This year celebrates the 40th Anniversary of RIAT (the Royal International Air Tattoo) at its Fairford home. But RIAT started nearly 15yrs before coming to its Gloucestershire home. In 1971, the first Air Tattoo was staged at North Weald airfield in Essex with just over 100 aircraft taking part. From these humble and small beginnings, the show became the Royal International Air Tattoo, the worlds largest Air Tattoo, typically attracting 150,000 to 200,000 spectators over the weekend.
Step back in time and join me as I look back at RIATs history before coming to the Cotswolds.
In 1973 to 1983, the Air Tattoo moved to Greenham Common, where in 1976 the Air Tattoo became the International Air Tattoo. In 1985 the event moved again once more to its current home at RAF Fairford.
In 1996, Her Majesty The Queen recognised its unique status, granted the International Air Tattoo was awarded Royal status and became the Royal International Air Tattoo, fondly called by its thousands of fans RIAT.
The origins of RIAT were the inspiration of two air traffic controllers, Paul Bowen and Tim Prince, who in 1971 put on what we would look upon today as a rather modest airshow, but back then 100 aircraft must have looked quite a sight!
The 1971 airshow was organised by just volunteers, and put on in support of the Royal Air Force Association. The show today is world class! Record Breaking! and supports the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust (RAFCT).
The aim today is to inspire young people to fulfil their potential in air, space and technology, as well as promoting the Royal Air Force. The organisers vision is a world where every young mind, regardless of background, disability, race or gender, can experience and thrive in a STEM, aviation or space career.
COOL FACT: Lecture inspired by Squadron Leader Jack Currie DFC RAF, a small team of volunteers staged an air show at North Weald Aerodrome in 1971 in support of the Royal Air Forces Association. To ensure that it would stand out from the numerous other annual air shows in the UK, they called it the ‘Air Tattoo’
The airshow took place at Fairford every two years up to 1993 when it became an annual event. In 2000 and 2001, RIAT moved the RAF Cottesmore due to redevelopment work at RAF Fairford.
In 2003, Guiness World Records recognised RIAT as the worlds largest ever military airshow, with 535 aircraft in attendance.
RIAT has had many firsts!… These firsts include the first display and landing of the B-2A Spirit Stealth Bomber outside of the US in 1997, where the event paid homage to ’50 Years of the USAF’ and in 2008 was the first airshow to have a Lockheed F-22 Raptor in Europe land.
As an extension to the Air Tattoo, founders Bowen and Price started the Flying Scholarship for Disabled People in 1983 in memory of Douglas Bader, who was a war hero and pilot despite losing his legs in an aerobatic crash. They have given over 400 scholarships to people with all types of disabilities and carry on the legacy of Bader.
RIAT 2025 has chosen the theme “Eyes in the Skies” This theme will entail aircraft themed around airborne early warning, aerial surveillance, maritime patrol, and other forms of airborne reconnaissance and surveillance.
Past themes have included… 1977 – Greenham Common, Queens Silver Jubilee / NATO Tiger Meet.
The 1977 Tiger Meet had been due to take place at Upper Heyford under the auspices of the USAF’s 79th Tactical Fighter Squadron, with IAT providing advice. Then the headquarters of US Air Forces in Europe forced the plug to be pulled, expressing concerns about commercial involvement being sought as a means of making the meet financially self-sufficient. Instead the Meet moved to Greenham Common, which was the first occasion on which the NATO Tiger Association’s gathering of aircraft from units with a tiger in their emblem had been staged by anyone other than a member unit.
1983 – Greenham Common, F-4 Phantom 25th Anniversary / Strike Attack Reconnaissance (STAR) / Sir Douglas Bader Tribute
The Air Show had a Static Show stretched out for over a mile length, with no less than 25 McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantoms neatly lined up celebrating 25 years of the type being in service.
RIAT 2009 was held on 18–19 July 2009. The show celebrated the 60th anniversary of NATO by charting its history in chronological order. The show also featured a Search and Rescue display to recognise the significance of missions undertaken by the aircraft and people that undertake these jobs. The show reportedly had over 160,000 spectators
2000 – Cottesmore, Battle Of Britain 60th Anniversary / Airlift
In 2000, RIAT moved to RAF Cottesmore, for the first time in 25 years the worlds biggest airshow did not take place on its home base at RAF Fairford due to construction working there, it was transferred to the former TTTE (Tri-national Tornado Training Establishment) Base RAF Cottesmore. Due to the success of RIAT 2000, RIAT 2001 will also take place there.
There was a slight air of nervousness in how good the Air Tattoo would be away from its established home in the Cotswolds, but we needn’t have worried. 2000 attracted some fabulous types with a line up of B-1B, Tu22M and Mirage IV on static and a superb range of Hercules variants.
RIAT 2010 was a big year for anniversaries!… The themes for the show were the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, Training Aircraft and the 150th anniversary of Cadets. Nine members of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets and three members of the New Zealand Air Training Corps were invited to the event for the first time, as part of the International Air Cadet Exchange.
The F-22 Raptor also appeared in its first RIAT flying display since 2008’s cancelled show. Notable visitors to the 2010 show included James May and David Jason.
RIAT 2015 main theme was the celebration of 75 years since the Battle of Britain took place in the summer of 1940. RIAT 2015 also marked the last year of Avro Vulcan XH558’s airworthiness, being retired later in the year. The show also paid tribute to 35 years of the Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment, with three aircraft performing flypasts over the weekend.
Other participants included the Finnish Air Force F/A-18C Hornet, a British Airways Airbus A318 and the British debut of the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force’s Kawasaki P-1, which performed in the flying display, as well as the static park.
RIAT 2017 show was a tribute to the 70th anniversary of the United States Air Force (USAF) and saw the return of the Thunderbirds demonstration team for the first time in 10 years. The show featured a special flypast from the USAF that included a C-130 Hercules, three F-15E Strike Eagles, two F-16 Fighting Falcons, a KC-135 Stratotanker and on the Sunday a special appearance from a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
There was also a display from the F-22 Raptor on the Sunday of the show. A Sea King Helicopter from the Belgian Air Component performed a search and rescue demo.
RIAT 2024 main theme celebrated the 50th anniversary of the F-16 Fighting Falcon with other themes commemorating the 75th anniversary of NATO and the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Some notable highlights included a USAF Lockheed U-2 Dragon Lady which flew a rare role demonstration on the Friday and The Qatari Emiri Air Force which sent a Boeing F-15EX Eagle II (the QA ‘Ababil’ variant).
The display was sponsored by Boeing themselves and had two test pilots performing different routines across the weekend. The Royal Air Force also included a role demonstration of an F-35B Lightning which performed on all 3 days.
Looking forward to RIAT 2025 and making new memories!
Entertainment Swindon 
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