Turkish Stars Set to Shine at RIAT
The organizers of the Royal International Air Tattoo have announced that the Turkish Air Force’s aerobatic team the Turkish Stars will perform at the event, this will be the first time in 13 years the team has displayed in the UK.
The team, which flies six NF-5A/NF-5B Freedom Fighters, will fly at the Royal International Air Tattoo, the largest military airshow in the world. The event organised by the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust will take place on the 14th. 15th and 16th of July 2023 at Royal Air Force Fairford Air Base in Gloucestershire.
This will be the first time the team has performed in the UK since 2010.
Turkish Stars over Belgium in 2022
Royal International Air Tattoo
The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) is the world's largest military air show, held annually in July, usually at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England in support of The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust. The show typically attracts a total of 150,000 to 200,000 spectators over the weekend.
The first Air Tattoo was staged at North Weald Airfield in Essex in 1971, with just over 100 aircraft taking part. The event was founded by Paul Bowen and Timothy Prince, who were CAA air traffic controllers, and Air Marshal Sir Denis Crowley-Milling. From 1973 to 1983 it was held intermittently at RAF Greenham Common, initially under the title of the Royal Air Forces Association, South Eastern Area, Air Tattoo before moving to RAF Fairford in 1985. The show became the International Air Tattoo in 1976, and recognition of its unique status was granted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1996 when the current Royal International Air Tattoo title was adopted.
The show took place at Fairford every two years until it became an annual show in 1993. Due to redevelopment work at RAF Fairford, the show was held at RAF Cottesmore, Rutland in 2000 and 2001.
Guinness World Records have recognised RIAT 2003 as the world's largest-ever military airshow, with 535 aircraft in attendance.
RIAT 2022 saw 266 aircraft from 33 nations on display, as the show returned from an extended hiatus due to COVID-19.
The event has had a number of air show firsts, including the first display and landing of the B-2A Spirit stealth bomber outside the United States of America during the 1997 "50 Years of the USAF" event and in 2008 the first landing of the Lockheed F-22 Raptor in Europe.
The RIAT has evolved into an important showcase for the world's military, taking place the week after the annual Global Air & Space Chiefs' Conference in London and the week before the bi-annual Farnborough Airshow which occurs in 'even' years. RIAT allows the military aerospace industry to showcase its products to both the general public and customers in a more relaxed environment outside the commercial selling pressure of the Farnborough trade show. The Farnborough show also restricts public attendance, in 2022 this was to a single day with free entry for those under 21's to promote aerospace careers/recruitment.
For more information about the airshow visit the Royal International Air Tattoo Official Website and follow the Royal International Air Tattoo on Facebook.
Turkish Stars
The Turkish Stars are the aerobatic demonstration team of the Turkish Air Force and the national aerobatics team of Turkey. The team was formed on November 7 1992 and was named the Turkish Stars on January 11, 1993.
Turkish Stars fly with seven Canadair NF-5 fighter planes obtained from the Royal Netherlands Air Force, making them one of the few national aerobatics teams to fly supersonic aircraft. Twelve NF-5 fighter planes are available to the team. The team uses CASA/IPTN CN-235, C-130 and C-160 support aircraft in the Turkish Stars colours and also an A400M. The team is stationed at the Konya Air Base of 3rd Main Jet Base Group Command. As a part of the modernization programs of the Turkish Air Force, the NF-5 aircraft are planned to be replaced with locally produced TAI Hurjet in the mid-2020s.
On August 24, 2001, Turkish Stars demonstrated an airshow to more than one million people in Baku, Azerbaijan that is to be a world record.
Turkish Stars over Belgium in 2022
The Official Statement
Statement from the organizers of the Royal International Air Tattoo;
“The Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter began life as a privately funded light fighter project intended to produce a high performance, low cost and low maintenance light fighter with a secondary ground attack role. The type was first selected during 1956 as the US Air Force's next advanced jet trainer to replace the T-33 and was designated the T-38 Talon. It wasn't until 1962 was the F-5A ordered into production as a low-cost fighter aircraft for export by President Kennedy. The F-5A was operated by a number of nations and also license built in Canada and Spain. Whilst the F-5A saw very limited USAF service the much-improved F-5E Tiger II saw significant service and is still used today by the US Navy/Marine Corps as an aggressor combat trainer.
The Turkish Air Force first took delivery of the F-5A and two-seat F-5B Freedom Fighter during December 1965 as part of the US military assistance program for NATO allies. During the mid to late 1980s, the Turkish F-5A fleets were bolstered by the transfer of previously retired aircraft from the Norwegian and Republic of China Air Forces. A final batch of Canadian built NF-5A and NF-5B Freedom Fighters was transferred free of charge from the Royal Netherlands Air Force between 1989 and 1991. The remaining F-5's in Turkish service were upgraded during the early 2000's to the unique NF-5/2000 standard.
The popular national display team of Turkey known as the Turkish Stars will be returning to the flying display at this year's Air Tattoo. The team were formed in 1992 and have flown ex-Royal Netherlands Air Force NF-5A and NF-5B Freedom Fighters throughout their existence. The team will be performing a six-ship aerobatic display in their colourful jets at RIAT 2023, their first UK display since 2010!”
