THE ROYAL INTERNATIONAL AIR TATTOO 2024

In the United Kingdom the Cotswolds in middle England has a reputation of peaceful, serene beauty and visitors flock to see its ancient burial mounds and historic villages and towns. But for a week a July each year the area reverberates to the sound of fast jets, massive transport planes and the buzz saw of propellor driven aircraft as the public and aircraft enthusiasts from around the globe congregate to RAF Fairford. The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) is back in town.

Air Marshal Phil Osborn and Simon Kimble, chairmen of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises, the organisation behind RIAT, explain the themes for this year’s show, “Our theme this year is ‘Pushing the Boundaries in Air and Space’ as we acclaim the fantastic and essential world of aviation test and evaluation. We are also celebrating significant milestones, as the Royal Canadian Air Force celebrate their centenary, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) marks its 75^th anniversary, and we recognise the 50^th year of the incredible F-16 Fighting Falcon”

Part of the ‘Pushing the Boundaries in Air and Space’ theme could be seen in the static park. QinetiQ, the British defence contractor, had 7 different types on display. This included Avro RJ100 G-ETPL Airborne Technology Demonstrator (ATD) fitted with a ‘combat aircraft nose system’ similar in profile to that used by the Eurofighter Typhoon.

The Royal Canadian Air Force was also at the Tattoo ‘en masse’ with their own area at the eastern end of the showground. The nine different aircraft included the giant Boeing CC-117 Globemaster, Casa CC-295 Kingfisher and Bell CH-146 Griffon helicopter of the modern air arm alongside a De Havilland Vampie and DHC Chipmunk to mark the long history of the RCAF. The Canadians had also bought their own band playing rock and pop hits to entertain the crowds. In the flying display the CF-188 was impressive and this won two trophies for Best Livery and for Captain Caleb ‘Tango’ Robert, The Paul Bowen Trophy, ‘for a punchy and aggressive display of the capabilities of the legacy airframe, followed by a historic flypast honouring our joint heritage’. The latter was with Supermarine Spitfire LFVb EP120.

NATO’s 75^th anniversary was highlighted on the Friday of the Tattoo with a flypast which was led by a RAF 51 Squadron RC-135W Rivet Joint and included types such as a Northrop SF-5M from Spain and Boeing E-3A Sentry from the NATO Airborne Early Warning Force based at Geilenkirchen in Germany.

50 years of the General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin) F-16 Fighting Falcon was very well represented, and not just from the usual suspects, as on show were Vipers (as those that work with the F-16 have always called it) from as far afield as Morocco and Jordan. A nice touch was a gantry provided by the organisers so photographers could shoot down the impressive line-up of F-16s in the static park. The ‘Viper Line’ extended over 300 meters in length which was headed by one of five Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16s in special marks applied specially for RIAT. In the air, F-16s from Turkey and Denmark showed there’s life in the old dog yet.

So how do you highlight the Royal International Air Tattoo? Well, its nigh on impossible without writing a book for each show, such is the vast array of aviation elements exhibited. It really is ‘The Greatest Military Airshow’ on Earth. Proof of this is in the visitors from around the world who make the journey to Gloucestershire for RIAT. The show has become a ‘mecca’ for the numerous spotters and photographers who have aviation as their main interest, hobby and work.  So, RIAT is not just a great show, it’s a meeting place for all those who know each other only as names on social media and the internet to see each other in person. For others it’s an annual get together, a chance to tell stories and bring back memories. It’s no hyperbole to say RIAT is more than ‘just an airshow’.

So lets’ look at the other winners, which also gives a good overview of the some of the participants at RIAT. The RUAG Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Concours d’Elegance, went to the Portuguese Air Force Embrear KC-390 Millenium of 506 Squadron. This was a first time to see a KC-390 not from Brazil at RIAT, the aircraft very smart in the static park. The runner up in the Concours d’Elegance winning the Northrop Grumman Trophy was an old favourite of RIAT from the Royal Jordanian Air Force. The Lockheed C-130H Hercules at this year’s show though was one of the ‘new’ C-130s delivered from USAF stocks and as such was in a new grey scheme, unlike the desert scheme seen in previous tattoos.

As usual, the Alenia C-27J Spartan from the Italian Air Force is a sight to believe when it’s thrown around the sky that defies its size. As such the Sir Douglas Bader Trophy for best individual display went to Major Ettore Pasini, Major Francesco Buscemi and CMSgt Giuseppe Civica of 311 Gruppo for what was an incredible exhibition of aerobatics in such a large aircraft.

Now becoming regular at Tattoos lately, but more than welcome nonetheless, is the Spanish Navy McDonnell Douglas EAV-8B+ Matador II, an export version for Spain of the AV-8B Harrier II. Since the demise of the Harrier from British service in December 2010, it’s great to see this iconic British invention still flying. Its days are unfortunately numbered, with a few left with United States Marine Corps and soon to be replaced by the F-35B in Italian Navy service. Fittingly, Lt Cdr Andres Medina Gonzalez Del Tanago won the RAFCTE Trophy for Best Flying Demonstration by an Overseas Participant.

The Steedman Display Sword, awarded to the British participant with the most notable contribution to RIAT, was awarded to the Royal Navy’s’ Fleet Arm Arm ‘for a beautifully synchronised, accurately flown, pairs display with frontline rotary wing assets’ with two 825 NAS Wildcat HMA2 helicopters flown by Lt Scott Sunderland and Lt Michael Vivian.

Qatar had no less than eight aviation assets for the aviation enthusiasts and public to witness at RIAT. A C-17A, 3 Hawk mk.167s, a NH-90 NFH and a yet to be delivered Eurofighter Typhoon make up 6 but the 2 Boeing F-15QA ‘Ababil’ perhaps were the biggest attention seekers. Performing their displays either fully armed or ‘clean’ they got all eyes of the spectators glued to their performance in the air. The Boeing display crews of Jason Dotter, Matt Geise, Kevin Tinsley and Michael Quintini deservedly won the As the Crow Flies Trophy for Best Overall Flying Display, the award judged by Friends of the Royal International Air Tattoo (FRIAT).

And finally, the King Hussein Memorial Sword for Most Polished and Precise Flying Display was awarded to the Swiss Air Force Patrouille Suisse and their 6 Northrop F-5E Tiger IIs. Special mentioned was also mentioned for the Royal Danish Air Force, who arrived with two F-16s, one of which went immediately tech on landing at RAF Fairford. The display jet was okay for the rehearsal and first day of the show before it went tech itself. The Danes were not to be stopped though and flew another F-16AM from Denmark to complete its displays on Saturday and Sunday.

It was not only the F-16 celebrating its anniversary either, the British Aerospace Hawk first flew on August 21^st 1974 and RIAT celebrated with a flypast of Hawks from the Royal Air Force, Qatar Emri Air Force, Finnish Air Force and Royal Saudi Air Force, the Finnish Air Force Midnight Hawks this year displaying with 4 ex Swiss Air Force examples for the first time.

In all, RIAT welcomed 248 aircraft from 29 nations to what is an amazing achievement by the organisers to get so many aeroplanes and countries together. This included 4 McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantoms, two from Greece and two from Turkey. Saturday saw history being made when the RAF Typhoon FGR4 displayed using sustainable aviation fuel with regular fuel when flown by Flight Lieutenant David ‘Turbo’ Turnbull of 29 squadron. RAF Fairford is a fully operational USAF base, and seeing a fully equipped Lockheed U-2S Dragonfly land back to base, plus a demonstration of another U-2 in the air, on Friday shows that RIAT really does deserve its ‘Greatest Show’ monicker.

Final words go to the Chief Executive Officer for Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises, Paul Atherton, who said,” This year has been a stellar event, with highlights across the weekend.

“We have been delighted with the level of support and I’d like to say thank you to everyone involved in facilitating our event, from visitors, aircrew, staff members and volunteers – without them, we wouldn’t be able to host the Royal International Air Tattoo”.

Next years RIAT will take place on 18^th, 19^th and 20^th July 2025. If this year’s event is anything to go by, you do not want to miss it!