Page 40 - World Airshow News Q3 2024

...tHE ROYAL INtERNAtIONAL AIR tAttOO.

II Demo. It was definitely a crowd pleaser, although the Span- The sheer magnitude of RIAT in terms of numbers and types
ish Navy’s McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II demo also ap- of aircraft, both flying and on static display, can seem daunting,
pealed to many of the STOVL enthusiasts. With the retirement but any airshow enthusiast should definitely attend this six-day
of the U.S. Marine Corps Harrier Demo Team earlier this year, extravaganza of military aviation. Thanks go out to the RIAT
the Spanish Navy is the only military service still displaying the Media Team for their support and to my good friend Hugh Dod-
Harrier II’s capabilities on the airshow circuit. son for his assistance during my visit.

Top: The RAF Red Arrows (lead formation) and the Swiss Air Force Patrouille Suisse joined
up to commemorate their 60th anniversaries with a rare joint fly-past.
Middle left: The 50th Anniversary of the F-16 Fighting Falcon was commemorated with a
static lineup of Fighting Falcons from a number of air forces, many with special liveries.
Above: The Swiss Air Force Patrouille Suisse, composed of six Northrop F-5E Tiger II fighter
jets, thrilled the crowds in what might be their final year.
Left: The McDonnell Douglas F-4E 2020 Terminator (an upgraded Phantom II) of the
Turkish Air Force was one of the star attractions of the NATO 75th anniversary. Very few
world air forces still fly the Vietnam-era Phantom.

www.airshowmag.com 40 Quarter 3, 2024