Fairford RIAT 2008 - The show that never was

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capercaillie
Posts: 9336
Joined: Mon 01 Sep 2008, 3:04 pm
Location: Leominster

Fairford RIAT 2008 - The show that never was

Post by capercaillie »

Scanned my slides from 2008 recently of the infamous show, where everything had arrived, as expected. We had seen the Queen attend on the Friday and the Royal flypast that with great determination had made it through the crazy showers of Friday. Practices continued, it rained more and more with intense downpours until eventually the quagmire that the showground had become caused the event to be cancelled.

It was the first time since 1987 I had missed an arrival day at a Fairford/Cottesmore/Boscombe Down IAT based show when the consistent rain of Wednesday put me off, there was only common stuff like Pakistan P-3 and tiger Nord 262 anyway. It would have been nice to get in to wander the static park in the sunshine of Sunday morning as a FRIATer, but a big stepladder and some over the fence shots were the next option.

So here are a few bits grabbed in between showers, I haven't scanned any of the flypast at present. Arrivals and practice to start.
ImageRF-4E Phantom II 7487 348 Mira Hellenic Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageC-130H Hercules 995 10/11 Air Brigade Chilean Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageCF-188A Hornet 188703 409 Squadron Canadian Forces by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageC-130K Hercules 8T-CB 4 Transport Stfl/3 Flrgt by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageJetstream T2 XX481/CU560 750 Squadron RNAS Culdrose by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageDakota C3 ZA947/AI BBMF RAF Coningsby by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Always pleased to see a jet powered Yak!
ImageYak 40 1257 Czech Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Display teams were present from Chile, Turkey, Switzerland, Jordan, France, Portugal and debuts from Brazil and the Indian Sarangs with their Dhruvs.
ImageDhruv Mk1 J4043 Sarang Helicopter Display Team Indian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageTornado IDS MM7006/6-31 6 Stormo Italian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageHawk T1A XX184/19 19(R) Squadron RAF Valley by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageF-15E Strike Eagle 91-0306/LN 494FS/48FW US Air Force RAF Lakenheath by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageC-160D 69-033 222 Filo Turkish Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageOne-Eleven Series 485GD 551 4 Squadron Royal Air Force of Oman by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageFalcon 900EX MM62244 Italian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageChipmunk T10 WD347 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageSentinel R1 ZJ690 5(AC) Squadron RAF Waddington by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageE-3D Sentry AEW1 ZH101 8 Squadron RAF Waddington by Paul Downes, on Flickr

A mix of statics from inside on the Friday and over the fence on Sunday
ImageC-130H Hercules 346 3 Squadron Royal Jordanian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageP-3C Orion 81 28 Maritime Squadron Pakistan Navy by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageTornado IDS MM7006/6-31 6 Stormo Italian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageAMX MM7157/32-06 32 Stormo Italian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

The impending doom gathering!
ImageT-1A Jayhawk 95-0063/RA 99FTS/340FTG Randolph AFB by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageT-43A 73-1150/RA 562FTS/12FTW US Air Force Randolph AFB by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageC-105A Amazonas FAB2807 1/9 GAv Brazilian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageRF-4E Phantom II 7487 348 Mira Hellenic Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageSea King Mk41 89+64 MFG5 German Navy by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageP-3C Orion 81 28 Maritime Squadron Pakistan Navy by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Some from departures including a trip to Farnborough for the Raptor on its debut.
ImageN262E Fregate 51 28F French Navy by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageMirage F1B 518 EC01.030 French Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageC-130M Hercules FAB2470 1/1 GT Brazilian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

They've not been back!
ImageT-27 Tucano FAB1360/5 Esquadrilha da Fumaca Brazilian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

An Arcturus not an Aurora!
ImageCP-140A Arcturus 140120 404 Squadron Canadian Forces by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageGriffin HAR2 ZJ703/Spades 84 Squadron RAF Akrotiri by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageVC 10 C1K XV101/S 101 Squadron RAF Brize Norton by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageMiG29B 10 59 Squadron Hungarian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageF-16BM Fighting Falcon FB-18 349 Squadron Belgian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageTornado GR4 ZA458/024 31 Squadron RAF Marham by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageB-52H Stratofortress 60-0045/BD 93BS/917Wg AFRC US Air Force Barksdale AFB by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageC-38A Astra 94-1569 201AS DC Air National Guard US Air Force Andrews AFB by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageF-22A Raptor 03-4101/FF 1FW US Air Force Langley AFB by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageC-130E Hercules 73-0991 222 Filo Turkish Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageA109E Power ZR322 32(TR) Squadron RAF Northolt by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageKC-130J Hercules MM62176/46-41 46 Brigata Italian Air Force by Paul Downes, on Flickr

ImageP-3C Orion 81 28 Maritime Squadron Pakistan Navy by Paul Downes, on Flickr

It could have been so good!
"The surrogate voice of st24"

My flickr photos https://www.flickr.com/photos/146673712@N06/

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Alpha Delta 210
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Re: Fairford RIAT 2008 - The show that never was

Post by Alpha Delta 210 »

Thanks for sharing. Truly the best show there never was ☹

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Blackbird
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Re: Fairford RIAT 2008 - The show that never was

Post by Blackbird »

Many thanks - for reminding me of what I missed! 😃

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PeteFenwick
Posts: 317
Joined: Thu 12 Nov 2009, 2:27 pm

Re: Fairford RIAT 2008 - The show that never was

Post by PeteFenwick »

Oh that brings back memories. Some good aircraft which as a FRIAT 3 member I managed to get pics of including the flypasts for the Queen's visit.

The abiding memory was getting my car with caravan attached towed off Kempsford field by a tractor-it was very very muddy.

Thanks for posting

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lynothehammer
Posts: 1926
Joined: Mon 26 Jan 2009, 9:45 pm
Location: Camberley, Surey

Re: Fairford RIAT 2008 - The show that never was

Post by lynothehammer »

Great stuff, i went on the Friday but never had the interest in the hobby i have now. I've also lost all the photos from this specific RIAT too.

What a great array of hardware, never to be repeated either... :(

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