STARS KICK OFF AIR TATTOO LAUNCH
Forget Peter Crouch & Co, when it comes to a display of aerial firepower there's only one team to turn to – the Royal Air Force. And Britain's best airmen turned out today (June 9), bringing an impressive Top-Gun strikeforce - a Typhoon, Tornado and a Harrier - to kick-off the media launch for this summer's Royal International Air Tattoo, at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
The pilots were backed up by celebrity guests Forces' Sweetheart Nell McAndrew and Hollyoaks actor Ricky Whittle. Both stars were on top sporting form at the United States Air Force Base at Fairford, donning England shirts and posing for photos beside a giant football with pilots from the RAF and the USAF.
With England's opening World Cup match against the States looming – it takes place at Rustenburg, South Africa, on Saturday – Capt Calvin 'Quake' Peterson from the USAF and the RAF's Flt Lt Jim 'Woody' Woodward joined in the fun, posing for photos in front of the RAF's most potent front-line fighter, the Typhoon, and its US counterpart, the F-15.
Nell said: "I'm delighted to support anything connected with the Forces' charities, and I'm especially happy to be at the Air Tattoo launch: it's my second time here as I was at the launch five years ago. My family told me what a special day out the airshow is, for all the family, so I'm glad to play my part in helping with the launch."
Ricky arrived in style in a Griffin helicopter along with his dad Harry, in support of the airshow's Training 2010 theme. Harry supported his lad through every round of last year's dance competition, and Ricky took time out to repay the compliment by accompanying his father, who joined the RAF in 1977 and is now a civilian helicopter crew instructor, to the media event.
Ricky said: "I always wanted to be in the RAF as I grew up in the RAF family, with my dad being posted to bases in Hampshire, Hong Kong and Northern Ireland. Just coming here, it's impressed on me what a family the RAF is, as I've bumped into loads of his old friends who remember me as a youngster with an Afro. It's been great fun!"
The launch also featured the only airworthy Battle of Britain Hurricane, which flew in to be reunited with its Battle of Britain pilot Wg Cdr Bob Foster: this summer's Air Tattoo will be staging the RAF's flagship public commemoration on the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
Wg Cdr Foster said: "It's wonderful to see R4118 flying again. The first time I saw her was in August 1940, and after October of that year, when she was badly shot up, I didn't see her again until 2001 when she arrived back in this country. I'd love to have another go in her . . . but I doubt they'd let me!"
• This year's Air Tattoo takes place from July 17 to 18 at RAF Fairford, when more than 160,000 visitors are expected to view around 300 aircraft from across the world.
• The event is staged in support of its parent charity, the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, which provides financial support to a wide variety of RAF-related projects and initiatives within the RAF family. Since 2005 it has gifted over £1.3 million to worthy causes.
