Best Air Shows in the UK?
 

So I've been wanting to go to a 'proper' air show for years now, I've just been looking at the calendar and there's hundreds of them scattered all over.

Does anyone have any recommendations as to which are best/most enjoyable? Preferably a mix of different types, not really into light air crafts though. Bigger or faster the better :notworthy

Not to fussed how far, aslong as it's worth travelling for :thumb:

I went to Fairford air show, a few years back now, and i thought it was brilliant. Plenty of large aircraft to view at close quartersand loads of air displays.

Iam no expert but i thought it was agreat day out.

I have also enjoyed a coulpe of the free air shows at Bournemouth sea front. Some great displays- saw The Vulcan, Eurofighter and the usual Red Arrows. Its great when the weathers good and theres also lots of pretty girls in bikinis to look at if you get neck ache looking up in the sky.:norty:

You need to look at the programme of events to work out which are the more interesting ones.

Les

Fairford probably the best.

Yes I agree-I flew the tin triangle there once and it was an excellent display all round. Greenham Common used to be a good one too but I think it has stopped now and shifted to Fairford.

Les

Les, did you ever fly your tin triangle at Blackpool on the 70's as I remember some amazing tin triangle displays there as a teenager.

Farnborough is the best i'l be there this year. It's biennal. The best in uk by far. It attracts all the big boys and exotics.

I won two tickets to RAF Fairford for an International Air Tattoo back in the 1990's whilst I was at senior school. It was an awesome day out and the best Airshow I've ever been to. Loads of static displays to look around and most of the planes doing the displays take off and land at the airfield, something I hadn't experienced before at an air show.

Southend Airshow (Essex) is on today and tomorrow, normally a good day out. Unfortunately I can't make it this year :( First one with good sunny weather for a while too. :rolleyes:

you wont go far wrong with the Royal International Air Tattoo (riat)its the worlds largest military airshow..

http://www.airtattoo.com/

http://www.military-airshows.co.uk/ven3.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_I...nal_Air_Tattoo

I've not been to the RIAT, but looking at the attendance lists, that would be the one to go for esp. if you live down that way.
I used to go to Waddington, and prior to that, Finningley, but they don't make them like they used to.

Just quickly thinking about it, the RAF used to put up all sorts of stuff:

Lighthning
Phantom
Jaguar
Tornado
Harrier
Vulcan
VC10
Victor
Tristar
Nimrod
Hawk
Knat
Hunter
Buccaneer
Canberra
Chippy ;)
Various Whirly things
Others that I can't think of.....

On top of that, the Americans used to pitch up with a fair amount of kit and Concorde used to flypast or even stop over with the reds.

Of the above, you might get different versions flying, so it was non stop quality hardware on display.

The last Waddington I went to saw a Typhoon, Tornado, Sentry, Nimrod and Harrier, which went tech. A couple or so foreign displays and the rest was stuff I can see up the road at the local airfied, such as Extra 300's, Cap 232's etc.

The glory days of the airshow are long gone IMO.

However I have noticed that the RNZAF are attending Waddington again in a 757. Whilst not fast and pointy, if the display is anything like it was last time, it's pretty special and quite an eye opener. They do say big birds can be good fun ;)

I may have done,I used to do so many displays that I can't remember. That was around the time I was on the display circuit.

I used to enjoy the ones over the sea, less obstacles in the way!

Les ;)

Cheers for the replies guys, just what I was after.

RIAT and Farnborough both look awesome.. Tempted to go to both of them! :thumb:

Well if that was you les, you were that low you cut the heads off the daisy's.
Doubt if we could witness the same type of display today, with 'elf and safety' and all that stuff.
Good times :)

You are right,displays are generally not what they used to be.

At each display you had to have a good idea of the attitude of the organisers and those witnessing it to report on you to be able to judge how far you could go!

Les :)

Does anyone know if the Cosford Air show is any good,it's not that far from me ......

Its ok, not a scratch on RIAT, usually plenty to see and they put on a good show with what they have there. I would take public transport + walk there if you can as traffic is a bitch whilst its on.

Cheers Iain

Cheers,looks like Fairford it is then ......:thumb:

Blimey, all the ones i used to do are sadly no longer...

Lakenheath, gotta love the yanks :thumb: first Vulcan experiance there :notworthy

Hearne, Starfighter heaven

Daedelus, Very mixed bag :) Harriers, helli's & anything else

Fleetlands - Helicopter heaven -- Chinooks & Puma's

And our Hidden one is Shoreham....

Two years ago it was Vulcan & Typhoon :thumb: :notworthy


Mart

went couple years ago , was worth it just to see the red arrows there fantastic at what they do.

Was there much of a selection of planes,helicopters etc

yeah to be fair theres alot going on through the day with a variety on old planes/jet and helicopters,plus you can walk round the museum ,plenty parking.
as above its worth it for the red arrows as with most air shows best on a cloudy day i went on clear blue sky sun blazing not good when trying to watch someone parachute out of a chinook lol.

little tip for getting in ,the traffic is usually stacked back on the hard shoulder for miles on the m54, pass all the traffic to the junction stay in lane on slip road to turn right at island ,go right round the island and drive straight in :-)

Cheers for the info, i was gonna go down the A5 ......