Top line-up for air festival
Tuesday 19th June 2007A line-up of top attractions has been unveiled for this summer's Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival.
Some of the world's top aerobatic pilots have been signed up for event on July 26 and 27, which saw a record two-day crowd of 420,000 last year.
International displays of classic and modern aircraft will be led on both days by the RAF's formation experts the Red Arrows, and the show will also feature renowned solo aces, military fighters, parachutists and helicopters.
The appearance of 40 offshore powerboats during the programme on Friday will also be a unique moment for Lowestoft and the UK.
For the first time, spectators will be able to watch two celebrated solo flyers on the same programme.
Self-taught air show favourite Denny Dobson and the experienced John Taylor will push the limits of the Extra 300, which boasts a top speed of 253mph and a dizzying climb rate of 3,500ft per minute.
It is also the plane of choice of another formation team, the Blades, who will be back after last year's show debut. The four-man team are all ex-RAF front-line pilots and former Red Arrows.
Other British represent-atives will be the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, featuring a Lancaster, Hurricane and the iconic Spitfire, and a Sea King search and rescue helicopter will appear on the Friday.
A rare appearance will be made by the North American P15 Mustang and the US attack bomber the Douglas A1 Skyraider, while other visitors include the Consolidated Catalina amphibian, a 50-year-old Hawker Hunter and the English Electric Canberra.
Completing the line-up will be the Tigers freefall parachute team of the Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment, and two daring young wing-walkers on their Stearman biplanes.
This year's event commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Falklands War and one of the bombers used in the conflict, the Avro Vulcan, could be fit to make an appearance.
It is currently being restored as part of a £6m project, but organisers hope it could be airborne in time for the show.
