RAF Cosford Airshow 2012

RAF Cosford Airshow’s new management team delivered great weather – clear air and some dramatic skies – ideal for recording what is one of the year’s best airshows.

The RAF’s regulars all displayed. The Typhoon was especially dramatic in damp dark skies and the Tornado role demonstration complete with powerful explosions tested all the car alarms. The beautiful VC10 in its last year of operation made a welcome appearance.

History has now overtaken the Sepecat Jaguar and we saw one of Cosford’s RAF retirees taxi-ing and a static line-up of others. Earlier jets included Jet Provosts, Gnats and a spirited display by a Meteor/Vampire pair.

The zenith of piston history was represented by the Sea Fury and important warbirds on show included Lancaster, Spitfire, P40 Kittyhawk and Hurricane.

The Royal Flying Corps was formed 100 years ago and the Great War Display Team re-enacted the deadly aerial battles fought over the First World War trenches.

Apache, Lynx, Sea King and an acrobatic Belgian A109 meant that helicopters were well represented and the aerobatic and formation skills of a whole raft of civilian participants kept us thoroughly entertained for close on 5 hours. A truly vintage Cosford show.