2006 Edition

Special Report (18/08/2006) - Countdown to Shoreham Airshow

With just less than a month to go, all the signs point to the 2006 Shoreham Airshow held on the 16th-17th September being one of the major highlights of the 2006 airshow season. With perhaps the show's strongest contigent from the RAF and some highly emotive tributes for the 70th Anniversary of the Spitfire planned this really enjoyable show is set to enjoy it's best year yet. Paul Johnson/Flightline UK reports from the show Press Preview Day. All photography copyright of Author.

Now in it's 17th Year, the Shoreham airshow is one of the most popular on the calendar, not only with the thousands of visitors each yeat but also the pilots and display crews who put on a maginficent show each year. This is a great reflection on the Royal Air Forces Association Shoreham branch and the show's volunteer team behind the show who create such a great atmosphere for the event. If it hasn't done already, the 2006 show will almost certainly see the grand total of monies raised for the Royal Air Force Association exceed £1,000,000 - a great achievement and long may it continue.

So what can we expect this year? Well, all the Shoreham favourites are back. Make the most of the Utterly Butterly Barnstormers - this is last year they will be appearing under the St Ivel brand's sponsorship. They will return next year under new sponsorship which will be announced in the not too distant future. Also returning will be Denny Dobson, Team Road Angel Su-26 flown by Will Curtis and the Yakovlevs. Guy Westgate returns in his Fox Glider, but with the added twist of being towed by a Shoreham based Extra 300 aerobatics aircraft - watch for rolls and maybe something else happening on the tow!!!

New to Shoreham and a very late addition are The Blades lead by Wing Commander Andy Offer. They have donated their display to the show to help raise funds for RAFA, a charity very close to the three RAF members of the team. It was only last year that Andy was in command of IV(AC) sqn in Afganistan.

As we said earlier, Shoreham has massive support from the RAF headlined by the Typhoon F2 from No 29(R) Squadron. Appearing for the first time at Shoreham will be the Merlin HC3 from No 28(AC) Squadron alongside it Chinook HC2 collegues while Tutor, Tucano, Hawk and Harrier GR7 are all firm favourite at a Shoreham Display. More jet noise come courtesy of the Red Bull sponsored Sea Vixen D3 in the capable hands of Brian Grant.

Many of you will have noted that Shoreham is being held over Battle of Britain weekend. This poses a small problem as RAFA branches always hold special services on Battle of Brtiain Sunday. To accomadate the airshow, the Shoreham by Sea Branch will actually be holding their service on the Saturday in the main arena at the show. Each day will also open with a solo display by Peter Teichman in his Spitfire PR11 flown to some very special music that has been adopted by the RAF as an offical march. Spitfire will feature stringly in the show. John Romain is orgainsing a spectacular 40 min airfield attack and Spitfire and Hurricane scramble featuring 2 Me108s, 6 Spitfires and 2 Hurricanes. Other warbirds will include the Royal Navy Historic Flight's Sea Fury, Peter Teichman's P-51 Mustang and P-40M Kittyhawk, the complete set of Lancaster, Dakota, Spitfire and Hurricane from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, B-17G Sally-B, Harvard and Catalina.

Shoreham Airshow is held at Shoreham Airport on the 16th-17th September

Many thanks to John Periam and all at Shoreham Airport

 copyright Flightline UK