Monday 21 July 2014

Royal International Air Tattoo 2014

Well my first visit to the Royal International Air Tattoo. This is an action packed airshow and both days I was in the event the flying schedule ran smoothly without any interruption or delay. There were many aircraft also on static display but the place is so huge I did not have time to go around it fully. There are buses laid on to get you from one end of the showground to the other but I preferred to walk with my bags full of camera equipment. (lesson learn't trolley for next time) I was in the Friday event for the Pit Day, we headed straight for the crowd line remaining there all day and having a quick venture around the static park towards the end of the day. During the day we were treated to some fantastic flying displays and arrivals still coming in. The Friday was an extra day to celebrate 50 years of Red Arrows displays. I hope they keep this extra day in the programme but my guess is it will revert to the two day event. My task on Sunday was to cover the event for Navy News and RN website/social media. So a quick meet up with other photographers in the Media centre to  plan the day, coffee, flying programmes collect media passes etc. The Navy News/RN Webiste required pictures etc of the F35 mainly and any other Royal Navy Assets at the show. Unfortunately  flight safety requirements resulted in the F35 being grounded and unable to attend the show. I did get images of the Merlin display but really needed the F35 to accompany them. Hopefully next year I will have another opportunity at the F35.  But that disappointment aside I was really impressed with the show. All the displays were superb . So what really stood out for me at the event? Well SU 22 fitters great display and a most welcome foreign participent which was well received by everybody, Belgian and Turkisk F16's both put on cracking displays showing the awesome power and manouverability of these aircraft, Polish Orlik display team I can say with certainty I have never seen two aircraft flown so closely together, A400M and the C27 J Spartan showed the agility that large modern aircraft now have.. Hundreds of images were taken and it's quite difficult to select a small few for on here, so hopefully you like this varied selection and I look forward to visiting again next year.

Royal Navy Merlin MK2


Polish SU-22 Fitter

Red Arrows

Typhoon Launch

Apache

Italian Typhoon "Full Burners for lift off"


Lancaster Bomber

A400M Airbus Military

Patrouille Suisse

Polish Orlik display team

Belgian F16

Typhoon in D Day Livery

Chinnook Helicopter

Italian C27 J Spartan

Swiss Super Puma

A400M Military Airbus

Tornado

Turkisk F16

Turkisk F16 post display

Fisheye View of arrivals

Pulling up into the static area (ear defenders next time, lol)

Red Arrows flypast accompanied by four other lead jets from other display teams

Tiger Tailfin

Beech G18S

Super Hornet

Reds now in their 50th display season