Chance to get up close and personal with a Red Arrow Hawk jet at Blackpool Air Show weekend

The RAF has announced it will be bringing a life-size replica of the world’s most iconic aerobatic plane on to Blackpool Promenade throughout the free event on Saturday August 12 and Sunday August 13

With its distinctive red livery, the Hawk jet will take pride of place in the Air Show Village on the Tower Festival Headland, and will be situated between the RNLI and Central Pier, giving visitors a unique opportunity to climb into the cockpit and get a taste of what it is like to be a pilot of one of the most recognisable planes on the planet.

The “real” Red Arrows will be opening the Air Show on both days, providing an extraordinary curtain-raiser over The Blackpool Tower and seafront.

The Air Show Village, which will be sited between North and Central Piers, will include military vehicles, weapon stands, attractions, and information and official merchandise stalls for various aircraft that will be performing over the weekend.

Those aircraft include the RAF Typhoon, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Spitfire, and the Army’s Red Devils parachute display team.

Here, there will be an opportunity to meet the ground crew of some of the aircraft and meet serving members of the forces, ask them about what they do and take a look at the equipment they use on a regular basis.

South of Central Pier there will also be a display from Lancashire Fire and Rescue, with the team on hand to show you around the fire engines and pick-up truck as well as giving out recruitment information.

The Air Show is being promoted by Visit Blackpool, the tourism arm of Blackpool Council.

A spokesman for Visit Blackpool said: “There will be a wide range of food and drink concessions, both in the village and along the Promenade, and our souvenir Air Show programmes will be on sale at the Tourist Information Centre.

“In the skies over the Irish Sea, the Saturday and Sunday afternoon programmes will span almost four hours each day, featuring a whole host of incredible flying machines with an array of civil and military aircraft, including a display by the Aerosuperbatics Wing Walkers and an extraordinary finale from the Typhoon.”

The full list of participating aircraft can be viewed here: www.visitblackpool.com/airshow

Last year, the Air Show was one of the region’s biggest events, attracting an estimated 250,000 people to the resort.

Visitors are encouraged to get there early to avoid any traffic congestion. The Air Show Village will be open from 10am each day giving visitors plenty to see and do before the Red Arrows open the show at approximately 2pm.

For further information and to book accommodation and other entertainment during your stay in Blackpool go to www.visitblackpool.com