2007 Royal International Air Tattoo - RAF Fairford, UK

**MORS-AB-ALTO** · 2007-07-25, 10:56 AM

Made my bi-annual visit to the world's biggest military airshow last week and as always it didn't disappoint. The weather although not the greatest held off for the most part as we lucked out with a week of partly to mostly cloudy skies with a few showers. If the show was held this past weekend it would have been called off due to the airfierld and town flooding. The cancelation of the Pakistani P-3, Spanish Harriers and the Vulcan were a bit of a let down. But, as always the airaft on final always outshine the ones thast never cross the threashold.

With over 300 aircraft attending this will be a long thread with many posts. I'll try and go in date order with some Wednesday arrivals to start...

USAF T-43A Gator

Turkish AF NF-5's

Italian AF Tornado IDS's

German Army BO-105

Netherlands AF Apache

Royal Jordanian Falcons Extra 300's

**lijk604** · 2007-07-25, 12:01 PM

Mors...Great Stuff. It's nice to see something new, and those NF-5's are HOT!

**MORS-AB-ALTO** · 2007-07-31, 04:31 PM

I'll have to do the Thursday arrivals post in a few stages due to the large number of shots. I think I actually took more than Fred, but then again if he was there. UK aircraft types to start...

RAF Puma's

RAF Hawk

RAF Dominie

RAF Typhoons

RAF Tornado GR4

RAF Chinook

RAF Sea KIng

Royal Navy Hawk

Royal Navy Jetstream T2

Royal Navy Sea Lynx

QinetiQ (UK) Alpha Jet

QinetiQ (UK) Jaguar T2

Folland Gnat

North American Harvard

Westland Wasp

Hawker Hunter's

Hunting (BAC) Jet Provost

**wunaladreamin** · 2007-07-31, 05:07 PM

Outstanding stuff Rob. I was wondering when we'd see some pics.

**MORS-AB-ALTO** · 2007-07-31, 05:59 PM

Some hardware from the Americas...

Brazilian R-99

Brazilian C-130

Canadian CT-142 Gonzo

USAF F-16's

USAF A-10's

USAF MH-53 Pave Low

USAF B1-B

USAF B-52H

C-47 Skytrain

**cancidas** · 2007-08-01, 12:24 AM

very nice! i'm really hoping to hit up some shows in the UK soon, i'm getting a little tired of seeing the same american hardware at every show i go to....

**MORS-AB-ALTO** · 2007-08-01, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by cancidas

very nice! i'm really hoping to hit up some shows in the UK soon, i'm getting a little tired of seeing the same american hardware at every show i go to....

You'll be booking a one way from JFK to LHR aftewr my next few posts in this thread!

While The Royal International Air Tattoo is not what it use to be in the 90's when it regularly pushed or exceeded the 500 aircraft envelope it really has no equal anywhere in the world. Sure we have Oshkosh with it's herd of civil and experimental aircraft and then there's Sun N' Fun with it's gaggle of aircraft that's more of the same. Try and find a show with over 300 aircraft, most of them from military air arms. It doesn't exist anywhere in North America or the planet for that matter. Air Force 50 at Nellis AFB back in 1997 was the only airshow that ever came close and that was a one shot deal not an annual event.

Now on with some more Thursday arrivals...

Pilatus PC-21

Swiss Air Force Hornets

German Army CH-53 Super Stallion

French Navy Super Etendard

French Navy Falcon 10

French Air Force Mirage 2000D

French Air Force Aplha Jets

Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16

Royal Danish Navy Sea Lynx

Spanish Air Force CASA CN-295

Spanish Air Force Team Aguila CASA 101 Aviojets

Spanish Air Force Typhoons

Italian Air Force C-27 Spartan

Italian Air Force C-130J Hercules

Italian Air Force Frecce Tricolori MB-339 PAN

**cancidas** · 2007-08-01, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by MORS-AB-ALTO

Originally Posted by cancidas

very nice! i'm really hoping to hit up some shows in the UK soon, i'm getting a little tired of seeing the same american hardware at every show i go to....

You'll be booking a one way from JFK to LHR aftewr my next few posts in this thread!

While The Royal International Air Tattoo is not what it use to be in the 90's when it regularly pushed or exceeded the 500 aircraft envelope it really has no equal anywhere in the world. Sure we have Oshkosh with it's herd of civil and experimental aircraft and then there's Sun N' Fun with it's gaggle of aircraft that's more of the same. Try and find a show with over 300 aircraft, most of them from military air arms. It doesn't exist anywhere in North America or the planet for that matter. Air Force 50 at Nellis AFB back in 1997 was the only airshow that ever came close and that was a one shot deal not an annual event.

Now on with some more Thursday arrivals...

Pilatus PC-21

ah the pilatus! to think of the trouble i could get into with that airplane!!! too bad the -21 isn't sold on the civilian market. and very well said, and i will be booking a trip there next year! do you know when it's scheduled?

**markg** · 2007-08-01, 12:32 PM

It's scheduled for the 13th and 14th of July 2008. The following week is the Farnborough Airshow which for those of you unfamiliar with it is a trade show attended by most aircraft manufacturers with prototypes of new aircraft.

I'm working on getting a group together to combine the two events along with visits to LHR and MAN as well as other airports. If anyone is interested, I'll post details in the travel planning forum once I have them (provided Phil doesn't have a problem with me doing that.)

**MORS-AB-ALTO** · 2007-08-01, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by markg

I'm working on getting a group together to combine the two events along with visits to LHR and MAN as well as other airports. If anyone is interested, I'll post details in the travel planning forum once I have them (provided Phil doesn't have a problem with me doing that.)

Although not really into the commercial scene MAN is the best airport for spotting I've ever scene. I visited their picnic area a few years back and if the wind is right you'll get some great shots. LHR is much like JFK, but surrounded by land with a better variety. Farnborough is one of the few places you can see something like an A-340 thrown around as if it were an F-16. Although I've never attended from what I've heard the display line was moved WAY out there a few years back. The good thing with Farnborough running close to RIAT is that the Air Tattoo have managed to draw a few star acts to Fairford. Case in point the thrust vectoring Mig-29 OVT last year. Also, don't forget the best warbird airshow in Europe Flying Legends at Duxford Airfield the week before RIAT.

**MORS-AB-ALTO** · 2007-08-01, 03:08 PM

I've saved some of the best for my last Thursday arrivals post...

Indian Air Force Hawk

Indian Air Force IL-78 Midas

Indian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30MKI's

Finnish Air Force Hornets

Czech air Force Mi-8 Hip

Czech Air Force An-26 Cline

Czech Air Force L-159

Estonian Air Force Le-410

Hungarian Air Force An-26 Cline

Hungarian Air Force Saab JAS-39 Gripen

Hellenic Air Force C-130

Hellenic Air Force (T)A-7 Corsair II's

US Navy E-4B Mercury

Beagle Auster 6A Tugmaster

Next up in a few days some Friday arrival and practice shots.

**lijk604** · 2007-08-01, 04:16 PM

Oh WOW! I am loving the Typhoons & Gripens, aside from WW III what do you think it would take to see them in the USA?

...and Finland has an Air Force? Who knew?