RAF Cosford Airshow 2023

RAF Cosford Airshow 2023, like every year, an event worth visiting, an excellent organization which this year welcomed over 55.000 aviation enthusiasts of all ages. Of all ages, in fact in the count there are over 10000 children who enjoyed a splendid show both in flight and on the ground and in the hangars of the air base. With the opening of the gates of the air base at 8 am, and the start of the flight displays at 11.30 am for over six hours they delighted the eyes of the spectators.

Naturally, such a large number of people can lead to traffic problems which in fact saw the approximately 11,000 cars of those who participated with their own vehicles having to wait a while to park. However, many of those present took advantage of an efficient public service or other transport. The RAF Cosford AirShow saw an action-packed flying display, including powerful demonstrations of modern military aircraft from the Royal Air Force and some international military partners.

In the morning some precious warbirds arrive and some important components of the event's in-flight display, with the passage of the jeep carrying Sir Winston Churchill and his partner Clementine in front of the public, the show can begin with an unusual start for Cosford. In fact, instead of the launch of the RAF Falcons, the honor of opening the flight display was granted to a foreign team: the Équipe des Ambassadeurs Parachutistes de l'Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace “Phenix” (Team Phenix Parachute Display Team), the aerobatic team of French parachutists.

Following the honors are due to the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team who were making a little history with their display. They jumped from a Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules C4, this jump was the last time any UK military personnel would make a parachute jump from a RAF Hercules. Immediately after landing, both teams joined together to greet the authorities and the public with the French displaying their flag and while in the sky the Hercules performed a few passes to pay homage to the spectators.

The flying display thus began and continued by presenting the best of the modern and history-making British air forces, with local and foreign military and civilian guests also taking part. Among this year's attractions are the Royal Jordanian Falcons with their four Extra 330LX aircraft and for the first time in the skies of Shropshire, from Switzerland, the Patrouille Suisse with its 6 Northrop F-5E Tiger IIs. The Swiss in 2024 will celebrate the first 60 years of aerobatics with a major airshow at the Emmen Air Base on 30th and 31st August 2024 and in which many of the European aerobatic teams will most likely participate.

The flying display thus began and continued by presenting the best of the modern and history-making British air forces, with local and foreign military and civilian guests also taking part. Among this year's attractions are the Royal Jordanian Falcons with their four Extra 330LX aircraft and for the first time in the skies of Shropshire, from Switzerland, the Patrouille Suisse with its 6 Northrop F-5E Tiger IIs. The Swiss in 2024 will celebrate the first 60 years of aerobatics with a major airshow at the Emmen Air Base on 30th and 31st August 2024 and in which many of the European aerobatic teams will most likely participate.

The flight line of the RAF Cosford Airshow therefore showed the public the qualities of aircraft such as: RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 and the RAF Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning, or historic aircraft such as the Battle of Britain Memorial duo: Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane II. The BBMF Avro Lancaster and the RAF Typhoon were supposed to perform a series of passes together for the 80th anniversary of The Dambusters Raid, where RAF members bombed three dams in Germany in 1943, unfortunately due to technical problems at the Lancaster it could not take place and the legendary bomber made some flypass to close the event on his own.

Shortly before the performance of the Swiss team, the unmissable presence in Cosford of Rich Goodwin with his Muscle Pitts, while in the STEM Hangar his new JET Pitts was on display which unfortunately had to give up the flight display at the last moment. Both aircraft are decorated with a livery designed by the famous Italian design studio: AircraftStudioDesign by Mirco Pecorari, famous for his many creations in particular for the Italian Air Force and now involved with companies such as Extra Aircraft with the new Extra NG.

RAF Cosford Airshow does not skimp on aviation history among the guests we saw a former Royal Navy (XT420) Wasp HAS.1 owned by Fly Navy Heritage Trust at RNAS Yeovilton and flies in Royal Navy markings as XT420 and then also Westland Lynx AH7, Cessna O-1 “Bird Dog”, Yakovlev Yak-3UTi-PW, Rolls Royce Heritage Flight duo of Supermarine Spitfire and North American P-51D “Mustang”. An uninterrupted display of excellent aerial assets which also saw the passage of one of the RAF's new transport aircraft, the Airbus A400M Atlas C1, and the prestigious aerobatic team of the Royal Air Force: the RED ARROWS, always present in the British skies.

As always an excellent event, well organized and with an exhilarating flight display, guests were able to enjoy a huge static display with many events, aircraft and historical reconstructions. To be mentioned among the RAF static aircraft: 47th Squadron Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules C4. The Hercules is being retired in June after 56 years of service with the RAF. An official ceremony was held just before Cosford Air Show to mark the retirement. 47th Squadron carried out a few further flights in the UK before finally withdrawing from service at the end of June.

Now the appointment is for 9 June 2024, again at the RAF Air Base in Cosford, always with a large number of static and in-flight displays and the BSA Team will certainly be present again, in the meantime you can enjoy a visit to the prestigious RAF Museum inside the airport. For more please come to www.bestshotaircraft.com