
Thousands gather to watch RAF Cosford Air Show
Thousands of military aviation enthusiasts have gathered in Cosford for the RAF Air Show.As well as the Red Arrows and iconic Spitfires, display teams from Ireland, Poland, and the Netherlands took to the skies above the Shropshire base on Sunday.Sqn Ldr Dave Kerrison, one of the organisers, said there was lots to enjoy.The event was first held in 1978, and has run most years since then.
Sqn Ldr Kerrison said: "Everybody wants to see the Red Arrows [but] we've got quite a lot of flights that are coming in today, so it's going to be a fun-packed day."He said that as well as air displays, the Air Force would showcase everything it did, and not just touch upon its part in conflicts but highlight its role in humanitarian aid.Attractions this year include the Great War Display Team performing a dogfight routine in replica British, French and German World War One aircraft. There are also displays by the Royal Navy Black Cats, and Chinook and Apache helicopters.There will also be a display from aerobatics pilot Mélanie Astles, the first woman to take part in the Red Bull Air Race.The chairman of the Royal Netherlands Air Force Historic Flight André Steur said it was an honour to attend the event."The ties [between ourselves and the RAF] are very close and have been for years so when we were asked to come here, we were very glad to honour it," he said.West Midlands Railway advised that due to a late notice shortage of crew, there would be limited train services returning from the event.It said queueing systems would be in place at Cosford and Wolverhampton during busier periods to manage the flow of people.
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