IT was the fast jets that brought life to a grey day two of Bournemouth Air Festival today.

On a day with less-than-ideal flying conditions, featuring high winds and cloud that simply refused to budge, the crowds were still treated to a near-complete programme.

After the Red Arrows had stolen the show on Thursday, it was the turn of the deafening Eurofighter Typhoon to blast into town on its first appearance for this year's event.

Bournemouth Echo:

Its afterburners lit up the turgid sky as it showed off why it is at the forefront of the RAF operations worldwide.

The Red Arrows brought the colour shortly after as the show was cranked up to 11 by the RAF's finest.

Bournemouth Echo:

Streaming in over the cliff top, the nine Hawk jets brightened up the vista with red, white and blue smoke.

Despite the fact that the team couldn't do a repeat of its full display of the previous day, the crowd was buzzing as close passes, rolls and twists were pulled off.

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The day had started with a low-key feel, with the onlookers wondering how much they'd get to see.

But the Army Lynx and Black Cats got them into the swing of things before the Tutor and Tucano performed.

Bournemouth Echo:

By the time the Reds bowed out, things were most certainly looking up as the distinctive Chinook made its first appearance of the festival - its pilots later tweeting to say that the conditions were the toughest they'd experienced this season.

 


 

 

The crowd was taken by surprise when the colourful Miss Demeanour Hunter jet roared in with a friend - the Sea Vixen.

Bournemouth Echo:

It was the briefest of appearances before Miss Demeanour owner and pilot Jonathon Whaley brought the noise to the seafront, screaming over the beach low and fast.

The historic planes were the ones that succumbed to the weather - alongside the two parachute teams - with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight deciding to stay on terra firma - hours after it was confirmed that the much-anticipated Canadian Lancaster had been grounded with engine problems.

But the solo Rolls Royce Spitfire managed to perform, bringing a touch of class and beauty - and that wonderful sound - to the show.

American B-17 bomber Sally B made her first appearance to the sounds of Glenn Miller, always a fantastic combination, before the Merlin helicopter gave the armed forces one last showing.

Bournemouth Echo:

But it was local hero the Sea Vixen, which lives at Bournemouth Airport, that left the hordes on the beach and cliff tops with a memorable send-off as she howled across to close the daytime flying.