One of the big fan favourite aircrafts loved by fans of the Wales Airshow has confirmed it will return for the 2022 event. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will be performing on both days of the show on Saturday, July 2, and Sunday, July 3. Three iconic Second World War aircraft will be showcased in the air more than 70 years after their finest hours.
The Avro Lancaster, just one of only two airworthy Lancaster bombers in the world, will delight as it flies in formation with the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane over the huge crowds lining the bay. Inaugurated on July 11, 1957 at Biggin Hill, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight aims to maintain the planes that defended Britain in the Second World War in an airworthy condition in order to commemorate those who have fallen in the service of our country. You can sign up to the latest newsletters featuring news from the Swansea area by clicking here.
There are now only two airworthy Lancaster bombers left in the world out of a total 7,377 that were built. The Lancaster PA474, which will fly at Wales Airshow, came off the production line at the Vickers Armstrong Broughton factory in Hawarden on May 31, 1945, and has not participated in any hostilities. Critical in defeating the Luftwaffe air attacks during the Battle of Britain in 1940, the Supermarine Spitfire became a symbol of freedom during the war and has since gone on to be the most famous British fighter aircraft in history.
Swansea Council cabinet member, Councillor Robert Francis Davies said: “The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is arguably the most historic and evocative flight display in British History. Without these planes, their pilots, crews, and the thousands of people working on the ground that supported our fighters and bombers defending Britain, our story would quite possibly have been very different. To see them in flight, in the skies above Swansea Bay, really is to see living history and we are proud to be hosting them here in the city. Combining with modern aircraft, exciting aerobatic displays and ground-based entertainment, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is among many spectacles that thousands of people will enjoy at Wales Airshow.”
The world famous RAF Red Arrows have also announced they will be back for this year's show. Officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows have performed in almost 60 countries since the 1960s. They will be joined by many more aerobatic teams and displays, to be confirmed in the build up to this year’s event. This is why Red Arrows pilots clench their buttocks when they fly.
The Red Arrows team are made up of pilots, engineers and essential support staff with frontline, operational experience. Their trademark Diamond Nine shape and combination of close formations and precision flying have made them a massive hit at the event since its inception. Based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, the Red Arrows had flown almost 5,000 displays by the beginning of 2021, the team's 57th season. You can read more about that by clicking here.
It is the first time the event has been held since 2019, having been called off last year as a result of restrictions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. You can read more about that by clicking here. Aside from the Red Arrows, the free Wales Airshow features a range of aerobatic displays, state-of-the-art military aircraft and vintage planes from the past, along with a set-up of trade stands, food and refreshment vendors.
