Air force veteran's poignant words as Cosford Air Show crowds enjoy stunning spectacle - including exhilarating Red Arrows display

Those were the wise and poignant words of an air force veteran amid a tense international picture as thousands of visitors enjoyed the spectacle of this year’s RAF Cosford Air Show.

More than 50,000 people turned out in force to one of the region’s showpiece events to watch as magnificent military aircraft soared through the skies, expertly steered by brave pilots in exhilarating demonstrations.

However, amid the pomp and ceremony, a Dutch serviceman reminded us of the stark reality of what befell some of the brave soldiers who flew in these aircraft in battle, and reflected on the tense current situation globally due to Vladimir Putin’s Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Middle East.

Retired Royal Netherlands Air Force Major General Theo Ten Haaf, who is now the air force’s chairman for historic flights, said: “Sometimes there were days when 800 young men lost their lives in a matter of hours. The RAF did a night raid on Nuremburg and they lost 96 aircraft, each containing seven or eight crew.

“That’s something we should never forget. 

“There is an intense international situation now, but we should do everything we can to avoid the horrors of war.”

The Dutch were one of several crews who flew for visitors at RAF Cosford, and Mr Ten Haaf said there was added significance to their journey from mainland Europe.

“We flew the Spitfire across the channel on June 6, which was the same day as D-Day in 1944,” he said.

“In the UK the people are very connected to history. When I was a boy, just four years old, my parents took me to an air show and all I talked about afterwards was planes. So it’s important for children to see and enjoy a day like this.”

A Dutch pilot, who asked not to be named, said: “It was fun flying here across England over all the countryside.”

Despite grey skies, visitors didn’t let the weather rain on their parade as they watched stunning displays from the RAF Falcons parachute display team, the Typhoon display team and the highly popular Red Arrows, who rocketed past in a variety of formations, performing daredevil manouvres as red, white and blue smoke trailed in their wake.

Red Arrows Squadron Leader Jon Bond said before the event: “A display at Cosford is always a great moment in the summer season. So many of our team, including dedicated engineers, have spent important and rewarding parts of their careers at the base.

“Hopefully the display will inspire those watching to think about what a career in the RAF could bring.”

There were Mustangs, Spitfires, Strikemasters, Chinooks and Apache aircraft all putting on a breathtaking show in the air.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the retirement of the much-loved Vulcan XH558, which first appeared at the Cosford Air Show in 2009 after a restoration in 2007.

The Vulcan To The Sky Trust, the charity which restored the plane, estimate that 24 million people saw the aircraft in spectacular aerobatic displays over the years.

On the ground, there was a wide selection of activities for education and entertainment. Young and old took the opportunity to take a seat in the cockpit of Jaguar planes for photos, while military personnel told them about the aircraft’s controls and history in combat.

There were military Jeeps and other vehicles for visitors to cast their eyes over, and in the “Victory Village there was “Sir Winston Churchill” (aka Derek Herbert) as well as land girls and others in costume on hand to educate people about war history.

There were also fairground rides and bouncy castles for kids among a multitude of entertainment which people enjoyed.

Among the tens of thousands in attendance there were people from Shropshire, the West Midlands and beyond.

William Francis and his wife Emily hopped on the train from Telford.

“I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen the Red Arrows but they amaze me every time,” William said.

“It might be a bit grey in the sky but we’ve enjoyed it,” Emily added. “We try and come every year, normally with the whole family and make a day of it. We’re very lucky to have this in Shropshire.

“I’m not so sure we’ll be lucky with the train back!” said William, referring to earlier news that there would be less trains put on after the event. However, West Midlands Railway later said that staffing issues had been resolved and trains would be running as initially scheduled.

Becky Hall, from Wolverhampton, was at the air show with her children Max, eight, and Olivia, six.

“My parents used to bring me to the air show when I was a kid and I absolutely loved it, so I always wanted to make sure I brought my children as well,” Becky said.

“Thankfully they seem to love it as well. They love doing anything that gets them out of the house!”

Asked if they’d like to fly in a somersaulting military plane, Olivia shouted: “Yes!”, but Max wasn’t so sure.

Who knows, maybe one day they, or another youngster watching on, could become the military pilots of the future.

The RAF are currently looking for cyberspace communications specialists, offering a £6,000 “golden hello” on completion of training. 

To find out more, visit recruitment.raf.mod.uk/roles/roles-finder/cyberspace/cyberspace-communication-specialist