Yeovilton Air Day Sat.8th July 06

After boycotting Yeovilton’s Air Day for the last few years, due to the deterioration in the content and quality of the show, I was very pleasantly surprised to find Yeovilton’s organisers had been listening to the criticism and had resurrected a quality show worth attending. The French Navy sent FIVE aircraft – Raphael, Super Etendard, Super Frelon, Alouette 3(with nose radome) and a Lynx, whilst the Irish Air Corps chose Yeovilton for the first public debut of its new Eurocopter EC-135, accompanied by an Alouette 3.
Belgium sent two F-16 and a nice yellow SF-260 and Poland an M28(of course!). This was well supported by the RAF, inluding the 45 Sqn. Anniversary King Air, Red Arrows, half the BBMF, three Tornados, two Typhoons and lots more. The traditional commando assault finale was superb with Merlins, Commandos and Lynxes supported by Harrier GR.9s of 800NAS Joint Harrier Force. This will be the last show controlled by Yeovilton’s familiar Control Tower, which will be demolished when the new one is commisioned in September. I therefore took the opportunity to take some last photos from on top of the old tower (RIP!)