HEAVYWEIGHTS ADD POWER TO LAUNCH
TWO GIANTS of the skies threw their considerable weight behind the Royal International Air Tattoo, touching down at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on the 3rd June for the launch of this year's event.
An E-3A AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) arrived from NATO Air Base Geilienkirchen in Germany to promote the 60th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, one of the themes of this year's Air Tattoo which takes place at RAF Fairford on July 18 and 19.
Since it was established in the early 1970s, the airshow has prided itself on being a meeting place for NATO countries, giving visiting aircrew and military chiefs the opportunity to get together and exchange ideas. In fact, the organisers are preparing to play host to 75 NATO senior officials from around the globe, including 16 NATO ambassadors, at the Air Tattoo next month.
Two maritime search-and-rescue aircraft also appeared at the launch. A Nimrod MR2 from RAF Kinloss in Scotland, and an RAF Sea King helicopter from RMB (Royal Marines Base) Chivenor in North Devon, touched down to highlight another of the Air Tattoo's themes, Sea Search 09, which will focus on the vital role played by the aircraft and aircrew involved in maritime patrol and surveillance worldwide.
On board the E-3A was Air Commodore Dai Whittingham, Deputy Commander NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force, who was the Jet Provost display pilot at the Air Tattoo back in 1985. He said: "NATO is very pleased to be supporting RIAT in this 60th anniversary year. The UK makes up one quarter of the force, and this is a tangible sign of our commitment to NATO. We'll be here, hopefully in force, depending on operations, and the other NATO nations are supporting the show so it should be good."
During the launch, Air Tattoo organisers revealed that ticket sales were currently up 25 per cent on the same time last year, raising the prospect that next month's event could sell out for the first time in its 38-year history.
Tim Prince, Chief Executive of the Royal International Air Tattoo, said: "We're determined to make next month's airshow something special. The line-up includes a spectacular variety of aircraft, from the state-of-the-art RAF Typhoon and its French counterpart the Rafale to the iconic Vulcan bomber, from the massive American B-52 to the Hurricane, Spitfire and Lancaster of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, along with eight international aerobatic display teams. We hope that today's fine weather is a foretaste of what's to come in July."
