Spectacular departure from RIAT 2019 of a Dutch CH-47D Chinook.

Arrival days and departure day at the Royal International Air Tattoo at Fairford are usually very good for photography. Aircraft of the static will show themselves without people, fences, market stalls, flags, fairground amusement and so on. Likewise this Ukrainian Air Force Il-76, coming from the static show on that Monday departure and taxying to the runway.

Finnish Hornet during its display at the RIAT 2019 at Fairford. HN-406 sadly crashed at Rovaniemi on 7 May 2025. The pilot ejected safely.

One of 38 delivered Apache AH1s of the Army Air Corps provided a fine display at Fairford. Another twelve of these AH-64E Guardians will be delivered to the UK by 2024.

Saab JAS-39 Gripen, quite a success on the export market, countries like Czech Republic (14), Hungary, South Africa, Thailand, are enthusiastically operating this most manoeuvrable jet fighter. Brazil has 36 on order yet (with an option to buy another 36). Multiple other countries show their interest in purchasing the aircraft. This Swedish JAS39C shows its sleek lines at the RIAT after its display.

An almost horrific scene, an enormous carefully plannend kinetic explosion was created on the ground at the end of a splendid Apache AH1 demonstration flight during this years's RIAT.

This Ukrainian Air Force dual seat Su-27UB was modified to UB1M and since then sports a great digital camouflage design.

Two Ukrainian Air Force Su-27s full afterburner, leaving home after a succesful RIAT. The single seater, nearest to the camera, a Su-27P1M, and the dual seat Su-27UB both belong to the 831st Guards Tactical Aviation Brigade based at Myrhorod (Ukraine).

This F-16BM of 331 Skv received special colors as the RNoAF celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2019. Norway was inspired to paint this F-16 in the colors of an aircraft they once used: Spitfire IX, PL258 FN-K, of 331 (Norwegian) Squadron. This Spit has a Norwegian wartime history. FN-K crash landed on 29 Dec 1944 near Tubbergen (Netherlands). Remains of the wreckage were located by a team of the Norwegian Spitfire Foundation. These remains now form the core of a restoration project (temporary registration G-NSFS) that will become PL258/FN-K in Norway. The F-16 also sports D-Day stripings. To Romania with serial 1649 on 28 Jun'24

As Airbus Military reports: The A400M "Atlas" is the most advanced, proven and certified airlifter available, combining 21st century state-of-the-art technologies to fulfil the current and upcoming armed forces' needs. The A400M combines the capability to carry strategic loads with the ability to deliver even into tactical locations with small and unprepared airstrips and can act as a frontline-tanker. One aircraft that can do the work of three - the A400M. And I think they are right, and besides that, it's a beautiful aircraft too!

A fine buff at the static park of the RIAT 2019. Watch the massive paint damage on the leading edges of the wings, the inlets of the engines and the tail. The cockpit section was also damaged like this. A pilot said, "well probably some hail damage during a previous flight, I'm sorry about that but this was the aircraft we got assigned". This B-52H Stratofortress is alsmost 60 years old and flies out of Barksdale AFB (LA).

Great take-off of true Air Power! An F-15E Strike Eagle of the 48th Fighter Wing, 494th Fighter Squadron seen while departing the RIAT 2019. The pilots show proudly the US flag as well as their wings to the photographers. These massive wings only already measure some 610 square feet (some 57 square meters) of surface area! Roughly the size to park six BMW 3 series on...