UK Airshow News – Page 50

Plans For VE-Day 70 Celebrations Confirmed For Air Show

Cosford Victory Village

Organisers of the RAF Cosford Air Show today confirmed details of displays marking the 70th Anniversary of VE-Day planned for Sunday 14th June, along with the exciting news that the University of Wolverhampton will be sponsoring the VE70 theme at the show.

Visitors to the Shropshire airfield will be taken back in time to 1945 in the ‘Victory Village’ with an exciting array of displays lined up. As well as vintage vehicles and WWII re-enactment groups, there will be period entertainment courtesy of The Glamophones, Bexi Owen&George Formby tribute artist, Colin Bourdiec.For those who fancy some retail therapy, Blondies Vintage Events will be running a Vintage Fair inside the village too. A 1940s tea-room will give visitors the chance to sit back and relax surrounded by classic aircraft such as an Avro Anson, Percival Proctor and Supermarine Spitfire. WWII Veterans will be on hand to tell their stories to visitors and there will also be speeches from historic characters such as Winston Churchill, Field Marshall Montgomery and King George VI.

Air Show Commercial Manager Marilyn Summers said, “We’re all extremely excited about the Victory Village, it will definitely be the centrepiece of a fantastic family day out at this year’s Air Show. We would urge all our visitors to go and enjoy the period entertainment we have lined up, which will continue after the flying displays have finished.”

Of course the ‘VE70′ theme will also feature in the spectacular six hour flying display, with an increased number of historic aircraft appearing at the show this year. Alongside favourites such as the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Lancaster, Dakota, Spitfires & Hurricanes there will be displays from a P-51 Mustang, P-40 Kittyhawk, PBY-5 Catalina and Gloster Meteor.

This year the RAF Cosford Air Show has become an Advanced Ticket Only event in an effort to speed up access to the showground and improve access for visitors. With ticket sales up on last year’s numbers, organisers recommend the purchase of tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. With adult tickets only £22.00 and accompanied under-16s entering for free, it is a great value for money event with entertainment for all the family.

For the first time, tickets for the RAF Cosford Air Show 2015 are advance sale only. Adult tickets are priced £22.00 with accompanied under-16s coming free! For more details on the event, hospitality packages and to purchase tickets, visit www.cosfordairshow.co.uk

Bournemouth Air Festival soars in the Visit England Awards for Excellence

Bournemout Air Festival Award of Excellence

Bournemouth Air Festival, sponsored by Mouchel, has won the coveted Gold in the Tourism Event of the Year at the most prestigious awards in English tourism, the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2015.

Other finalists in this hard fought category were The Cotswold Show and Food Festival, Mallard 75 at the National Railway Museum, Northumbrian Water/Kielder Winter Wonderland, Leapish Waterside Park and Vintage by the Sea at The Midland.

Mark Smith, Director of Tourism Bournemouth, said; “We’re absolutely delighted to win gold in the Tourism Event of the Year. Being part of the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence cements Bournemouth Air Festival’s reputation as one of the premier events in the national and international calendar.

“The Bournemouth Air Festival encapsulates the spirit of modern Bournemouth as a world-class experience. This free festival brings together the thrill of gravity-defying displays in the air and an abundance of family entertainment on the ground against the spectacular backdrop of the UK’s best seaside resort.”

Bournemouth Air Festival 2014 attracted over 1.2 million festival-goers, generating in excess of £25m for the town and creating over 350 full-time jobs.

This year’s Bournemouth Air Festival is from 20-23 August 2015. This summer the skies of Bournemouth are set again to host some of the world’s best military and civilian aviation display teams and a huge off shore naval presence. When the sun goes down, Night Air entertainment will light up the skies of the UK’s leading coastal resort with night flying illuminated by pyrotechnics and the moon. For more details, visit www.bournemouthair.co.uk.

Award for Pilots of the Caribbean Exhibition

The RAF Museum is proud to announce that its exhibition ‘Pilots of the Caribbean: Volunteers of African Heritage in the RAF’ was given a Highly Commended Award in the ‘Best Temporary Exhibition’ category at the Museums and Heritage Awards 2015 held in London on 29th April.

Pilots of the Caribbean: Volunteers of African Heritage in the RAF tells the story of Black servicemen and women from the Caribbean, Africa and Britain who volunteered to serve in the Royal Air Force in two World Wars and the subsequent peace. These volunteers fought and died for their mother country and for freedom, and the exhibition commemorates and celebrates their vital contribution to the defence of Britain, her Empire and Commonwealth.

The exhibition also highlights the RAF’s success in embracing diversity, demonstrating how the rich, cosmopolitan nature of modern Britain owes much to the Black men and women who wore air force blue.

‘Pilots’, was curated in partnership with Black Cultural Archives with an initial call out to the Black British community which encouraged a dialogue, engagement and sharing of stories. The exhibition display incorporates these stories along with archive materials, video footage and photographs.

The temporary exhibition was opened in November 2013 at the Museum’s North London site by Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE. In 2014 it was on display at the Mitchel Library in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games and it is currently on display at the Museum site at Cosford in the West Midlands. It has been an incredibly popular exhibition with visits from Black History Groups across the country, local dignitaries and celebrities such as JLS and Reggae icon Eddy Grant.

An online version of the exhibition is in development and plans are now afoot to tour the exhibition across RAF Stations around the UK.

www.rafmuseum.org

Get On Board For RAF Cosford Air Show

RAF Cosford

Organisers of the 2015 RAF Cosford Air Show announced today that a combined rail travel and Air Show ticket is now available from all manned UK rail stations. If purchased with rail travel to Cosford, admission is discounted to £18.00 per adult, a saving of £4.00 on the standard price. Accompanied under 16s have free entry to the show.

Air Show Commercial Manager Marilyn Summers said, “With the train station right on the doorstep for access to the showground and extra services being put on for the day, we would encourage visitors to take the train if they have the option and just sit back and enjoy the ride to what promises to be a fantastic day out with the bonus of a discounted entrance ticket.”

The RAF Cosford Air Show is the largest aviation event in the Midlands with an exhilarating six hours of aerial displays. It’s a fantastic day out for the whole family with a huge variety of attractions on the ground including this year, for the 70th anniversary of VE Day, the Victory Village, an all-day street party transporting visitors back to 1945. There will also be plenty of opportunities to get hands on with engineering experiments and a great mix of shopping opportunities.

Tickets for the RAF Cosford Air Show 2015 are on sale now, priced at £22 and with free entry for accompanied under-16s. Visit www.cosfordairshow.co.uk to purchase online orfor details of retail outlets selling tickets.

Classic Jet Icons For Anniversary Air Day

Yeovilton Air Day Sea Vixen

From the mighty Avro Vulcan to the feisty MiG-15, classic jet aircraft will be out in force at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton International Air Day on Saturday 11 July. Several will help mark the show’s key theme celebrating RNAS Yeovilton’s 75th anniversary, none more so than the world’s only flying Sea Vixen, based here since September 2014. The former fleet defence fighter in its 899 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) markings will surely take many visitors back to when the Sea Vixen’s unmistakable shape speared regularly through the Somerset skies.

Canberras and Hunters also became a familiar sight over the county and there will be an example of each performing a joint flying display at Air Day. Designed as a bomber, the Canberra became latterly a photo reconnaissance platform and this example is, like the Sea Vixen, globally-unique. In their very smart silver colour scheme, both jets represent British post-war aviation technology at its classiest.

Representing RNAS Yeovilton’s thunderous ‘70s era – the muscular and potent F-4K Phantom FG1 in its newly-applied 892 NAS markings will be on static display. Two examples of the legendary Sea Harrier FA2 will also be on the ground representing the Air Station’s last frontline fixed wing squadrons.

One of the star attractions will be a MiG-15, belonging to the Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron, making a rare appearance in the flying display. The Cold War classic jet fighter will be the first of its kind to display in this country since the late-1990s. The MiG-15 is well known for its role in the Korean War and engaging Royal Navy Sea Furies where remarkably on one such occasion the piston-engined aircraft gained superiority over the jet.

Finally, in what truly might be its swansong season, Avro Vulcan XH558 is returning to give yet another hugely powerful account of itself. The much loved and strongly supported V-Bomber, named ‘Spirit of Great Britain’, will perform a ground shaking flying display and be present on the ground for guided ‘under-wing’ tours, perhaps for the last time ever at Yeovilton.

Advance tickets priced at £20 (adults) and £6 (children 5-15 yrs) are available to order from www.royalnavy.mod.uk/yeovilton-airday.

Air Tattoo Welcomes Delta Force

RIAT Delta Force

This summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo will feature one of the most spectacular fast jet displays on the European circuit.

The French Air Force’s Ramex Delta team of two Dassault Mirage 2000N strike aircraft is set to provide a dramatic and noisy role demonstration at the Air Tattoo, which takes place at RAF Fairford in the Cotswolds, on July 17-19.

The Mirage 2000N is the nuclear strike variant of the type and visitors to the airshow will be able to see this outstanding combat aircraft perform various tactical manoeuvres along the lines of those used in combat.
Last demonstrated in a solo display at the Air Tattoo in 2006, the delta-winged Mirage 2000 entered French Air Force service in fighter form during 1982. It remains a highly manoeuvrable and effective combat aircraft, and has seen extensive operational use in its different variants, not least over Iraq, the Balkans, Afghanistan and Libya.

Air Tattoo Chief Executive Andy Armstrong said: “It is always a pleasure to welcome new display acts to the show. I know many visitors to RIAT 2015 will be looking forward immensely to seeing Ramex Delta in action.”
Also confirmed for this summer’s Air Tattoo is a mass flypast of historic aircraft to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, a display by the world’s only airworthy Vulcan bomber and, of course, the legendary Red Arrows.

Other aircraft confirmed for the flying display include the UK debut of Team Zeus from the Hellenic Air Force, a Czech Air Force SAAB JAS-39C Gripen and a Royal Netherlands Air Force Apache helicopter.

On the Showground, attractions include theme areas such as the Adrenalin Zone, ideal for thrill-seekers of all ages; the Techno Zone, which brings engineering to life with demonstrations and hands-on activities designed to engage young minds; the evocative Vintage Village andnew for 2015, theAutodromefeaturing a wide range of rare and exciting cars and motorbikes.

The Air Tattoo is staged annually in support of the RAF Charitable Trust. Tickets for the event on July 17-19 are only available in advance. Special Earlybird tickets priced from £31 are available until May 31 from www.airtattoo.com or by calling 0800 107 1940. All accompanied under-16s go free. Free parking.

Plans For SAR Celebration At Cosford

RAF Cosford SAR

Organisers of the RAF Cosford Air Show today confirmed more aircraft that will be appearing on Sunday 14th June, as part of the Search and Rescue theme.

In the air, visitors to the show will be treated to a search and rescue role demonstration from the iconic RAF Sea King HAR3. The appearance of the yellow helicopter, which has been in service for over three decades, will likely be one of the type’s final public appearances with the Sea King retiring from Royal Air Force service later this year. Showcasing the history of air-sea rescue, a historic American sea-plane will also be taking part in the flying display, a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina. The Catalina was used by both the US Navy and Royal Air Force during the Second World War, landing on water to rescue downed Allied airmen.

Air Show spokesperson Peter Reoch said, “The appearance of the Sea King & Catalina both strengthen the flying display line-up, adding to the colourful and eclectic mix of aircraft already confirmed for the show.” With these aircraft additions, organisers are again reminding visitors that tickets to the show must be purchased in advance. The advance tickets only policy is hoped to further improve the traffic flow into the event, which last year attracted 55,000 visitors.

On the ground, the ‘SAR Zone’ will contain numerous SAR related displays, including RAF Mountain Rescue Service and the West Midlands Fire Service Technical Rescue Unit, who specialise in Urban Search and Rescue. Aircraft already confirmed for static display within the area include a Griffin HAR2, Whirlwind HAR10 and the Midlands Air Ambulance.

Helicopter Extravaganza At Cosford

RAF Cosford Helicopter extravaganza

(Crown copyright)

Helicopter fans will be well accommodated at the RAF Cosford Air Show 2015, with news of more participants for the show on Sunday 14th June announced by the organisers today.

Making a welcome return to the Air Show will be the RAF Chinook Display, showcasing the stunning agility of the RAF’s primary heavy-lift helicopter. The Chinook is used for troop transportation, supply and battlefield casualty evacuation, and can carry up to 55 troops and 10 tonnes of freight. Another RAF helicopter due to appear at the show is the Puma HC2, which will be making its debut at RAF Cosford on static display. The Puma will form part of a special ground display showcasing the role of the UK Armed Forces in Belize which will also include a Harrier GR3. The Royal Navy will also be taking part in the flying displays, with a Lynx HMA8. This year is likely to be the last chance to see this maritime helicopter as they are slowly being retired from service.

For those visitors who want to get involved in the aerial action, the show has teamed up with Adventure001 to offer helicopter pleasure flights at the show, for the first time in a number of years. Flights will be available to visitors throughout the day in Bell Jetranger helicopters. Air Show Spokesperson Michaela Kitto said, “We’re really excited about the introduction of helicopter pleasure flights at the show. The flights will offer visitors a chance to get some unique views of the Shropshire countryside and make the day at the Air Show extra memorable!”

Organisers have seen a boost in ticket salesover the Easter period, with over 20% of the tickets for the event sold already. This year, the event will not have any tickets available on the gate, and therefore visitors are being reminded to buy their advance tickets as soon as possible. Advance Tickets to the show are already on sale online and in various outlets across the West Midlands, priced £22.00. The Air Show is a great day out for all the family, with accompanied under-16s coming to the show for free.

Vulcan to Headline Airbourne Super Saturday

Airbourne fans have a Super Saturday in store at this year’s air show in Eastbourne, as organisers announced this week that the Vulcan bomber will be topping the bill that day, in a 12 hour extravaganza of flying, ground displays, live music, twilight pyro-aerobatics and fireworks.

The free four day event which runs from 13 – 16 August will also feature the world famous RAF Red Arrows on Saturday, along with displays throughout the afternoon from the Eurofighter Typhoon, Tutor, a new Hawk T2 duo display and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which features a four-ship formation from the Lancaster, Spitfire, Hurricane and Dakota.

Featuring live music and entertainment on the Airbourne Live beach stage throughout the day, the festival fever continues into the evening with live bands, a twilight aircraft pyrotechnic display and finishes with a fantastic fireworks display across the seafront at 10pm.

Eastbourne Borough Council Senior Head of Tourism & Enterprise, Philip Evans said “We’re really upping the festival factor this year, bringing the Airbourne atmosphere into the evening. It’s not only great for air show and music fans but it’s great for our local economy too, encouraging more people to stay longer and dine into the evening, while experiencing Eastbourne’s seafront at its most vibrant.”

The four day show also features plenty of fun on the ground, including a military exhibition, children’s entertainment areas, helicopter pleasure flights and evening concerts at the Bandstand, including Big Band Night on Thursday and the legendary pop-punk princess Toyah, on Friday.

The flying display is part funded from public donations each year at Airbourne, thanks to local resident David Dickens and collections organised by Marco and Cathy Giorgi along with the Rotary Clubs of Sovereign Harbour and Hailsham, with 30% of the proceeds also passed onto local charities.

The Airbourne Live stage on the beach will feature music throughout each day and into the early evening, with a wide variety of acts to be announced over the coming weeks.

Airbourne: Eastbourne International Air Show returns from 13 – 16 August 2015 and entry is free. The RAF Red Arrows are confirmed to display over three days, with more flying displays to be announced over the coming weeks. All flying is subject to RAF operational commitments, weather and serviceability.

The flying display is part funded from public donations each year at Airbourne, thanks to contributions by Sussex residents David Dickens and Brian Bunce and the collections organised by Marco and Cathy Giorgi and the Rotary Clubs of Sovereign Harbour and Hailsham, with 30% of the proceeds also passed onto local charities.

To beat the crowds, there are exclusive seating areas available at the Bandstand and exclusive hospitality available on the Western Lawns with tickets on sale now.

For more information or to book online visit www.eastbourneairshow.com.

Wings & Wheels to Return Bigger and Better

Dunsfold Wings & Wheels

The sensational summer event for the whole family, Wings & Wheels, returns on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th August 2015 at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey to celebrate its 11th show. Famous favourites in the air and on the ground will blow your mind, whilst the attractions and Zones in the Arena will keep you entertained and buzzing with delight the WHOLE weekend.

Eyes to the sky as the ‘Wings’ of the event treats visitors to outstanding and diverse 5 hour air displays which include show favourites the Red Arrows, Eurofighter Typhoon, Vulcan, Hawk T2 Role Demo, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (Spitfire, Lancaster, Hurricane), Tutor and Reds Duo (Remote Controlled) accompanied by witty and knowledgeable commentary from aviation experts and display pilots. More airshow displays will be announced throughout the summer.

The ‘Wings’ of the event would not be complete without a close-up inspection of all the weekend’s visiting aircraft including the RAF Sea King, SAR Helicopter, RAF Hawk T1, RN Merlin Helicopter and RAF King Air as well as Dunsfold’s resident Boeing 747 in the ‘Wings Park’ (open for tours) and Brooklands VC10.

Supercars and classic and vintage icons put on an awe-inspiring display of power and speed on the Top Gear track in a 2 hour auto spectacular from Brooklands Museum. The ‘Wheels’ of the show has previously included displays from Porsche 911, Dodge Monaco, TVR Tasmin 280i, Ducati Multistrada 1200s, Ferrari F355 Berlinetta, Ford GT40 and Lotus Elise.

Visit the reinvented Wheels Zone for 2015, with its very own retail Village, bigger and better crowd line parade and interactive displays from car and motorbike clubs including Aslans Extreme Holds, the UKG Stig and Transformer Cars as well as the return of our 2014 display winners; All Wheel Drive Enthusiasts, DS3’s British tea party, and Jaguar Enthusiasts Club. The Stunt Zone will be exploding into 2015 with two and four wheeled hair-raising performances.

The Military Zone & Parade is interactive and explosive bringing re-enactors, a living history zone, live battles and our popular military vehicle parade. The Zone has over 80 military vehicles, five re-enactment groups, the history of Dunsfold Aerodrome, Army, Navy and RAF recruitment stands and musical entertainers and dancers for everyone’s enjoyment.

The excitement and anticipation doesn’t stop at the main displays as the 32 acre public arena is bursting with a huge variety of interactive attractions containing all you need for a great family day out. The show arena boasts laser quest, kit-plane demonstrations, aviation and motoring simulators, military outlets and displays, static aircraft, fairground, emergency services demonstration and over 80 retail outlets selling a wide variety of products and gifts.

As the last plane touches down the party starts across the arena with a mix of musical evening entertainment.

Taking the hassle out of your day the show includes added extras to make your experience even more enjoyable; 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 11th annual Wings & Wheels will be held over the August Bank holiday weekend; Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th August 2015, 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. Single child tickets (for children aged 5 – 15) will be £7. Children under 5 go free. Hospitality packages start from £150 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 2015 will be assisting the fundraising efforts of Brooklands Museum Trust and Help for Heroes.