Air Force and his unwavering support for our mission to share the story of the service make him a fitting ambassador for our institution.

King Charles III has always expressed pride in his personal connections with the Royal Air Force and has shown a deep interest in the history and wellbeing of the service. His Majesty is a member of the first Graduate Entry at RAF College Cranwell and flew in the Royal Air Force Museum’s British Aircraft Corporation Jet Provost T.5. which is now on display in Hangar 1 at the RAF Museum’s London site.

With His Majesty King Charles III as our Royal Patron, we look forward to further advancing our mission of sharing the rich history and enduring legacy of the Royal Air Force with audiences around the world.

Please join us in extending our warmest welcome and heartfelt gratitude to His Majesty King Charles III for his patronage of the RAF Museum.

www.rafmuseum.org

First time at RIAT for Serbia

Serbian AF at RIAT

This week we’re excited to welcome a new nation to the RIAT, with the Serbian Armed Forces becoming our 58th participant as they feature for the very first time.

Their new Airbus C-295MW transport will be lining up on our static display, and we look forward to seeing them at RAF Fairford in July.

We also have a bumper addition from the Royal Air Force, with seven aircraft joining us on the tarmac in Gloucestershire as we celebrate 75-years of NATO.

They’ll be providing Airbus Juno and Jupiter helicopters from RAF Shawbury, BAE Systems Hawk and Beechcraft Texan from RAF Valley, an Embraer Phenom and Grob Prefect from RAF Cranwell, plus a Grob Tutor.

Rounding off this week is a trio from the Royal Canadian Air Force, which is celebrating its centenary this summer, with a Polaris, Hercules and Globemaster. These three large aircraft will all be parked together, at the eastern end of the airfield in a special RCAF centennial area.

www.airtattoo.com

Gyrocopters Saved at Newark

Gyrocopter at Newark Air Museum

A Campbell-Bensen B.8M gyrocopter, G-ASNY that has been on loan at the Newark Air Museum (NAM) for more than fifteen (15) years was recently bequeathed to NAM in the will of the late gyrocopter collector, Roger Light. This complete airframe has been displayed in Hangar 1 since it arrived at the museum in April 2009.

Additional actions by the museum trustees and its volunteers has also safeguarded a significant collection of other gyrocopter airframe structures, engines, parts and assorted spares.

During several visits to north-west England, the items have been carefully gathered together and moved into storage at the museum’s site in eastern Nottinghamshire, close to the county border with Lincolnshire.

Work is already underway to sort the items out and to produce an inventory of what has been recovered. All items are in a good condition and early indications suggest that there are at least two nearly complete machines, with three additional main-frame structures.

The NAM trustees have agreed with the executor of the Roger Light Estate that eventually these gyrocopters should be made available for disposal to other suitable aviation collections across the UK.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

Air Forces from the Netherlands, Canada and Slovakia joining us at RIAT24

RIAT Dutch F16

This week sees a five-star update from the Royal Netherlands Air Force with four F-16s and an NH90 helicopter inbound to RAF Fairford this summer.

Featuring along our extensive ‘Viper Line’ of F-16 jets, which are celebrating their 50th anniversary, the four jets from the Netherlands are the latest additions to this special static line-up.

Further afield, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) are sending their new Kingfisher to RIAT for a first-time visit for the aircraft. The RCAF are set to feature heavily at this year’s show as they celebrate their centenary with a designated area on the showground with further additions still to come.

Lastly, we are pleased to confirm the Slovak Air Force are participating with their C-27J Spartan joining us in July.