The RAF Still Draws a Crowd
Jul 01, 2024
By Bradley Rogers
The Royal Air Force showed strong support for the Abingdon Air & Country Show this year. held on the 20th May 2023, the show is situated just a stones throw away from RAF Brize Norton, home to both No.99 squadron and No.47 squadron, which each sent an aircraft to attend the show.
Due to retire at the end of June, the event was graced with the presence of a no.47 squadron Lockheed C-130J Hercules. The Herc, ZH889, arrived during Friday on the eve of the show, and throughout the show day the aircraft was opened up to the public. A constant stream of visitors kept on queuing all day, with many wanting to get up close and personal with the RAF’s workhorse.
With the Hercules already on the ground, attention turned to the arrival of no.99 Squadron’s Boeing C-17A Globemaster III. Once again, making the short hop from RAF Brize Norton, the C-17A callsign ‘JACKDAW 824’, made a single overflight, before breaking into the circuit to land. The aircraft made one approach and landed in style, performing its party piece – engaging it’s thrust-reversers on touch down and coming to a holt in a very short distance. The aircraft then taxied in and shut down close to the crowd. This too was then opened up for tours to the general public. This also had a queue throughout its attendance, with visitors keen to get glimpse inside the cavernous aircraft.
Of course there were air displays and a country show on as well! Nevertheless, it seems the two RAF assets were the main head-turners here, with large crowds staying right to the end to watch the two RAF airframes depart back for home. The Hercules was first to taxi out and depart, for what could be one of its very last public appearances. The C-17 followed a short while later, once again using its mighty thrust-reversers to back out of its slot, cross the runway, then back-track to the end ready for departure, lifting off to a trail of heat and grass cuttings behind! The aircraft hauled into the sky marking the end of a terrific show.
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