Military Jets Photography: April 2012

Day two at the Royal International Air Tattoo and again it was blessed with splendid weather and a superb flying programme.

Hawk T1 Royal Air Force XX159

Harrier GR7A Royal Air Force ZD431/43A

Tornado GR4 Royal Air Force ZD707/077

Chinook HC2 Royal Air Force ZA172/E

Typhoon T1A Royal Air Force ZJ813/BL

VC-10 C1K Royal Air Force XV104/U
Hawk T1 Royal Air Force Red Arrows

Hawk T1 Royal Air Force Red Arrows

F/A-18C Swiss Air Force J-5022

Jetstream T2 Royal Navy XX481/CU-560, XX478/CU-564

MV-22B US Marines 166391/MV-22

MiG-29OVT Mikoyan 156

F/A-18F US Navy 166673/NJ

Extra 300L Royal Jordanian Airlines Royal Jordanian Falcons

F-15C USAF 86-0167/LN

KDC-10-40 Omega Tanker N974VV

Hercules C5 Royal Air Force ZH889

Falcon 50 Portuguese Air Force 17401

EF2000 Spanish Air Force 11-06/C.16-26

C.101EB Spanish Air Force Patrulla Aguila
EF2000 Spanish Air Force 11-06/C.16-26

C.101EB Spanish Air Force Patrulla Aguila

B-1b USAF 85-0061/DY

Canberra PR9 Royal Air Force XH134

Mirage 2000B French Air Force 5-OP/508

F-5E Swiss Air Force Patrouille Suisse

C-47B Air Atlantique G-AMPY

Learjet 35A Finnish Air Force LJ-2

Mirage 2000B French Air Force 5-OK/509

MiG-29OVT Mikoyan 156

KC-10A USAF 84-0191

F-15E USAF 91-0334/LN

This years Royal International Air Tattoo was held at 15 & 16 July, with on both days absolutely great weather with temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius.
Main themes of this years RIAT where the “Rapid Global Effect” and the “Army Aviation”. This time the RIAT had a very impressive list of visitors invited, which included a USMC MV-22 Osprey both on static and flying, a Russian Mig-29OVT, a C-130B Hercules from Pakistan, a Slovenian PC-9M, a Mi-17 Hip and a flying Mi-24V from the Czech AF. The brand-new F/A-18F Super Hornet and a display of both the RAF and Spanish AF Eurofighter/Typhoon. And last but definitely not least, the last public show and appearance of the always beautiful PR9 Canberra.
Display teams where present with the Patrouille de Suisse, which made a very special fly-past in combination with another Swiss product, the Pilatus PC-9. The always present and stunning RAF Red Arrows, which performed a fly-past on Sunday with the retiring VC-10, from No 101 Squadron based at RAF Brize Norton. And the Patrulla Aguilla of the Spanish AF, which where celebrating their 20th anniversary, who also flew together wit the Spanish Eurofighter.
Also present this year where the massive B-52H and the B-1b. Also from the USAF came the F-15C West Coast Demonstration Team. While the B-1b is superb for its take-off noise, than the F-15C is equal with a stunning performance accompanied with their patriotic comment.
But the eyecatcher of the weekend was the display by the MiG-29OVT also known as the MiG-35. This is an evolution from the well-known MiG-29, and was painted in the well-known Russian display team colours, of the Russian “Swifts”. This aircraft has a special engine outlet system, which can steer the “Dovetails” and deflect with this the propulsion blast. A absolute impressive and mind blowing display was flown, which included high and low speed fly-by’s, barrel rolls, steep and high pitch dives. And the most impressive move with the “Cobra”, where the aircraft is coming to a vertical stop in the air for a few seconds. Overall a very complete and impressive display of this rare aircraft, and well deserved winner of the RIAT “King Hussein Memorial Sword”.
The static show at Fairford is known to be not one of the best for photographers. But when searching for the right positions, you could make some very nice photographs from a Turkish F-4E Phantom II, two A-7 Corsair IIs from Greece, the Pakistan Air Force C-130B Hercules. This aircraft is unique as it's the last of the "civilian" versions of the Hercules serving with the 6sqn of the Pakistan Air Force. Also present was a EH-101 SAR helicopter from the Danish AF and a Boeing 707 from the Royal Austrailian Air Force.
Overall again a great job from the RIAT organisation, by gathering so many nice and special participants on one place. The Royal International Air Tattoo 2006 is the biggest "airshow" of the year and this year under blue skies for much of the event.