RNAS Yeovilton hosted about 70 aircraft involved in an epic flypast. This amazing video shows some of the participating aircraft landing at the base from the perimeter fence.
In 1994, Royal Navy Air Station Yeovilton, in Somerset, UK, gathered an impressive number of military aircraft from 12 nations that joined a massive flypast to celebrate the 50th anniversary of D-Day.
Along with RAF Tornados and Royal Navy Sea Harriers, other extremely interesting types took part in the celebration, including Royal Australian Air Force F-111s; Czech MiG-23s and MiG-29; French Mirage 2000s and Super Etendards, Greek F-4E Phantoms; Belgian, Dutch and Norwegian F-16s; Canadian CF-188s; Slovak MiG-29s; U.S. Air Force F-15Cs and U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcats; as well as a plethora of supporting and visiting birds.
Local and foreign aviation enthusiasts flooded the fields around the base to watch, photograph and film the aircraft descending into RNAS Yeovilton, enjoying the proximity of the spotting points on the perimeter fence to the runway’s threshold.
Wanna get an idea? Then, look at the following video that has been recently restored and posted to YouTube by Airshow World (H/T to Davide Pizzo for sharing this!). While quality is not even comparable to the one you can obtain today with a commercial smartphone, the clip is simply stunning as it provides a look back at an era of aircraft types, high-visibility insignias, camouflages and paint schemes never to be repeated again.
There are so many amazing (and unfortunately retired) aircraft approaching Yeovilton in the video that is difficult to pick a favorite one. I like the smoky arrival of the F-4s or the Sea Harriers lined up on final approach as a formation of RAF Tornados and Fleet Air Arm Sea Harriers FA2s and a pair of Harrier T4Ns approach the break. In the end, I must admit that the stylish overhead break performed by the four F-14 Tomcats returning from the flypast in diamond formation, with the outer jets breaking left and right first, to be followed by the leader and rear aircraft, is probably the part that I liked the most. Epic!
