This summer I attended the Southport Airshow again and got there early enough to see the Red Arrows in action, not easy when a one hour trip takes four hours! The day was fairly bright and the cloud was reasonable high too, which allowed the Red Arrows team to perform their full routine rather than a flatter display reserved for low cloud days. They were on mid-afternoon this time around which gave me time to find a suitable vantage point and also to test out the lighting conditions. The RAF display team gave a superb display of synchronised flight performing many of their trademark manoeuvres which impeccable timing.
A highlight of the show was a flypast of the Red Arrows with the last flying Vulcan Bomber XH558 which has now been retired from flight – apparently due to a lack of funding. The only downside was that they flew from the south which meant shooting into the sun until they were level with us on the beach.
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Scampton formed in late 1964. The Red Arrows badge shows the aircraft in their trademark diamond nine formation, with the motto Éclat, a French word meaning “brilliance” or “excellence”.
Below are a range of shots from the Airshow.
Steve Proctor 