A new book charts the history of the Royal International Air Tattoo from its beginnings in 1971.
The book is lavishly illustrated
The 300-page Royal International Air Tattoo 50th Anniversary book is the work of respected aviation journalist Ben Dunnell, and features hundreds of dramatic photos, many taken by some of the world’s leading aircraft photographers.
Charting the growth of the Air Tattoo from its modest beginnings at North Weald airfield, the book describes how a small band of volunteers with a shared passion for aviation - and encouraged by legendary aviators including Battle of Britain ace Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader and Concorde test pilot Brian Trubshaw - went on to create one of the most loved and respected airshows in the world.
Split into decades, the book describes how special links forged in the 1970s with the Royal Air Force, NATO and the US Air Force (USAF) paid dividends and helped attract an array of international military aircraft to the airshow’s second home, RAF Greenham Common in Berkshire.
The fall of the Iron Curtain in the late 1980s further cemented the Air Tattoo’s reputation as it enabled a number of special debuts by Eastern Bloc aircraft rarely, if ever, seen in the West.
By then, hundreds of volunteers were helping stage the event, a number which grew to around 1,500 following the switch to a new home at RAF Fairford in 1985.
This move, combined with the enduring support of the RAF and USAF, helped open the door to a wealth of exciting aircraft including the stealthy B-2 Spirit and F-117 Nighthawk, F-14 Tomcat carrier-borne fighters, B-52 and B-1 bombers, V-22 Osprey tilt-rotors and the latest Typhoon, F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II combat fast jets – among many others.
Author Ben Dunnell said: “The Air Tattoo has always been the place to be — and that goes right back to its earliest days.
"As a meeting-place for the world’s air arms, united in friendship, this show is unrivalled. What’s more, it has actively helped foster new alliances . . . as well as being a very exciting event, of course.
"In writing this book, that side of the Air Tattoo’s history has been as important as all the great personal memories.”
Air Tattoo 50 – The Story of the World’s Greatest Airshow - RRP £30+p&p - is being published to mark the airshow’s 50th anniversary in 2021 and is available from www.airtattoo50book.com.
As well as extensive coverage of the dazzling array of international aircraft that have taken part in the airshow, the book charts some of the challenges it has had to overcome, such as losing its home at RAF Greenham Common in 1983, the death of co-founder and creative driving force Paul Bowen in 2004, establishing a new parent charity, the RAF Charitable Trust in 2005, and the airshow cancellations in 2008 and 2020.
Air Tattoo founder member and former airshow director Tim Prince said: “So many people from across the globe have been involved in the building of this remarkable gathering of international aviators and their aircraft into a highly respected and valued annual event.
"This wonderful book gives an insight into this impressive Royal International Air Tattoo ‘family’ which, over some 50 years, has worked tirelessly to uphold its reputation as the best, whilst at times, with its motto of ‘it can be done’, overcoming some pretty daunting challenges.”
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