RIAT Director and co-founder Tim Prince and his team should once again be congratulated for staging another varied and interesting air show. RIAT is operating under the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises (RAFCTE) for the first time, after the Benevolent Fund withdrew from the Tattoo. Over 300 aircraft attended from all over the world, and combined with over 160,000 visitors over the weekend it makes it the Worlds largest military air show.

B-52H Stratofortress (61-0003/LA) of 20th BS/2nd BW based at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, 
just beginning to thunder down the runway for take-off.

The Freece Tricolori won this years award for the best overall display. One of my favorite display aircraft is the Mirage 2000 and this year the Lockheed Martin Cannestra Trophy for the Best Overseas Flying Demonstration went to the French Air Force Mirage 2000 pilots, Capt Yan Vallet and Cpt Fabrice Camiliti for the second year running. 

Left and right: Mirage 2000 (12/5-NV).

Helicopters featured strongly throughout the show. Left to right: The Steedman Display Sword was awarded to Flt Lt Carl Zarecky of 15 squadron at RAF Odiham, flying in Chinook HC.2 (ZD983). 28 Squadron Merlin HC.3 (ZJ131/P), the Army's 671 Squadron display team the 'Blue Eagles' with their Lynx AH.7 (ZD281/K) and four Gazelle AH.1's. (ZA726 and XX378).

A second prize for a helicopter display, was the Sir Douglas Bader Trophy for the 'Best Individual Flying Demonstration', going to Major Wandent Brawdsen of 301 Squadron of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Flying in a AH-64D Apache (Q-30) he dispensed flares at the top of a loop several times, which I think must have caught the judges eyes! The display of the similar Agusta A-129A Mangusta however was not nearly as eye catching. Right: A-129A (MM81427 / EI-957) of the 'Esercito' or Italian Army.

The fastest display of the day was made by the 'East Coast F-16C Fighting Falcon Demonstration Team' using a 52FW F-16C (91-0352/SP) from Spangdahlem, Germany. Making numerous fast fly-bys, demonstrating speed rather than agility, it was unlike most of the other fast jets displaying at Fairford.

Above and below: In their final display year, the RAF Jaguar GR.3A's were resplendent in two special colour schemes. The 41 Squadron special scheme aircraft (XZ103/FP) was flown on the Saturday with the Coltishall 65^th Anniversary scheme aircraft (XZ112/GW) on the Sunday, "nice touch".

The Tornado gave photographers some of the best shots of the day. Here 15(R) Squadron Tornado GR.4 (ZD895/TI) and 56(R) Squadron Tornado F.3 (ZE736/WB) are shown in stunning action.

A new formation for this years show was performed by two Flight Refuelling Falcon 20's and four FRADU Hawks.

The Royal Navy played a major part in this years display, also providing a formation of four Jetstream T.2's and four Sea Harrier F/A.2's.