Farnborough International Airshow
In 1909 Farnborough Airport in Hampshire was the location of the UK’s first airfield (albeit short-lived due to marshy outskirts). This was a sign of Farnborough’s future dominance in the aviation industry, exemplified by the hugely spectacular, successful Farnborough International Airshow for civilian, aerospace and military sectors. From 1948 until 1962 it was held every September, for British constructors only, who were brimming with innovative, advanced designs and technology following the demands of WW2. Then since 1964 it has been biennial, with foreign aircraft permitted to enter from 1966. From 1998 it moved to July and is usually a week long.
The Airshow is primarily for trade and it contributes £billions to the nation’s economy, but the public can visit on the last few days, with plenty to see, hear and recall for years to come. Highlights have included:
- 1948 – a 3-rotor helicopter
- 1949 – the first jet airliner, Comet 1
- 1952 – the ‘howling’ delta-wing Avro Vulcan (final appearance in 2014)
- 1953 – the Princess flying boat
- 1958 – first vertical take-off aircraft and a unique 22-aircraft synchronised loop by the RAF’s Black Arrows
- 1962 – the RAF’s Red Arrows, regular participants ever since
- 1970 – debut of Concorde (last appearance in 2000)
- 1996 – debut of the Eurofighter
- 2006 – the A380 Airbus, the world’s largest passenger airliner, which took 182 orders on the day.
(Top image from 1964 Farnborough Airshow: Ben Brooksbank at geograph.org.uk / CC BY-SA 2.0)
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