The Diamond Jubilee weekend has given everyone a tantalising glimpse of some of the treats in store at the Cosford Air Show. The Red Arrows and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flypasts stole the show along the Mall, but on Sunday 17th June at Cosford both will be giving their full display which is sure to wow the crowds.

Sadly the flypast for the River Pageant on Saturday had to be cancelled because of the bad weather. However, the planned stars of that flying display – the Swordfish of the Royal Naval Historic Flight and Royal Navy helicopters – are both in the programme for Cosford as well as nearly six hours packed with performances from aircraft old and new.

Among many other current highlights are the famous Blades, the RAF Typhoon, role demonstrations from a pair of Tornados, the RAF Sea King and the Army Air Corps Apache, while Vampire, Meteor, P-51 Mustang and the Great War team aircraft lead the classic line-up.

Like many big events the activity is not only in the air but includes a full programme of ground entertainment and displays. With less than two weeks to go advance ticket sales are on sale on-line and from local outlets at just £20 per person with children under 16 admitted free.

Full information on the show including details of all participating aircraft can be found on the air show web site – www.cosfordairshow.co.uk

Today’s announcements from the Cosford Air Show taking place on Sunday 17 June have something to please enthusiasts and families alike.The latest thrill for those with a love of special aircraft is the unique opportunity to see one of the Cosford based Jaguar aircraft taxiing along the runway during the morning.

Although these iconic aircraft are no longer in active RAF service they are still used for ground training and the organisers have promised a close up view of some of them. As well as the live taxi several of the aircraft, including some with unusual paint schemes, will be on display with their ground equipment in the static aircraft park.

For those who prefer something more sedate there will be some fascinating flying by the RAF Large Model Aircraft Association. Their beautiful scale models cover aircraft old and new and with the right camera lens could almost be the real thing. The display will last for an hour and is scheduled to take place immediately before the main flying display.

Other highlights of the show include the fabulous Red Arrows and two Tornados performing a role demonstration accompanied by a pyrotechnic display, as well as an appearance by a P-51 Mustang which saw service with the famous Tuskegee airmen in World War II. This year’s Air Show image is of two Gnats which will star in the display and form part of the celebration of 100 years of the Central Flying School. On the ground the special line up of Central Flying School aircraft starts with the Tiger Moth and features training aircraft through the ages.

Other ground entertainment includes military bands, Field Gun displays, interactive exhibits from the Royal Air Force and of course the famous Sunday market and Craft Fair.

Full information on the show including details of all participating aircraft can be found on the air show web site – www.cosfordairshow.co.uk

With less than four weeks to go the Cosford Air Show (Sunday, June 17) is counting down the days to the biggest aviation event in the West Midlands. The flying display promises to be one of the most exciting yet with everything from fast jets to biplanes and from helicopter to gliders. The Great War Bird Team will be honouring the hundredth anniversary of the Royal Flying Corps and a line up of training aircraft in the air and in the specially themed static park area acknowledge another centenary, this one for the Central Flying School. Other highlights include role demos from the Tornado and Sea King from the Royal Air Force and the Apache from the Army Air Corps. Of course no Cosford Air Show would be complete without the appearance of the Red Arrows, the Falcon Parachute display team and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. The famous Blades display team, the Agusta 109 helicopter display from Belgium and a stunning performance from the Typhoon round off the spectacular air display.

The thrills in the air are matched by a new and exciting ground programme. As well as the traditional indoor craft fair and three hangars packed with military exhibitions and interactive displays from all three services, this year sees the first ever appearance of the RAF Field Gun Display in the new arena. The arena programme, which also includes military bands and Guide Dog displays, runs from the moment gates open until the start of the flying display making RAF Cosford Air Show a full day of entertainment for the whole family.

Full information on the show including details of all participating aircraft can be found on the air show web site – www.cosfordairshow.co.uk

The first details of the RAF Cosford Air Show have just been released. The Air Show organiser Wing Commander (retired) Amanda Butcher said “Although we are still waiting for formal confirmation from the Royal Air Force we are expecting to see most of the RAF’s best displays at Cosford on Sunday 17th June. However we have already started to book some of the other stars of the show and can confirm that both the Aerostars and the famous Blades display team will be here”

One of the themes of the 2012 Cosford Air Show will be 100 years of the Central Flying School and there will be a selection of aircraft both in flying display and in the static aircraft the ground to celebrate this special event.

On the ground the RAF Regiment Band will be just one of several bands playing as part of the all day entertainment.

Tickets went on sale two weeks ago and are already selling well. This year’s airshow is already shaping up to one of the best family days in 2012.

Full information on the show can be seen on the air show web site – www.cosfordairshow.co.uk

The latest announcements from the Cosford Air Show promise a thrilling new aspect to the flying display with role demonstrations from a host of military aircraft.

The RAF Sea King from HRH Prince William’s unit at RAF Valley will be working with the RAF Mountain Rescue team to provide a demonstration of the work done by the Search and Rescue teams. This is a unique opportunity to see winching operations at first hand and to meet members of the team on the ground afterwards.

The Tornado GR4 Role Demo will show how the RAF employs aircraft on operations in support of people on the ground. You can expect some loud bangs and the noise of aircraft in full re-heat with pyrotechnics being used to simulate various attack profiles.

More action comes from the Apaches of the Army Air Corps with their stunning attack helicopter role demonstration. The Army Apaches play a key role in Afghanistan and this display gives the public a taste of the skill shown by these front line pilots.

Other new announcements include a Lynx from the Royal Navy Helicopter display team The Black Cats and a welcome overseas visitor, the Augusta 109 from the Belgian Air Force with its special flying display. The line up of historic aircraft includes the Swordfish and Sea Fury of the Royal Navy Historic Flight and a selection of aircraft representing 100 years of the Central Flying School.

All of this alongside the Red Arrows, the Typhoon, the Blades, the RAF Falcons and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will make this year’s show one of the most exciting yet.

Full information on the show can be seen on the air show web site – www.cosfordairshow.co.uk

Cosford Air Show is set to be one of the highlights of the aviation year with a full line up of RAF aircraft just confirmed. As well as the Red Arrows and the RAF Falcons parachute display team there will be an opportunity for nostalgia in the Queen’s Jubilee year with a display from the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Other confirmed historic aircraft include the vintage pair of Meteor and Vampire.

For those hoping for some fast jet thrills both Typhoon and Tornado will be displaying their 2012 routines along with classic jets such as Gnats, the aircraft type once flown by the Red Arrows.

All-day ground entertainment includes something for all the family with a children’s funfair, an indoor craft fair, bands and exhibits and free entry to the RAF Museum. Many of the displays and exhibits are under cover, so whatever the British weather does there will be somewhere to go to get out of the rain or the sun!

Full information on the show can be seen on the air show web site – www.cosfordairshow.co.uk

20th May 2012

Vulcan flypast 12:25pm (weather permitting)

Lancaster display 1:00pm (weather permitting)

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster and Vulcan XH558 will be taking to the skies over Shropshire in honour of the thousands of National Service RAF veterans. These iconic aircraft will perform for visitors and guests at the National Service (RAF) Association parade, taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on Sunday 20th May 2012.

Starting at 11.00am, the parade will be led by 495 (Sutton Coldfield) ATC Sqn Band and will form up on the entrance roadway to the Museum site. Following a short 100m march, the parade will finish next to the Museum’s Hangar 1, where Air Marshal Garwood, Air-DComOps will be the reviewing officer.

This year will mark the organisations 10th parade and re-union which has been held at Cosford since 2004. Last year, over 2,000 guests attended the event of which over 600 presented themselves for the parade. All Veterans who served in the Royal Air Force are welcome to participate, providing them with the opportunity to reunite with lost friends and colleagues.

Members of the public are also invited to join in the days activities which will include a Vulcan flypast scheduled for 12:25pm and a Lancaster flying display at 1:00pm (both weather permitting). Entertainment will be provided by vocal group the “D Day Darlings”, plus National Veterans Organisations and training camp associations will be represented in Hangar 1. On completion of the formal events, guests will have access to the RAF Museum site where they can catch up with old friends and view the exhibits.

The Museum gates will open at 9am on Sunday 20th May, although the Museum itself will open at 10am. Entry to the Museum, participation in the parade and viewing the displays is FREE. For further information, please call the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit the museum website at www.rafmuseum.org.

Wednesday 2nd May 2012

11.30am

On the 2nd May 1952 a BOAC de Havilland Comet 1 carried 36 passengers on the first leg of a journey from London to Johannesburg on what was the first fare paying passenger flight in a Jet Airliner. To mark the 60th anniversary of this historic flight, the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be unveiling a specially commissioned temporary exhibition which charts the Comets story and includes previously unseen archive film footage. The exhibition will be displayed alongside the Museum’s Comet, the only complete Comet 1 remaining anywhere in the world.

The exhibition includes display cases with a collection of artefacts including photos, log books and airline memorabilia. In addition to this information, display boards highlight key facts and figures on the Comets checkered history plus archive film footage shows Comets during their route proving flights in Africa during 1951/52.

The exhibition will be unveiled on Wednesday 2nd May by Comet pilot George Aird, now aged 84. As a test pilot for de Havilland, the manufacturers of the Comet, George flew the Museum’s Comet extensively throughout the 1960s. Although George never flew the Comet for an airline, he was a Captain of the Museum’s example when it was used as a flying laboratory, carrying scientists and test equipment in its cabin during guided missile tests. George flew the Museum’s Comet on its final flight to RAF Shawbury in 1968, for storage for the RAF Museum.

Also attending on the day is Comet 4 Air Stewardess Judy Lerrigo who will be bringing along her uniform and original flight plans and offering a perspective on what it was like to work within the passenger cabin of a Comet.

In the Early 1950’s the Comet was a pioneering aircraft that could fly higher, faster and further than any other commercial aircraft of its time. When the de Havilland Comet entered service with BOAC as the first commercial jet airliner, it marked a new era in civil aviation and left other aircraft manufacturers years behind. The new aircraft could carry 36 passengers at a cruising speed of 720 km/h (450 mph) over a distance of 4000 km (2500 miles). BOAC became the envy of world airlines by operating the first jet fleet.

After only eighteen months of service two aircraft disappeared within three months of each other. The Secretary of State for Civil Aviation ordered a full investigation into the causes of the disappearances. One part of the investigation examined cabin pressurisation. Through the water tank testing of another ex-BOAC Comet, and the reconstruction of the recovered remains of one of the crashed aircraft, evidence revealed that metal fatigue in the pressure cabin was the cause of the accidents.

Once this was known the Comet was redesigned and went on to serve as a transport aircraft with the RAF and as a commercial airliner in its larger Comet 4 guise, flying around the world with various airlines until the late 1970s.

The Comet 60th anniversary exhibition will be on display from Wednesday 2nd May to Monday 11th June 2012 in the Museum’s Hangar 1. The Museum is open daily from 10am to 6pm and admission is free of charge. For more information on the exhibition or the Museum please call 01902 376200 or visit www.rafmuseum.org

HM The Queen is coming to Shropshire in July as part of her Diamond Jubilee Tour – and everyone in the county is invited. Along with His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, The Queen is due to attend the spectacular Diamond Jubilee event at RAF Cosford and The Royal Air Force Museum on 12th July, when the county stages its celebration of “60 Glorious Years”.

The Lord-Lieutenant, Her Majesty’s representative in Shropshire, is delighted that The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh are able to attend Shropshire’s day. Mr Algernon Heber-Percy said,

“We hope that this will be one of the most memorable days Shropshire can remember. This will be a unique opportunity for the County to thank Her Majesty for her exceptional dedication and leadership, which she has given us all over the last 60 years.”

The “Brightest and Best” of the County’s industrial, commercial and agricultural expertise will be showcased. The significant achievements that these sectors have made to the local and national economy throughout The Queen’s reign will be displayed in a special exciting indoor exhibition. The event will also highlight numerous voluntary and charitable organisations in Shropshire giving them the opportunity to demonstrate their outstanding achievements. A spectacular moving Pageant will be taking place involving approximately 5000 school children/students and numerous organisations from across Shropshire. The Pageant will reflect the last 60 years of Her Majesty’s reign from a Shropshire perspective, including the emergence and growth of Telford and Wrekin.

Musical groups and artists from across the county will be performing on stage throughout the day. It is hoped that thousands of people will attend this free event, to enjoy a day filled with activities, fun and partying but without doubt, the highlight of the event will be the presence of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. Enjoy the magnificent Shropshire food and drink available to purchase on the day and don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity.

The Lord-Lieutenant is Chairman of the organising team with his deputies and local experts heading up various activities. If you would like to attend this event you will need to register for your free ticket on the official website, www.shropshirejubilee.co.uk

19th May 2012

6.00pm – 8.30pm

£10.00 per person

(Open cockpits and aircraft may be subject to change)

Tickets are now on sale for the ever popular ‘Open Cockpits Evening’ at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford. The evening will commence at 6pm on Saturday 19th May. A total of 16 aircraft will be available for close viewing on the night: including transport aircraft, jet fighters plus unique research airframes. Exclusively for this evening the Museum will be opening up one of its latest arrivals, weather permitting, the Hercules – a military transport aircraft.

The evening in May will be the third time the Museum has held this event which allows rare access to the interiors of some of the world’s most historic and iconic aircraft. Visitors will be able to get a feel for what it was like to fly these much loved machines: aircraft such as the unique Bristol 188, a twin engined stainless steel supersonic research monoplane designed to investigate the effects of heat on aircraft structures at very high speeds. Or the F-111 an American twin engine, two seat, multi-purpose attack aircraft which not only became the first variable-geometry combat aircraft to enter service but also saw action during the Vietnam War.

Other major highlights for aviation enthusiasts include the opportunity to see inside the Museum’s Tornado P02, one of the prototypes of the RAF’s twin-engined, two-seat ground attack jet fighter that saw extensive action during the first Gulf War. Visitors will also be able to examine the interior of the Museum’s Sikorsky MH-53 long range combat search and rescue helicopter, a helicopter that saw conflict in various arenas of war from Vietnam to Afghanistan as part of the United States of America Air Force.

Other aircraft accessible to visitors on this evening will include the Pembroke, JU52, Jaguar and the Phantom. In addition to this, visitors will have exclusive after hours access to the Museum which displays over 70 aircraft.

RAF Museum Cosford Assistant Curator, Clare Carr says:
“This Open Cockpits Evening allows visitors to have close up access to Cold War warriors such as the F-111 and MiG21 as well as work horses such as the Hercules and Belfast. The evening is a must for any aviation fan.”

Cosford’s ‘Open Cockpits Evening’ is part of the Museums at Night, an annual international event where hundreds of museums, galleries, libraries, archives and heritage sites across Europe open their doors to the public for special after hours events. This evening will commence from 6.00pm and finish at 8.30pm. Numbers onto the Museum site will be strictly limited to only 300 people, to enable enthusiasts to spend as much time as possible examining these wondrous aircraft. Admission is by advance ticket only. Organisers are advising, given the popularity of previous ‘Open Cockpit Evenings’ to purchase your tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Tickets cost £10.00 per person and are now on sale at the Museum. Minimum height restrictions of 1.07 metres will apply. Parking charges are included in the ticket price.

For further information on the ‘Open Cockpit Evening’ or to purchase tickets over the phone, please contact the Museum on 01902 376200. Visit www.rafmuseum.org for information on the Museum and other events. Please note: Open cockpits and aircraft available for close viewing may be subject to change.