Located on Devon's south coast, Dawlish rests between Exmouth and Teignmouth and each year plays host to a 'Carnival Week' that has included an airshow annually since 2004, with the 2008 event proudly able to boast a line-up including Red Arrows, Typhoon and a large part of the much heralded Role Demo.
Unfortunately the current strain that the Royal Air Force, and all of our Armed Forces for that matter, find themselves subjected to means that the Role Demo is completely absent from the 2009 RAF Events Team's repertoire, and similarly Typhoon has been restricted to Friday-Sunday appearances only, thus removing any possibility of Dawlish benefitting from their attendance once again.
Despite those disappointments the organising committee have worked hard at assembling a varied participation list, but the undoubted star of the line-up that's guaranteed to bring the crowds flocking will be Vulcan XH558/G-VLCN.
The international flavour has been retained, courtesy of the United States Air Forces Europe and, more specifically, the 100th Air Refuelling Wing who will supply one of their KC-135R Stratotankers for the flying display again.
Fast jet action will be provided by Dawlish regulars the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, The Red Arrows and Skyblue Aviation's Hunter FGA.9 G-ETPS/XE601. They'll also be joined by Flt Lt Matt Barker representing No.4 Flying Training School at RAF Valley in the solo Hawk.
Rotary participation is always a staple part of the diet at any Dawlish Airshow and 2009's event looks set to be no different. Both 22 Sqn of the RAF and 771 NAS of the Fleet Air Arm will supply Sea King demonstrations in the afternoon along with a civillian owned Wasp, currently on-loan to the Royal Navy Historic Flight.
Those three helicopters will all be on static display on the ground during the early part of the day, as well as a Griffin from the Search And Rescue Training Unit (SARTU), a Merlin HC.3A from 78 Sqn, an Agusta A109 from 32 Sqn and the Devon Air Ambulance Trust's EC-135 - with the latter 'on call' throughout the day. Two areas are used to park the helicopters on. The first is at Dawlish Warren, while the other is the field next to the Smugglers Inn pub. Both are accessible to the general public.
Representing the propeller world will be 45(R) Sqn's 2009 King Air Display, flown by Flt Lt Leon Creese and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, comprising Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane.
With 'entry' to the show being free the organisers are entirely reliant upon sponsorship and donations if the event is to continue beyond 2009. If you would like to donate via Paypal, please use the following link. Make a donation to the Dawlish Airshow fund.
In addition to the regular beach-front vantage points on the crowdline, interesting photographic opportunities can be had at either end of it and anybody making a donation will receive more specific details about one of those locations.
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