This year has been another fine show of aviation past and present and one is putting in an advanced request for next years 100th Anniversary and the possibility of a BAE Harrier and Apache Helicopter? But what ever comes will be very welcome, as this event seems to be a yearly success now!
The security precautions and road blocks worked out well, so that more people seemed to be free to move about without the worry of passing traffic. The old favourites re-appeared the RAF Typhoon fighter Jet, RAF Boeing-Vertol Chinook transport helicopter and the Red Arrows again wooing the crowds, while the weather was much better than expected.
Vintage or classic aircraft comprised the World War-II (1939-45) Bristol Blenheim bomber, fighters Super marine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane. Former RAF Jet fighters two De Havilland Vampires, single and two seat training versions in Norwegian Air Force colours and the BAC Strike master, both of these aircraft where also widely exported.
The Vampire was too late for WW-II service and so joined several other types from 1948 to the early 1960;s. The BAC later BAE Strike Master was conceived in the 1950's and enter production in 1967, other aircraft included the RAF Grob G.115E Tutor trainer and the Soviet Union/Polish Warsaw Pact era MIG-15UTI Midget.
Team Raven opened with a magnificent display in their Vans RV-8's, while the Red Arrows were flying the new Mark-II BAE Hawks. The Pitts 1S1 Special did some acrobatic flying and the combined forces Tigers parachute team did something different, with two drops from the Swansea based Cessna 206 Caravan-II.
HM Coastguard Augusta-Westland AW-139 G-CILP SAR helicopter worked in tandem in winching from RNLI Lifeboat 16-27 during several rounds of inshore Swansea Bay and the Defence helicopter Flying School SA-350BB Squirrel helicopter brought in Red leader one via the St. Helens rugby and cricket grounds on the Mumbles Road.
The planned RN Sea Vixen did not make it, it seems to have broken a wheel a few days ago?
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