Farnborough; those magnificent men…

The Farnborough International Airshow is the UK’s biggest and most prestigious airshow – and one of the best-known on the planet. It conjures up images of “those magnificent men in their flying machines” of handlebar moustaches and air-force banter, bi-planes, the heroes of the Battle of Britain, the Red Arrows and of cutting edge aeronautical technology – all in one magnificent event. In short, it’s the place to be for two days in July every other year for anyone with an interest in aeroplanes. The 2014 event promises to be the biggest and best Farnborough Airshow of all time according to the organisers. The entire event is a week-long huge trade exhibition for the aerospace and defence industries – with the whole thing culminating in the famous airshow open to the public for the weekend of 19th - 20th July. This year’s show will celebrate a century of aviation history going all the way back to the start of the Great War. The high point will be a four and a half hour flying display whilst on the ground, there’ll be the all-new Farnborough Airshow Live; an interactive live stage show including competitions, interviews and a steady stream of aeronautical entertainments. Flying occurs on each of the seven days of Farnborough, and there are static displays of aircraft through history – all of which are must-see for those with a love of all things aeronautical Farnborough alternates years with the Paris Air Show. The 2012 event attracted around 109,000 visitors, with a huge amount of business being transacted. In fact, orders were placed for 758 aircraft, worth around £44 billion – and those are just the ones that were announced. And the 2014 show looks like being bigger still. Of particular note this year is the Great War Display Team which will be staging a mock dog-fight involving nine World War One aircraft to mark the centenary of the start of WW1. Farnborough’s history The Farnborough Airshow can trace its origins back to the annual RAF Airshow held at Hendon from 1920 to 1937. After the Second World War, the show started up again at Radlett – before moving to Farnborough, Hampshire, the home of the Royal Aircraft Establishment, in 1949. In 1962, the airshow became a bi-annual one and has welcomed visitors and exhibitors from all over the world ever since - with the notable exception, during the Cold War years, of countries from behind the Iron Curtain. Like most other major international airshows, Farnborough has witnessed its fair share of tragedies; in 1952, 31 people were killed (including 29 spectators, a pilot and the navigator) when a DH.110 fighter jet disintegrated when in flight and crashed into the crowd. ------------------------- The Farnborough International Airshow – 14-20 July 2014.