Magnificent RAF flying machines take centre stage as part of tour
These incredible pictures show the extraordinary fleet of aircraft that are on display to the public in Cardiff this weekend.
The engineering masterpieces arrived outside Cardiff City Hall this week as part of the RAF100 Aircraft Tour, commemorating the centenary of the Royal Air Force.
Cardiff is the first stop for the tour, which features aircraft chosen to represent the RAF’s extraordinary 100-year history.
The event will be open to the public today, tomorrow and Sunday, and began with a ceremony yesterday evening to mark the 75th anniversary of the Dambusters Raid.
These are the aircraft on display:
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As the most advanced multi-role aircraft and with a top speed of 2.0 Mach (1,521mph) the Typhoon is the RAF’s current front-line air defence jet.
It can fly from London to Paris in under nine minutes and is made from 70% carbon fibre, making it lightweight and strong, and can pull up to 9G, equivalent to 30 elephants pushing down on the wings.
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The Harrier jump jet served in the RAF from 1969 until its retirement in 2011. This particular model is renowned for its role in the Falklands Conflict of 1982. The one being exhibited outside City Hall operated in a ground attack and reconnaissance roles from HMS Hermes.
Former Squad Leaders Mike Shaw and Whitney Griffiths piloted Harriers from the late 1960s until they both retired shortly before the Falklands Conflict.
Mr Shaw, 76, was brought up in Tenby but now lives in Cardiff. He said: “I first flew the Harrier in 1969 and I think I was the 16th RAF pilot to fly it. In those days we didn’t have flight simulators so we had to just get on with it.”
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This helicopter was used in the RAF from 1962 until 2003 and was the first mass produced helicopter designed around the use of a gas turbine engine.
The most well-known Wessex variant was the yellow HAR.2, which was kept on standby on the British coastline for response to an emergency within 40 miles and 15 minutes.
Because the engine is mounted in an unusual position, in the nose of the helicopter, the drive shaft to the rotor blades sits at a 45 degree angle and would come up between the pilots.
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Probably the most recognisable aircraft of World War II, the Spitfire was the iconic fighter used in the Battle of Britain. During the battle, Sergeant Raymond Holmes spotted a German bomber heading for central London but his Spitfire had run out of ammo, so he decided to ram the enemy craft and disabled it over Victoria Station.
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The single-seat Sopwith Snipe came into service at the end of the World War I in late 1918.
It was loaded with two Bentley BR.2 engines, giving it 230 horsepower, and was armed with two Vickers machine guns.
The last examples of the Snipe were not retired until 1926.
The RAF100 Aircraft Tour also features interactive activities including virtual reality experiences and flight-based challenges. There is a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) themed collection of interactive activities for children.
Current trainee RAF pilots will be on hand in period-appropriate uniform for each of the older aircraft.