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The 2008 flying display at RIAT was due to be a true RIAT classic. It involved more displays team than seen in recent years yet still had time for some very rare and exciting solo displays. While there was no flying at the weekend, there was plenty of display rehearsals taking place in the run up to the public days. Other acts were also seen at other airshows around the country. Paul Johnson/Flightline UK reports . All photography copyright of Author.
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Show Stars 1 - CAF CF-188A Hornet
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| The Canadian Hornet demo team made a welcome return to the Royal International Air Tattoo with a powerful performance in this classic fighter. |
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The flying displays for Royal International Air Tattoo 2008 would have commenced at 9.45am each morning with one of the two South American display teams present - the Brazilian Air Force Esquadrilha da Fumaca on Saturday making their UK display debut and the Chilean Air Force Los Halcones on the Sunday. These two teams had both had long trips to get to RIAT. The Chileans had a far more civilised trip with their aircraft derigged and transported in a C-130H support aircraft. The Brazilians however flew their T-27 Tucano aircraft from their base to Fairford - a trip exceeding 30 hours in the air. They managed one familiarisation and practice flight in the days before the weekend!
Another team which was making it first UK appearance for quite sometime were the Turkish Air Force's Turkish Stars. The team are famous for their flamboyant flying and their equally flamboyant commentator. Flying the NF-5A/B Freedom Fighter the team may lose out on agility stakes using up plenty of sky, but their colourful aircraft and close formation flying is impressive. Also flying the F-5, though the enhanced F-5E Tiger II were the Patrouille Suisse, one of several teams present that are regular visitors to the tattoo. Patrouille de France and the Royal Jordanian Falcons are familiar sights in the skies above the Cotswolds. Less familiar to the Tattoo, but a regular sight at UK shows over the past few years are the Breitling Jet Team. The team were making their second UK appearance of the year having appeared at the Biggin Hill International Air Fair in June. The Indian Air Force Sarang Helicopter Display Team made their UK display debut at Biggin too, and were making their penultimate UK appearance at the Tattoo before heading home to their base at Yelahanka.
Another highlight for many enthusiasts would have been the UK debut of the recently reformed Asas de Portugal. The team are
currently flying a pair of Dassault Alpha Jet A aircraft in their display but no less than four turned up in the Asas livery so perhaps we can look forward to an expanded team in future years.
Every two years, RIAT is immediately followed by the major trade exhibition and airshow at Farnborough. Recently, several of the manufacturers exhibiting at Farnborough have been able to take advantage of RIAT to further promote their wares to military chiefs who gather for the Tattoo. A regular participant is Boeing with the F/A-18F Super Hornet. Airbus and EADS have also increased their presence at the show in recent years. This year saw both the Airbus A310-324MRTT and the spectacular Airbus A380 scheduled to appear at Fairford. FR Aviation also displayed their wares in a unique display combining their own Dassault Falcon 20s with a pair of Royal Navy Hawk T1s from FRADU at RNAS Culdrose.
RIAT is about the only show in the UK now that regularly features flying displays from the United States Air Force. As well as the F-22A Raptor that we feature elsewhere the USAF also made their now regular contribution with a B-52H Stratofortress from USAF Reserve Command and a Rockwell B-1B Lancer from Air Combat Command.
Also from the North American continent was a welcome appearance by a Canadian Armed Forces CF-118 Hornet. It has been several years since a Canadian Hornet flew in a RIAT display in 2000. Now, as then, the display aircraft appeared in a stunning paint scheme. This time the scheme celebrated the 50th Anniversary of NORAD.
European Air Arms always support RIAT well.
The most regular participants from Europe at UK displays must be the Belgian and Dutch F-16AM Fighting Falcon solo displays. Neither team had much luck at UK displays in 2008 which most of their appearances either cancelled or severely affected by inclement weather. Also appearing over both days as a suitable break from the noise was the Belgian Sea King Mk48 search and rescue demonstration. The aircraft attending this year was the gloss black anniversary machine
from 40 Smaldeel based at Koksijde.
The Czech Republic Air Force made two very exciting contributions to the flying display. The Mil-24V Hind has become something of a regular performer at European displays and is always a popular addition to any flying display thanks to it's size and presence. Making it's UK display debut was a SAAB JAS39C Gripen from 211.tl based at Caslav. Gripens have always been powerful performers at European displays, but the Czech display just about tops the rest with an awesome display of the types agility and noise!
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Show Stars 3 - Turkish Stars
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| The Turkish Stars have been absent from RAF Fairford for too long and 2008 was a
welcome return. Lets hope it's not too long before we see them display for a UK audience again. |
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With the Royal Air Force's 90th Anniversary a central theme of the Air Tattoo, it was only right that a large proportion of the scheduled flying was devoted to the anniversary. All of the RAF's main displays teams (except for the RAF Falcons - why have the Falcons been absent from a RIAT display for so long now?) were at Fairford for the flying displays. It would have been the first appearance in a RIAT flying display for the diminutive Grob Tutor T1 and King Air displays.
Also present were the Royal Air Force Demonstration Team ready to thrill the crowds with their explosive demonstration of RAF capabilities and roles. 2008 proved to be a difficult season for the team with the weather affecting a number of different displays.
The flying displays would have told the story of the RAF starting off with the formation of the service in 1918. First item to appear in a special tableau would have been the Great War Display Team with their fine replicas of World War One aircraft. The next stage of the RAF's history to be portrayed was the second world war with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the Shuttleworth Collection's Westland Lysander IIIa taking centre stage.
The Cold War years were to be represented by a rare appearance by Hawker Hunter Aviation's Hunter F58 from RAF Scampton.
But perhaps the biggest loser of the cancellation was Avro Vulcan XH558. RIAT would have been the Vulcan's second public appearance of the year after making her public display debut on the 5th July at the RAF Waddington International Airshow. The rough timing of the Vulcan would have seen here arrive straight into a display on the Saturday at around 1030 before landing at Fairford. The following day saw the Vulcan as one of the final items of the flying display before she would have departed for Farnborough. In
the end Fairford's loss was Farnborough's gain with XH558 performing an extra display there on the Wednesday for the trade visitors.
The finale of each day's flying have been a "Heritage Flight" display by an RAF Eurofighter Typhoon F2 and Rolls Royce's Spitfire XIX - a fitting end to an 90th anniversary airshow. RIAT 2008 would have been one of the most memorable RIAT flying displays - here's to the RIAT 2009 and hopefully a similar calibre of flying display!
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