Midlands Air Festival

Ragley Hall, Alcester, Warwickshire

May 31st - 2nd June 2024

Red Arrows

The Red Arrows

The Midlands Air Festival will return in 2024 to Ragley Hall, its original home, and where it was a massive success in 2018 and 2021 - 2023.

There will be the traditional 'Nightfire' on Friday, featuring a small number of air displays, some with pyrotechnics, and a balloon glow followed by a mass ascent. There are normally more mass ascents early in the morning and later at night on the other two days subject, as always, to weather and other constraints. There are more details on the show's web site.

As well as classic and military jets, warbirds, display teams and the largest gathering of hot air balloons in Europe, expect truly impressive scale model displays, some with aerial battle re-enactments.

A list of the aircraft is in the table and on the show's web site.

Tickets  

Tickets will not be available on the gate. Tickets are available in advance via the show's web site.

Camping, Caravans and Motorhomes

Camping, Caravanning and other Live-In Vehicle options are available to visitors who buy a 3-day ticket. More details on the Midlands Air Festival web site.

About Ragley Hall

Ragley Hall, a stately home eight miles west of Stratford-upon-Avon, completed in 1750. It is the ancestral seat of the Marquess of Hertford and is currently the family home of the 9th Marquess and Marchioness.

Aircraft due to fly Please check the show's site for the latest list
Red Arrows BAe Hawk T1 (x9)Red Arrows (all 3 days)
RAF Typhoon, 2022-3 liveryEurofighter Typhoon FGR4 (RAF) (Friday only)
BBMF LancasterBBMF Lancaster 'PA474 Leader' (all 3 days)
North American B-25J Mitchell N6123C: Flying BullsNorth American B-25J Mitchell (Flying Bulls) (Saturday and Sunday)
Lockheed P-38 Lightning Lockheed P-38 Lightning (Flying Bulls) (Saturday and Sunday)
Douglas DC-6B Flying BullsDouglas DC-6B (Flying Bulls) (Saturday and Sunday)
DrakenSaab J35 Draken (Swedish Air Force Historic Flight) (Sunday only)
F-86 SabreF86 Sabre M6 (Frederic Akary) (Saturday and Sunday)
de Havilland Vampire WZ507de Havilland Vampire T11 WZ507 (Saturday and Sunday)
Team Raven (Saturday and Sunday)
Siai Marchetti SF260SIAI Marchetti SF260 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
Extra 330CChris Burkett Extra 300S (Saturday and Sunday)
Airborne PyrotechnicsAirborne Pyrotechnics (Friday)
AutogyroCalidus Autogyro G-DISP (all 3 days)
Vickers Supermarine Spitfire PS853 Vickers Supermarine Spitfire PRXIX PS853 G-RRGN: Rolls Royce Heritage Flight (all 3 days)
Spitfire P7350Supermarine Spitfire (BBMF) (Saturday and Sunday)
BBMF Hurricane PZ865Hawker Hurricane (Saturday and Sunday)
Aerosuperbatics WingwalkerAerosuperbatics Wingwalkers (all 3 days)
Bo 105cMesserschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm Bo 105c (Flying Bulls) (Saturday and Sunday)
Turbulent TeamTurbulent Team (all 3 days)
P51D Mustang, North American P-51D Mustang Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar / Rolls Royce Heritage Flight (was G-SHWN 'KH774 G-AS' 'The Shark' Norwegian Spitfire Foundation)North American P-51D Mustang: Rolls Royce Heritage Flight (all 3 days)
Fournier RF4D: Original photo copyright Simon ThomasFournier RF4D Motorglider: Bob Grimstead (Saturday and Sunday)
Stampe Formation TeamStampe Formation Flying Team (up to 4 SV.4 Stampe biplanes) (all 3 days)
Monoplane Display TeamMono Display Team: Taylor Monoplanes x2: Mono 1 G-BMAO Ben Gilmore.
Mono 2 Bruce Buglass G-BDAG (Friday & Saturday)

In case there are mistakes or changes, please check the show's site for the latest list.

Appearances are always subject to technical, weather and other constraints.

Ragley Hall, Alcester, Warwickshire

2nd - 4th June 2022

Red Arrows

A display by the Red Arrows on Saturday has been added to the schedule. The Red Arrows are now scheduled to display on all three days

The Midlands Air Festival returned in 2022 to Ragley Hall, its original home, and where it was a massive success in 2018 and 2021.

In 2022 the show will commemorate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, marking Her Majesty the Queen’s 70 year reign, and will feature the very best of British. Tickets were limited once again, to ensure a comfortable and spacious atmosphere. Priority and a discounted rate were offered to all 2021 ticketholders from mid August 2021 before becoming generally available and have since sold out.

The format is essentially the same as in 2021, with a Nightfire on Thursday 2nd, air displays, hot air balloon launches, trade stands, children's rides and entertainment.

There were due to be 5 mass ascents between Thursday and Saturday evenings with over 100 rainbow coloured hot air balloons and around 30 special shapes, but high winds caused the cancellation of the Saturday morning launch.

There was a chance for a very limited number of visitors to take to the air in a hot air balloon, through Phil Hooper and the Sky High Ballooning team, but all places have now been sold.

Tickets  

Tickets are sold out.

Aircraft due to fly Please check the show's site for the latest list
Red Arrows (all 3 days)
BBMF Lancaster 'PA474 Leader' (Fri & Sat)
Grob Tutor (RAF) (all 3 days)
RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team (all 3 days)
Boeing B-17G 'Sally B' (Fri & Sat)
Strikemaster pair, G-SOAF and G-RSAF (Fri & Sat)
BAC Jet Provost T5 XW324 (all 3 days. Pilot Phil Bird)
de Havilland Vampire T.11 WZ507/G-VTII (was Saturday only. Now all 3 days)
Team Raven (Fri & Sat)
Tiger 9 Formation Team (all 3 days)
Turbulent Team (all 3 days)
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina (was Thursday only, now all 3 days)
Bronco (Fri & Sat)
Vickers Supermarine Spitfire X1X PS853 G-RRGN: Rolls Royce Heritage Trust (all three days)
North American P-51D Mustang: Rolls Royce Heritage Trust (all 3 days)
RotorSport Calidus Autogyro (all 3 days, pilot Peter Davies)
Sydney Charles Airborne Pyrotechnics Display Team (two Grob 109b motor gliders) (Fri & Sat)
Brendan O'Brien & Otto the helicopter (Fri & Sat)
Pitts Special S-1E, Jubileelivery (Ian Smith) (all 3 days)
CAP 10 (Christophe Simon) (Thursday)
Auster AOP6 TW536: Kevin Hale (all 3 days)
Cancelled
Fournier RF4D Motor Glider (cancelled)

In case there are mistakes or changes, please check the show's site for the latest list.

Appearances are always subject to technical, weather and other constraints.

Accessibility

Electric scooters and manual wheelchairs can be made available for people who need them. This is being arranged by Event Mobility and has to be booked in advance via the Event Mobility website.

Camping

Camping, glamping and pitches for a caravan, campervan or motorhome are generally available. More details on the show's web site.

About Ragley Hall

Ragley Hall, a stately home eight miles west of Stratford-upon-Avon, completed in 1750. It is the ancestral seat of the Marquess of Hertford and is currently the family home of the 9th Marquess and Marchioness.

Provisional Timetable

This is provided to give an idea of the day's content. Check the show's web site for the latest in case there are changes

Thursday 2nd
13:00Gate Opens
14:00 - 16:00Hot Air Balloon Tethering
16.30 - 17.30Evening Air Display
17.45 - 18.30Large Model Aircraft
18.30 - 20.30Hot Air Balloon Mass Ascent
21:15 - 21:45Pyrotechnic Aircraft​ Displays
21:50 - 22:15Hot Air Balloon Glow
22:20 - 22:30Spectacular Firework Finale
23:30Gate Closes
Friday 3rd
05:30Gate Opens
06:00 - 08:00Hot Air Balloon Mass Ascent
​09:00 - 11:00Large Model Aircraft
​11:00 - 12:30Hot Air Balloon Tethering
​13:00 - 18:00Air Display
18:30 - 20:30Hot Air Balloon Mass Ascent
21:30Gate Closes
Saturday 4th
05:30Gate Opens Delayed to 8.30
06:00 - 08:00Hot Air Balloon Mass Ascent Cancelled due to high winds
​09:00 - 11:00Large Model Aircraft
​11:00 - 12:30Hot Air Balloon Tethering
​13:00 - 18:00Air Display
18:30 - 20:30Hot Air Balloon Mass Ascent
21:30Gate Closes

Ragley Hall, Alcester, Warwickshire

4 - 6- June 2021

Red Arrows

The Red Arrows are due to display on Friday & Saturday and flypast on Sunday

The Midlands Air Festival will return in 2021 to Ragley Hall, its original home, and where it was a massive success in 2018.

The format will be essentially the same as when the show was last at Ragley Hall in 2018, with a nightfire and evening display on Friday and daytime air displays at the weekend.

The show has over 100 balloons registered to take part in the 2021 festival, including over 40 special shapes. There are plans for twice-daily hot air balloon mass ascents. New for 2021, there will also be huge character kites in the form of various animals and model aircraft displays to go with the model balloon displays throughout the weekend.

Tickets  

Tickets are available in advance only.There will be no tickets on the gate.

Ticket details are on the show's web site (click the blue text to go there).

Aircraft due to flyPlease check the show's site for the latest list
Red Arrows (Fri, Sat displays: Sun flypast)
Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF) (Sat & Sun)
RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team (Sat & Sun)
Supermarine Spitfire pair (BBMF) (Sat & Sun)
Boeing B-17G 'Sally B' (Sat & Sun)
PBY-5A Catalina (Sat & Sun)
Richard Goodwin in Pitts G-EWIZ (Sat & Sun)
Richard Goodwin, JPIT S2SRichard Goodwin in Jet Pitts S2S (Sat & Sun)
Team Raven (Sat & Sun)
Stampe Formation TeamStampe Formation Flying Team (four SV.4 Stampe biplanes) (Fri, Sat & Sun)
Turbulent Team (Sat & Sun)
Calidus Autogyro, Peter Davies (Fri, Sat & Sun)
Brendan O'Brien & Otto the helicopter (Sat & Sun)
Westland Wasp (Fri, Sat & Sun)
Tiger 9 Formation Team (Sat & Sun)
Gipsy Pair (Auster and Chipmunk) (Fri, Sat & Sun)
Vintage Pair: DHC-1 Chipmunks 1350 and WG308 (Sat & Sun)
SIAI-Marchetti SF.260SIAI Marchetti F.260 G-RAZI (Fri, Sat & Sun)
Supermarine Spitfire 'PT879' (The Russian Spitfire): Peter Teichman - public debut
RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team (Sat & Sun)

In case there are mistakes or changes, please check the show's site for the latest list

Appearances are always subject to technical, weather and other constraints.

Camping

Camping and pitches for a caravan, campervan or motorhome will all be available. Glamping has sold out. More details on their web site.

About Ragley Hall

Ragley Hall, a stately home eight miles west of Stratford-upon-Avon, completed in 1750. It is the ancestral seat of the Marquess of Hertford and is currently the family home of the 9th Marquess and Marchioness.

Arbury Hall, Nuneaton

May 29 - 31

Otto displayed on Friday

Brendan O'Brien's Otto was one of the dusk displays on Friday

In May 2019 The Festival was held at Arbury Hall, Arbury Park, Nuneaton. It featured a Nightfire and virtually all kinds of aviation over the weekend. Fascinating special shapes were amongst the balloons that took part in the night glow on Friday and two mass balloon ascents. Although there were cancellations, most of the aircraft also displayed.

Nightfire on the Friday evening featured a night time aerobatic air display with lights and pyrotechnics, followed by a hot air balloon glow: balloons inflated and burning to a choreographed music track and a fireworks finale.

Arbury Hall

Arbury Hall, set in lakes and parkland of over 100 acres, was built on the ruins of a 12th century Augustinian Priory and remodelled into the Gothic style in the second half of the 18th century.

The Estate includes Arbury Hall, park and farms, residential properties, a commercial estate and Astley Castle & Manor.

Aircraft Scheduled to fly in daylight
Saturday and Sunday unless noted
Fournier RF4 Motorglider (Bob Grimstead) (also Friday)
Catalina PBY-5A (Catalina Society 'Plane Sailing')
Yakolev YAK3-U (Will Greenwood)
Team Raven
Brendan O'Brien in J-3 Cub
Brendan O'Brien & Otto the helicopter
Westland Wasp (also Friday)
Calidus Autogyro, Peter Davies (also Friday)
Strikemaster pair, G-SOAF and G-RSAF Cancelled - pilot unwell replaced by Jet Provost Mk3
SIAI Marchetti F260
Stampe Formation TeamStampe Formation Flying Team (four SV.4 Stampe biplanes)
Aerosuperbatics Wingwalkers
P-51D Mustang 'The Shark' (Norwegian Spitfire Foundation)
Sea Fury T-20Hawker T20 Sea Fury (Norwegian Spitfire Foundation)
Red Devils Parachute Display Team
Auster (Friday only)
Silence Twister solo (Friday only)
Nightfire on Friday
Scheduled to fly at dusk, with fireworks
Brendan O'Brien in J-3 Cub
Brendan O'Brien & Otto the helicopter
Silence Twister solo with Grob x2
Red Devils Parachute Display Team.
30 Balloons

Midlands Air Festival, Ragley Hall Estate

18 - 20 May 2018

Bristol Blenheim

The Bristol Blenheim: one of the displays

This new aviation event for the Midlands, featuring virtually every type of aviation, was a massive success.

Nightfire on the Friday evening featured a night time aerobatic air display with lights and pyrotechnics, followed by a hot air balloon glow: balloons inflated and burning to a choreographed music track and a fireworks finale.

Most of the air displays were on Saturday and Sunday. They included classic WW1 & WW2 fighters, high energy aerobatics, classic jets, flying circus, helicopters, a gyrocopter and a full hot air balloon festival with around 75 balloons, mainly special shapes.

On the ground there were trade stalls, catering, exhibitors, arena events and activities, including Battlefield South’s Commando laser shooting experience: free of charge on a first come first served basis. Ragley Hall itself was open and could be visited for an additional donation.

The flying displays are listed in the table.

About Ragley Hall

Ragley Hall, a stately home completed in 1750, is the ancestral seat of the Marquess of Hertford and is currently the family home of the 9th Marquess and Marchioness.

Aircraft
Due to fly (tap / hover over icon for more detail)
P-51D Mustang 'The Shark'
Bristol Blenheim
Supermarine Spitfire Mk 1 'N3200'
Lauren Wilson in Pitts S-1S
Turbulent Team
Hawker Fury FB11
Calidus Autogyro, Peter Davies
Westland Wasp: Terry Martin
Fournier RF4 Motor Glider
Catalina
Strikemaster
Harvard
Beech 18
Great War Display Team
Auster
P-47 Thunderbolt
Stampe Formation Flying Team ‘Belgian Ballerinas’
Otto the helicopter, flown by Brendan O'Brien (also Friday evening)
Twister (solo) (Friday Evening)
Sydney Charles Display Team (Grob Motor Gliders x2) (Friday evening)

Getting to the Midlands Air Festival

By car

Use postcode B49 5NJ in the sat nav until you get close but ignore the sat nav in favour of local direction signs as soon as you see them.

 Directions

There are links to other route planners in the Travel Advice section.

By Train

Statford-upon-Avon train station is about 8 miles from Ragley Hall.

Click here to create a pocket timetable for your journey between any stations on the National Rail network.

Travel Advice

Road traffic updates
Highways Agency
Rail
Incidents and enquiries
National Railway Map
DIY pocket timetable
Journey planning by public transport
Traveline
Route planners (Road)
AA
RAC
Bing (Microsoft)

Accommodation near the Midlands Air Festival

It is best to book as far as possible in advance. This is not only because nearby hotels and guest houses tend get booked up well before the date of an airshow but also because prices can be better when you book early online.

The location is already built in to the link but please check, and change as necessary, the dates, number of rooms and number of guests.

 

Some More Options

There are three Premier Inn hotels in Evesham and Stratford-upon-Avon (roughly 9 miles away) as well as several more a little further out.

There are two Travelodge hotels within 10 miles, the nearests at Stratford Alcester less than 2 miles from Ragley Hall, and there are a few more slightly further away.

Click any of the blue names to go to the corresponding web site. The links already have the location built in, but please check, and change as necessary, the dates, number of rooms and number of guests.

Weather for the show area

UK Met Office Forecast

A full 7 day Alcester weather forecast from the UK Met Office

BBC Forecast

A 14-day forecast from the BBC

What the forecasts tell you

The Met Office 7-day forecast includes actual and "feels like" temperatures, the likelihood of rain, wind speed, wind direction, wind gusts and visibility: the latter can have an impact on the viability of displays.

The BBC's 14-day forecast has overall conditions including and hourly estimate of temperature, wind direction, wind speed and UV range.

Click the blue-text link to go to the forecast. The location is already built into the links.

2024 Show Basics

Date

31st May - 2nd June 2024

Airshow links

Midlands Air Festival website

Show Management

Slipstream Management Ltd.
info@midlandsairfestival.com.

Tickets for 2024  

Click the blue text for ticket details on the show's web site.

Trader Enquiries

Applications for trade spaces are now closed. Details are on the show's web site

Parking

Parking is free but needs a ticket. Add one to your ticket order.

Dogs

The 'FAQ' section of the show's web site says "we will not allow dogs or pets anywhere on the site".

Travel

Postcode B49 5NJ

 Directions

For links to other travel and route planning web sites, click the 'Getting There' tab

 

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