Royal International Air Tattoo 2010 - Press Release
Royal International Air Tattoo 2010 - Press Release
FATHER AND SON TEAM UP FOR LAUNCH
ACTOR AND dancer Ricky Whittle flew into RAF Fairford today to help kick-off the media launch for this year's Royal International Air Tattoo on July 17 and 18.
He made up one half of a father-and-son team publicising the July event which draws aviation fans from all round the world, and which features over 300 aircraft. Ricky's dad Harry is now a civilian helicopter crew instructor, having joined the RAF in 1977 where he worked on Puma, Chinook and Wessex helicopters, taking part in operations in Northern Ireland, the Lebanon, the Falkland Islands and Bosnia.
Having supported his son all the way through last year's series of Strictly Come Dancing, today marked Harry's turn to be supported. Ricky flew in with him aboard a Griffin helicopter, from the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire, to highlight the Air Tattoo's operational theme of Training 2010.
Harry said: “I work at RAF Shawbury training aircrew on helicopters with basic tactics. I've come back into training relatively recently and so I've seen the progress that's been made with new equipment and modern technology: it's all about dealing with the next threat.”
Ricky added: “I always wanted to be in the RAF, inspired by being brought up in the RAF family as my dad was posted to Hampshire, Hong Kong and Northern Ireland. In fact, Top Gun was one of the first films I ever saw and that really inspired me – I really did want to be Maverick!
“But my dad has been a massive inspiration all along, so it's great to fly in with him – and a bit of a novelty as this is the first time we've actually flown in the same aircraft – and to be a part of the Air Tattoo launch. Bumping into so many of dad's old friends, who all remember me when I was little with an Afro, really brought home to me the family culture of the RAF.”
While at RAF Fairford, Ricky had time to join in the World Cup theme, donning an England shirt and posing for photos with Forces' Sweetheart Nell McAndrew. The celebrities both posed beside a giant football alongside pilots Capt Calvin 'Quake' Peterson from the USAF and the RAF's Flt Lt Jim 'Woody' Woodward. With England's opening World Cup match against the States looming on Saturday, the pilots joined in the fun, posing for photos in front of the RAF's most potent front-line fighter, the Typhoon, and its US counterpart, the F-15.
This summer's Air Tattoo will be staging the RAF's flagship public commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, and the launch also featured the only airworthy Battle of Britain Hurricane, which flew in to be reunited with its Battle of Britain pilot Wg Cdr Bob Foster, DSO.
· This year's Air Tattoo takes place from July 17 to 18 at RAF Fairford, when more than 160,000 visitors are expected to view around 300 aircraft from across the world.
· The event is staged in support of its parent charity, the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, which provides financial support to a wide variety of RAF-related projects and initiatives within the RAF family. Since 2005 it has gifted over £1.3 million to worthy causes.
