STARS OF THE SHOW

The Royal International Air Tattoo provided the backdrop for a prestigious, Royal Air Force military ceremony in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen.

Around 5,000 invited guests, representing current serving members of the Royal Air Force and its various associations and charities, were invited to the private ceremony on Friday, July 11 2008, to watch the presentation of new Queen’s Colours to both the Royal Air Force in the UK and the Royal Air Force Regiment.

Before The Queen departed, she was treated to a mass flypast of aircraft representing the Royal Air Force’s past and Present.

The world’s most advanced jet fighter made its UK debut at the Royal International Air Tattoo this summer. The F-22A Raptor, from the US Air Combat Command, represents a new generation of fighter aircraft incorporating state-of-the-art stealth technology, sophisticated weaponry and vectored thrust giving it an unrivalled combination of secrecy, power and manoeuvrability. With a top speed of 1,140mph (Mach 1.72) and a range of almost 2,000 miles, the F-22A is capable of outperforming any existing fighter aircraft in both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat.