Demand for our Cotswold Club and Aviation Club packages has been extraordinary and we will shortly be increasing our prices for Saturday by 5%, when the allocation runs out.

To get 15% off your Saturday tickets, purchase TODAY.

Friday and Sunday Cotswold Club and Aviation Club packages are still available with 15% off… for now, so DON’T DELAY.

If you have already purchased your General Admission tickets and would like to upgrade to an enclosure, then please call our customer services team on 01285 713 456 and they will take your booking over the phone.

Our Viewing Village Grandstand tickets will be on sale from Monday 11th September.

RIAT24 will return on 19th, 20th and 21st July and will celebrate 50 years of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. We hope to see you all there!

https://www.airtattoo.com/tickets-packages/

On the weekend of 16th/17th September 2023 it will be sixty (60) years since Avro Vulcan XM594 entered operational squadron service with the Royal Air Force Vulcan Wing at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire.
To mark the anniversary, the Newark Air Museum (NAM) is hosting an Anniversary event at its site in eastern Nottinghamshire, close to the county border with Lincolnshire. The event is giving members of the museum’s Cockpit Opening Team the opportunity to provide FREE cockpit access to the Vulcan, to those people on the Reserve List for the 40th Anniversary event in February 2023.

Participants for the free cockpit access to XM594 are being notified of their timed ticket arrival time for going on board the aircraft, where they will be hosted by several former Vulcan personnel.

Throughout the weekend various Vulcan related displays are being hosted around the museum site and in the display hangars. On the Saturday NAM have an Aeroboot/Aerojumble aviation sale taking place, where people can search for various aviation items that will be on sale.

In addition, a series of talks by ex-Vulcan aircrew is planned to take place throughout the weekend in the Dambusters Hut; whilst various former Vulcan air and ground crew will be hosting walk-round tours of the XM594.

During the weekend various other museum aircraft and cockpits will be opening for viewing, as per normal, a small additional fee/donation is charged for access to these aircraft.

The event is open to the public and normal museum admission rates will apply.

www.newarkairmuseum.org/2023-24_Special-Events

Good progress is also being made on two aircraft repainting projects at Newark Air Museum.

During the summer most of the surface preparation work has been completed on the MiG-23, 024003607 ‘07’ and the main surfaces are now being primed and top coat paint applied.

Work on Gloster Meteor T.7 VZ634 has also been carried out during the summer, with the final detailing work and application of the markings now underway. It is hoped that the work on VZ634 will be completed in time for the Day/Night Photo Shoot that is taking place on Saturday 28th October, 2023.

With more good weather in the forecast other projects are expected to progress well into the autumn.

Things also look nicely set for the final outdoor Aeroboot event of the year on Saturday 16th September, 2023; and the associated event to mark the 60th Anniversary of Vulcan XM594 entering squadron service in September 1963. This event will run on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th, September, 2023.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

The iconic Battle of Britain Air Show returns to IWM Duxford this year for two-days of awe-inspiring aerial displays on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 September.

The standout event is the second major air show of Duxford’s 50th anniversary Flying Season, and to mark this special occasion, children aged 15 years and under can attend for free. Visitors will be treated to unmissable displays from over 60 vintage and contemporary aircraft, including a mass flypast of 12 Spitfires and 4 Hurricanes, to commemorate the brave service men and women who risked their lives to defend Britain in the summer of 1940.

In a must-see moment for aviation fans, the last airworthy B-17 Flying Fortress in Europe – ‘Sally B’ – will be brought together with the RAF’s Avro Lancaster for a rare formation of the two most recognisable allied heavy bombers of the Second World War. The formation will be the first time the two bombers have flown together for over two decades and the first time ever at Duxford.

Other crowd-pleasers in the packed aerial line-up include the only airworthy two-seater Hawker Hurricane in the world, a Hispano HA-112 MIL (Buchon) aircraft replicating a Luftwaffe Messerschmitt fighter, the legendary North American P51-D Mustang, and the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which will feature the Avro Lancaster, flanked by the Spitfire and Hurricane in a moving tribute to those who served.

The world-famous Red Arrows will take to the skies of Duxford on both days of the weekend event with a thrilling display of daring aerobatics.

On the ground, crowds will be transported back in time to the sights and sounds that kept spirits up in the summer of 1940, and meet a cast of wartime characters recreating the daily life of RAF Duxford as a Battle of Britain Fighter Station. Visitors can dress up in vintage attire, swing dance to wartime music, get their hair done in the style of the era and hear stories of those who lived and served at the historic base.

The ticket price includes access to IWM Duxford’s exhibitions and hangars throughout the day, packed full of aircraft, vehicles, collection items and personal stories of war and conflict.

Phil Hood, Air Show Event Manager, said: “The Battle of Britain Air Show is a highlight of IWM Duxford’s annual Flying Season as visitors get to experience what life would have been like for those who lived and served at RAF Duxford during the war.

“This is a very special year for IWM as we celebrate fifty years of entertaining crowds through aerial displays. This year’s air show is no exception, with appearances from an array of fan favourites, including the return of Duxford’s famous Spitfire flypast, and an historic formation when the Sally B and Avro Lancaster fly together for the first time in decades. We’re looking forward to greeting visitors, both old and new, to the show this year and hope to be entertaining crowds at Duxford for another 50 years to come.”

In addition to the Air Show, IWM Duxford will also be commemorating the Battle of Britain with the following events:

IWM In Conversation: Battle of Britain | 9 September | 9am – 6pm
Tickets £40 (Ticket price includes general admission)

Join us for a day packed with fascinating talks from guest speakers, historians, authors, pilots and IWM experts. Featuring in a static display, get a closer look at IWM Duxford’s Supermarine Spitfire MK.1 N3200 alongside Hawker Hurricane MK.1 V7497, which flew with 501 Squadron during the Battle of Britain.

Battle of Britain Tour | Daily from 9 to 15 September | 2pm
Tickets £10 (Admission to IWM Duxford not included)

Join one of our expert IWM guides for a 60-minute tour exploring Duxford’s role in the Battle of Britain. Hear about the background to the battle, learn about the RAF’s secret weapon the ‘Dowding System’ and uncover the myths, controversies and realities surrounding this iconic aerial campaign. Ask your own questions to our expert and explore our exhibitions The Battle of Britain Exhibition and Battle of Britain: Ops Block.

IWM Presents: The Battle of Britain | 23 September | From 10:30am
Tickets £30 (Ticket price includes general admission)

Join best-selling author Dilip Sarkar MBE FRHistS at IWM Duxford as he introduces his latest book titles, Faces of the Few and Battle of Britain the Movie. Hear Dilip talk about both publications in detail, adding more of his in-depth knowledge about the many people involved in the Battle of Britain. The event also includes a book signing with the author, followed by a chance to watch a screening of the film Battle of Britain (1969) in our Marshall Auditorium.

Duxford In a Different Light: Battle of Britain | 23 September | 5pm to 9pm (entry to IWM Duxford from 4pm)
Tickets £80

Join us for an outdoor, after-hours photography event dedicated to this pivotal moment in 20th century history. Using lighting and living history actors, Spitfires, Hurricanes and more will be brought to life against the backdrop of Duxford’s historic buildings to create evocative opportunities for your photographs. The event will culminate with the Westland Lysander performing an engine run as the sun goes down for an extra special photo opportunity.

The fifteenth Bournemouth Air Festival launches today (31 August) with crowd favourites the Red Arrows and Typhoon making a welcome return.

Organised by BCP Council the festival is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to the town over four days.

Visitors can see performances from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight planes, the Chinook helicopter, the Rolls Royce XIX Spitfire, P-51 Mustang and Fairey Swordfish biplane.

There will also be a debut from the North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco plane.

In a first for the festival, cheesemakers Boursin have teamed up with Great British Bake-off star, Manon Lagrève, to create a bistro on the beach, between Who Dares Gyms and El Murrino beach restaurant.

Diners are encouraged to pay what they can, with all donations going to Nationwide charity FoodCycle.

Festival goers can also enjoy Madame MOJO’s Cabaret Club which will be offering family-friendly performances throughout the four days, alongside funfairs, big screens showing films and 1.5 miles of food and drink stalls.

Those who can’t make the event in person can also watch all the fun of the festival with the official free live-streaming of the event by Aeroview.tv.

Portfolio Holder for Connected Communities and Tourism, Cllr Millie Earl, said: “This family-friendly event showcases our beautiful coastline and is yet another reason for visitors to come and explore our unique towns of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

“Buy our souvenir Coronation programme where you can read more about our three towns’ connections to aviation with STEM pioneer Charles Rolls, who co-founded Rolls Royce, and the Wright brothers renowned for history’s first flight.

“Congratulations again to our future pioneers – the winners of our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) competition for Primary School children in Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole.

“They will be meeting the world-famous Red Arrows pilots at the festival and will be taken on a tour of the Ultra Energy STEM Village, as part of their prize.

“While we want everyone to have fun at our festival, please help keep our beautiful seafront clean by recycling and disposing of your rubbish responsibly. Travel by bus, bike or scooter if you can and help us create a greener festival.”

Air Festival Director Jon Weaver said: “The festival wouldn’t be the renowned attraction that it is without the many organisations, groups and individuals who plan, organise and deliver it every year.

“I would particularly like to thank our partners at Dorset Police, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue, the HM Coastguard, Poole Harbour Commissioners, the RNLI and South Western Ambulance Services along with our other multi agency partners – all of whom have worked so hard to make the Air Festival an enjoyable and safe event.

“Of course, I am always very grateful for the amazing help we receive from our colleagues across BCP Council – all of whom work tirelessly behind the scenes putting together this incredible programme.

“The incredible aircraft provided by the Armed Forces on the ground and in the air play a huge part in attracting the many visitors to the festival over the four days.

“Lastly, but by no means least, an enormous thank you goes to all our sponsors, including Bournemouth Airport, Thales, Oceana Hotels and Restaurants, Bournemouth Highcliff Marriott Hotel, Ultra Energy, the Air Festival Patron, Porsche Centre Bournemouth and South West Trains as well the traders who taking part in the festival this year.”

Returning to the festival will be the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines, who will be performing the Beat Retreat Sunset Ceremony in the Lower Gardens on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 6.45pm. They will again perform on Sunday morning from11am-12pm

The Commando Recruiting Team will be giving Unarmed Combat demonstrations on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 6.20pm.

www.bournemouthair.co.uk

Airscene has teamed up with Picsme to put some of your entries in the Airscene 2024 Calendar Competition onto canvas.

Winners will get a 600mm x 300mm (approx 24″ x 12″) canvas of their winning photo on canvas, your details and images will be sent direct to Picsme for printing and delivery.

A total of 4 canvases have kindly been offered by Picsme, which are now added to 1st, 2nd, 3rd and the Public Vote Prizes – each valued at £16.99, although if you want a canvas doing anytime soon this is currently discounted to just £11.89!!! Check out the other offers at https://picsme.co.uk/

Picsme are experts in print manufacturing and we are proud to offer one of the most efficient and affordable print on demand services available. We offer these on a wide range of personalised products which range from coasters to canvas’s, photobooks to mugs.

“At Picsme, we are passionate about personalised gifting and it’s important that we get it right for you. We do everything with care and attention, and make it our mission to deliver your valuable memories in the most cherished way possible.”

For Full Rules and to enter the Airscene 2024 Calendar Competition, visit: http://www.airscene.co.uk/competitions/2024calendar.php

Visitors to Bournemouth Air Festival next week are being asked to plan their journeys in advance to help reduce the environmental impact of travelling to the event.

If just one third of visitors changed how they come to the festival across the four days, 2,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions could be saved every year.

In comparison, aircraft over the four days of entertainment contribute around 240 tonnes of emissions.

This year’s festival is on Thursday 31 August – Sunday 2 September and includes aerobatic entertainment during the day and at dusk with family-friendly attractions throughout.

?Cllr Andy Martin, Portfolio Holder for Customer, Communications and Culture, BCP Council said: “Bournemouth Air Festival is one of the highlights of the summer season, so we know we’ll get a high volume of people coming to Bournemouth.

“If you live locally I encourage you to travel by train, coach, bus and even bike where possible. This sustainable travel not only reduces air pollution, but it also eases traffic congestion around Bournemouth.

“It’s our responsibility to create awareness about sustainable practices and encourage everyone to follow those practices.”

Visitors are being urged to be aware of the planned rail strikes on Friday 1 and Saturday 2 September which are likely to significantly impact train services across the 4 days. Festival organisers are encouraging visitors to take the train if possible but check for updates on the National Rail and South Western Railway websites, and look at alternative coach, bus and bike options as well as the park and ride.

Jon Weaver, Festival Director commented: “There are many alternative ways to travel to the Air Festival including by bus and coach, with plenty of providers offering great prices on travel to and from Bournemouth throughout the summer, so although this strike action may affect a small number of travellers, I’m confident that the majority will make alternative travel arrangements to come and enjoy the Air Festival.”

Morebus still have their £2 single fare price cap in place, with over 65s and under 7s also travelling for free from as far afield as Sailsbury and Swanage.

There will be a Park and Ride operating in Kings Park (next to AFC Bournemouth) every 15 mins over the four days, dropping off up to seven people per car next to the event site on the East Overcliff.

And the active among us can visit the festival by pedal power by downloading the Beryl app and cycling or scooting down to Bournemouth on the peripheral of the festival site.

Reducing the environmental impact doesn’t just stop at sustainable travel, festival goers are also being encouraged to bring their reusable water bottles and fill them up at one of the 150 hydration stations located along the promenade, in a bid to reduce single-waste plastic.

For more information on how to go green for the Air Festival, please visit Plan your visit – Bournemouth Air Festival

The RAF Museum is delighted to announce it has been recognised by Tripadvisor as a 2023 Travelers’ Choice award winner as a top attraction. The coveted award celebrates businesses that have consistently received great traveller reviews on Tripadvisor over the last 12 months, placing these winners among the top 10% of all listings on Tripadvisor globally.

Barry Smith, RAF Museum Director of Visitor and Commercial Development, said:
‘This award speaks to the high level of visit experience we provide to all our visitors, and our commitment to excellence. To be amongst the top 10% of attractions worldwide on the world’s largest travel platform is incredible. This award is special because it’s based on real visitor reviews from people who have enjoyed their Museum visit, and then taken the time to share their experience online with other families who are looking for a highly recommended day out.’

John Boris, Chief Growth Officer at Tripadvisor, said:
‘Congratulations to the 2023 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice winners. The travel resurgence we’ve seen throughout the past year has even further heightened the competition. Earning a Travellers’ Choice Award demonstrates that you have provided great experiences to those who matter most: your guests. With changing expectations, continued labour shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am continually impressed with the hospitality industry’s resilience and ability to adapt. Cheers to another successful year!’

Check out all the Tripadvisor reviews for our Midlands site here, and London site here. Entry to the RAF Museum is free, to book your day out at the top attraction visit www.rafmuseum.org/london

Bournemouth Air Festival organisers are keen to remind everyone of the air and sea activity restrictions that are in place throughout the four-day event.

From Thursday, 31 August – Sunday, 3 September, drones are strictly banned from flying at the event site in the restricted airspace, to protect participating aircraft and display teams.

Anyone caught flying a drone during this time can face prosecution by Dorset Police. At last year’s event, counter-drone police officers detected nine drones flying within the festival air space with pilots having their drones seized and were subject to positive police action.

A marine safety zone has been set up which prohibits boats from entering the sea below the flight display area, with marine patrols making sure everyone sticks to the rules.

This year’s festival, organised by BCP Council, includes an exciting programme of aerobatic displays and on-land entertainment.

Jon Weaver, Festival Director, BCP Council said: “Keeping everyone safe and following the relevant guidance is so important to the successful running of any festival.

“Behind the scenes, a huge workforce is coming together to ensure everything runs smoothly for the visitors, traders, pilots, military personnel, press, and everyone else attending the Air Festival, with safety the key priority underpinning the whole event.

“From the essential air restrictions that are in place to the marine safety zone, we have an extensive and robust event plan that covers all aspects of the operations, and we work alongside Dorset Police and other emergency services to provide the best possible experience for people attending.

“Any restrictions are put in place for everyone’s safety, so we can all have an enjoyable time at this event.”

People who want to have fun on the beach are being encouraged to follow the RNLI’s beach safety advice if entering the water which includes swimming between the red and yellow lifeguard flags and following their essential Float to Live guidance.

If anyone spots something suspicious, they’re being encouraged to follow the ‘See it, Say it, Sorted’ mantra and report it to a Police or Security Officer, Beach Ranger or member of the Events Team.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Callaghan, Gold Commander said: “Our multi-agency approach includes high visibility patrols by uniformed officers, armed police and security staff as well as CCTV monitoring.

“We want to welcome everyone to come and enjoy the air festival responsibly while reminding them to be vigilant and report anything suspicious.

“Overall, it’s about keeping everyone safe on the land, in the sea and in the skies, so those visiting the event can have a fantastic time over the four days.”

With impressive flying and aerobatics, stunning night displays and plenty of activities on land, hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to descend on Bournemouth’s seafront over the four days to enjoy this free event.

Families can also take advantage of the Allianz KidZone beach safety scheme to protect lost children on the seafront, and visitors are being reminded to keep hydrated by refilling their bottles at the water stations along the promenade.

www.bournemouthair.co.uk

Demand for our super early bird tickets has been incredible, so make sure that you get yours before the price increases. Buy now to get up to 15% off our range of tickets!

You’ll have to act quickly, with only a limited number of Super Early Bird tickets available; once they are gone they are gone.

Get Your Tickets HERE