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Royal International Air Tattoo
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Fairford Flypast
By Andrew Vincent
Get ready for a spectacular aerial display over the skies of Gloucestershire...
We'll get a chance to see the biggest formation of aircraft in Britain for nearly 20 years this week.
Map: Fairford Flypast 2008 >
On Friday July 11th, 90 aircraft will fly over RAF Fairford to mark the 90th Anniversary of the Air Force. The flypast will be watched by the Queen, who will have presented new colours to the RAF at a parade attended by 5,000 invited guests.
Air Tattoo
The event is the curtain-raiser to this year's Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford.
RAF flypast
The only formation bigger than this was the flypast marking the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, in 1990, when 168 aircraft flew over Buckingham Palace.
There are two opportunities to see this spectacular sight; there will be a full rehearsal over RAF Fairford between 2.30 and 3pm on Monday July 7th. (If the rehearsal is postponed because of bad weather it will be rescheduled for the same time on Tuesday 8th).
And the real fly-past will take place over RAF Fairford between 2.30 and 3pm on Friday July 11th.
Please note: These are the times that the flypast will pass directly over RAF Fairford. If you want to see the display further north e.g. just east of Cheltenham or Chedworth then we suggest you start looking overhead from about 2pm. The formation will form up in the Midlands and then head south over the skies of Gloucestershire.
Map of the route
Click on the link below to see a map showing you where you will be able to see the formation, and the aircraft taking part, on those two dates.
Map: Fairford Flypast 2008 >
If you watch the rehearsal and take any photos you're proud of why not send them to us? We'll include some of the best ones in our gallery. Please email your pics to
gloucestershire@bbc.co.uk
last updated: 03/07/2008