With the Royal International Air Tattoo months away planes are being announced thick and fast ahead of the RAF Fairford aerial extravaganza, with new displays and demonstrations of top flying skills revealed for the airshow this week – including the Turkish Stars Display Team, who have not appeared at a British airshow in more than a decade.
In addition to the Turkish aces, who will be flying colourful NF-5A Freedom Fighters, the German Air Force were able to commit an Airbus A400M and a pair of Tornados to take part in an aerial refuelling simulation in the skies over the Gloucestershire airbase. They will also be bringing helicopters and a Typhoon for crowds to get up close and personal to on the ground.
The A400M is 10 year’s old this year and will become the main transport and refuelling plane of the RAF when the Hercules C130J is retired next month. This announcement is in keeping with this year’s RIAT theme, “SKYTANKER”, which refers to the massive military aircraft converted to hold thousands of litres of aviation fuel to refuel other aircraft mid-air and extend the maximum range of their mission.
The Panavia Tornado is a multirole combat aircraft used for much of the past four decades by the UK, Germany, and Italy, before being retired by the RAF in 2019. At this year’s RIAT, this pair of Tornados will show off their ability to refuel each other while flying, with a “buddy buddy” display.
The RIAT organisers said: “This week we confirm a large contingent of aircraft from our loyal supporters, the German Air Force. We’re especially excited with their contribution to our SKYTANKER23 theme in the flying display programme, with an A400M performing a simulated air-to-air refuelling flypast with a pair of Tornados.
“The Tornados will then showcase their impressive ability to perform ‘Buddy Buddy’ refuelling with another special flypast. In addition, we welcome CH-53G, H145M & EF2000 for static displays.
Source: Gloucesterhire
