Organisers of Fairford's Royal International Air Tattoo claim record attendance figures for this year's event, which enjoyed perfect weather and the European airshow debut of a cutting-edge surveillance aircraft. The pilotless Boeing ScanEagle thrilled crowds by beaming live images onto large screens as it flew overhead. Other highlights included a display by four Royal Navy Sea Harriers in their final Air Tattoo appearance before retirement, and Italian aerobatic display team the Frecce Tricolori's flamboyant demonstration. Eurofighter Sqn Ldr Matt Elliot became the first RAF pilot at RIAT to show off the new Eurofighter Typhoon which is being prepared for its entry into Royal Air Force service.
 | | Air display at RIAT 2005 |
Four C-130 Hercules, one from each of the RAF Lyneham squadrons flew a missing man formation in honour of their comrades who died when their Hercules crashed in Iraq earlier this year. Among those watching the tribute were a number of Tattoo volunteers based at RAF Lyneham, including the Station Commander Group Captain Paul Oborn. The public were also treated to a rare display by the giant twin rotor RAF Chinook heavylift helicopter which demonstrated remarkable agility for such a large helicopter. On show for the real enthusiasts were the Polish SU-22 ‘Fitter’ in a ferocious Tiger livery and the Greek RF-4 Phantom. There was also a unique flypast by The Red Arrows and three historic Spitfires, which lent a nostalgic touch to the Reds’ traditionally immaculate jet formation flying. Aerobatics display pilot Will Curtis set a new aircraft ‘limbo’ world record, flying his Sukhoi SU-26 beneath 12 ribbons held aloft between poles by lines of trusting volunteers standing either side of the runway. Meanwhile world records were being set at ground level by two robots: ‘Climactic’ and ‘Scuttle’, owned by John Thorpe of Matlock in Derbyshire and Mark Franklin, from Kettering respectively. Climactic climbed a 10-metre rope in 5.27 seconds and Scuttle set a sprint record of 6.52 seconds. Also being put forward as new Guinness World Record holders were John Lewis, of Hythe in Kent and Fraser Greenhalgh, of Doncaster. They each managed to throw three consecutive paper aeroplanes on to a target from the perimeter of a three-metre circle.
Among the guests at this year’s airshow were the Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Dr John Reid, HRH the Duke of Gloucester, Chief of the Air Staff Sir Jock Stirrup and Chief of the US Air Force, General John Jumper. On Sunday, Her Majesty Queen Noor, of Jordan and HRH Lt Gen Prince Feisal Bin Hussein of Jordan were among the guests at the annual Royal International Air Tattoo Flying Scholarships for the Disabled presentation ceremony. Over the weekend, 20 children were reported lost but were soon reunited with their parents. Gloucestershire Constabulary said there was only one reported crime over the two days, the theft of a camera. Busier was the Showground Medical Centre which treated around 450 people who were brought in by Air Tattoo ambulance teams with conditions ranging from heart attacks and fractured limbs to heatstroke. Seven people were evacuated to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon, one by air ambulance, the remainder by road. Highlights This year, the Air Tattoo was held for the first time in support of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust and delighted Tattoo director and co-founder Tim Prince. “It is most heartening that in our first year under the new Trust, the team has put on a fantastic airshow," he said. “There were many highlights over the weekend but if I had to choose one, it would be the wonderful joint flypast by the Red Arrows and the Spitfires – the combined sound of the jet aircraft with the propeller-driven Spitfires was music in the air. Send us your pics Did you snap any of the daring aerial antics or perfectly-formed planes at RIAT 2005? Send us your digital photos of the event and we'll add them to our picture galleries. Email your images to us:
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