2012 dawned bright and sunny. Thousands backed the beach on Thursday to see the Red Arrows return for the first time since the tragic events of 2011.
The team, down to seven in tribute to pilots Jon Egging, who died during the 2011 air show and Sean Cunningham, killed a few weeks later, kicked off the festival with an emotional display.
The largest ever Thursday crowd watched them perform the Pheonix formation above the newly-installed Jon Egging memorial.
The rest of the show was all about the power. The crowds were treated to not one, but two, Tornado jets roaring over the seafront.
The pair showed off what they were capable of, giving the hordes on the beaches a taste of what the jets did on the front line in places like Afghanistan. The afterburners were on as the pair stole the show.
And the noise didn't stop there - the Eurofighter Typhoon, back for the first time since 2010's washout, roared across the seafront.
Duller weather may have meant fewer displays on Sunday, with the Wingwalkers, Tigers and the Messerschmitt ME 109 having to cancel. but the Vulcan delighted crowds to close the show.
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