With a fascinating selection of Jaguars on display, RAF Cosford’s 75th Anniversary Air Show is offering a big cat line-up that will be seen nowhere else this summer. 

As well as celebrating the 75th anniversary of both RAF Cosford and the entry into RAF service of the Spitfire aircraft, this year’s Air Show also looks to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Jaguar aircraft. Whilst no longer on front line duty with the RAF, the Jaguar jets are still used at RAF Cosford to help train the next generation of aircraft technicians and engineers. RAF Cosford is now the only Royal Air Force station operating these aircraft.

Last year as an exclusive treat, the Air Show gave its visitors a rare glimpse of the Jaguar in action as it was started up and taxied down the runway, providing a rare photo opportunity. This display was so well received that the organisers are keen to demonstrate the aircraft again this year and have decided this time to show off two aircraft simultaneously. The plan includes a rare opportunity to see “Spotty”, the Jaguar with a big cat paint scheme, on the runway.

In addition to the aircraft, Jaguar Land Rover will also be attending this year’s Air Show and bringing along with them a selection of their finest cars. The brand new Jaguar F-Type Convertible will be on display, as well as some famous vehicles including the XKR model used as James Bond’s car in the 2002 hit ‘Die Another Day’. David Moore from Jaguar Landrover says “Having worked with 6 Squadron Jaguars for many years I’m really excited about seeing the ‘Spotty Jag’ again as both myself and Joe Buck from Jaguar Styling painted the aircraft when they were based at Coningsby.”

Air Show spokesman Flying Officer Sam Jewell says “The RAF Cosford Air Show team is pleased to offer our visitors the rare opportunity to witness this jet in action. We were blown away last year with the warm reception that the Jaguars received and are more than happy to offer twice as much noise and excitement to open this year’s show. We are also happy to welcome Jaguar Land Rover to the event who will not only be strengthening our superb ground display line up, but also contributing significantly to our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) exhibit.”

All profits made from the RAF Cosford Air Show are donated to service and local charities.

Air show tickets can be purchased online at www.cosfordairshow.co.uk, by calling the 24-hour ticket line on 0871 230 1083 (10p/min plus network charges), or at various other outlets details of which can be found on the website. Advance adult tickets are priced from £20, representing a 20% discount on tickets bought on the day and FREE admission for children under-16 accompanied by an adult as well as FREE car parking.

The RAF Cosford 75th Anniversary Air Show team is excited to announce that a Chinook and an Apache helicopter from the MOD Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) will be coming to the event on Sunday 9th June.

The Chinook helicopter, operated by the Royal Air Force primarily to support troop movements, will be joined by an Apache attack helicopter from the Army Air Corps. Although operated by different services, the two aircraft are far from strangers as they operate alongside each other regularly whilst on overseas deployments. The heavily-armed Apache helicopters usually work in pairs to act as escorts for the Chinook and the personnel onboard, offering an extra layer of protection whilst being transported.

The focus of the displays will be to demonstrate the outstanding work carried out by the Medical Emergency Response Teams (MERT) who are frequently called into the firing line on military operations in order to save the lives of injured personnel. In addition to the MERT demo, both the Chinook and Apache helicopters will show off their stunning individual flying displays that promise to thrill the crowd with dazzling performances of agility and grace.

A MERT, which usually comprises of a Military Doctor, an RAF Emergency Nurse and two RAF State-Registered Paramedics, is tasked to deliver expert pre-hospital emergency care at the point of injury before rapidly recovering the casualties to the deployed hospital. RAF Regiment gunners are also enlisted on MERT missions to provide armed protection when the Chinook helicopter lands, allowing the MERT crew to collect the injured individual as quickly and safely as possible.

The demonstration being provided at this year’s Air Show aims to be as realistic as possible to provide an insight into the day-to-day activities on overseas deployments. As such, RAF Regiment gunners that work at RAF Cosford are being utilised on the Chinook helicopter as well as a MERT that is supported by the specialist aeromedical evacuation unit, 4626 RAuxAF Squadron, at RAF Brize Norton, all while the Apache is flying overhead providing protection from above, just like it would in operational theatres such as Afghanistan.

Air Show spokesman Flying Officer Sam Jewell says “The RAF Cosford Air Show team is delighted to offer our visitors the opportunity to witness first-hand the incredibly vital life-saving work that the MERT provide 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The additional displays flown by both aircraft either side of the MERT demo will also be a wonderful treat to remind everybody of the hugely diverse capabilities of these amazingly versatile aircraft.”

To further help members of the public experience life on operations in Afghanistan, significant effort has been put in to provide a mock up “Afghan village” as part of the extensive ground displays provided at this year’s event.

Master Aircrew Chas McHugh, one of the individuals in charge of organising the Afghan village as well as the MERT demo, says “In 2013 the RAF Cosford Air Show brings you an insight into present day operations in Afghanistan. This multi-service display is exclusive to RAF Cosford and demonstrates the co-operation between UK Forces that is essential to success on the modern battlefield. We hope our visitors find the displays both insightful and eye-opening”.

The RAF Cosford Air Show team have also introduced several new hospitality enclosures for the 2013 Air Show including the popular ‘The Cosford Club’ sponsored by Nikon. With a dedicated crowd line spot, private domestic and catering facilities as well as the opportunity to trial exclusive Nikon equipment and the chance to win a taxi ride in a Jaguar aircraft, ‘The Cosford Club’ offers its members a fantastic enhancement to the Air Show experience. For details of the full range of packages on offer to suit all requirements and budgets, please visit the air show website at www.cosfordairshow.co.uk.

All profits made from the RAF Cosford Air Show are donated to service and local charities.

Air show tickets can be purchased online at www.cosfordairshow.co.uk, by calling the 24-hour ticket line on 0871 230 1083 (10p/min plus network charges), or at various other outlets details of which can be found on the website. Advance adult tickets are priced from £20, representing a 20% discount on tickets bought on the day and FREE admission for children under-16 accompanied by an adult as well as FREE car parking.

The RAF Cosford 75th Anniversary Air Show team is excited to announce that the last remaining airworthy B-17 Flying Fortress in Europe will be joining the packed line-up at this year’s event on Sunday 9th June.

Flying Fortress G-BEDF, affectionately known as ‘Sally B’, is housed at the Imperial War Museum Duxford and will make her way to RAF Cosford to wow the crowds with her nostalgic beauty and increase the length of the flying display to almost 6 hours.

Used primarily as a memorial to the World War II United States Army Air Force (USAAF) airmen in Europe, ‘Sally B’ has successfully remained in the air for the last 38 years thanks to the efforts of the B-17 Preservation Group, which aims to preserve, operate and exhibit this living piece of aviation history. No stranger to Hollywood fame, ‘Sally B’ played the starring role in the 1989 re-make of William Wyler’s ‘Memphis Belle’, telling the story of the first B-17 to complete twenty-five missions over enemy territory during World War II.

As Europe’s last flying example of the aircraft, ‘Sally B’ will join a plethora of other historically significant aircraft. Just last week, the RAF Cosford Air Show team confirmed the appearance of Avro Vulcan XH558 to the exciting list of flying displays. The RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will also provide a poignant display as a memorial to the many servicemen who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. The World famous RAF Red Arrows, as well as the RAF Typhoon and Tucano display teams have also been confirmed for the event, with many more providing a hugely diverse selection of aircraft on show throughout the day.

Air Show spokesman Flying Officer Sam Jewell says “The RAF Cosford Air Show team warmly welcomes ‘Sally B’ to this year’s Air Show, building on the exciting list of iconic aircraft on display. The non-stop airborne entertainment paired with the extensive activity on the ground will provide visitors with a truly fun-filled day. This year’s flying schedule is one of our best ever and we are very pleased to be adding Sally B to an already star studded display.”

The RAF Cosford Air Show team have also introduced several new hospitality enclosures for the 2013 Air Show including the popular ‘The Cosford Club’ sponsored by Nikon. With a dedicated crowd line spot, private domestic and catering facilities as well as the opportunity to trial exclusive Nikon equipment and the chance to win a taxi ride in a Jaguar aircraft, ‘The Cosford Club’ offers its members a fantastic enhancement to the Air Show experience. For details of the full range of packages on offer to suit all requirements and budgets, please visit the air show website at www.cosfordairshow.co.uk.

All profits made from the RAF Cosford Air Show are donated to service and local charities.

Air show tickets can be purchased online at www.cosfordairshow.co.uk, by calling the 24-hour ticket line on 0871 230 1083 (10p/min plus network charges), or at various other outlets details of which can be found on the website. Advance adult tickets are priced from £20, representing a 20% discount on tickets bought on the day and FREE admission for children under-16 accompanied by an adult as well as FREE car parking.

RAF Cosford’s 75th Anniversary Air Show is thrilled to announce the news that many have been waiting for, as Avro Vulcan XH558 from the Vulcan To The Sky Trust is confirmed to attend the event on Sunday 9th June.

Since returning to the skies in October 2007, the last flying example anywhere in the World of the Avro Vulcan has only been to the Air Show on one other occasion in 2009. The iconic aircraft was a huge hit with the visitors, setting a new attendance record and the Vulcan proved itself a firm crowd favourite.

XH558 supplements an already impressive line-up for the 2013 Air Show and is sure to be one of many highlights throughout the day. Other confirmations for the one-day event include the RAF Typhoon and Tucano display teams, aerobatic display team The Blades and the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight including the Avro Lancaster, another famous creation from the same engineering minds behind the Vulcan. The World famous RAF Red Arrows have also included the RAF Cosford Air Show in their 2013 display schedule.

The V-Bomber became a symbol of British strength in the deterrent years following World War II and was also used to great effect during the Falklands conflict until it retired from service in 1984. Its presence will complement a warmly anticipated exclusive to the static display, involving a Harrier GR3 complete with aircraft hide, set up exactly as it would have been during the Cold War.

Air show spokesman Flying Officer Sam Jewell said: “The RAF Cosford Air Show team is very excited about the announcement of XH558 returning to the Shropshire skies. We know from her display debut here at RAF Cosford in 2009 that the public love her appearance on their day out, so we are thrilled to be able to offer the experience again for the many thousands we are expecting.”

The appearance of the Vulcan has been made possible by a part-sponsorship deal with MPM Catering who provide all the refreshment stands offering a wide selection of food and drink during the day. Fiona O’Hanlon from MPM Catering commented: “We are delighted to be able to provide both the catering facilities for the RAF Cosford Air Show 2013 as well as a portion of the funding required to bring the Avro Vulcan back to the event. We have a particularly special relationship with the RAF Cosford Air Show and also wanted to provide this support given that the number of years we can enjoy this wonderful aircraft is decreasing.”

The organisers this year have also introduced several new hospitality enclosures for the 2013 Air Show including the popular ‘The Cosford Club’ sponsored by Nikon. With a dedicated crowd line spot, private domestic and catering facilities as well as the opportunity to loan exclusive Nikon equipment and the chance to win a taxi ride in a Jaguar aircraft, ‘The Cosford Club’ offers its members a fantastic enhancement to the Air Show experience. For details of the full range of packages on offer to suit all requirements and budgets, please visit the air show website at www.cosfordairshow.co.uk.

All profits made from the RAF Cosford Air Show are donated to service and local charities.

Air show tickets can be purchased online at www.cosfordairshow.co.uk, by calling the 24-hour ticket line on 0871 230 1083 (10p/min plus network charges), by combining rail travel and admission with Arriva Trains Wales or at various other outlets details of which can be found on the website. Advance adult tickets are priced from £20, representing a 20% discount on tickets bought on the day and FREE admission for children under-16 accompanied by an adult as well as FREE car parking.