History of the Air Tattoo
- The first "Air Tattoo" was organised by Paul Bowen and Tim Prince at North Weald airfield on 31 May 1971 to raise money for the RAF Association and is now the world's largest military airshow.
- From 1976 until January 2005, the Air Tattoo was staged by the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund Enterprises in support of the RAF Benevolent Fund.
- By 1976, when Air Marshal Sir Denis Crowley Milling was Controller of the RAF Benevolent Fund, the Air Tattoo was already becoming a major airshow. Sir Denis invited his war-time Battle of Britain leader Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader to be president of what was now to be called "International Air Tattoo". Over the next six years until his death in October 1982, Sir Douglas worked to establish the Tattoo as the largest of its kind in the world. (Sir Denis, then Vice Patron of RIAT, died in December 1996).
- From 1973 to 1984 the International Air Tattoo was held at RAF Greenham Common near Newbury before moving to RAF Fairford. In 1990 and 1992, the airshow was staged at the top secret research airfield - A&AEE Boscombe Down in Wiltshire. The Gloucestershire base has become the event's permanent home, apart from 2000 and 2001 when runway repairs were carried out. The Tattoo was awarded Royal Status in July 1996, the year of its Silver Jubilee airshow.
- In 1971 six overseas air forces took part in the Tattoo, with around 80 aircraft on display. By contrast, in 2003 more than 500 aircraft represented more than 40 British and international air arms.
- In May 2004, Air Tattoo co-founder Paul Bowen died after a short illness. His friend and co-founder Tim Prince succeeded him as Tattoo Director.
- In autumn 2004, following a governance review by the RAF Benevolent Fund (RAFBF) it was decided that its RAFBF Development Trust, under whose umbrella the Tattoo took place, should become a stand-alone charity. It did this in January 2005, changing its name to The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust (RAFCT).
- Today, the Royal International Air Tattoo is staged by the Trust's trading company - The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises - and is widely considered to be among the greatest airshows in the world, attracting over 150,000 attendees each year.
