Cosford Air Show: Record number of foreign forces invited to join event
Cosford Air Show has invited a record number of foreign air forces to next year's event.
As a result of public demand, the show has written to 40 foreign air forces asking them to send aircraft to next summer's spectacular.
The forces bring a variety of rarely-seen aircraft each year.
This includes smaller nations, such as Malta and Cyprus, along with the bigger ones, such as the USA and France.
The show is set to take place on June 11. Operations manager Peter Reoch said: "Every year we invite our partner nations to attend the air show bringing aircraft and this year we published the list so people can see who is invited.
"We invited 40 countries and will find out in the spring which countries will be coming.
"This year we've increased the number as that's what the people want to see. They want to see aircraft from overseas. It's the biggest number invited yet." The foreign aircraft will be shown alongside the aircraft which Cosford plans to have on display.
These are a Jaguar GR3, Tornado GR1 and Harrier GR3 from the Royal Air Force; a Sea Harrier FA2 from the Royal Navy; and a VAAC Harrier T4, BAC Strikemaster and Whirlwind HAR10 which are civilian planes.
The website will be updated with more aircraft to be included on the schedule as written confirmation is received over the coming months.
There will also be displays on the ground next year, such as military shows, the Stem hangar, the vintage village, RAF village, a fun fair, food and refreshments and exhibitors.
The military displays will range from the Defence School of Aeronautic Engineering, the Number One Radio School, Defence School of Photography, RAF School of Physical Education, University of Birmingham Air Squadron and Wales and West Region Air Training Corps.
Next summer there will also be a number of themes, including International Co-operation and Space and Battlefield Support, which it has been decided will be the key theme for the year.
Tickets for the show went on sale last week, and it is expected to attract a crowd of 60,000 visitors.
For more information visit cosfordair show.co.uk/intheair.php.
