RAF Cosford Airshow 2019
The RAF Cosford Airshow held on the 9th June is the only official RAF organised Airshow on the UK calendar. RAF Cosford is easily accessible by public transport with Cosford railway station a short distance to the entrance. Due to other commitments, I was unable to spend the full day at the show, however there were many highlights and attractions to take in.
RAF Cosford museum houses a unique collection of aircraft and displays at Cosford. Open daily from 10.00am you will take in the Wartime Hangars and National Cold War Exhibition. The National Cold War Exhibition tells the story of the Cold War including social and cultural perspectives. The interactive hotspots and kiosks pick out key aspects of the era including the Space Race and Cuban Missile Crisis.
Hangar 1 is home to the transport and training collection and many engines and missiles. There is a temporary exhibition gallery and art gallery with works for sale from the Guild of Aviation Artists.
Several key themes for this year’s show included the NATO 70th anniversary, woman in aviation and 65 years since the first flight of the BAC Jet Provost, with unique displays in the air and on the ground.
The Jet Provost served the Royal Air Force for nearly 40 years as a flying training platform, on which thousands of RAF fast-jet pilots honed their skills. In the air, a special trio of aircraft performed a formation flying display together, including a Jet Provost T3 in the colours of the RAF Red Pelicans display team – a predecessor to the Red Arrows team of today.
Thanks to the participation of the RAF Museum, and several civilian aircraft operators, visitors got to see a chronologically arranged display of Jet Provost aircraft, from the initial T1 design, through the T3, T4 & Strikemaster armed variant. A Piston Provost – the aircraft on which the Jet Provost was based – also formed part of the display.
Prior to the Air Show, Director, Mr Clive Elliott said, “We are delighted to have this exciting display to celebrate the Jet Provost through the decades. We look forward to seeing them take to the Shropshire skies, as well as getting up close to these great aircraft in the static display.”
The RAF Cosford Air Show was one of the few opportunities to see the RAFAT Red Arrows performing their thrilling show across UK skies this year. This summer, the Red Arrows will embark on their longest overseas detachment when they will spend two months in North America – the first time they have done so in more than a decade.
Making its swansong display, the Tucano T1 returned to the RAF Cosford Air Show for the first time since 2014. The Tucano has been used by the RAF to provide basic training for fast jet pilots and retires from service later in 2019 after 30 years.
The primary focus of the RAF Cosford Air Show is to give visitors the opportunity to engage with the Royal Air Force, and to better understand the work they do, not only in the West Midlands and the United Kingdom, but across the world. Air Show Chairman Wing Commander Jamie Thompson said “RAF Cosford Air Show is a fantastic opportunity for the public to see what goes on behind the scenes on an operational Royal Air Force base.
RAF Cosford has a lot to offer the enthusiast and a trip to the museum is highly recommended. Next year’s RAF Cosford Airshow will be held on 14th June 2020.
Aircraft Participation List
Flying
ROYAL AIR FORCE
Avro Lancaster B1Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
BAE Systems Hawk T1 (x9) RAF Aerobatic Team – The Red Arrows
Boeing Chinook HC6 18 Squadron / RAF Chinook Display Team
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 29 Squadron / RAF Typhoon Display Team
Grob Tutor T1 115 Squadron / RAF Tutor Display Team
Shorts Tucano T1 72 Squadron / RAF Tucano Display Team
Supermarine Spitfire IX Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
International Displays
Aero Vodochody L-159A ALCA (x2) Czech Air Force – 212 Tactical Squadron
Agusta A109-BA Belgian Air Force – 17 Squadron / A109 Display Team
Lockheed P-3C Orion German Navy – MFG3
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet Swiss Air Force – Fighter Squadron 17
SAAB JAS-39C Gripen Czech Air Force – 211 Tactical Squadron
SAAB T-17 Supporter (x4) Royal Danish Air Force – Baby Blue Display Team
Westland Apache AH1 Army Air Corps – Attack Helicopter Display Team
Civilian
BAC Jet Provost T3 Private Owner
BAC Jet Provost T5 Private Owner
BAC Strikemaster Mk.82A NWMAS
Boeing Stearman TG Aviation
de Havilland Chipmunk (x2) The Vintage Pair
de Havilland Dragon Rapide Private Owner
DR107 ‘One Design’ Phil Burgess Aerobatics
Extra 300 (x2) Global Stars Display Team
Hispano Buchon Air Leasing Ltd
Hawker Hurricane I Bygone Aviation Ltd
Hawker Sea Fury T20 Navy Wings Heritage Flight
North American P-51D Mustang Private Owner
Pitts S1S Special Private Owner
Supermarine Spitfire PRXI Aircraft Restoration Company
Static
Airbus Helicopters Juno HT1 Defence Helicopter Flying School
BAE Systems Harrier GR9 Defence School of Aeronautical Engineering
BAE Systems Hawk T1 Defence School of Aeronautical Engineering
BAE System Tempest (Mock Up) BAE Systems
de Havilland Devon C1 RAF Museum
Gloster Gladiator I RAF Museum
Grob Tutor T1 University of Birmingham Air Squadron
Grob Prefect T1 57 Squadron
Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR3 Defence School of Aeronautical Engineering
Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR3 RAF Museum
Panavia Tornado F3 Defence School of Aeronautical Engineering
Panavia Tornado GR4 Defence School of Aeronautical Engineering
Percival Pembroke C1 RAF Museum
Percival Provost T1 RAF Museum
Percival Jet Provost T1 RAF Museum
SEPECAT Jaguar GR3 Defence School of Aeronautical Engineering
Shorts Tucano T1 72 Squadron
Supermarine Spitfire XIX RAF Museum
Westland Puma HC2 230 Squadron
Westland Wessex HC2 RAF St Mawgan
BAe Sea Harrier FA2 Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations
Leonardo Merlin HM2 Royal Navy – 814 Naval Air Squadron
Pilatus PC-9M Irish Air Corps – Flying Training School
Westland Apache AH1 Army Air Corps – Attack Helicopter Force
Westland Sea Lynx Mk.88A German Navy – MFG5
Agusta A109 Historic Helicopters
Airbus Helicopters H145 Midlands Air Ambulance Charity
Auster III Private Owner
Auster V Private Owner
Avro Anson C19 BAE Systems Heritage Flight
BAC Jet Provost T3 Private Owner
BAC Jet Provost T4 Private Owner
BAC Jet Provost T5 Jet Aerobatics
BAC Strikemaster Mk.82A NWMAS
Boulton Paul Balliol T2 Boulton Paul Association
de Havilland Chipmunk Century Aviation Ltd
de Havilland Chipmunk Private Owner
de Havilland Tiger Moth Vintage Flying Team
H.S. Harrier T4(VAAC) Jet Art Aviation
Fairchild Argus Private Owner
Grumman AA-5 Private Owner
Piper PA-28 Warrior Cosford Powered Flying Club
Schleicher ASK-21 Wrekin Gliding Club
Spartan 7W Executive Private Owner
Supermarine Spitfire PRXI Aircraft Restoration Company
All text and photos by Jason Phelan.
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