First appearance by the RAF Typhoon for the 2008 season. Like last year, it displayed in the murk

Golden Apple's F-86A turning out at Duxford. One day I will get a good topside pic of this aircraft.

Three Spitfire's finishing up the opening May show at Duxford.

A MkV leads two MkIX's, one a two-seater.

Contrasting weather showed the various colour scheme's to good effect.

As is the norm at a Duxford show, the last item on the prgramme was warbird beat-up of the airfield. Two of three Spitfire's running in.

Historic Aircraft Collection's Spitfire banking over.

Old Flying Machine Company MkIX Spitfire landing after the display.

The Grace two-seat MkIX also landing.

Finally, the HAC MkV Spitfire landing also landing after the display.

Over the Biggin Hill show and the RAF Chinook lifting for it's first appearance of the day, as a taxi for The Falcons parachute team.

The OFMC used to be a major force in UK based warbirds for many years, with a large jet and WWII collection at Duxford, The tragic death of Mark Hanna some years ago, the transfer of much of their operation to New Zealand and the recent death of Ray Hanna has seen the collection reduced to just the two aircraft seen here in the UK.

P-51D 'Ferocious Frankie' and Spitfire MH434 during some very tight formation aerobatics at Biggin Hill.

Bright blue skies - not that common for yet another air show season in the UK!

Powering through the smoke from the pyrotechnics that announced it's arrival on the UK airshow scene, the British Army Apache has finally arrived, hopefully for good. It has made a number of minor appearances at shows since it entered service in 2000, but this year looks like the first time it will appear at most of the major events.

The 30mm cannon is demonstrated to the crowd.

It seemed that the Apache was the most anticipated and talked about act at the Biggin Hill Air Fair yesterday - it's easy to forget how rare they are around the UK when they're over your house virtually every couple of hours!

Four inert blue Hellfire rounds make up the stores on the lower pylons. These were all taken during the newly revamped Blue Eagles display. The four Gazelles have been retired so it's now a duo of the Lynx and Apache.

Side slipping down the crowdline, showing off the 30mm chain gun and TADS sight combination to good effect.

Pitching forward.

AAC Apache in reverse. ZJ219 is flown by 673 Sqn at Middle Wallop, the Apache conversion unit and the only AAC Apache unit not based at Wattisham. Their training aircraft generally lack the HIDAS operational fit.

Exiting stage left....

Not that common at UK shows much nowadays, which means it's been a while since I've seen a Mirage 2000 display. I'd forgotten how good these are as a display aircraft, even though they perhaps lack the manoeuvrability of, say a F-16 or next generation fighter, they make up for it in presence and power. A superb display at Biggin Hil by the Armée de l'Air.

Sea Hawk WV908 is flown by the Royal Navy Historic Flight. The aircraft has had a eventful history, having been grounded several time for quite serious repairs.

The Navy helicopter display team, 'The Black Cat's' brought a pair of unmarked HAS.3s to Biggin Hill, rather than there display aircraft.

The second Lynx HAS.3.

I found it difficult to get a sharp picture of the pair as they performed there routine.

A little better.

Always a difficult shot to get this. Given the depth of field required for both helicopters, you have to use a very slow shutter speed.

As is the norm, 4 FTS at Valley have painted a Hawk in a flash colour scheme for the show season. They've gone slightly more flash than normal because of the RAF's 90th Anniversary year. XX325 departing at Biggin Hill.

This Dc-6 is from Air Atlantique at Coventry and put on a spirited performance for such a large aircraft.