RNAS Yeovilton´s 70th Anniversary


The annual airshow at RNAS Yeovilton was held on 10 July 2010, the theme was the 70th Anniversary of RNAS Yeovilton. After the airshows in 2008 and 2009 with rainy and grey weather, this 70th anniversary was held in much better conditions. Sunshine, nice temperatures and not a drop of rain.

Royal Navy Air Station Yeovilton
The air station was opened on the 18 June 1940 and became home to No. 1 Naval Air Fighter School and 794 Naval Air Squadron with a mix of Blackburn B-25 Roc and Fairey Swordfish aircraft. Today, RNAS Yeovilton is one of the Navy’s two principal air bases (the other is RNAS Culdrose) and is one of the busiest military airfields in the UK. It is home to more than 100 aircraft operated within both front-line squadrons and training units. The air station also hosts the world-famous Fleet Air Arm Museum.

The airshow
This year’s airshow showed a mix of old and new aircraft. Most of Royal Navy’s aircraft in service were present at the static. The flying part of the airshow showed a few demo teams, the Patrulla Aguila from Spain, the Royal Jordanian Falcons and the Red Arrows. The rest of the show was a mix between foreign power jets, like F-16s from The Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, Royal Navy helicopters and old-timers, like the Sea Hawk and the Seafire.