The Aviation Magazine — November-December 2017

For^ USAF^ Thunderbirds^ were^ the^ spe‐^2017 theEuropeguestsare^ rarely^ seen^ and^ it^ cialtheyin^ a^ chance^ for^ many^ to^ see^ them^ for^ the^ first^ was^ was^ quite^ disappointing^ for^ Theirtime.routineTheonThunderbirds^ team^ was^ joined^ many.^ Hawks^ by^ nine^ Red^ Arrows’Friday^ for^ a^ the‐col^ ourful^ joint^ flypast^ to^ launch^ the^ air^ show.^ Other^ made^ assets^ in^ the^ air^ included^ some^ US^ vintagesuch^ as^ the^ warbirds^ B‐^17 and^ historicP‐51D^ Mustang,^ a^ state‐of‐the‐art^ F‐^22 Raptor^ of^ dramatic^ flypast^ by^ aanumber^ UK^ and^ andEuropean^ based^ USAF^ aircraft.^ treatedOn^ the^ Sunday,^ visitors^ were^ to^ a^ surprise^ flypast^ by^

bomberstealth^ B‐^2 Spirit^ a^ that^ was^ taking^ part^

houran^ epic^23 ‐in^ transatlantic^ “Global^ Power”^ training

flightForce^ from^ Whiteman^ Air^ Base^ in^ Missouri.^ The^

F (^) escorted by twowas ‐^15 fighters.^ aircraft flying display highlightsOtherincluded^ the^ French^ Air
Force’s(in^ Couteau^ Delta^ team^ many^ ways^ the^ new
Delta)^ flying^ twoRamexMirage^ 2000D^ fighter^ aircraft;
theFinland’s^ Midnight^ Hawks,^ aerobatic^ display^ team
Airlast^ performed^ at^ the^ who^ Tattoo^ back^ in^ 2004,^ an
RAF^ Typhoon^ demo^ flown^ by Flt^ Lt^ Ryan^ Lawton^ and^
a^
‐^27 built^ Sukhoi^ Su‐Russian^ ‘Flanker’^ from^ the^ Ukrainian
Air^ Force,^ which^ offered enthusiasts^ a^ rare^ opportu‐
in (^) view this aircraftto British^ skies.^ nity The weather was not the^ best^ at^ RIAT^ for^ 2017.^ On^ Friday
itsunny^ was^ cloudy^ with^ periods^ until^ noon.^ On^
and^ Sunday^ it^ wasSaturdaycovered^ by^ grey^ clouds.^ On
Sunday,partly^ the^ clouds^ were^ below^ 1,000^ ft.^ Some
cancelledhad^ to^ be^ demonstrations^ in^ the^ morning^ but
the^ program^ could^ still^ be continued^ to^ the^ delight^ of
many^ viewers.For^2018 RIAT^ will^ feature^ the^ RAF’s^100 anniversary,^ should
event^ an^ excellent^ to^ attend.^ be
Bby‐^2 Spirit^ bomber^ escorted^ ^ an^ F‐15C^ main^ image.
Redformation^ Arrows^ ’^ Hawks^ in^ ^ with^ the^ F‐16s^ of
(^) Thunderbirds USAF left inset.the